Entry Deadline: June 23, 2023

The content you create can be the difference between connecting and engaging with your audience, compelling them to act—or slipping silently into the digital abyss.

PR Daily’s Content Marketing Awards recognizes those writers and content creators that know how to captivate audiences, leading to success for their organizations or clients. We invite you to enter your top content work, showcasing your impressive efforts from the past year.

This awards program recognizes the best work in content marketing in the following areas: Content Marketing Assets, Content Marketing Campaigns, Content Marketing for a Specific Purpose and People and Teams. We are also featuring four Grand Prize categories, shining a spotlight on the most elite content marketing work.

If you’re creating content that is earning eyeballs, this is the program for you. Enter for your opportunity to earn the recognition you deserve.

CATEGORIES

GRAND PRIZES

 Agency of the Year

We’re looking for agencies who produce amazing content and consistently meet or exceed expectation for their client(s). Tell us what makes your agency the go-to place for organizations and companies hoping to achieve amazing results through their content. What makes you the content marketing agency of the year.

 Campaign of the Year

Your overarching plan came to fruition, and it was wildly successful. Share how you created a killer campaign that delivered on multiple channels in diverse media and drove engagement, leads and sales for your client or organization. What was your strategy? Which channels were best for your campaign? What tactics worked for you? Show us how you executed an enviable content marketing campaign.

 Strategy of the Year

Content marketing is essential to the success of your entire marketing plan. Tell us about your overarching strategy and how you executed it across multiple channels. We want to see how your content told your brand’s story and sold readers on it and your products. Tell us about your content marketing strategy, how you made use of the above categories and what the outcome was.

 Team of the Year

Enter your team as the Team of the Year. Share the tactics, strategy and content that set your team apart as the best in your industry. Be sure to include samples of your work and any relevant metrics.

CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY & ASSETS

 Annual Report

Your annual report was important to your stakeholders; tell us why. What made this so compelling to your audience? What particular aspects made it especially engaging? Why was your annual report must-read content for interested readers?

 Article Series

 Brand Journalism/Online Newsroom

We’re looking for organizations with talented storytellers who published engaging narratives that earned incredible engagement. Your stories set you apart from the pack, and we want to see how you delivered captivating content to the masses. Include any samples, links or other materials that showcase your work.

 Branded Content Site

We want to see websites that make use of many different types of content. Tell us how your content-oriented site scored big with your fans or journalists. How did you test your work against top contenders? We’re interested in website metrics, too: total visitors, unique visitors, time spent on site, the number of stories on your website, and videos and images shared on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.

 Branded Content Series (Print or Digital) – B2B

The best stories aren’t always one-hit wonders. Keeping readers coming back is just as worthy a goal, and you achieved it with a thought-provoking content series. Tell us about your content that kept B2B readers coming back for more.

 Branded Content Series (Print or Digital) – Consumer

The best stories aren’t always one-hit wonders. Keeping readers coming back is just as worthy a goal, and you achieved it with a thought-provoking content series. Tell us about your content that kept consumers coming back for more.

 Branded Podcast

Show us how you tapped into an engaged audience—internal or external—and kept listeners coming back again and again. Did you offer insider scoops, feature highly sought-after guests or ask thought-provoking questions? Share the details, including your strategy and any metrics that prove your success.

 Content Distribution Strategy

 Corporate Blog

Your blog is an information hub for industry experts, customers and potential employees. Tell us how you created blog posts that were fun and informative while providing an inside look at your organization. Did your leaders—or maybe your interns—create content that told a compelling story about their connection to the organization? Did you supplement written content with video and visual elements? Tell us about your strategy and how it affected traffic and other metrics.

 Event (Live or Virtual)

 Feature Article

Were you inspired to write an article worthy of being published on your favorite news site or in your favorite magazine? We want to see how you put your storytelling skills to use. Share the long-form, multi-sourced piece you’ve written. We want to see it all.

 Interactive Content

Have you created interactive content that engaged audiences and increased leads and sales? Share the quizzes, surveys, polls and calls for audience input that got people clicking, commenting and giving their feedback. Be sure to share the results and the benefits.

 Interview or Profile

You sat down (virtually or in person) with someone your audiences wanted to hear from, and the resulting interview or profile did not disappoint. Who was the interviewee and what made this conversation uniquely important to your audience?

 Measurement/ROI Program

 Microsite

Diving into the details made all the difference for your digital destination. Show us your elegantly designed microsites and share how they stood out. Was it easily navigable? What purpose did it serve? We want it all. Share the details and results of your outstanding microsite.

 Multiplatform/Omnichannel Content

Sometimes, one platform just isn’t enough. That’s why you delivered compelling stories and visuals across multiple media. Why was it essential to share your content on numerous channels? Tell us the benefits of being visible in many different places. Don’t skimp on the details.

 Newsletter

 Overall Use of Video

Creating a video that stands out in today’s saturated social sphere is no easy task. What did you hope to accomplish with your video? How did it come together and result in views? Tell us how you used this fast-growing communications medium to share your message.

