I’ve decided to hold an awards that is not based on popularity, but based on specific criteria that I look for in a site that goes above and beyond . The annual awards is called the Blondish.net Website Rockstar Awards.
I have been blogging more than a decade and have helped others with their sites. I have gotten recognition, but as a leader, I have not given out any. I think it is high time. Making my list is not easy. I look for people that go above and beyond their duty.
My goal is in this yearly award is to recognize 5 bloggers who have gone beyond the normal means to connect with their readers. These bloggers do not have to be mainstream, and they do not necessarily connect with me personally.
The criteria I went over was:
- Website had to be well organized.
- Website had to contain a blog of some sort.
- Blog had to clearly look to encourage engagement within the site.
- Blog had to clearly look to encourage syndication to social network and social bookmark sites.
- Site owners had to be active on more than 1 social network with their readers, fans, and followers.
- Website owner participates in community activities outside of their website that benefit the blogging community.
Each of the following are the first recipients and aside from the graphic award, I will be emailing each winner to send them a plaque recognizing their achievements as blog rockstars.
Winners of the 2012 Blondish.net Blog Rockstar Awards
Syed Balkhi of WPBeginner
Syed is constantly present at many WordCamps speaking to WordPress users. However, when he is not presenting about how to use WordPress, he is publishing articles at WPBeginner. Syed interacts with his readers, fans, and followers, but has become a cornerstone in the WordPress Community.
Kimberly Castleberry of Just Ask Kim
Kimberly is active in engaging and teaching people about how to use their website and tools to help with their business. She also has put together a syndication community that allows bloggers to engage in circles they may have not had the opportunity to do so if the Biz Buzz Blogging had not existed.
Danyelle Smith Little of The Cubicle Chick
Danyealle shares her experiences and knowledge in various areas, and it is no doubt that she loves to connect with others. She organizes Show Me The Blog St. Louis, an annual conference for bloggers to learn how to use their websites.
Fausto Fernos and Marc Felion of Feast of Fun
Fausto and Marc run a great podcast for the LGBT community that has many celebrities. They constantly interact and encourage their readers to feel free to suggest topics or ask questions. It is no wonder why their site really is a feast of fun!
Ileane Smith of Basic Blog Tips
Ileane runs a blog community that is quite active and constantly shares articles to help bloggers with using their blogs. She tries to keep on top of the blog game and is always talking with readers and blogging colleagues.
Please stop by and visit each blogger. They fully deserve the award. Hope to see some of you on my award list for next year so work hard.
I love Basic Blog Tips! 🙂
Yes, I do too. 🙂 I watched Ileane grow from blogger and wp.com to having Basic Blog Tips, and getting her community behind her there. It is amazing to see how much the site has grown.
Thank you Sadie! I appreciate you for saying that.
Happy New Year!
Just curious – from what list or pool did you select the blogs you gave awards to?
Hi Dave! All were random, and originally from a list of 50 I picked, but I am not someone who likes long lists and I wanted this to be more meaningful. Niche did not matter. What mattered was great content, great syndication, and great engagement.
I follow Kim, Danyelle, and Illeane already and will follow the others as well. Good list. Thanks for sharing, Nile.
Not a problem… though this is not a list. They’d be longer. This is a selective award that they will receive an actual recognition plaque aside from this post.
I am glad that you do follow Kim, Danyelle, and Ileane already. 🙂 They have wonderful sites.
Congrats to all the winners! Great job putting this together Nile 🙂
All of then deserve to be on the rock-star list. All of them (including you) are top notch bloggers in the blogging niche. I have learnt a lot from them. Great list. Hey Nile, have you considered other niches.
I went ahead and corrected that word for you. I know how it feels…lol.
Some of the bloggers were not in just the blogging niche. Kim covers marketing, blogging and social media. Syed covers WordPress on WPBeginner. Danyelle covers celebrity news, some fashion, her home life, branding, blogging, and much more. Ileane… of course, blogging. And Feast of Fun is all entertainment.
Wow, what an honor! Thank you very much. I am very thankful for the recognition. 🙂
This was a great idea! There are so many blogs out there that deserve to be recognized. As a blogger myself, I understand how much work goes into creating a successful blog. Congrats everyone who was nominated and to all the winners!
Great award and a great list of bloggers too. I know a couple of them a few I don’t know.
Nile, I’m so pleased and honored to get this award. It means so much coming from someone like you. I love the criteria that you used to pick the Rockstars especially the one about going outside the website to benefit the blogging community.
That is something I really strive to do because I know how important it is to reach out and connect with people in social networks and forums.
Thanks so much Nile.
I’m looking forward to wonderful things happening for you and your blog in 2013!
Amazing info really appreciate you sharing
It’s nice to meet other bloggers, Nile, especially those who are leading the pack.
I think it’s great you took some time to give them some well-earned recognition.
Wow, congratulations to the winners. Nice effort Nile.
wow these are a big player
the only i know is basic blog tips and wp beginner
will visit the others too
congrats to all these winners.Nice awards for motivating newbies like me Nile.May be someday I will also win one of these.