Category: Don’t Panic

Award entry is an integral part of many businesses’ growth strategy plans but with industry competition at a high, entering awards doesn’t guarantee a win.

As peculiar as it might sound, entering awards isn’t always about taking home a trophy. There are, in fact, several reasons to enter awards, all of which will benefit your campaigns, strategies, and teams even if you don’t make it to the stage – this time!

Boost your brand and gain recognition

Sure, winning an award can give your brand a significant boost. But did you know that simply entering an award can also raise your profile? By promoting your award entry on social media, blogs, and your website, you can increase the visibility and credibility of your brand. So, even if you don’t take home the trophy, you’re still making waves in your industry.

Attract new clients, new talent, and new partnerships

Entering awards is a fantastic way to show clients and potential partners just how passionate and dedicated you are to your work. It’s a chance to highlight your commitment to excellence and your willingness to go the extra mile. Plus, by recognizing your team’s hard work through award entries, you’re boosting morale and showing appreciation for their efforts.

Feedback from judges for external insight into your work

The entry process provides organisations with clarity on initial campaign objectives in relation to the results and gives an opportunity to reflect on the journey of the project, discover a new perspective, and identify areas for improvement.

The Don’t Panic Awards entry form is the perfect framework for reviewing the overall project and gaining clarity for future work, as well as an opportunity to judge projects. Shortlisted entrants into the Don’t Panic awards receive feedback from judges on whether their entries take home a trophy or not.

Expand your network

Networking is a crucial part of business growth, and awards ceremonies are perfect opportunities to connect with industry leaders and like-minded professionals. By attending a Don’t Panic Awards, you’ll have the chance to mingle with companies from the UK, Europe, the US and beyond. It’s a fantastic way to learn from others, share ideas, and even scope out the competition in a friendly and collaborative environment.

So, whether you’re aiming for the top prize or just looking to gain some valuable experience and insights, entering awards with Don’t Panic Projects is a win-win situation. Give it a try and see how it can benefit your business!

Don’t just take it from us…

“Being named an award finalist is a significant morale booster for our team. It’s a validation of the exceptional work they consistently deliver for our clients and a testament to our expertise. This recognition also plays a crucial role in our business development efforts, with several companies discovering our services through our participation in various awards. 

“Our participation in awards is not just a part of our growth strategy—it’s a strategic driver. It’s a powerful tool for us to showcase our exceptional work and expertise, which in turn attracts new clients to our business.” – Cristiano Winckler, Somebody Digital

So, you think you deserve a Don’t Panic award? Maybe a UK Business Tech Award, a Global Agency Award, or a MENA Search Award? You quite possibly do. But standing between you and the recognition you undoubtedly deserve is the (not so) small matter of writing your submission.

Each entry consists of a written submission of up to 1,000 words split between 4-5 sections, plus supporting material. The entry form is your only opportunity to persuade the judges that you deserve to win. There’s no face-to-face second-stage or judges Q&A to elaborate. So, with your chances hanging on your written submission, what can you do to maximise your chances of winning?

To help aid your submissions, here are some important pointers from Chris Robinson from Boost Awards, the world’s first and largest award-entry consultancy. Chris has over 17 years of expertise in award entry consultancy and has shared his key top tips specific to the Don’t Panic awards. Keep scrolling to discover them all.

1) Choose your stories wisely

Most organisations have a plethora of projects, company strategies, case studies and people worthy of recognition, but which stories should you invest the time, energy, and money in submitting for an award?

Ignore myths that suggest that household brands and big-budget campaigns/projects win more often. The judges are all industry experts working with a clear scoring system that ensures the scoring is on merit only. Don’t Panic awards always provide entrants with feedback, and this will never say ‘it wasn’t a big enough brand’ or ‘the budget was too small’.

So, what are the qualities to look for? Prioritise stories if:

• Any named partner or client will fully support the submission with a testimonial, evidence of impact and time spent being interviewed and signing it off.
• The strategy/project/campaign has been implemented long enough to demonstrate impact, but not so long ago that it feels “too old”.
• By the deadline, you can get hold of compelling evidence of a ‘smashed it out of the park’ result (see evidence top tip later).
• There is something wow (see later also).
• There is at least one category that’s a great fit. More ideally.

Remember, you can submit an unlimited number of entries, and the same story into multiple categories. In fact, the cost per entry will reduce, and you’re more likely to leave the event with a trophy if you do.

2) Answer the questions in full!

OK, this sounds like a blindingly obvious point. Yet as obvious as it might appear, I can’t tell you how many times people reached out to me to share entries that didn’t win (in awards programmes that don’t share feedback). They feel hard done by and hope I will agree they should have won. Almost without exception, I reply to their email with two core reasons behind why they didn’t win – and the first is always “you didn’t fully respond to all the entry requirements/questions.”

You see, the judges have clear scoring criteria, aligned with the category description and entry form, and if you don’t fully answer the questions – you will be bleeding marks.

So, review the category description and each question and before writing any narrative you create a set of headings or instructions for yourself which ensure the judges can clearly see that you have answered the questions in full.

3) Tell a story – succinctly

I’ve just told you to meet the strict judging criteria by answering every element of the questions posed but ensure that, in doing so, you tell a story. By this I mean, include drama if appropriate, an engaging tone throughout, and a clear flow from the context through to the conclusion.

You can nuance the headings I suggested in the previous tip to help. For example, responding to the ‘challenges overcome’ criteria with the heading “Our three inter-twined challenges.”

I agree that answering the questions robustly while telling a story, all within the 1,000-word limit isn’t easy, but you can guarantee that the winning entry will have done exactly this. This year, wouldn’t it be great if that entry came from you?

4) Make full use of the supporting materials

If you are struggling to do your story justice within the 1,000-word limit, then you can use supporting material as appendixes.  You can provide this in MS Word, PDF, or JPEG formats (under 2MB each file). But not Zip files. You can even share a video using a URL but keep it short!

Do not use this as an opportunity to drown the judges in swathes more text. Only add additional content if it really adds value, like additional graphs, short testimonials, certificates, or photos. Try and keep the additional words here to a minimum – headings and captions mainly.

5) The evidencing challenge

The second most common mistake people make is their body of evidence not being robust enough. Being ‘well-evidenced’ is the trickiest of the vital qualities of a winning entry – and it can take many weeks to build this body of evidence. Most strategies, campaigns and projects will have a lot of low-level data points to hand (e.g., click-throughs, media hits, leads generated etc.) and as interesting as these are, they just stop there! Try and get senior contacts to share higher-level data points – metrics that matter in the boardroom. Financial impact at the least.