 Publication (Print or Digital)

You can’t get away with the generic ribbon-cutting ceremony cover shot anymore. Instead you took inspiration from the best magazines for your publication. Thinking like a journalist and publisher allowed you to feature the best articles and most compelling images in your publication. Tell us why your brand’s print publication is now the Vogue of your industry.

 Short-Form Video

 Use of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

When paired with a creative content team, artificial intelligence can be an incredibly useful tool for your content needs. Tell us how you use AI or machine learning to create engaging and effective content.

 Use of Infographics

Your team used an infographic to share insights about your industry. What surveys or studies did you conduct to find the information? How did you pull it together in a creative and informative manner? How did you promote it to ensure it was widely shared? Tell us your strategy, how it got you attention and, of course, show us the infographic.

 Use of Photography

 Use of Research/Surveys

 Use of Social Media

 Use of White Paper/Special Report

Tell us about the research you did to produce an advanced guide for your audience. Why is your organization the authority on this topic, and your product or service the solution? Tell us why an in-depth piece of long-form content was the best way to pitch your product to a new audience. How did people respond? How were you able to use a white paper to generate new business leads, media coverage or partnerships?

 User-Generated Content

 Video Series

You told a powerful story using multiple videos, and we want to hear how. Tell us about the subject and goal of the series. How did these videos stand out in a highly visual world? Don’t forget to share the results.

CONTENT MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

 B2B Campaign

Share how you positioned your product or service as a beneficial source for businesses in your industry. How did you make sure you were getting your product or service in front of the right businesses and prove its benefits? Share any supporting documents that help tell your story and show the success of your campaign.

 Campaign for Educational Institution

Not everyone is excited about education, but you delivered a campaign that conveyed important messages in a way that got attention. Share how you drove outstanding engagement on behalf of schools, school districts, educational institutions, associations and more.

 Consumer Campaign

Millions of products are available to consumers, and it’s easier than ever to find and purchase them. How did you make your organization’s or client’s products stand out? Share the details of your success and, of course, any metrics that back that up.

 CSR Communications

Your corporate social responsibility campaign outshone them all. What challenges stood in the way of your success, and how did you overcome them? Tell us about your CSR initiative and how you exceeded your promotional, recruitment or fundraising goals. Be sure to include measurable results.

 DE&I Communications

How do you promote diversity, equity and inclusion? How have you supported and fostered diversity as part of your culture? Tell us about the communications surrounding these efforts.

 ESG Campaign

Your environmental, social and governance program wowed your audiences and surpassed every goal. Show us how storytelling around your environmental, social and corporate governance played a role. What messaging and channels did you use? What were your challenges and how did you overcome them? What were your goals and how were they met? Share the results with us.

 Editorial Strategy

 Executive Visibility

 Healthcare Campaign

You flexed your creative muscle to deliver a successful dose of health—and we want to hear how you accomplished this. There are plenty of powerful stories about health care organizations, but communicating on behalf of these organizations can be tricky. Share how you navigated and overcame the unique challenges you face in your industry. Don’t forget to include samples and data.

 Influencer Marketing

Your audience wants to hear from trusted sources. How did you tap into the minds of customers to find out who influences their purchasing behavior? How did you turn a viral video star, blogger or social media maven into an ambassador for your brand? How did you use someone else’s digital influence to expose your product or service to an entirely new market? We want to know how you used influencers to attract the masses.

 Integrated Content Marketing Campaign

This category recognizes outstanding marketing campaigns that seamlessly blend various content formats and channels to deliver a unified brand message and engage audiences across multiple touchpoints. Entrants will be evaluated based on their strategic integration of content across platforms, the effectiveness of their messaging and the overall success in achieving campaign objectives.

 Media Relations Campaign

Tell us about your campaign working with media that helped deliver engaging messaging about your organization's mission, policies or practices. We want to hear about the mutually beneficial relationships with journalists and how you provided them with a steady stream of story ideas or sources.

 Product Launch

Tell us how your campaign blew away customers, competitors and the media with the launch of a new product or service. Describe the tactics and strategy, and brag about how sweet the outcome proved to be.

 Purpose-Driven Campaign

 Public Health Campaign

 Technology Campaign

Tell us how your tech-related brand or organization generated incredible buzz for its product or service. Did you promote a new product or service that customers loved? Are you a well-known company that attracted new audiences? We want to hear about it. Share the details about how you reached audiences. Be sure to include your strategy, tactics and data.

 Thought Leadership Campaign

We want to hear how you spotlighted your organization or its executives as an industry leader. What set them apart as some of the brightest minds in the industry? What problems did you aim to solve? How did you prove this? We want to see your strategy and the results.

 Travel, Hospitality and Tourism Campaign

You sold an experience to potential guests, and we want to hear about it. Share the campaigns that compelled travelers to book with you or your client. We want to hear the overall goals, how you achieved them and any feedback you received as a result.

 Other

Any content marketing campaigns we missed? Enter them here.

