The USMA judging process
More than 225 nominations were received by the Utah Social Media Awards planning committee. Members of the three Social Media Club chapters in Utah — Salt Lake City, Utah Valley and Cache Valley — nominated their favorite users of social media. Nominees included individuals, organizations, companies, nonprofits and events.
In our inaugural year the planning committee determined to let club members set the award categories and explain why they were nominating the person or entity they were nominating.
Members of the planning committee created a list of USMA finalists then forwarded a list of those selected to out-of-market judges. The judges reviewed the list then worked in conjunction with members of the planning committee to select 19 USMA recipients, including a Best of Show recipient.
Members of SMC chapters also submitted nominations for a People’s Choice USMA. Those entries, along with all previous entries, were compiled and the person/entity with the most votes was identified as the People’s Choice USMA recipient.
Based on nominee and judge’s comments, some of the USMA recipients were selected because of the promise they hold for the future. The USMAs thus recognize not only great accomplishment, but the development of concepts and excellent social media ideals.
We’re looking forward to even more nominations and greater participation in the Utah Social Media Awards in 2010 and the years to follow.