My top tip with data is to get the person who knows the story best to be interviewed or find an hour to map out what you will say and where. The vital thing to do here is to create symmetry between objectives and outcomes and split these into high- and low-level metrics. I can guarantee that you’ll find a substantial list of data points to complete your story, and these will require a fair amount of digging. Only by starting early will you have enough time to create this winning body of impact evidence.

Important point: Don’t worry about confidentiality. The judges have signed non-disclosure agreements, and the organisers will not publish your entries’ content without first seeking approval.

6) The all-important WOW

While you can get a high mark in each section with well-evidenced responses, you need to also bear in mind that this is not a box-ticking exercise. Judges will meet to discuss the highest-scoring entries and agree on each winner. To maximise your chances of being the one they agree upon requires you to induce more of a ‘wow’ response from the panel than the other applications.

Bear in mind that the extraordinary aspects of your achievements may not be obvious to someone unfamiliar with the relevant sector or situation. If something is bold, unique, innovative, or extraordinarily creative in your context then spell this out explicitly and confidently. Ideally, qualify your claim with some evidence.

Convincing a judge that your wow is for real is easier said than done, I accept that. There is no one-size-fits-all approach here sadly, because by definition each ‘wow’ has to be unique. However, if you simply accept that you need to evidence your wow factor as a vital ingredient to your entry, then that alone has made reading this article worthwhile.

I hope my top tips created a few lightbulb moments that will help you earn additional marks. This could make the difference between a shortlisting and a win. If you need help picking stories, writing entries, or identifying measures of success, do get in touch. Either way, good luck, blow their socks off!

About the author: Chris Robinson is MD of Boost Awards, the world’s first and largest award entry consultancy. Boost’s team of 25 (mostly pay-rolled) has helped clients of all shapes, sizes and geographies win over 2,000 awards, including dozens for awards programmes by Don’t Panic. Contact Boost for a free informal chat about awards, browse their awards list, or sign up to their popular free monthly email deadline reminder service.

Get in touch with Boost via email, or follow them on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook. 

As 2023 draws to a close I wanted to take a moment to reflect on and summarise what has been an incredible year here at Don’t Panic.

Firstly, I am personally delighted and thrilled to be back in the driving seat as Founder and Managing Director. Some of you may know I took a little time out to launch a passion project, my new tech start-up, Chapter2, a community and dating site for widows and widowers.

Thankfully I’m blessed with an incredible team at Don’t Panic and this enabled me to temporarily take a step back. However I’m back with newly renewed enthusiasm and commitment to leading and building the world’s most ethical and credible awards company to celebrate and recognise success around the globe.

It was great to bounce back from the COVID era as a stronger, efficient company with a bright future ahead. It hasn’t been an easy couple of years and it was great to be back delivering face-to-face in-person events again.

Here are a few of my personal highlights of the last year.

After a two-year hiatus in Dubai where we had to pivot to virtual events, we kicked off 2023 in style with a swanky networking party in Dubai for the digital, marketing and PR industry in the MENA region. It was great to reconnect in person with old friends and make some new ones, we announced our intention to return to a live MENA Search Awards which we successfully delivered in November – who doesn’t like an excuse to party in Dubai?

Our team needed their passports as then it was time to deliver European Search Awards in the beautiful city of Lisbon. This is our most hotly contested award attracting over 800 entries and attended by the great and the good of the search awards at a sell-out event.

Then we headed to Paris to deliver the Global Search Awards at a spectacular venue, guests flew in from around the globe to celebrate in person, this was particularly special as it was the first time, we could deliver this as a live in-person event in a spectacular venue.

Next up was our second largest sector awards, the UK Agency Awards held at a new larger venue, The Sheraton Grand. It was a completely sold-out event and a memorable evening celebrating the very best agencies in the UK.

In October, we headed to the USA to deliver the US Search Awards in New York City, a change of location for this event, we’ve previously delivered this event in Las Vegas. The spectacular rooftop venue in Tribeca was a hit with guests and judges and we’ll be back.

Finally, we ended the year on a personal event, literally my favourite event we have delivered in 19 years of Don’t Panic it was the near-legendary 14^th UK Search Awards. The sold-out event was a who’s who in search, a truly memorable evening! Who can forget the conga before dessert, Alex Brooker as MC and the after party till 5 am with countless Jaegar bombs?

Thank you to all judges, entrants, attendees, sponsors and the entire Don’t Panic team who were part of the incredible year that was 2023.

Looking forward to 2024, I cannot wait for…

• Northern Digital Awards in Manchester taking place in Manchester for the first time this year, we’ve always been in Leeds previously. It’s a great way to end Dry January and kick off the year.
• APAC Search Awards will be live for the first time and in Melbourne, Australia. We’re excited to be heading down under to celebrate the best in SEO and PPC in the APAC region.
• European Search Awards and Global Search Awards will be back bigger, bolder, and better – we’ll be racking up those air miles in 2024.
• Finally, UK Search Awards will be 15 years old so that will be one hell of a party…

We wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year and look forward to celebrating and rewarding your achievements – now go enjoy the festive season and hopefully a well-earned rest!

Do reach out if you want to connect, I’m always available for a coffee, lunch, or red wine.

Entering awards is so much more than getting up on stage and sharing your success across your website and social channels. The whole process from start to finish is in fact the ultimate strategy for driving business success. Whether it’s attracting new clients, receiving third-party recognition from experts and peers, or planning for future success with a winner’s title, the power of awards is all about how recognition on that stage influences business prospects – for the better.

Keep reading to discover the teams that have entered and won awards from across the Don’t Panic portfolio, and how their win affected their business.

“We are absolutely made up to win Beauty, Health, and Well Being Ecommerce Website of the Year at the 2023 UK eCommerce Awards. Working alongside Adam, Claire, and David at DCYPHER to produce their exciting new website has been a pleasure, and we can’t wait to continue to push the technical norms of the health and beauty industry moving forward.” – Hannah Worsley, Senior Project Manager at DCYPHER

“Securing a UK eCommerce Award has been a validation of our team’s hard work and the innovative spirit of Tap Door. It’s a momentous accolade that motivates us to continue redefining the craft beer shopping experience,” – Ollie Hunt, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Dev Team

“The last twelve months have been full of challenging work with some really rewarding outcomes, too. To be recognised by some of the industry’s top professionals in a public forum puts into perspective all the hard work we’ve put in. The team truly deserves the win, but it still feels surreal!

