Total of 135 points can be earned toward one of our VSDA Web Awards.

	Web Design: 40 Points. Divided into to 6 components as follows:
	Site must have good clean design and colors	10 Points
	Original graphics	10 Points
	Must look good in 1024 x 768 and 800 x 600 resolution and browsers (IE & Firefox)	5 Points
	Site makes good use of white space	5 Points
	Consistent font usage	5 Points
	Graphics properly sized	5 Points
	Website Content: 30 Points.
	Your site must have interesting content that is credible	20 Points
	Spelling and Grammar is correct	10 Points
	Navigation: 10 Points. Divided into 2 components as follows:
	Logical navigation with Top of Page links (where applicable)	8 Points
	Site is not reliant on browser BACK button	2 Points
	Loading Time: 5
	Does your site load under 15 seconds on broadband or 90 seconds on dial-up	5 Points
	Website Optimization: 10
	Appropriate use of alt attributes and comment tags (no stuffing)	2 Points
	Proper use of Meta Tags and Keywords - relevancy	2 Points
	Content copy of at least 300 words not stuffed with Key Words	2 Points
	Relevant titles on pages with a maximum of 200 characters	2 Points
	Use of Site Map	2 Points
	Coding Technical Score : 0 to 20 Points
	These points are for excellence in technical design above and beyond the norm.	0 to 20 Points
	Web Design Aesthetics Score :  0 to 20 Points
	These points are for excellence in aesthetic design that is above and beyond the norm.	0 to 20 Points

Tips to Achieve a Higher Score:

Web Design: Make certain that your web graphics have meaning and relevance to your website, your colors don't clash and backgrounds are not overpowering. View your pages as though you are visiting your website for the first time - is there a compelling factor that makes you want to continue browsing the pages?

Content: First and foremost, do you know what you are talking about? Be certain your research is current and relevant, as well as interesting and informative and is complimented by good clean graphics. The overall content has to be eye-catching and original to make your visitor want to return. There are many spell checkers available, so make sure that you use good spelling and grammar!

Layout: Make certain that the layout of your pages is easy on the eye and makes sense to the viewer. Use the same font (type, color and size) throughout the website for a more uniform, consistent look. If a page is long vertically, be certain to include Top of Page links.

Navigation: Navigation must be available from all pages and must link to your main pages. It is frustrating for visitors to be forced to use the browser's BACK button or to reach pages that are a "dead end" .

These are important "tips", but be certain to read our Criteria before submitting your website for our awards.