Judging Criteria

2023 WINNERSEvent Photos

Judges will read and pre-score all entry forms, considering any supporting materials submitted. Judges will be asked to give a score for each question within the entry form, as listed in the bullet points below. These will be combined to give an overall score for each entry. All judges pre-scores will then be combined and the highest scoring entries will determine the shortlists.

The awards will be judged by some of the biggest names in Social Media, who will meet to discuss the highest scoring entries and then agree the winner for each category.

Click here to see this year’s judging panel.

Entries should not exceed 1000 words in total and should relate to work undertaken between February 2022 — June 2023.

Campaign Awards

The judges will be looking for clear objectives, creative and effective implementation and tangible and demonstrable results in the campaign award categories. They will also consider the structure, presentation and clarity of each entry.

Each entry must include information under the following headings:
• Total budget
• Objectives
• Strategy & target audience
• Creativity & implementation
• Results & evaluation

Any entries that do not include information under all of these headings will be marked down. If appropriate you may include up to three pieces of supporting materials.

Social Media Tool Award

The judges will be looking for a clear description of an outstanding social media tool, with indication of budget. Judges will be looking for new features/tools added in the last twelve months for the software awards. They will also consider the structure, presentation and clarity of each entry.

Each entry must include information under the following headings:
• Overview of the innovation/product
• Why you think your entry should win

In addition to the above judges will utilise the log in & password provided to mark the following:
• The usability/functionality of the product
• The effectiveness and performance of the product

Please note if you’re unable to provide a login, please contact awards@dontpanicprojects.com.

Any entries that do not include information under all of these headings will be marked down. You may wish to include supporting material including client testimonials.

Mark Hanson (Rising Star) Awards

Judges will be looking to reward the brightest and most promising social media communicator who has demonstrate an ongoing and sustained commitment to delivering best practice while showing a creative and innovative approach to social media. Judges will also consider the structure, presentation and clarity of each entry.

Please note: in order to enter the Mark Hanson Award, the individual must be under 30 years old (on the day of the awards). 

Each entry must include information under the following headings:
• Details of the individual
• Recent work example
• Recent achievements
• Challenges
• Why you think your entry should win

Any entries that do not include information under all of these headings will be marked down. You may wish to include supporting material including client testimonials.

Agency & Team Awards

Judges will be looking for teams and agencies that can demonstrate an ongoing and sustained commitment to delivering best practice while showing a creative and innovative approach to social media. Judges will also consider the structure, presentation and clarity of each entry.

Each entry must include information under the following headings:
• Details of the team / agency
• Team / agency objectives
• Recent work example
• Recent achievements
• Challenges
• Why you think your entry should win

Any entries that do not include information under all of these headings will be marked down. You may wish to include supporting material including client testimonials.

Confidential, Ethical, Transparent & Fair

  • The UK Social Media Awards prides itself on its ethical and transparent process and confidentiality is taken extremely seriously.
  • Judges are not allowed to enter any of the categories.
  • All judging discussions are confidential, and material will not be shared with anyone outside of the judging panel before or after the ceremony. Judging papers will not be shared with any third parties and will be deleted immediately after the judging period. Judges can only access entries they have been asked to score.
  • Permission to use any material for winning case studies post-event will be sought from entrants.
  • Don’t Panic Projects are based in the UK and are one of the world’s most ethical and transparent awards organisers. Working with International, industry experts (who cannot enter the awards themselves) their robust, two-step judging process includes remote pre-scoring and virtual or face to face final judging sessions.
  • In partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University the entry process, categories and criteria are refined and developed to ensure the process is and trustworthy. Judges sign a judging code of conduct to ensure confidentiality and to provide peace of mind for entrants.
  • Don’t Panic are proud to display the Awards Trust Mark, an independent accreditation programme which validates the ethical process operated on all their awards.
  • Don’t Panic believe all Awards must have validity so that clients, business partners and employees can trust the system.