“Winning Large SEO Agency of the Year at the UK Agency Awards is a turning point that really puts us on the map. Bring Digital started as a specialist SEO agency. While we continue to expand our service offering, that’s still our bread and butter, so it’s incredible to know we’re still regarded as the best in the business.” – Ryan White, Head of SEO at Bring Digital

“The European Search Awards are a key date on our calendar. We work hard on our entries, but as you’re up against some of the biggest international agencies, it’s always a little nerve-wracking! To come out with two wins is huge, and it’s wonderful to see both leadership and client teams recognised for their forward-thinking work.” – Victoria Patten, Marketing Manager at Launch

“Winning the Best Large SEO Agency award at the European Search Awards is pretty much the pinnacle of awards you can win – it’s a super proud moment for me. We’ve come a long way as an agency in the last 10 years (it was only three years ago we won the Best Small SEO Agency at the European awards), and I know awards don’t define us, but they do help guide us along the way. And for me, this is an indication that we are heading in the right direction.”- Nick Redding, Managing Director at Reddico

“This remarkable achievement is a testament to the unwavering dedication and brilliance of our exceptional team, who poured their hearts and souls into delivering outstanding client work. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to showcase our talent and compete alongside the industry’s finest.” – Alex Holliman, Founder of Climbing Trees

“It’s fantastic to receive this recognition from the content awards for the engaging work we’ve worked closely with UST to deliver over the past two years. Producing genuinely exciting content for any B2B consultancy can be a challenge but we were lucky to partner with a client who encouraged us to push the boundaries, ditch the gung-ho consultancy spiel and get to the bottom of what makes UST truly different.” – Daisy Lockheart, Account Director at The Frameworks

“We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the best digital marketing agencies in the business! Our Digital Team has worked hard to establish benchmarks and best practices for our clients, and their expertise is clearly reflected in this accomplishment. We are thankful, and proud, to be among the elite organizations in the industry!” – Brandon Rost, Founder and CEO at beMarketing

“We are thrilled with our award win at this year’s UK Paid Media Awards, and I’m incredibly proud of what our amazing team has achieved. This award exemplifies everything we aim for at Digital Uncut – building data-driven campaigns that use technology in new and unique ways, while creatively thinking our way around every challenge thrown at us. We take immense pride in the work we do for our clients, and our commitment to go above and beyond on deliverables, so it’s a real honour to have won this accolade for our work with The Trade Desk.” – Sam Martin-Ross, Managing Director of Digital Uncut

Entering awards is a huge commitment and takes planning. But whether you’re choosing to enter them to gain recognition on a project or as part of your marketing strategy to attract new clients, there’s no doubt that awards are big for business.

That’s why we’ve pulled together Don’t Panic’s key events so you can easily keep track of upcoming awards and deadlines. Keep reading to discover the 2024 awards that are open for entry.

UK Paid Media Awards

The Awards

The UK Paid Media Awards recognise paid advertising strategies and teams that deliver engagement, clicks, leads, sales and profit to businesses of all sizes. The awards shine a light on the campaigns, agencies, in-house teams, and individuals working in paid media and showcase the work that is winning them business and benchmarking for future campaigns.

The Categories

The categories showcase everything from Paid Media Led Campaign of the Year and Paid Social Campaign of the Year to Best Use of TikTok Ads and Paid Search Technology of the Year. There are even awards for agencies and in-house teams of all sizes.

The Dates

• Early Bird Close: 8^th December 2023
• Entry Deadline: 12^th January 2024
• Extended Deadline: 19^th January 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: 9^th February 2024
• Award Ceremony: 21^st March 2024

Global Social Media Awards

The Awards

The Global Social Media Awards celebrate businesses that are breaking the internet smashing through ever-changing algorithms, and channelling the chatter into meaningful engagement that drives business success. Whether you’re a small or big agency supporting any sized business or a large international agency working with big brands, the awards are the ultimate social media accolade for boosting your own profile and turning your likes into gongs.

The Categories

The categories celebrate every achievement and innovation in the world of social media. From the Best Use of Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn (and everything in between) to the Best Social Media Tool, Best Start-Up Agency, and Best Low Budget Campaign, there’s a Global Social Media Award waiting for teams of every size and achievement.

The Dates

• Early Bird Close: 2^nd February 2024
• Entry Deadline: 16^th February 2024
• Extended Deadline: 23^rd February 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: 15^th March 2024
• Award Ceremony: 25^th April 2024

UK Company Culture Awards

The Awards

The UK Company Culture Awards recognise the organisations that nurture their workforce, reward their staff, and create an environment that proves everyone is valued. The awards celebrate the fresh, adaptive environments that see their staff as people and strive to care for their career development, mental health, and physical well-being. And in return, receive loyalty and a thriving business. So, if you’re proud of the culture your business delivers and proud of the people who support your employees’ needs, you deserve to be an award winner.

The Categories

Whether you want to show off your mental health and wellbeing awareness initiative or your flexible working policy, there’s a category that will help you add a trophy to your shelf. Enter the awards and tell us about the development and training, working environment, individuals and teams that have helped your company culture thrive.

The Dates

• Early Bird Close: 2^nd February 2024
• Entry Deadline: 16^th February 2024
• Extended Deadline: 23^rd February 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: 15^th March 2024
• Award Ceremony: 2^nd May 2024

Global Business Tech Awards

The Awards

The Global Business Tech Awards showcase the best tech from around the world. As tech continues to infiltrate everything from our daily lives to our working routines, the awards seek to celebrate how emerging and existing tech is overcoming challenges, creating new opportunities, and achieving the strategy goals and ROI.

The Categories

The categories celebrate everything from the apps that have changed the customer experience, to the management systems that have transformed businesses from across multiple industry verticals.

The Dates

• Early Bird Close: 9^th February 2024
• Entry Deadline: 23^rd February 2024
• Extended Deadline: 1^st March 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: 22^nd March 2024
• Award Ceremony: 9^th May 2024

European Search Awards

The Awards

The European Search Awards are a prestigious celebration of excellence in the realm of digital marketing and search engine optimization. The awards recognise and honour the ingenuity, creativity, and innovation driving remarkable achievements within the ever-evolving landscape of online search.

Our awards serve as a coveted acknowledgement of the exceptional campaigns, strategies, and initiatives that have pushed the boundaries of digital marketing across Europe. By entering the European Search Awards, you gain an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your expertise, strategies, and achievements to a diverse and influential audience of industry leaders, peers, and potential clients.

The Categories

The European Search categories are vast, recognising large and small businesses in SEO, PPC, paid media, and more, across multiple industries and disciplines, including finance, eCommerce, travel, gaming, fashion, and more.

The Dates

• Early Bird Close: 16^th February 2024
• Entry Deadline: 1^st March 2024
• Extended Deadline: 8^th March 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: 5^th April 2024
• Award Ceremony: May 2024

Global Agency Awards

The Awards

The Global Agency Awards celebrate the impact that agencies of all shapes, sizes, and specialities are making across the globe. Founded in 2015, Global Agency Awards recognise and reward the innovative strategies and exceptional campaigns agencies use to transform businesses and organisations across the world. Most importantly, you don’t have to be an international agency to enter (and win) the Global Agency Awards! So, no matter where you are in the world, the Global Agency Awards are here to celebrate you and your team!

