Category: Don’t Panic

The UK Search Awards have been the yard stick of choice for measuring the marketing pros creating amazing work across the industry. Now in their seventh year, they are regarded as the premier celebration of SEO, PPC and Content Marketing in the UK.

Last year’s awards featured 27 categories, including Best Search Software Tool, Best Use of PR in a Search Campaign and UK Search Personality of the Year. Brainlabs took home a hat trick of UK Search Awards, for Best Large PPC Agency, Best PPC Campaign and Best Local Campaign.

The King’s Cross-based PPC Agency has gone from strength to strength since our earliest encounters with them, and since their beginning in 2012.

Owner and founder Dan Gilbert, all round twitterati legend and good egg, shared with us why Brainlabs has continued to find it so beneficial to business to enter the Search Awards, and how it has helped the agency to grow.

“I love the UK Search Awards. Even when we’re not winning them the work being celebrated is exceptional. It’s a superb opportunity to celebrate innovation in our industry – and have a great time. Since picking up Best Large PPC Agency we’ve had a raft of calls and new business requests from companies we could only have dreamed of before the win.”

Enter the 2016 UK Search Awards – attract big clients, grow your national profile – and make fantastic connections!

This year’s awards, hosted by the legendary Jason Manford, will be held at The Bloomsbury Big Top in London on Wednesday 30^th November, and the awards are open for entries until Friday 23 September.

All categories will be judged by an influential and respected international judging panel. The judging is a robust, credible and transparent two-stage process, involving pre-scoring and a face to face panel discussion. The UK Search Awards is one of the UK’s few digital industry award schemes where judges are not permitted to enter. The shortlists will be announced on Wednesday 19 October 2016.

For any and all questions – please contact joe@dontpanicprojects.com – we look forward to seeing your entries!

The legendary comedian Jason Manford is our host for the 2016 UK Search Awards!

 

If you’re having a little case of déja-vu, you’re right, we did already announce that Jimmy Carr would be hosting, but due to a change in the 8 Out Of 10 Cats filming schedule he was unable to join us. We happen to think this is a classic case of one door opening as another door closes, and we already can’t wait to enjoy a fabulous celebration with the nation’s favourite Mancunian, following on from his sell-out UK tour!

August is the perfect time to get together a winning entry – the 23 September deadline will be here before you know it, so while everyone is on holiday, it’s time to get busy! We are rewarding the best search agencies and in-house teams across 28 unique categories, including Best Agency, Best Use Of PR and Best Use Of Search across a huge range of sectors.

There is something for everyone – so what are you waiting for? Make sure you and your team come out on top this year, place your UK Search Awards entry! For any further information about the awards, please get in touch with joe@dontpanicprojects.com, or you can visit the site here. We can’t wait to see your entries!

 

It’s the big one – the one we’ve all been waiting for – the search marketing event of the year – the UK Search Awards are back for 2016!

 

If you have previously attended the UK Search Awards then you’ll be well aware that not only are the awards a fantastic evening of flowing wine, sumptuous food and entertainment, they are also the highlight of the year for anyone who’s anyone in Search Marketing.

Whether you’re part of an agency, or you’re the essential in house team for a great brand, the Awards is the perfect chance to have fun and join with other industry experts who are working wonders in Search.

So what is it that makes the UK Search Awards such a unique must-attend event?

 

• Incredible networking and contacts

The awards ceremony is now in its 6^th year – it’s been such an industry essential that it has also spawned sister awards in both the EU and the US! Top names and brands have seen huge growth in their revenue, relating to their success at the awards. Previous winners include MoneySuperMarket.com, Brainlabs, Deliveroo and Sticky Eyes.

• Celebrating your success and hard work

As fantastic as it is to achieve an awesome result for a client – it’s even more incredible to be rewarded among your peers by a leading panel of search marketing experts. It’s a competitive industry, and the awards is your chance to have a fantastic evening, let down your hair and celebrate your achievements from the last year with your team!

