One thing is clear: Wine Blogging is alive and well. Or, at the very least, the desire to recognize wine bloggers is alive and well.
In just five days, well over 500 nominations for awards in nine categories have been submitted here at the Wine Blog Awards site. And we still have a week to go before nominations are closed and the judges take on the task of evaluating the submissions.
This is, by far, the greatest number of submissions to these awards in the six years they have been given. We think a certain number of conclusions can be drawn from the heightened interest in the awards:
1. Wine Blogging is alive and well
2. The existence of these Awards is better known due to social media
3. Wine bloggers and blog readers want more forms of curating the various wine blogs
4. In wine blogging, as in every artistic pursuit, recognition is important
There may be other lessons to learn based on the wine blog awards as they go forward this year and eventually conclude with announcements of the winners at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Portland in August.
GOING FORWARD WITH NOMINATIONS
The nominations process will close on May 30. If you are intending to nominate a blog in any or in multiple categories, WE URGE YOU TO FIRST LOOK AT THE CURRENT SUBMISSIONS TO SEE IF THE BLOG HAS ALREADY BEEN NOMINATED. Blogs only need to be nominated once in order to be considered for a finalists slot by the judges
Please note that in all cases but the “Best New Blog” and “Best Blog Post” categories, one criteria for consideration is that “a blog must have posted consistently and frequently during the preceding year.” We don’t have a specific number in mind to define “frequently” as we have in the past. However, twelve posts is not “frequent. Nor is 20. In the end, judges will determine if a nominated blog as demonstrated a consistency of commitment to blogging. That said, please take not of this general criteria when offering a nomination.
Finally, as always, as the process proceeds, please feel free to let us know if you have any suggestions for a better process, tips for improving the process or any questions at all. You can post a comment here or in any post or email us.
Now go forth and nominate.
