Category Definitions
The Webby Awards accept four types of entries: Websites, Interactive Advertising, which includes banners, viral, branded content and more; Online Film & Video, premiering on the Web including Comedy, Live Events, Music and more; and Mobile, which recognizes the emerging category of Mobile Websites.
Websites
The Webby Awards recognizes outstanding Websites in 65+ categories. A Website may be entered into multiple categories if appropriate. Sites entered into multiple categories will be reviewed separately for each category entered. Websites entered into more than one category may win multiple awards.
The categories are as follows, click on the category to see a full definition.
Categories
Features Categories
To enter a specific feature or component of your Website, you may choose from the categories below. You may enter multiple Features categories.
*denotes $125 categories.
Category Definitions
If you are unsure of which category or categories to select for your entry, consult the complete category definitions below.
- Activism
- Sites facilitating political change, social movement, human rights, public education and reform, or revolution.
- Art
- Sites primarily to display or promote art of any medium, art galleries, art auctions or content focused on art criticism or the art world.
- Associations
- Sites for industry or trade associations or groups.
- Automotive
- Sites providing information or commerce for the automotive industry, including sites for auto makers, current car models, auto dealers (new or used), new cars for sale, used cars, car parts or accessories, car culture or car customizing.
- Banking/Bill Paying
- Sites providing online consumer banking and bill paying services or other consumer related saving and lending services.
- Beauty and Cosmetics
- Sites promoting beauty and cosmetic-related products, health and beauty aids, hair and makeup products, skincare, and commentary or content related to any of the above.
- Blog - Business
- Sites that serve as weblogs or online journals for professional and business related topics.
- Blog - Cultural
- Blog - Cultural
- Blog - Culture/Personal
- Sites created by individuals or groups that serve as weblogs or online journals for cultural or personal topics.
- Blog - Political
- Sites that serve as weblogs or online journals for political and civic oriented topics.
- Broadband
- Sites fully integrating bandwidth-intensive interactive content. This content may include video, animation, and like dynamic elements that bring the computer, television, radio and film one step closer to convergence.
- Celebrity/Fan
- Sites focused on celebrating, promoting or honoring celebrities, personalities, bands, athletes, movie actors, or other people of note.
- Charitable Organizations / Non-Profit
- Sites for charities and charitable organizations whose primary purpose is helping people or other worthy causes.
- Charitable Organizations/Non-Profit
- Charitable Organizations/Non-Profit
- Community
- Sites creating and facilitating online community, connectedness and/or communication around shared interests. These sites can target either a broad-based or niche audience.
- Consumer Electronics
- Sites marketing or promoting items and services that would be classified as consumer electronics such as handheld devices, PDAs, personal computers, televisions, stereos, home audio/video equipment, home theater systems, video game platforms and consoles and other related electronic products.
- Corporate Communications
- Sites that serve as online identities for corporations, organizations, businesses or professional individuals. These sites may promote, market or provide information and a point of contact for products, services, corporate individuals or companies involved in on or offline commerce.
- Cultural Institutions
- Sites for museums, parks, zoos, gardens, aquariums, theatres, arenas and any other institutions of cultural significance.
- Education
- Sites that are educational, promote education, or provide online curriculum or education services. This category includes educational content for children or adults, resources for educators, and "distance learning" courses. Does not include school sites, see School.
- Employment
- Sites featuring job and employment listings, job and career search services, recruiting services, career advice, headhunting or other career or job related information.
- Events
- Sites promoting specific events including concerts, fairs, festivals, sporting events, tours, or other events.
- Family/Parenting
- Sites providing content related to family issues, child rearing, family activities, pregnancy, parenting tips and other information.
- Fashion
- Sites promoting personal style, clothing, design, and accessories. These include sites selling fashion items or promoting designers, and editorial sites with fashion news and information.
- Financial Services
- Sites providing financial services and/or information. These include online stock trading, financial news, mortgage information, credit cards, or investor relations and services. Does not include online banking sites. See Banking/Bill Paying.
- Food and Beverage
- Sites promoting food and beverage products including snack foods, candy, confections, chewing gum, fresh and frozen food, soft drinks, juices, energy drinks and water. Also sites featuring content about food or beverages, including recipes or recommendations.
- Games
- Sites featuring direct online gaming for individuals or multi-player. Includes games of any type including action, sports, fantasy, skill, or logic.