The Categories

The broad categories champion agencies large and small, working across multiple industries, from creative and design to digital and technology, marketing and advertising to public relations and media.

The Dates

• Early Bird Close: 5^th April 2024
• Entry Deadline: 19^th April 2024
• Extended Deadline: 26^th April 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: 17^th May 2024
• Award Ceremony: 13^th June 2024

UK Digital Growth Awards

The Awards

The UK Digital Growth Awards recognise where you started, how you got where you are, and where you’re going. And what do we mean by growth? We mean your success! If you have gone from a small business to a big player or if you’ve created impressive digital results that have stimulated further growth, these awards are for you.

Whether your team, website, campaigns, profits, or business has grown if you’ve developed and matured, we want to celebrate your success.

The Categories

The categories recognise agencies and in-house that have grown through client wins, customer retention, quality of work, company culture, and development. So, show us your growth!

The Dates

• Early Bird Close: 5^th April 2024
• Entry Deadline: 19^th April 2024
• Extended Deadline: 26^th April 2024
• Shortlist Announcement: 17^th May 2024
• Award Ceremony: 20^th June 2024

Writing winning award entries is a skill. We know it, you know it and our judges know it. But every skill can be taught, including how to get your campaigns noticed and awarded by our judges. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate hack document, with the help of three of our most experienced Search Award judges, so you can make sure your successes receive the recognition they deserve.

Our judges, Aoife Mcilraith, Jim Banks, and Sabiha Shakil, have dissected the Search Awards entry form to let you know exactly what they want to see and exactly what they don’t. So, without further ado, here are the 40 judges’ tips that you need to know (and follow) to create the perfect award entry.

Objectives and Budgets:

• Provide details on your business and the direction of the business.

• Include KPIs and the reasoning behind each point. If you want to increase traffic, let the judges know why you want to increase traffic.

• Include the full costs of running a campaign to give the judges a better understanding of the ROI. Confidentiality reasons could see points deducted.

• Let the judges know if you did anything game-changing, don’t assume they’ll come up with that one their own. Tell them what you want them to think and know about your campaign.

• Awards will be marked down if they haven’t followed the criteria provided in each section. Read them carefully and provide all the information asked for.

• Entries should be 1,000 words maximum, but some sections need more detail than others. Don’t be afraid to, for example, use 150 words in one section and 50 in another. The judges will expect to see more copy in the strategy and implementation section and less in the challenges.

• The judges are always looking for smart objectives. They want to know what specific thing you have tried to achieve, why you wanted to achieve it, how you set out to achieve it, and how you achieved it.

Breakdown of Costs:

• Provide budget specifics, including how large or small your agency or business is. Judges need to know how many people have worked on a project to be able to decide if budgets measure properly with the campaign, so break down the staff staffing totals!

• The judges recommend showing targets as quantifiable metrics, for example, we increased conversions from 150 to 300 a month, rather than increase conversions by 10%. Using percentages makes it difficult for the judges to properly understand budgets.

• Include a breakdown of all costs, including implementation costs, staffing costs, and agency fees. The judges are 100% confidential and this information will not be shared.

• If you’re unable to provide a detailed budget breakdown, include the financial band your budget is within, along with the percentage of the budget allocated for staffing costs, agency fees, and media spending.

• Judges expect to see a breakdown of media costs in incremental detail, including paid media spend across the various channels and the cost of making the video or content.

• Use your supporting documents to demonstrate your breakdown of costs. The judges want to see the total value, so graphs and tables that will help them understand are a must.

Target Audience and Strategy:

• Provide a well-thought-out customer profile or a well-defined buyer profile to help us understand who your target audience is. Do not be vague, show us the details. You can use your supplementary documents here to support your target audience research. 

• Define your strategy and your tactics, and remember, strategy is what you want to do, and tactics are how you do it.

• Show the judges how you conceptualize your campaigns: the research, the reasons, and the implementation. Show them why you think your campaign would make a difference and how you used your creativity to make it a success.

• Tell the story of your creative concept. This could be an explanation or visual in the supporting documents.

• Make your target audience as specific and as authentic as possible. Entries that read: my target audience was everyone in the UK will score poorly. Show the judges your brand-new target customers and your existing target customers. Why have they changed? Why haven’t they changed?

• Make sure your target audience matches your media spend. They judges will know that a £100 media spend will not target every person in the UK. Be honest and be through.

Challenges Faced:

• Don’t tell the judges about standard marketing challenges. Tell them about the challenges that are unique to your business and campaign and the solutions you implemented to ensure you were able to overcome your challenges.

• Be open about bottlenecks in your campaigns and processes.

• Tell the judges how you overcame your challenges and if this altered the course of your campaign.

Why Should You Campaign Win:

• Tell the judges why you think your entry deserves to win. Don’t assume they’ll pick up on you implying why you should win.

• Show the judges the impact that your campaign has had on your client, customers, and audience. You can share testimonials to strengthen you points.

Supporting Documents:

• Provide proof to back up EVERY claim you make. Provide screenshots, documents, and images so the judges know they can trust your claims.

• Show the judges evidence of your research, including trend graphs, to strength the case of why your campaign was necessary.

• Make sure your supporting documents clearly link back to your written awards entry. Judges don’t have time to find supporting information without it being clearly and easily signposted.

• The judges are interested in the data and the evidence, not how pretty your supporting documents are.

• Include a detailed supporting information pack with plenty of screenshots, especially if it’s a creative campaign. Show the judges the stages of your creatives – how they looked at the start versus how they looked at the end.

• Include screenshots of Facebook, Instagram, Google ads, and how many people saw the ad, the conversion rates, and accurate dates. It all helps to boost your entry.

• Do not include marketing collateral in your supporting documents. The supporting documents should relate directly to what you have spoken about in your written entry and are not an opportunity to get around the word count.

• Personalise your entries. The judges like to put faces to names, so feel free to details about your campaign leaders, creative leaders, and managers. Especially if you have spoken about diversity and inclusion. Show the judges who you are!

• Do not include long videos and expect the judges to have the time to watch them. The panel doesn’t have the time to watch a 42-minute video but will be able to watch short videos.

Innovation/Software/Product:

• Show the judges the need that your product is addressing. This can be through your research or a detailed target audience and their pain points. The judges need to understand why your product matters.
• Don’t just include your price list. Tell them how many people work in your sales department and how much it costs to develop your tool. Include new feature details and how much your prices have increased and why.

