Entry Information
Websites
Website Awards Categories
National Website of the Year: The most coveted prize of the National Digital Awards, National Website of the Year are selected from the winners of all other website Awards, which will be revealed at the Awards ceremony.
New Website of the Year: Recognizes the most outstanding newly launched website that demonstrates innovation, design excellence, and user engagement.
Large Business Website of the Year: Honours the top website of a large business with over 200 employees for exceptional content, functionality, and user experience.
Medium Business Website of the Year: Celebrates the best website created by a medium-sized enterprise with a maximum of 200 employees, based upon creativity and effectiveness.
Small Business Website of the Year: Recognises the most innovative and impactful website developed by a small business with fewer than 50 employees, highlighting creativity, usability, and growth potential.
Most Trusted Website of the Year: Awards the website that has demonstrated the highest levels of trustworthiness, reliability, and integrity in their website, as judged by their pitch, design and creativity, user experience, and accessibility.
Website Awards Criteria
Design & Aesthetics (20%)
- Visual appeal and creativity.
- Consistency of branding (colours, typography, imagery).
- Balance between innovation and usability.
- Use of multimedia (images, video, graphics) to support messaging.
- Freshness and regular updates.
User Experience (20%)
- Ease of navigation and intuitive site structure.
- Mobile responsiveness and cross-device compatibility.
- Use of social commerce buttons.
Innovation (15%)
- Use of new technologies, AI or other creative solutions.
- Unique features or functionality that differentiate the site.
- Interactivity and engagement elements.
Performance & Technical Excellence (15%)
- Load speed and site optimisation.
- Stability and error-free operation.
Compliance (15%)
- Security features (SSL, data protection, GDPR compliance, privacy /cookie policy).
- Accessibility standards (WCAG compliance, inclusive design).
Judges Marks (15%)
- Judges have the discretion to allocate extra marks to any entry they deem worthy.
People
People Awards Categories
Digital Trailblazer of the Year: Acknowledges an individual who has made a significant impact in the digital world through innovation and leadership.
Women in Digital Award: Celebrates the achievements and contributions of women in the digital industry who have broken barriers and inspired others.
Next Generation Award (u30): Recognises an outstanding individual under the age of 30 who shows promise and innovation in the digital field.
Digital Changemaker of the Year: This is a special-recognition Award chosen by the judges for an individual who has championed innovation in the digital business sector throughout 2025.
People Awards Criteria
Digital Leadership (25%)
- Demonstrates clear vision and leadership in digital initiatives; inspires teams and stakeholders to embrace digital transformation.
Innovation (20%)
- Introduces original ideas, tools, or processes that push the boundaries and improve outcomes.
- Achieves measurable outcomes through digital projects, showing tangible benefits for the company / organisation, customers, or community.
Collaboration and Influence (15%)
- Effectively engages colleagues, partners, and wider networks to drive digital change
- Recognised as a trusted voice in the industry.
Advocacy and Thought Leadership (15%)
- Promotes digital best practices, shares knowledge externally, mentors others, and contributes to the broader digital community.
- Demonstrative use of digital tools, such as AI.
Judges Marks (25%)
Judges have the discretion to allocate extra marks to any entry they deem worthy.
Innovation
Innovation Awards Categories
eCommerce Business of the Year: Honours the most successful and forward-thinking eCommerce business that demonstrates excellence in customer experience, digital strategy, and overall growth.
Sustainable Business of the Year: Recognises businesses that demonstrate outstanding commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Marketing Campaign of the Year: Rewards the most effective and creative digital marketing campaign that delivered measurable impact and strong audience engagement.
Best New Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) Project: Commends the most innovative and promising AI or ML project launched in the eligibility period.
Digital Impact of the Year: Commends the digital project that has had a positive social or economic change during 2025.
Mobile App Excellence Award: Recognises the most innovative and user-friendly mobile application, judged on design, functionality, and engagement.
Progressing Diversity Award: Celebrates an organization or initiative that has demonstrated exceptional progress in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the digital sector.
Innovation Awards Criteria
Originality & Creativity (20%)
- How novel or unique is the idea, product, service, or process?
- How does it clearly stand out from existing solutions in the market?
Relevance & Problem-Solving (30%)
- Does the innovation address a real and significant challenge?
- Is it aligned with current or emerging market needs, customer demands, or societal issues?
Impact & Value Creation (20%)
- Evidence of measurable benefits (economic, social/ community, or environmental).
- Demonstrated outcomes for users, customers, or communities.
- Scale of impact (local, national, or global).
Sustainability & Scalability (15%)
- Potential for long-term viability.
- Ability to scale and grow.
- Consideration of environmental and social sustainability.
Judges Marks (15%)
Judges have the discretion to allocate extra marks to any entry they deem worthy.
