Frequently Asked Questions

What are the entry deadlines and fees for entering?  

The entry deadlines for the 2022 Search Engine Land Awards are as follows:

• Open for 2022 entries: April 11, 2022
• Super Early Bird Deadline: Friday, May 27, 2022. $395/entry
• Early Bird Deadline: Friday, July 15, 2022. $495/entry
• Last Chance Deadline: Friday, September 9, 2022. $595/entry

Will any of my team/company/client's information be made public? Will Search Engine Land publish it?

Under no circumstances will we publish any content from your application(s) without expressed consent from you and your team. Period. As part of our editorial coverage and promotion of the awards program, we like to feature finalists and winners on Search Engine Land -- but we will never do so without obtaining proper and complete consent first. 

Furthermore, in this coverage, we will never give out client details beyond a company name. Budgets, data/metrics, charts, visuals, and so forth will never be shared on any of our publications. These assets are only accessible to the judges at Search Engine Land and are used solely for evaluation purposes. 

What is the timeframe my campaign should have been conducted in for my team to submit?

For the 2022 Awards, we are looking for campaigns that were executed between Summer 2021 - present day. If you have a long-running campaign and would like to submit for a certain "chunk" of the campaign that took place during the aforementioned timeframe, that is absolutely acceptable. 

What makes a submission stand out to the judges?

Over the years, we've collected advice and insights from past judges on what makes for an award-winning submission. Check out Inside the judging chamber: 17 tips for crafting impressive awards submissions and How to win Agency of the Year: Interview with a judge for a start. We'll publish more interviews with this year's judges in the coming weeks... stay tuned for more! 

As always, if you have any questions about your application, reach out to us at awards@searchengineland.com.

Is there an entry form I need to download?

No. The entry application process is entirely online, broken down into a multi-step process.

Once you create a user profile and select a category for entry, you will see fields to enter your executive summary based on the category (SEO, PPC, individual or team awards) you select.

You can complete your entry in phases, editing and updating until you finalize your submission.

What do I need to know before entering?

First, read all of the category descriptions thoroughly to understand the specific criteria for each category. After that, it's up to you to write a compelling case study (750 words max) that incorporates all relevant details to meet the requested criteria and provide supporting data (visual charts/graphs) for the judges' review.

Judges will be looking for:

• Innovative strategies and creative tactics implemented 
• Best practices / white-hat methods employed
• Resources and technology utilized
• Tangible/measurable business results - specific metrics are required depending on the category

All data submitted is considered confidential by the judges and they are not allowed to share entry materials publicly. The editorial staff of Search Engine Land, Third Door Media, or its partners may request permission to summarize the finalists and/or winning entries post-event. You will be contacted if your entry is selected for editorial or promotional purposes prior to publication.  

Can I submit an entry to more than one category? 

Yes! At the end of the application process, you will be asked if you want to copy the submission details to another category, or you can begin a second application from scratch before you complete the checkout process. Additional fees will apply for each category entered.

For example, if you are entering "Agency of the Year - SEO" but your team also manages paid search, you can copy the bulk of the application information to "Agency of the Year - PPC". You'll need to modify any submission materials explicitly requested for the second category, as needed or if significantly different from the first. In this case, paid search results would likely be different from organic.

What if I have a question about an Awards category or entry criteria? 

We will update the FAQ and awards category details as necessary until the entry period closes. If you still have additional questions, please email awards@thirddoormedia.com.

I am a consultant/represent an agency, can I submit my work for a client?

Of course - we want your work to get the credit it deserves! However, you must have full permission to include client company name/website and provide supporting client data as required. You must also provide a client-side reference, name, and contact details with your submission.

Do you accept entries from outside the United States?

Yes, The Search Engine Land Awards are open to global entries; non-US and international campaigns are eligible. However, all award applications and entries must be submitted in English, and currencies converted to $USD. 

Who are the judges?

The Search Engine Land editorial staff (and only independent contractors of our parent company) are responsible for the primary task of reviewing and scoring all categories, adhering to strict confidentiality standards in order to maintain the privacy of sensitive data. 

Other measures are in place to reduce conflicts of interest in judging, and judges are asked to recuse themselves from reviewing and scoring any application in which they may have a personal or business connection.

Stay tuned for more information about the judges in the 2022 awards program!

When will the winners be announced?

Winners will be announced on October 17 via featured coverage on Search Engine Land.

Can my company sponsor the Search Engine Land Awards?

Absolutely! There are several sponsorship opportunities for industry-leading organizations including agencies, search marketing tools, and platforms to gain visibility through media impressions and on-site at the awards ceremony and celebration event.

Sponsoring the awards will not affect the outcome of the independent, editorially-driven judging process. To learn more about sponsoring the 2022 Search Engine Land Awards, contact us at awards@thirddoormedia.com.