- Sites devoted to the world and culture of computer gaming. This includes gaming news, gaming magazines, and gaming resources.
- Government
- Sites providing information and services pertaining to government matters. These include sites that enable online citizen action, offer self-help information, publish government documents and forms, and provide access to services provided by government agencies.
- Green
- Green
- Guides/Ratings/Reviews
- Sites that provide reviews of products or services for either consumer or business audiences. These include restaurant reviews, travel reviews, business product or service reviews, buying guides, best-of resources, product and price comparison sites.
- Health
- Sites providing information and resources to improve personal health and well-being. These may include medical news sites, health information, and online diagnosis. Health includes not only medicine but also includes alternative and mental health and fitness Web sites.
- Humor
- Sites dedicated to comedy or the art of laughter.
- Insurance
- Sites providing information, commerce or other services featuring insurance products and services for home, auto, liability, business or any other purposes.
- IT Hardware/Software
- Sites providing information or commerce for information technology, hardware and software, including computers, servers, networking equipment, business or consumer software products and services, and all other technology and information services related to hardware or software.
- Law
- Web sites for law firms, legal service providers, pro-bono legal services, litigation support, and self-help legal information. Sites that feature content on legal issues, trials, law and business issues, court decisions or legal advocacy.
- Lifestyle
- Sites featuring commentary, commerce and advice on lifestyle and living topics such as gardening, home improvement, interior design, architecture, and like subjects. Sites touching on the personal side of life by providing information and resources that allow people to live on their own terms.
- Magazine
- Sites that are online editions or companions to offline business or consumer magazines, or sites published only online ('zines).
- Movie and Film
- Sites dedicated to promotion, celebration and presentation of films, movies and film culture. These include movie promotional sites, film news, film resources, film magazines and film archives. This does not include fan sites - See Celebrity/Fan.
- Music
- Sites dedicated to the distribution and/or presentation of music or musical information. These sites may provide a direct listening experience, commerce, or promote musical awareness including musicians' or record labels' sites, sites that promote musical events, or those that teach music or about music.
- NetArt
- Projects that integrate art and technology, exploring and expanding the distinctive capacity of the medium. Projects must include a Web-based component and may include an offline element.
- News
- Sites developed for the distribution of recent happenings. These may be offshoots of established broadcast or other existing news operations, or developed specifically for online news.
- Newspaper
- Sites that are online editions or companions to offline newspapers.
- Personal Blog/Website
- Personal Blog/Website
- Personal Web Site
- Sites about individuals. These personal sites are created by you about you, by you about someone else, or by someone else about you.
- Pharmaceuticals
- Sites promoting or marketing prescription or non-prescription drugs and medical treatment or sites providing information on pharmaceutical products.
- Podcasts
- Sites dedicated to the distribution and/or presentation of podcasts or podcast information. These sites may provide a direct listening experience, commerce, or promote podcasting awareness, including individuals' or portals' podcast sites, those that teach podcast practices, or are generally about podcasts.
- Politics
- Sites providing political information. These may include campaign or candidate sites, political resources, or political news sites promoting a political cause or action.
- Professional Services
- Sites for professional service firms including consultants of any type, accountants and other business service providers.
- Radio
- Sites with ties to a radio network, station, or program, either on the air or on the Web. This category includes sites that relate to a specific musical or talk-radio show, segment, or station.
- Radio/Podcasts
- Radio/Podcasts
- Real Estate
- Sites marketing or promoting the sale or rental of residential or commercial real estate, including real estate listings, brokers and brokerage services, real estate agents, and sites for developments, buildings or other real estate holdings.
- Religion and Spirituality
- Sites focusing on the spirit or the soul, evangelizing spiritual practice, celebrating God(s) or any other divine power - traditional or otherwise. These include sites which provide information about the ritual, history and practice of all forms of spirituality, church and temple sites, online confessions, virtual prayer groups, and astrology sites as well as sites that provide a platform for direct online spiritual experience.
- Restaurant
- Sites for restaurants, bars, restaurant chains, and other food and drink establishments. Does not include Review sites. See Guides/ Ratings/Reviews.
- Retail
- Sites providing consumers online commerce and retail sales of any products or services.