Agency/Team/Rising Star:

• The judges will not award a rising star for simply doing their job. They want to know about side projects, community projects, and volunteering and how these have impacted the people around them for the better.

The Judges’ Top Ten Tips:

• Read the instructions. The magic formula to winning is reading and understanding the instructions.
• The judges have signed NDAs and the award process is completely confidential. Don’t risk losing points by hiding crucial campaign information.
• Be respectful of the judges’ time and follow the word count.
• Don’t just tell them how good you are, prove how good you are.
• Read the entry instructions, make a checklist of all the things that need to be included in each category and check them off before you send it.
• Write your entry, pass it around to the team, take notes, and rewrite it.
• Don’t give the judges fluff. They’re marketing experts who don’t need everything explained to them. Don’t waste your word count on explanations.
• Don’t be afraid to use bullet points in some sections. This can be easier for you and the judges.
• Treat every section as important as the other. They’re all worth 10 points.
• Be honest!

What a first half of 2023 it has been and one full of achievements and milestones not only for our finalists and winners but here at Don’t Panic too. The past six months have been extremely busy, as we continued to solidify our position as a leading events agency in the industry. Our team’s dedication, creativity, and hard work have been instrumental in achieving remarkable success and growth.

We have successfully delivered 15 award ceremonies between January and now, showcasing our expertise in creating exceptional event experiences for the digital and tech community. Among these events, one of the most notable highlights was the inaugural UK Digital Excellence Awards. The event received overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees and partners, solidifying its place as a prominent fixture in our event calendar for years to come.

This year has showcased our commitment to expanding into new markets with the launch of the MENA Marketing Mixer in Dubai. This venture allowed us to establish a strong presence in the MENA region and opened exciting opportunities for future growth. Additionally, we made a significant mark on the European event landscape, hosting the prestigious European Search Awards and the first-ever Search and Sundowners event in Lisbon. Both events were met with resounding success and further strengthened our international reputation.

As always, we have continued to host successful events in the UK during the first half of the year. London remains a pivotal place for us to celebrate the amazing talent and success stories the UK has to offer, and we are delighted to be moving into a larger event space for some of our Q4 events due to continued growth.

To bolster our team’s capabilities, we made strategic hires across various departments. We welcomed a new Content Manager Olivia, Senior PPC Executive Jack, Junior Event Manager Freya, Web Developer Addae, and a Creative Assistant Keon. Their unique skills and fresh perspectives have been invaluable in enhancing our event offerings and ensuring we stay at the forefront of the industry.

In addition to new hires, we were thrilled to welcome back our Operations Manager Sarah from maternity leave. We also saw the promotion of Steph who is now a valued member of our SLT and head of the sales account team, as well as our Content Apprentice, Isobel, who has also been promoted to Content Assistant.

Recognising the importance of our online presence, we are currently undergoing a website refresh for all upcoming events. The new websites reflect our brand identity and offer an enhanced user experience, making it easier for attendees and partners to engage with us. Granted as with all website migrations there have been some bumps in the road, but our team has been committed as always to supporting our clients submit their entries and our judges score all of them too.

At Don’t Panic we value the importance of a strong team culture. Throughout the first half of the year, we delivered various social activities to foster team bonding and create a positive work environment. Our Culture Club has been pivotal in ensuring all our team members are rewarded and make the most of the all-important downtime we all need.

As we head into the second half of the year, our focus remains on innovation, creativity, and event delivery. We have an exciting lineup of events, including the ever-growing US and UK Search Awards. We are also delighted to be live in Dubai for the first time in three years to deliver our MENA Search Awards.

As we reach the halfway mark, I want to express my gratitude to not only the Don’t Panic team for their dedication and commitment but also our event partners, judges and clients who entrust us to continue to create and deliver our ethical and transparent award series.

I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished so far and eagerly look forward to even greater success in the coming months.

Here’s to a fantastic second half of the year ahead!

Helen Barkley, Managing Director

In today’s landscape businesses are seeking ways to enhance their brand and expand their network whilst also fostering meaningful connections with their target audience. At Don’t Panic we know first-hand that one highly effective strategy for achieving these goals is partnering with well-established, ethical, and transparent award ceremonies. So, why should you look to incorporate events in your marketing plans?

Build Trust and Credibility
Our award ceremonies have a proven track record of recognising excellence within the digital and tech community globally. Companies that align themselves with our events enhance their reputation and credibility by demonstrating their support for the community their audience belongs to. This is an excellent way to establish trust and authenticity.

Increased Brand Visibility and Exposure
Partnering with Don’t Panic offers an unparalleled amount of exposure to a highly engaged audience. We work hard to ensure all our award partners capitalise on the marketing opportunities we can offer not only on the night of the event but also pre- and post-event. This exposure leads to increased brand awareness and the opportunity to profile your services.

Position as Industry Leaders
Aligning your brand with our audience positions you as a leader in your field and ahead of your competition. Not only that but partnering with our events demonstrates that you celebrate excellence and innovation alongside your commitment to supporting and withholding industry standards.

Engage with your Target Audience
Each of our events attracts an audience comprising the very best in the digital and tech industry. Our event partners have found this to be an effective way of recruiting talent within their businesses. The event itself also creates opportunities for networking and meaningful engagement which over recent years has been missed.

The decision to sponsor well-established, ethical, and transparent award ceremonies can be a game-changer for companies seeking to enhance their brand’s visibility, credibility, and industry leadership. Additionally, supporting events that uphold ethical practices reinforces your commitment to withholding industry standards at an extremely high level.

Here’s what our sponsors have to say…

“We absolutely love partnering with Don’t Panic! Their event planning expertise is unparalleled, making the whole process seem effortless despite the immense effort behind the scenes. The team consists of highly skilled professionals in their respective fields, and their warm and friendly demeanour makes every interaction a delight. They always go the extra mile to cater to our specific needs, making them a truly exceptional and wonderful group of people to collaborate with.” – Diginius

“The Don’t Panic Awards have been a great investment for us – as a remote company we don’t often get to see our existing clients, so it’s a great place to catch up with them and have a drink together. It’s also a great avenue to meet new companies within our niche – we’ve won a lot of new clients at their events.” – Kadraa

“Our experience working with Don’t Panic has been overwhelmingly positive. Their enthusiasm for the industry and genuine desire to support and engage with their sponsors comes through in all that they do.” Eskimoz

If you would like to understand more about how partnering with a Don’t Panic event can assist you in achieving your marketing targets and objectives please do get in touch here.

As we bid farewell to the month of May, I am delighted to reflect upon several exceptional events that marked significant milestones for our company. In this write-up, I would like to share the memorable moments from our first MENA Marketing Mixer held on May 17th at Koyo restaurant, Dubai, and our inaugural European Search and Sundowners event, which coincided with the prestigious European Search Awards.