• Great PR

The UK Search Awards have garnered a level of industry prestige, due to the rigorously transparent entry and judging process. You can check out the fantastic judges on this year’s panel here! To be proclaim yourselves as shortlisted – or better, a winner – at the awards, is a fantastic bonus to your business credentials, and to impress new clients. In such a fast-moving industry, it’s essential to have the edge on your competitors, and a UK Search Award in your office can make all the difference!

• Jimmy Carr is hosting!

If you haven’t heard by now (where have you been?) the one and only Jimmy Carr is hosting this year’s awards at The Bloomsbury Big Top, London. This year’s awards is on track to be the biggest and most exciting celebration of the search industry, and the most talented and innovative individuals involved.

You have until the 23^rd September to get your winning entries submitted to us! There are 29 all-encompassing categories – so no matter what campaign you want to shout about, there is a place for you! The Search Awards span SEO, PPC, Social Media Marketing and more! We can’t wait to see your entries – if you need advice on the entry process, or need further info about the awards, please contact joe@dontpanicprojects.com, or give us a call on 01706 828855.

Be sure you don’t miss out on your entry submission to the UK Social Media Awards – the sun may not be shining this summer, but when you have a winning entry up your sleeve, your success keeps you nice and warm despite the unending drizzle!

Back for the 7^th year, the UK Social Media Communications Awards is a vibrant celebration of the most creative and innovative individuals and companies in the social media industry.

Driving amazing campaigns through social media? You need to be part of the UK Social Media Awards!

 

Whether you work in-house, or you are part of a digital agency, the #somecomms are all about creativity and making an impact!

The awards categories are tailored to reflect all elements of the social media sphere – including Best Use of Twitter, Best Business Blog, Use of Social Media in a Crisis, and Best Viral Campaign. We even have specialist categories rewarding public sector and not-for-profit campaigns!

The awards is taking place at The Emirates Stadium on 3^rd November, and is an ideal opportunity to showcase your talent and grow your client list, as well as to celebrate your hard work with other high-flying social media professionals.

Enter before Friday 15^th July to join us for a sumptuous 3 course dinner, drinks and entertainment hosted by Ted Robbins.

 

Once your entry form is submitted to the site, our esteemed panel of judges, featuring experts from top players in the marketing industry, and some of the UK’s biggest brands, will review your entry. It’s an ideal way to showcase your creativity and innovation to industry experts – and to increase your brand profile on a national level!

Last year’s winners include great brands like Cubaka & Lidl, Spirit Social & Get Fit with Davina, and Perfect Communications & Citroen – make sure you’re in the running for 2016 – submit before Friday 15^th July!

If you have any questions about the entry process, your eligibility, or details about the event, please get in touch with Event Manager Elle Kersh on 01706 828855 or by emailing elle.kersh@dontpanicprojects.com – we can’t wait to see your entries!

 

 

Let me start by admitting winning “US Search Personality of the Year” was my absolute favorite part of the last US Search Awards, at Pubcon Las Vegas 2015. I got 400% more conference keynotes this year, and I’m hugely grateful to the award that prompted this.

And there were tons of awesome moments that night. Tributes, shout-outs, and lots of fun networking. The US Search Awards at Pubcon are a crucial event—an opportunity for search marketers from across the country, from agencies and consulting firms and businesses of all sizes—to get together. It’s our chance to celebrate successes in the industry and inspire the leaders of tomorrow.

It’s part of Pubcon—the best social media, search and digital marketing conference on the planet.

And it all happens in VEGAS!

Here are my 3 favorite things from the US Search Awards 2015 (they’re the same reasons I wouldn’t miss it this October 12^th, again in Vegas.)

 

1. Insane Networking

There are far fewer specifically search-focused events than there used to be. As search has become more and more interlinked with social, content marketing, and digital marketing as a whole, I’ve found I’m often struggling to pick out the search marketers at conferences.

Image credit: Pubcon

But when you find them—when you get a whole table or, as in the US Search Awards, a whole ROOM full of search marketers together, it’s magic. You have your powerhouse people and winners from last year, like Duane Forrester, Frederick Vallaeys, Marty Weintraub and Mel Carson. But then you get to hang out with these amazing front-line search marketers who are neck-deep in the weeds of PPC day in and day out.