- School/University
- Sites for schools (high school, secondary school, elementary school), specialty school, technical school, colleges, universities and other schools.
- Science
- Sites distributing information related to scientific exploration. These include science exhibits, science museums, science organizations, science laboratories, and academic institutions.
- Self-Promotion/Portfolio
- An individual's creative work or collection of examples of prior projects, used to promote experience, qualifications, and skills. An online resume and demonstration of professional abilities on an individual basis. For companies, see Professional Services.
- Services
- Sites allowing real world activities to be done online. These include agent or bot sites as well as sites that help people find jobs, houses, dates, or which otherwise facilitate typically offline activities from a keyboard.
- Sites that facilitate the process of connecting individuals through the Internet. Their purpose may be business or pleasure. They may use friend-of-friend connections to form a social network or use technology to make the connection. Includes dating and matchmaking sites.
- Sports
- Sites for sports news, sporting culture, sports teams, sports statistics, sports data, sporting events, and sports history. Includes fantasy sports sites.
- Student
- For students who have designed web sites for academic purposes or as part of developing a portfolio. Category limited to works of students.
- Telecommunications
- Sites for cellular or mobile phones, accessories, voice over IP, phone service, long distance service, ring tones, or any other mobile or land-line phone or phone service.
- Television
- Sites which are online counterparts of television programs, promote television programs, television networks, or cable networks.
- Tourism
- Sites that promote travel and tourism destinations, specific travel activities or promotional and informational tourism websites. Includes city, country or regional sites, tourist attractions, and chamber of commerce sites.
- Travel
- Sites that provide travel services and information. These include online agents for purchasing tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and other travel services. Includes online travel guides, travel writing, and travel tools.
- Web Services & Applications
- Web Services & Applications
- Weird
- Sites that just seem strange, offbeat or odd. This category includes sites that reflect a fresh perspective in thought and action strong enough to start a revolution, change a behavior pattern, or advance old thinking lodged in bad habits, or that are just plain weird.
- Youth
- Sites for those under 18: kids, youth, adolescents, teens and young adults.
- Best Actor
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Actress
- Best Copy/Writing
- Only copy and writing judged.
- Best Copywriting
- Best, most creative copy written for advertising or marketing purposes.
- Best Editing
- This category considers the craft of editing independent of genre. Technical ability, creative execution and adherence to the standards of the craft will all be considered.
- Best Home/Welcome Page
- Only home or welcome page judged.
- Best Home/Welcome Page
- Only home or welcome page judged.
- Best Individual Performance
- Best individual performance by a person or thing (puppet, animal, flying lawnmower, etc.) in a video series or episode. Can consist of a particularly poignant dramatic performance, a breathtaking stunt, a painstakingly executed dance routine, or any performance that captures viewers’ attention and cannot be easily replicated
- Best Individual Performance
- Best individual performance by a person or thing (puppet, animal, flying lawnmower, etc.) in a video series or episode. Can consist of a particularly poignant dramatic performance, a breathtaking stunt, a painstakingly executed dance routine, or any performance that captures viewers attention and cannot be easily replicated.
- Only information architecture judged.
- Only information architecture judged.
- Best Practices
- Best Practices sites serve as an industry benchmark for the most current, innovative, and advanced practices in Web development. Sites demonstrating unparalleled excellence across The Academy's six criteria: content, structure & navigation, visual design, interactivity, functionality, and overall experience.
- Best Practices
- Mobile techniques that have consistently shown results superior to others, becoming benchmarks in the industry.
- Best Practices
- Best Practices sites serve as an industry benchmark for the most current, innovative, and advanced practices in Web development. Sites demonstrating unparalleled excellence across The Academy's six criteria: content, structure, navigation, visual design, interactivity, functionality, and overall experience.
- Best Reality/Variety Host
- Best performance by a male or female host of any reality or variety series or episode.
- Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics
- Only animation and motion graphics judged.
- Best Use of Animation or Motion Graphics
- Only animation and motion graphics judged.
- Best Use of Device Camera
- The mobile Website, App or tablet experience making the most innovative, creative, useful and functional use of the device camera. Only the camera and camera-dependent software features will be judged.
- Best Use of GPS or Location Technology
- The mobile Website, application or experience making the most innovative, creative, useful and functional use of GPS, location technology, geo-tagging, etc. Only the GPS and Location Technology features will be judged.
