Introduction
Have you ever wondered how winning awards can help your SEO and E-E-A-T? If you’re like most online entrepreneurs, you probably think that awards are nice to have but not essential for your online success.
How to position yourself in Google News as an industry leader
But what if I told you that awards can be a powerful link-building strategy to boost your search engine rankings? In this article, I’ll share with you the full link-building strategy that has helped me and my clients achieve amazing results online.
You’ll learn how to find and apply for relevant awards in your niche and promote your award wins while building credibility and valuable backlinks to enhance your E-E-A-T and organic search positions.
Whether you’re new to SEO or a seasoned pro, this article will show you how to leverage the power of awards and take your online presence to the next level.
Finding the right awards to apply for
The first step in my award-winning link-building strategy is to find the right awards to apply for. Not all awards are created equal; some may benefit your SEO and E-E-A-T more than others. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the best awards for your goals and budget.
Industry relevance
You want to apply for awards that are relevant to your niche and industry, as they will help you establish your expertise and authority in your field. For example, if you’re a digital marketer, you might want to apply for awards like The Drum Awards[1], The Webby Awards[2], or The Search Engine Land Awards[3].
Prestige
You also want to apply for awards that are prestigious and well-known, as they will help you build trust and recognition among your audience and peers. For example, if you’re a recruitment company, you might want to apply for awards like The Recruiter Awards[4], The Global Recruiter Awards[5], or The Blogger Recognition Award[6].
Entry requirements
Finally, you want to apply for awards that have reasonable entry requirements that match your qualifications and resources. For example, some awards may require a fee, a nomination, a portfolio, or a testimonial. You need to weigh the costs and benefits of applying for each award and decide if it’s worth your time and money.
How do you find relevant awards in your niche? There are several ways to do this, but here are some of the methods I use:
Google search operators
You can use Google search operators to narrow down your search results and find specific awards in your niche. For example, if you’re looking for digital marketing awards in 2023, you can type in “digital marketing” + “awards” + “2023” in Google and see what comes up.
Industry directories
You can also use industry directories to find lists of awards in your niche. For example, if you’re looking for content marketing awards, you can check out Content Marketing Institute’s list of content marketing awards[7].
Competitor analysis
You can also look at what awards your competitors have won or applied for and see if you can do the same. For example, if you’re looking for SEO awards, you can check out Moz’s list of SEO award winners[8].
By using these methods, I’ve been able to find and apply for dozens of awards in the digital marketing space[9], such as The Drum Search Awards[10], The European Search Awards[11], and The UK Search Awards[12]. These awards have helped me build my reputation and authority as an SEO expert[13], as well as generate valuable links from authoritative websites[14].
Promoting Your Award Wins
- Once you’ve won an award, you want to make sure that everyone knows about it.
- Promoting your award wins can help you increase your brand awareness, reputation, and sales.
Here are some ways to effectively promote your award wins:
Create a dedicated page on your website
Create a page on your website that showcases all the awards you’ve won and, in our case, also our accreditations, and what they mean for your business.
- You can also link to your blog post about your award-winning link-building strategy and invite visitors to learn more about it or contact you for help.
Shout about it! Did it even happen if you never posted? When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn with your company achievements? Our Chief Operating Officer, James Gregory worded it eloquently during his talk at Search Birmingham:
Effectively by not posting, you’re denying your potential customers and genuine people who need your service the opportunity to even engage in dialogue
- Don’t forget to then also update your social media profiles with a special cover photo or banner that announces your award wins; even better if you’ve got your best clobber on and your team around you, as they can also do a roundup post of the awards and get client accounts to chime in to amplify E-E-A-T and engagement further; we LOVE the indirect referral traffic and business as a result.
- Key takeaway: You can turn an award ceremony into a multi-channel social media strategy by posting about it on your social media channels, to the point of shared press links with said photos attached.
- Don’t forget to tag the award organizers and thank them for recognizing your achievements.
Issue press releases
- You can also issue press releases to relevant media outlets and publications that cover your industry or niche.
