Best Investment Web Site Trends Detailed in New Report from the Web Marketing Association

Updated Web Marketing Association' Internet Standards Assessment Report Includes Historical Data Derived from a Decade of Hosting Internet Award Competition, WebAwards, and Provides Best Practices for Investment Web Design.

West Simsbury, CT (PRWEB) April 7, 2008 -- WebAward08.org (http://www.webaward.org/bestwebsites.asp?gad=CLuN0dkDEgiWfXzHcjWjThi6nML_AyC33JU2) - The Web Marketing Association, host of leading web site awards competition WebAwards, released the Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR) to help the investment industry learn to create more effective and engaging web sites.

"As the standard of excellence for web sites continues to increase, consumers (and WebAward judges) are increasingly picky about what they consider to be an effective web site," said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association, Inc. "The investment industry has the most inconsistent performance for Web development. Where they're good, they're really good. Where they're weak, they're really weak."

The WebAwards competition judges investment web sites on seven criteria that combined create award-winning web sites:

* Design

* Innovation

* Content

* Technology

* Interactivity

* Copywriting

* Ease of use

The investment industry has shown inconsistent web development for the past decade. Significant underperformance occurred in 1997, 2003, and 2007. These most recent low scores resulted in the industry falling short of the criteria benchmark averages in all areas except for ease of use. Ease of use and content are the industries strong points. The investment category scored last in both the innovation and technology criteria areas across all industries.

The 2007 WebAward for Best Investment Web site went Frank Worldwide Inc. for 55 West Wacker- Cape Horn.

Other past winners include:

* 2006 i33 communications LLC for BetterInvesting web site redesign

* 2005 BusinessWeek Online for BusinessWeek Online web site

* 2004 Allied Capital Corporation for Allied Capital Corporation web site

* 2003 Summit Partners for Summit Partners web site

* 2002 Frank Russell Company for russell.com

A complete list of past winners can be found at investment.webaward.org.

Companies and organizations wishing to have their investment Web site evaluated against the ISAR Index and be considered for a WebAward, which can help boost a Web site's credibility and marketing efforts, can learn more at WebAward08.org (http://www.webaward.org/bestwebsites.asp?gad=CLuN0dkDEgiWfXzHcjWjThi6nML_AyC33JU2).

To request your copy of the 2008 WebAward ISAR report, please visit: WebAward08.org (http://www.webaward.org/bestwebsites.asp?gad=CLuN0dkDEgiWfXzHcjWjThi6nML_AyC33JU2) and click on the ISAR text link

The Internet Standards Assessment report and the 2008 WebAwards are sponsored by the following leading organizations: Burst Media, PRWeb, AllBusiness, Misukanis & Odden, Small Army, ExactTarget, ad:tech conferences, NewsUSA, MediaPost's OMMA conference, TopRank Online Marketing, Creative Chocolate Printing Company, PhizzPop, Internet World UK, Search Engine Strategies, Webmaster Radio, Rovion's InPerson, Snap Shots and Website Magazine.

2008 WebAward Call for Entries

The Web Marketing Association is now accepting entries into its 12th annual international WebAward Competition. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks that the Internet Standards Assessment report is based upon. The investment industry represents an important category in the WebAward competition, and the Web Marketing Association will again be honoring the Best Investment Web site of 2008. The deadline for entry is May 31, 2008 and the WebAward Web site is located at WebAward08.org (http://www.webaward.org/bestwebsites.asp?gad=CLuN0dkDEgiWfXzHcjWjThi6nML_AyC33JU2).

About the WebAwards

Now in its 12th year, the annual international WebAwards competition sets the standard of excellence in 96 industry categories by evaluating Web sites and defining benchmarks based on the seven essential criteria of successful Web site development. The goal of the Web Marketing Association, sponsor of the WebAwards, is to provide a forum to recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective Web sites on the Internet today. Entrants benefit from a Web site assessment by a professional judging panel and the marketing opportunities presented to an award-winning Web site. For more information, visit WebAward08.org (http://www.webaward.org/bestwebsites.asp?gad=CLuN0dkDEgiWfXzHcjWjThi6nML_AyC33JU2).

# # #