It’s an awesome mix of search marketing professionals, and it’s super rare these days to have just search marketers gathered together to talk only search marketing (well, and maybe craft beers and…other important and totally relevant issues).

It’s a PPC nerd’s dream come true.

 

2. A Chance to Celebrate All the Awesome of PPC

 

Search marketing is a stressful industry. Depending on the size of the accounts you’re dealing in, you might be handling quite a bit of your own—or someone else’s—money. Google AdWords, Bing Ads and other networks are constantly innovating, testing and launching new features, retiring products and tools you’re used to using. You can’t sit back on your heels, because the competition is constantly coming for you.

 

It keeps us on our toes, all right.

That what makes this one night to get together and celebrate ALL THE AWESOME of search marketing so rewarding. We spend most of the year scouring AdWords announcements, trying to educate clients, crunching numbers, begging for budget and basically pulling our hair out. By the time the US Search Awards roll around at Pubcon, we’re more than ready to take a step back and just look at our individual and collective achievements, to see what we can learn from them.

Because let’s face it…we’re here because we love PPC. We want to see it succeeding at every level, for every type of business, so we can take those successes back to our own clients and show them what’s possible (if only they’ll give us the budget and leeway to make it happen!)

 

3. And It All Happens During Pubcon

One of my favorite aspects of the US Search Awards is that it happens during Pubcon, so it draws a huge, quality crowd of some of the top search marketing pros on the planet.

In 2014, the event was held at Treasure Island and in 2015, at Paris Hotel & Casino. This year marks the fourth annual edition of the US Search Awards, and it’s all happening at Caesar’s Palace on the evening of Wednesday, October 12th.

 

If you’ve ever been to a Pubcon, you know you need to rest up a few days ahead of boarding the plane to that pulsing, bling-y, blaring city of debauchery and awesomeness. Don’t plan on doing anything important when you get home, either. Even if you behave yourself after hours, the quality of the speakers and the content they share leaves one with a serious case of brain overload, and eager to try the new tactics and strategies in your own accounts.

I can’t wait. Every year, the US Search Awards gets better and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us this year! You have until July 22nd to get your entries in.

Tweet me if you want to meet up, or if it’s your first time and you have questions about what the US Search Awards are really like. Hope to see you there!

Title image credit: Search Engine Journal

If you love the search as much as legend Larry Kim – isn’t it time you placed your entry for the US Search Awards 2016?

 

For any information on how to enter, or on how you can get involved in sponsoring the awards – check out the US Search Awards site.

The cream of Greater Manchester businesses, training providers and schools gathered at The Point, Lancashire County Cricket Club yesterday evening for the Skills for Business Awards, to promote and honour the amazing contribution made by skills and learning, to businesses across the region.

The evening was a wonderful celebration of how many fantastic opportunities are created when talented people come together with great companies to promote skills and growth, and how much individuals as well as businesses benefit!

The third year of the awards was bigger and better than ever, hosted by a partnership of Greater Manchester Commerce and Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network, and of course – organised by awards specialists Don’t Panic!

 

The Skills for Business Awards certainly had the X-Factor – with incredible performances from Clarendon Sixth Form and Pendleton Sixth Form, as well as Debut from Stockport College – whose moves were designed by the choreographer to none other than Cheryl Cole! That’s before we even mention the stardust sprinklings of Host Justin Moorhouse and Voice of X-Factor Peter Dickson!

Emotions ran high as some truly moving stories shared with the room, courtesy of personal videos from the Apprentice category. There were plenty of heartstrings tugged on by these inspiring young people! It makes our job as awards specialists even more rewarding when we are honouring such fantastic people!

Looking to relive the wonderful evening? Head to our flickr page to enjoy the photos from the night! A huge congratulations to everyone who made the shortlist – and especially to those who walked away with an award. To see the list of winners, head to the Skills for Business Winners page here.

Thank you so much for taking part in such a great evening, and thank you to all the event sponsors – we can’t wait to see you all again next time!