There are dozens of web design awards given out each and every year. Some creative agencies (like mine) proudly display the accolades they’ve received, leading potential clients to ask: do web design awards really matter?
There isn’t necessarily a straightforward answer to this question. That’s because different web design awards mean different things, and are given out by groups with their own unique decision criteria. In other words, there aren’t a lot of apples-to-apples comparisons to be made between them.
However, if you’re a business owner or marketing manager who is trying to figure out whether web design awards really matter, there are a few things you should probably consider…
Awards Are (Generally) a Mark of Quality
Big picture, you would rather have a web designer who wins awards than one who doesn’t. An award in any field is usually a sign that some judging body considered a piece of work to be outstanding or excellent. Those are obviously things you should want in a creative team.
It’s worth pointing out, though, that some web design awards are essentially made up. That is, designers will start organizations just so they can award themselves, or join groups that give out prestigious-sounding honors to all of their members. Knowing that, you should do your homework if you haven’t heard of the organization that bestowed the award in the first place.
The Specific Award Matters
As I’ve already mentioned, the most legitimate web design awards come from industry groups and well-known business organizations. In addition to the differences in awarding organizations, there are also differences between the types of awards given.
For instance, some web design awards are only open to smaller creative firms, or those that work with small businesses. Some are industry-specific, or could be limited to visual design or programming accomplishments. These are just examples, but the point I want to make is, you should be sure that your creative team is winning awards for the kinds of work you want to see them perform.
There Is One Award That Tops All Others
Ultimately, there is really only one web design award that matters: testimonials, case studies, and referrals from satisfied clients.
I put a lot more stock in the fact that so many of my clients are happy to recommend me to their friends and colleagues than I do the awards I’ve been given by various business groups. I certainly appreciate the honors, but knowing that the people who have worked with me say good things is worth a lot more. If you really want to know whether your business web designer is going to do a good job, see what past clients have to say. That’s the feedback that really matters.
When it comes to web design awards, the best advice I could give probably comes down to this: don’t hire any creative professional or team just because they’ve won an award. However, if it seems like professional groups are saying good things about their work – along with past clients – take it as a good sign that you should give them serious consideration.
To learn more about why we are an award-winning web design company, and see how we can put our creative talents to work for you, contact the Biondo Creative team today to schedule a meeting.