MENA Marketing Mixer: Dubai

Our first international event of May was filled with excitement and anticipation as our team hosted our first-ever MENA Marketing Mixer at the stunning venue, Koyo, located in one of my favourite locations, Dubai. The event brought together marketing professionals and industry experts from across the MENA region for an evening of networking and knowledge exchange.

We had the privilege of showcasing and hosting a diverse range of speakers and attendees, including global marketing consultants, digital strategists, SEO & performance specialists, content creators and founders, all eager to engage in insightful conversations.

Among the highlights were interactive Q&A sessions topics such as AI, international SEO, marketing strategies, UK & SEO and how to build a successful agency along with the latest trends in digital marketing across the MENA region.

The networking sessions during the MENA Marketing Mixer were undoubtedly a highlight of the event. Attendees had the chance to connect with like-minded professionals and forge valuable partnerships. It was clear from the atmosphere that the event was filled with enthusiasm and passion for the marketing industry, fostering an environment conducive to collaboration and innovation.

It was a privilege to once again be back in Dubai ahead of our MENA Search Awards which we are delighted to say will take place as a live event later this year. To hear more about how our awards can benefit and assist you in achieving your business objectives please contact our Sales Manager at stephanie.gianfriglia@dontpanicprojects.com

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European Search and Sundowners: Celebrating Excellence

Just one week after our MENA Marketing Mixer, we flew straight to Lisbon for our very first European Search and Sundowners event held in association with Diginius. This special occasion coincided with the prestigious European Search Awards also held in association with Diginius, honouring outstanding achievements in the field of search marketing.

The European Search and Sundowners event was held in a breathtaking venue, with attendees ranging from industry experts, digital marketers, and leading search agencies across Europe. The evening began with a glamorous cocktail reception, providing the perfect backdrop for networking and fostering new connections.

The European Search and Sundowners event provided the perfect platform for attendees to gain insights from industry-leading experts through thought-provoking panel discussions and talks. Topics such as the future of search marketing, the impact of artificial intelligence in search algorithms, and emerging trends in the European market captivated the audience, sparking engaging conversations and encouraging knowledge exchange.

As the event unfolded, anticipation built for the European Search Awards ceremony, where industry leaders and innovators were recognised for their exceptional contributions to the search marketing landscape. The awards spanned various categories, including Best SEO Campaign, Best PPC Campaign, and Best Use of Social Media in a Search Campaign, among others. The winners were celebrated for their creativity, innovation, and measurable impact in driving results for their clients.

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Both the MENA Marketing Mixer and the European Search and Sundowners event showcased our commitment to fostering collaboration, innovation, and excellence in the field of marketing. These events brought together passionate professionals from diverse backgrounds, encouraging dialogue, and offering valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth.

On behalf of Don’t Panic and We Are Search I would like to personally thank all our partners, speakers and attendees for making the month of May one to remember!

MD, Helen Barkley shares her thoughts on Mental Health Awareness at Don’t Panic and how the team are supported wherever they find themselves in the world.

This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and we at Don’t Panic feel it provides an all-important and much-needed time to reflect on the challenges and struggles that many people face when it comes to their mental health.

As a Managing Director and a working mum, I’ve experienced first-hand the impact that mental health issues can have on our personal and professional lives and felt it important to acknowledge and encourage others not only to prioritise their mental health and well-being but also to share their experiences too.

Mental health issues do not discriminate and can affect absolutely anyone and everyone at any stage in their lives. As someone responsible for leading a team and driving a business to success, I too am not immune to the stresses and pressures that come with the job. The nature of the work we do at Don’t Panic has high stakes and we must be incredibly quick-witted and provide solutions extremely quickly… it is the nature of the beast.

A high-pressure role in a fast-paced industry mixed with the added responsibility of balancing professional with personal can be extremely challenging. Often being present feels impossible and it seems you can never be in one place for long enough. This is especially true when we are constantly travelling to destinations to deliver stunning events. On the outside, it looks glamorous, but the reality is you are running on broken sleep, poor diet, and logging on when you have a spare moment whilst still checking in on the family you have left behind.

With all these pressures, the one thing that I feel is undervalued in these circumstances is communication. Communicating with your team and family when these pressures take hold can be hugely helpful. Unfortunately, I know people still feel shame in admitting they are struggling or feel they are a burden for asking for help, but this simply is not the case.

For me personally, sharing that I have a child with additional needs has been extremely empowering not only have I found a network of people who are experiencing the same challenges as me, but I have received so much understanding from colleagues who empathise and simply want to support. The feeling of isolation has certainly lifted.

Through my personal challenges, self-care just hasn’t been enough and sometimes professional help is necessary to navigate through the complexities of mental health. There is no shame in seeking help I know choosing this path to preserve my own mental health has certainly made me a better person, better wife, better mummy and a better leader.

I know I and many of the team at Don’t Panic do not prioritise themselves. We do not protect our time the way we would an important meeting or an engagement that we simply must be at. My plea to them and others on Mental Health Awareness Week is that you take this as a reminder to make yourself aware of the times when you put your own needs at the bottom of your to-do list. Find your activity or the thing that brings you peace, make time to surround yourself with the things that make you happy and protect this time like you would any other engagement or commitment.

Ironically our sales manager and I have flown into Mental Health Awareness Week on a very tiring night flight, but we have made a conscious effort to take little moments to recharge when we can…for a change!

Don’t Panic have been delivering Digital Awards for over 15 years and over the years the awards have evolved and grown. Our ‘Guide to Entering’ has seen a number of rewrites and reprints over the years, each building upon the experiences of entrants and judges. The newest edition is hot off the press, or should I say straight from the creative team and ready to be downloaded!

This is your ultimate ‘Guide to Entering’ Don’t Panic Awards

With the help of judges, finalists and winners we have collated top tips, 12 Steps to a Successful Entry and a guide to the entry process itself, including the terms and conditions that make us Accredited by the Awards Standards Council – Awards Trust Mark.

Never entered an award before and feel you need a little bit more help and guidance book a meeting with one of our team below:

For Search, Paid Media and Agency Awards: Book a meeting with Steph

For Digital Excellence, Content, Social Media Awards and eCommerce Awards: Book a meeting with Jordan

For Culture, Digital PR, Growth or the Global Content Awards: Book a meeting with Andrew

For Business Tech or Agency Awards: Book a meeting with Rob

In today’s digital age, marketing and advertising have radically evolved. Brands are always on the lookout for new and innovative methods to promote their products and services. Sponsoring events has emerged as an effective way of engaging with audiences and creating brand awareness. And when it comes to events, Don’t Panic is the name associated with ethical, transparent and digital industry awards that celebrate cutting-edge digital campaigns, ground-breaking tech and software, and pioneering teams. As well as running Awards Don’t Panic also delivers networking events that bring together industry experts, agencies and teams who share their expertise and knowledge in relaxed settings that encourage discussion and collaboration amongst peers. These are excellent opportunities for sponsors to get up close and involved.