- Best Use of GPS or Location Technology
- The mobile Website, App or tablet experience making the most innovative, creative, useful and functional use of GPS, location technology, geo-tagging, etc. Only the GPS and Location Technology features will be judged.
- Best Use of Interactive Video
- Only the interactive components of a video will be judged. Geared toward narrative and graphical elements that include selectable plotlines, choose-your-own-adventure type stories, and puts the action squarely in the hands of the user.
- Best Use of Interactive Video
- Only the interactive components of a video will be judged. Geared toward narrative and graphical elements that include selectable plotlines, choose-your-own-adventure type stories, and puts the action squarely in the hands of the user.
- Best Use of Mobile Video
- The mobile Website, application or experience making the most innovative, creative, useful and functional use of video or video on demand services. Only the video component will be judged.
- Best Use of Mobile Video
- The mobile Website, application or tablet experience making the most innovative, creative, useful and functional use of video or video on demand services. Only the video component will be judged.
- Best Use of Online Media
- Best, most innovative and effective or creative use of a website or associated online tools -- applications, games, microsites, online ads, social media, wallpaper, icons, etc. -- in a media/marketing strategy.
- Best Use of Photography
- Only photography as it's used throughout the site is judged. Geared toward sites that rely heavily on photographic imagery as a critical part of the user experience.
- Best Use of Photography
- Only photography as it's used throughout the site is judged. Geared toward sites that rely heavily on photographic imagery as a critical part of the user experience.
- Best, most creative, innovative or highly effective use of online social media -- websites, applications, APIs, plug-ins, etc -- within an advertising or marketing campaign.
- Best Use of Special FX/Motion Graphics
- Only Special FX, motion graphics, illustrations or digitally animated images utilized within the overall context of the film/video will be considered. Please enter animation shorts in the Animation category.
- Best Use of Typography
- Only the typographical elements of the site, as they work together, are judged. Geared towards sites focused heavily on type design as a means of informing the user experience.
- Best Use of Video or Moving Image
- Only video or moving image judged.
- Best Use of Video or Moving Image
- Only video or moving image judged.
- Best User Experience
- Mobile that offers the best user experience through innovative design and useful functionality.
- Best User Experience
- Sites that offer the best user experience through innovative design and useful functionality.
- Best Visual Design
- Mobile that offers the best visual design: beautiful, emotional, and appealing to the senses.
- Best Visual Design - Aesthetic
- Only visual design judged. Geared toward sites and experiences where visual design is intended to be beautiful, emotional, and appeal to the senses.
- Best Visual Design - Aesthetic
- Only visual design judged. Geared toward sites and experiences where visual design is intended to be beautiful, emotional, and appeal to the senses.
- Best Visual Design - Function
- Only visual design judged. Geared toward sites that rely on visual design as a critical part of a functional user experience.
- Best Visual Design - Function
- Only visual design judged. Geared toward sites that rely on visual design as a critical part of a functional user experience.
- Best Web Personality/Host
- Best performance by a male or female, human, animal, robot or animated character acting as host of any reality, documentary, variety or vlog-type series or episode.
- Best Writing
- This category considers the craft of writing for online film & video, independent of genre. Technical ability, creative execution and adherence to the standards of the craft will all be considered.
- Best Writing (Editorial)
- Only editorial writing on website judged.
Interactive Advertising
The Webby Awards recognizes outstanding Interactive Advertising in 15+ single and campaign categories. An entry may be entered into multiple categories if appropriate. Entries in multiple categories will be reviewed separately for each category entered and may win multiple awards.
Banner/Display Advertising Single
Rich Media Advertising Single
Additional Categories
- Viral Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Game or Application
- Branded Content
- Interactive Advertising Campaign
- Integrated Marketing Campaign
Banner/Display Advertising Single
Includes banners, buttons, pop-ups/unders, etc. Does not include rich media.
- Includes banners and display advertising created for communications or commerce between companies (as distinguished from dealings between a company and a consumer).
- Includes banners and display advertising created as a communications and marketing tool between businesses and consumers.
- Includes banners and display advertising created to promote special sales, new products, seasonal goods or to increase sales of a specific product or service.
- Includes banners and display advertising created on behalf of a non-profit, governmental, educational or political body. Includes foundations, museums, NGOs, universities, etc.
