County Web Site Wins International Awards

Palm Beach County’s Web site, pbcgov.com, has earned two prestigious Standard of Excellence awards in the Web Marketing Association’s annual Web Awards international competition.

The County’s Web site, designed by Public Affairs, won in the Government (main page) and Events (Palm Beach County Days) categories, both scoring well above the industry average.

Entries were evaluated on their design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copywriting and ease of use. For each entry, three independent judges were given only a Web address and password, if needed. They did not know who submitted the entry or the category. Each judge assumed the role of a typical user with no particular Web expertise.

“Outstanding site for local government,” said one judge about the County’s main page and related links. “I wish we had something even approaching the comprehensive aspect of your site. Well done!”

Another judge praised the use of previous-year photo galleries on the Palm Beach County Days site. “A wonderful touch to get your audience to learn about this affair and encourage participation,” the judge wrote.

Both sites received high marks for design, content, copywriting and ease of use.

A year ago, pbcgov.com was completely revamped with a more streamlined look, sharper colors and graphics, full-screen scanning, a dedicated search engine, better global navigation and faster load times. County departments and divisions, services and programs were all reorganized and cross-referenced for maximum efficiency.

The Web Marketing Association’s membership is comprised of Internet marketing, online advertising, public relations and design professionals who share an interest in improving the quality of online advertising, marketing and Web site promotion. Now in its 11th year, the Web Awards is the premier annual competition that names the best Web sites in 96 industries while setting the standard for all Web site development.