- You can highlight how your award wins demonstrate your expertise and authority in your field and how they benefit your customers or clients. You can also include a link to your website or blog post for more information.
Leverage testimonials and reviews
- You can also leverage testimonials and reviews from your customers or clients who have benefited from your award-winning services or products.
- You can ask them to share their feedback on your website, social media, or review platforms.
- You can also feature some of their testimonials or reviews on your website or blog post with a link back to their websites.
Involve your team
Again as mentioned earlier not only do you include you’re team in the ceremony and photos but you should definitely involve your team in promoting your award wins. You can celebrate with them and thank them for their hard work and contribution. You can also encourage them to share the news with their own networks and contacts. You can create a special email signature or social media post that they can use to spread the word.
I’ve successfully promoted my award wins and business achievements online and offline, further enhancing my credibility[15]. For example, I’ve been featured in several media outlets such as MarketWatch[16], Business Lancashire[17], and Universe News Network[18]. I’ve also received positive feedback and referrals from my customers and clients who have seen the results of my award-winning link building strategy[19].
Building Links from Your Award Wins
The final step is to then build links from your award wins. Building links from authoritative websites that recognize your awards can help you boost your E-E-A-T rankings. Here are some ways to build links from your award wins.
Reach out to relevant websites
You can reach out to relevant websites in your niche or industry that might be interested in featuring or mentioning your award wins. For example, you can contact industry blogs, magazines, podcasts, or newsletters that cover topics related to your awards. You can pitch them a guest post, an interview, or a case study that showcases how you won the awards and how they helped you achieve online success.
Showcase Your Awards
You can also create badge images that display your awards on your website. Badge images are clickable icons that link back to the award website or page. They help you build links and show your visitors your credibility and trustworthiness. You can create badge images using online tools like Canva or Photoshop.
As mentioned earlier, you can also leverage testimonials and reviews from your customers or clients who have benefited from your award-winning services or products. You can ask them to link to your website or blog post when they share their feedback on their websites, social media, or review platforms. You can also feature some of their testimonials or reviews on your website or blog post with a link back to their websites.
I’ve built links from my award wins using different methods, which have greatly benefited my E-E-A-T and rankings[20]. For example, I’ve been featured as a guest blogger on several authoritative websites such as FatRank[21], Best Companies[22], and Searcharoo[23]. I’ve also created badge images for my awards and displayed them on my website and social media profiles. I’ve also received links from my happy customers and clients sharing their testimonials and reviews on their websites or platforms.
Conclusion
In summary, link building for awards won is a powerful strategy for amplifying your E-E-A-T and boosting your search engine rankings. You can significantly enhance your online presence and credibility by finding the right awards, mastering the application process, promoting your wins, and building valuable links. Winning awards helps you stand out from your competitors and opens up new opportunities for collaboration and growth. If you want to take advantage of this strategy, here are some tips to get you started:
- Research relevant awards in your niche and industry
- Write compelling applications that showcase your achievements and expertise
- Promote your award wins on your website, social media, and press releases
- Build links from authoritative websites that recognize your awards
- Monitor and measure the impact of your link-building efforts on your E-E-A-T and rankings
If you’re interested in learning more about my award-won strategy or if you need help with your link-building efforts, feel free to contact my team at E-E-A-T SEO.
Together, we can help you achieve the online success and recognition you deserve. Don’t miss this chance to boost your E-E-A-T whilst simultaneously reclaiming and repositioning your digital identity.
Resources
Here are the sources and references that were used in this article:
3. The Search Engine Land Awards
5. The Global Recruiter Awards
7. Content Marketing Institute’s list of content marketing awards
8. Moz’s list of SEO award winners
9. My accreditations in the digital marketing space
11. The European Search Awards
15. Our credibility and recognition as an award-winning SEO agency
17. My feature on Business Lancashire
18. My feature on Universe News Network
19. Our testimonials and reviews from happy customers and clients
20. Access SEO services and results
21. My author profile on FatRank
with our ranking matrix® 