Rich Media Advertising Single
Includes Flash, motion graphics and video content used for advertising and marketing on the Internet
- Business-to-Business
- Includes rich media created for communications or commerce between companies (as distinguished from dealings between a company and a consumer).
- Business-to-Consumer
- Includes Flash, motion graphics and video content created as a communications and marketing tool between businesses and consumers.
- Promotional
- Includes Flash, motion graphics and video content created to promote special sales, new products, seasonal goods or to increase sales of a specific product or service.
- Non-Profit/Educational
- Includes Flash, motion graphics and video content created on behalf of a non-profit, governmental, educational or political body. Includes foundations, museums, NGOs, universities, etc.
Additional Categories
- An advertising and marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message. Can be graphic, text or video-based advertising.
- Email Marketing
- A form of direct marketing utilizing electronic mail as a means of communicating to an audience.
- Game or Application
- A Web-based or downloadable game or application made on behalf of a client to specifically market a good, service or event.
- Branded Content
- Short films, commercials and video that premiered on the Internet and promote brands, products or services for commercial purposes ie. advertising.
- Interactive Advertising Campaign
- A campaign consisting of three to five banner/display and/or rich media advertising elements. Cannot include Websites, viral, email, game or branded content. See Integrated Marketing Campaigns.
- Integrated Marketing Campaign
- Must include Website and two to four other elements including: Banners, rich media, email, viral, branded content or game/application. Only 3 to 5 total elements can be included.
Online Film & Video
The Webby Awards recognizes outstanding Online Film & Video in 11 categories. An entry may be entered into multiple categories if appropriate. Entries in multiple categories will be reviewed separately for each category entered and may win multiple awards.
- Animation
- Comedy: Long Form of Series
- Comedy: Shorts
- Drama
- Events and Live Broadcasts
- Experimental
- Music/Variety
- News/Documentary/Public Service
- Reality
- Student*
- Viral*
*denotes $125 categories.
- Animation
- Original cartoons, motion graphics, illustrations or digitally animated images premiered on the Internet. Individual episodes or entire series may be entered.
- Comedy: Long Form of Series
- Long form or serial content dedicated to comedy or the art of laughter premiered on the Internet. Must be over five minutes to qualify for this category or see Comedy: Shorts for shorter entries.
- Comedy: Shorts
- Short form content under five minutes running time dedicated to comedy or the art of laughter.
- Drama
- Original content of a dramatic, turbulent or highly emotional nature premiered on the Internet. Individual episodes or entire series may be entered.
- Events and Live Broadcasts
- Original content promoting specific events including concerts, fairs, festivals, sporting events, tours, or other events premiered on the Internet. Individual episodes or entire series may be entered.
- Experimental
- Online film & video that shuns narrative, incorporates groundbreaking technology, reflects a fresh perspective and basically avoids conventional description. Individual episodes or entire series may be entered.
- Music/Variety
- Original online film & video dedicated to the presentation or documentation of music/variety content: including music videos, performances, online talk shows, interviews, etc. Individual episodes or entire series may be entered.
- News/Documentary/Public Service
- Original online content documenting informational topics, recent happenings and public service issues. Individual episodes or entire series may be entered.
- Reality
- Original online programming of a generally unscripted nature, documenting actual events over fiction, and featuring "ordinary" people over professional actors. Individual episodes or entire series may be entered.
- Student
- For students who have created online film & video for academic purposes or as part of developing a portfolio. Category limited to works of students.
- Low-budget, home-made or accidental Web phenomenon premiered on the Internet. These must be unpaid, non-commercial content.
Mobile
The Webby Awards recognizes outstanding Mobile Websites in three unique categories. An entry may be entered into multiple categories if appropriate. Entries in multiple categories will be reviewed separately for each category entered and may win multiple awards.
- Listings & Updates
- Mobile sites providing listings, updates and location-based information for mobile users on-the-go. These may included maps, traffic updates, movie listings, weather reports and other timely and/or location-based information.
- News & Entertainment
- Mobile sites developed for the distribution of recent happenings and entertainment content, such as news, gossip, humor, finance, and sports. These may be offshoots of established broadcast or online news and entertainment operations, or developed specifically for the mobile device.
- Mobile Marketplace & Services
- Sites providing consumers online commerce and retail sales of products or services.