Exposure to a Targeted and Engaged Audience:

Don’t Panic has a reputation for hosting some of the most innovative and exciting events across various industries. The brand attracts a highly targeted and engaged audience keen on the latest developments in their respective fields. Sponsoring a Don’t Panic event means you will be presented with the opportunity to engage with this captive audience, all of whom are prospects that could be converted to loyal customers.

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Benefit from a Strong Partnership:

Sponsoring a Don’t Panic event goes beyond just showcasing your brand to an audience; it also provides a great opportunity to build a strong partnership with a team who put celebration at the heart of what they do and with the large volume of entrants that participate annually in our award competitions. The team at Don’t Panic work closely with sponsors in order to construct a successful partnership that delivers results.

Brand Visibility and Recognition:

Sponsorship of Don’t Panic events provides a great platform for brand exposure. Your logo and message will be visible to all our attendees and our engaged database of, increasing brand recognition and awareness. With various sponsorship packages available, you can choose the level of visibility that suits your budget and marketing goals. Don’t Panic’s partnership is always fluid and we encourage sponsors and partners to submit content that expands their insights, communication and reach to the audience pre, during and post-event.

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Community Contribution:

Don’t Panic prides itself on hosting events that benefit the wider community. As a sponsor, you will not only be promoting your brand and enjoying exposure, but you will also be contributing to the greater good. Supporting and celebrating the incredible work that is being showcased at the event and within the digital marketing industry maintains and sets standards for the future, something that partners can be proud to align their brand with.

Networking Opportunities:

Don’t Panic events offer a valuable opportunity for sponsors to connect with their peers, customers, and other industry partners. The events come with built-in networking opportunities that help sponsors connect with potential customers or partners, all while having a great time.

Next Steps

Sponsoring a Don’t Panic event is a great decision for any brand or agency looking to establish a presence in their industry, connect with a targeted and engaged audience, and build valuable partnerships. The opportunity for brand recognition, network building, and community contribution is invaluable. So why not take the first step and start exploring sponsorship opportunities with Don’t Panic today?

Download your sponsorship brochure for details of the exciting packages available at our awards ceremonies and contact Helen Barkley at helen.barkley@dontpanicprojects.com to arrange a meeting to see how a Don’t Panic collaboration can work for you.

Over the past 12 months, my family have been on a personal journey in relation to my youngest daughter Ella.

Following some beautiful and quirky traits (“Ellarisms”) she began to display; we started on a pathway leading to a neurodevelopment assessment as these traits are conducive of Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. This journey has not been easy and has involved many tears, turbulence day to day, and many hours of personal research and immersion into a new world we are trying to navigate and understand.

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This journey is not one I have shared on a professional front; however, I now feel the need to share my experience and how it has opened my eyes to the lack of inclusivity for neurodivergent individuals within the events industry.

From personal experience, I have attended and delivered events that would be ‘sensory hell’ for my daughter and those who share the same traits, and I am sad I didn’t learn these lessons sooner so that I could bring attention to the issue and make changes earlier.

This week, coincidentally Autism Acceptance Week, I have spent time talking to incredible neurodivergent women who have shared their stories and inspired our team. They have lived experience of the event industry and Don’t Panic Events has a lot to learn as we start a journey towards events that are inclusive for all.

We are delighted to announce we will be working with Hannah B. who will be our Independent Neurodiversity Consultant. We know we have a lot to learn and Hannah is the perfect fit for our business and we trust she will guide us forward, to ensure no-one avoids our events.

I promise Don’t Panic will be working at pace to implement changes as soon as we can, and we will be announcing all measures we are adopting to ensure everyone can attend our Awards Ceremonies and Networking Events.

Please do get in touch if you have experiences you would like to share. Email: Awards@dontpanicprojects.com

Q1 for the Don’t Panic Team has been incredibly productive. 

We have already delivered 6 events from Australia to Europe to the UK, and entrants have already met 4 entry deadlines, with many more fast approaching in Q2.

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I have been out and about, firstly to Pubcon in Austin with Sales Manager, Steph Gianfriglia, which was a chance to connect to our US Agency and US Search Awards entrants and learn about the latest trends in Search across America. 

Steph and I then headed off to SMX Munich to connect to our European entrants and to make new partnerships. The conference was an incredible opportunity to understand the latest SEO and SEM tactics that challenge Search marketing as well as connect with the We Are Search European contingent. 

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Whilst in Munich we also had the privilege of attending an event delivered by Peak Ace which explored the impact AI will have on the future of digital marketing across every industry vertical. Given the noise AI is continuing to make amongst the Search community this was a great opportunity to hear an agency’s take on the advancements. Bastian, from Peak Ace AG has kindly shared the slide deck from the event which you can access below.

Steph returned home just in time to kickstart Q2 by overseeing the final entries in the European Search Awards and as with last year the award entry numbers and companies has grown, and record numbers have been set again. This year we have seen exponential growth which is a testament to the incredible work that is taking place across Europe. The judging for these awards will take place next week with the long-awaited shortlist being released on Friday 31 March, 2023.

As you may know we deliver Digital Awards across tech, growth, excellence, content, social media and culture, and this year we have seen increased numbers across them all. There Is clearly a desire to be recognised by industry experts to legitimise creativity, innovation and results. We are proud that our Awards really shine a spotlight on the incredible work teams and agencies across the world are producing. We are also extremely proud of how ethical and transparent our awards continue to be, we know just how important it is that our finalists and winners receive accolades that can’t be bought and are judged on the merit of the results and work they demonstrate. For all our Q1 finalist and winners we congratulate you on making it through the competition as the standard of entries we have received have been exemplary.

What next for us. Well, I believe the Don’t Panic Team need their own show of appreciation for all their Q1 efforts and achievements, so our Culture Club has arranged an afternoon of Escape Room fun, followed by pizza and drinks.

Then on Monday we will be back to business as usual as we head to into the delivery of our Q2 events. There is already huge excitement in the air at Don’t Panic as Q2 sees the return of the European Search Awards. We are also thrilled to be launching our Search and Sundowners fringe event in Lisbon in May as well as our first MENA Marketing Mixer in Dubai. As always we also have tonnes of entry deadlines coming up so if you need any support with your award winning entries, please reach out to our team awards@dontpanicprojects.com

To be part of the Don’t Panic Awards scheme, download the events calendar and we will hope to see you at an Awards Ceremony soon.