CONTENT MARKETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF

 Brand Awareness

Building up your brand calls for creating content that appeals to both your current audience and the one you hope to acquire. We want to see how you increased awareness about the products or services your brand or client offers. Share your strategy and tell us how you measured success.

 Crisis Management

Keeping your corporate reputation in good standing is important. What piece of content put your organization’s dedication to transparency on display? How have you used content marketing to recover from a crisis or maintain your pristine reputation? How did you change people’s minds about your brand or inspire them to remain loyal?

 Customer Engagement

Customer comments can make or break your reputation, but getting your audience to talk and truly engage can be difficult. What obstacles stood in the way of creating opportunities for true customer engagement? What content did you create to get your audience talking? Did you spark discussions on your blog or social media posts? Did you develop a submission form for customer comments? Did you request video testimonials or written reviews to learn more about product experiences? Tell us.

 Employee Engagement

We want to know about your content that resonated with your workforce, keeping them engaged, informed and inspired. What did you hope to achieve? What was your plan for achieving these goals? What were the final results?

 Executive Communications

Your organization’s leaders are often viewed as mysterious, intimidating and out of reach. What did you do to make your executive’s more relatable and human? Reveal your creative ideas and share stakeholder feedback.

 Lead Generation

Did you create content with impact but that left prospective clients wanting more? Share the content that generated valuable leads for your brand. How did you get your audience to opt in? What made it enticing and engaging? Share your goals for this content and the results.

 Talent Recruitment or Retention

You’re interested in recruiting the newest and freshest talent for your team. How did content marketing help you find the perfect candidates for your organization? Maybe you created videos that gave a behind-the-scenes look at the daily operations at your offices. Did articles and interviews featuring your colleagues (and spotlighting their current projects) show potential employees the kind of work they could do within your organization? Share how you used content marketing to broaden your talent pool.

HOW TO ENTER

On the entry form, be sure to include a thorough synopsis explaining the purpose and scope of your entry. The synopsis should be 350 to 900 words and include the following sub-headings (when applicable):

  • Goals
  • Strategy and tactics
  • Execution
  • Evaluation: success, results or ROI

Be sure to follow the guidelines laid out in the category descriptions, as the judges will look for those elements when they select the winners.

You will be able to upload additional documents, links, videos and URLs to your submission. Proprietary or internal information can also be attached and will not be shared with the public.

ENTER

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

The award program is open to in-house teams, agencies and individual practitioners in the private, corporate, nonprofit and government sectors. Vendors may also submit their work or their client’s work. Enter your work, the work of your organization or submit entries on behalf of your clients.

Companies from around the world are welcome to enter as long as the entry is submitted in English.

Contact Brendan Gannon to find the perfect category for your campaign or project. You can email him at brendang@ragan.com or call 312-960-4407.

This year’s program is open to any work executed between June 1, 2022, and June 23, 2023, inclusive.

ENTRY FEES

The fee for this program is $475 per entry into standard categories, and $550 per entry into Grand Prize categories.

A late fee of $250 per entry will be added to all entries received after 11:59 p.m. Central time, June 23, 2023.

Do you have a campaign, project or team you'd like to enter into multiple categories? Pay the original entry fee, and then only $250 for each additional category!

All entries are non-returnable and non-refundable.

W-9 Form / Tax ID Number Request

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should you apply?

Our Content Marketing Awards help you measure the success of your work and prove the value of your contributions to your organization or clients. As a winner, you’ll earn publicity for your brand across our websites and social media audiences, a custom write-up about your campaign and a trophy.

Who can enter?

Entries may be submitted by organizations worldwide. The only requirement is that entries be submitted in English. The program is open to in-house, agency, independent communication practitioners and vendors in the private, corporate, nonprofit and government sectors.

What does it take to be a winner?

We look for top-quality work that shows clear, bold and creative ideas that benefit your business or client. Please provide metrics or results that back up your claims, and share creative collateral such as videos, visual design or websites that were a part of your project. Please look at our past award winners to see what gets recognized and rewarded. We encourage you to submit the same campaign to multiple categories, if you feel they are relevant. Doing so increases your chances of winning. You'll also save on multiple submissions of the same campaign or project.

Why are some deadlines extended?

We extend deadlines based on applicant needs and upcoming promotional opportunities.

When will I find out results?
We try to announce a list of finalists six to eight weeks after the close of the program. The announcement of the winners comes about four weeks after the announcement of the finalists. Each announcement will be made with a headline on our website, in our daily email newsletter and on our social media platforms. Emails notify entrants in advance of these announcements. As deadlines are extended, so are expected announcement dates.

Additional Questions

If you have any questions about the program or problems submitting your entry, please call Brendan Gannon at 312-960-4407 or email brendang@ragan.com.

Sponsorship Opportunities

If you are interested in sponsoring one of Ragan Communications’ award programs, please contact Hannah Lavelle at 312-960-4628 or email hannahl@ragan.com.

Ragan Communications is not responsible for international shipping fees related to trophies or certificates.