Come and meet Helen Barkley, Managing Director and Stephanie Gianfriglia, Sales Manager at SMX Munich – March 15 – 16, 2023. The conference is Europe’s largest for search marketing and we are delighted to be able to attend and share details of what, where, who, when and why. Don’t Panic award subscribers are eligible for a 15% discount on ticket prices, find the link at the end of the article.

Search Marketing in Challenging Times – Competing Effectively in a New Era

We are not in a difficult phase, even a crisis. We are at the beginning of a whole new era: resources are limited, budgets are not infinite, and challenges have increased. Our work must be better, more effective, and more sustainable. Wasting resources, budget and time is no longer an option. And more than ever, we need to understand our clients – because they have changed too.

That’s exactly why you shouldn’t miss SMX Munich: Two days of conference programme with up to six parallel tracks on SEO, PPC, Data & Analytics, UX, Content and many more online marketing topics, will provide you with the building blocks for the future. Learn from and discuss with 70+ speakers from around the world. You decide which topics are the most relevant to you right now, ensuring that your time and budget investment is used effectively and wisely.

The programme

This year’s edition will kick off with Lily Ray and Inna Zeyger from Amsive Digital, covering the most important topics for SEO and PPC in 2023. Additional cutting-edge keynotes feature Purna Virji, LinkedIn and Liraz Margalit. And if you want to know what the future of performance marketing will look like, then this is your chance to hear it from none other than the VP Analytics & CMO of Meta, Alex Schultz. His fireside chat, together with Curt Simon Harlinghausen, Managing Director at Miele X is one of the most anticipated sessions for this year’s event.

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All SMX session are tactical, actionable, and just what online marketers need in tough times.

Here are a few of the highlights:

• The Rise of AI: Beyond the Theory – Tools, Use-Cases & More with Bastian Grimm, Peak Ace
• Modern PPC Account Structures with Aaron Levy, Tinuiti
• Advanced Tips for Leveraging Google MUM in Your SEO Strategy with Cindy Krum, MobileMoxie
• Local PPC Strategies That Work for any Budget with Mark Irvine, SearchLab
• Mastering the Creation & Testing of RSAs with Brad Geddes, Adalysis
• How to Use Google to Supercharge Your Amazon Listings and Visa Versa with Dan Saunders, Evergreen Finance London
• State of Search 2023 From a Data Perspective with Marcus Tober, SEMrush
• A Match Made in Heaven: Video Content and E-Commerce with Izzi Smith, In a Nutshell
• Combining Content Strategy with PPC Targeting and Bid Automation Layered on Top: Here is Your Roadmap! With Christi Olson, Microsoft
• Architecting 3D content: what video structuring can teach us about the metaverse SEO [an experiment] with Emilija Gjorgjevska, MediaMarktSaturn Tech & Wordlift
• Tools & Techniques to Timely Troubleshoot JavaScript Issues with Martin Splitt, Google and Ulrika Viberg, Unikorn
• The Lost Art of Natural Linking with Dan Petrovic, DEJAN Marketing
• Scale Your Search Campaigns With Bulk Uploads and Ad Customizers with Christopher Gutknecht, bergzeit

Click here to see the full programme.

NB: Most sessions are held in English; some are held in German. All sessions are labeled with a language flag.

If there’s one conference you don’t want to miss in 2023, it’s SMX Munich!

Want to dive even deeper into search marketing knowledge? Check out our Workshops!

There are three workshops on offer the day before SMX. Each workshop is an entire day of intensive work on your topic with top experts in a small group. You can hardly use the day before SMX more effectively.

Choose from:

• Advanced Technical SEO Workshop with Bastian Grimm, Peak Ace
• International SEO Strategies & Tactics with the WebCertain Pros
• Advanced Google Ads Workshop with Brad Geddes, Adalysis

Click here for the overview and more information.

Combined tickets (conference plus workshop) with a price advantage are available.

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Our Partners

There is no better place to extend your knowledge than meeting our partners in the exhibition area. A key difference at SMX to many other events is that here, every exhibitor is relevant. You will meet with the top experts of companies that shape the search marketing business to discuss your questions. Our partners even have some fun events in store, including a casino where you can test your search marketing knowledge and win cool prizes.

Here is a full list of our exhibitors and partners.

Networking

It is finally time to network again in person. And at SMX you will have plenty of opportunity to do so. From coffee and lunch breaks to a dedicated networking evening event, SMX After Dark, on March 15^th, to discuss all your learnings with like-minded people, make new contacts, reunite with friends, and meet and mingle with the speakers.

And although people come to SMX for the top-notch content, there is always highest praise for the delicious food and drinks provided – all of it is included in your ticket price.

NB – the SMX After Dark event is included in some ticket categories. Click here for the ticket overview.

Ready to conquer challenges and tackle the future of search marketing?

Get your ticket here and secure the best deal by using the exclusive Don’t Panic discount code dontpaniclsmx (15% discount)

The SMX Team is looking forward to welcoming you in Munich.

It’s time to become a Judge for the Don’t Panic Awards Series.

Don’t Panic deliver digital awards around the world and pride themselves on the transparent and ethical judging process they use to ensure results can be trusted by entrants, clients and the industry.

Why Become an Awards Judge?

Judging Awards is a great way to give back to your industry and build upon your personal and professional brand. It is an opportunity to meet fellow professionals from around the world and share your experiences and knowledge for the greater benefit of the digital industry as a whole.

Being a judge is not easy! You will have multiple entries to judge for each category you are allocated, but you will be evaluating the best campaigns, software and teams, which is an honour. Many of our judges return year on year to be part of the awards process and to celebrate the incredible achievements of all our entrants.

Ethical, Trusted, Accredited

Don’t Panic Awards judges follow a robust two-step judging process that includes pre-scoring to establish a shortlist and judge discussion to determine an overall winner, and in some cases a silver award. We ask that all judges give feedback to all entrants, to provide them with help and advice regarding perfecting work and entries.

Our Awards have been accredited by the Independent Awards Standards Council, with all of our Awards that are over 2 years old accredited as ‘Outstanding.’ Visit our Awards page to see which of our awards suit your expertise. We have Awards that celebrate Search, Culture, Content, Business Tech and more.

Joining our judging panel aligns your personal and professional brand with ours!

We don’t pay our judges, nor do we charge our judges. In return for your hard work and dedication we provide you with Judge assets, an invitation to blog or contribute content to our audience and an invitation to attend the winners’ ceremony where you have opportunity to meet fellow judges and finalists.

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How to Apply to be a Judge

If you, or someone you know, work brand side and want to get involved with judging Awards accredited ‘Outstanding’ by the Independent Awards Standards Council, email: alex.rimmer@dontpanicprojects.com