The UK Search Awards are a special event. In the digital and marketing industries, awards are a dime a dozen; almost every month some awards event is held somewhere. While some of these are legitimate awards that recognise real success, many others are shambolic affairs where judges and winners overlap and behind-the-scenes shenanigans determine who wins and who loses.
Since its inception, the UK Search Awards have been different. There’s a very rigorous judging process and judges are not allowed to enter the awards themselves. The judges are, without exception, the best and brightest minds in search marketing, and for them the integrity of the process is paramount as they attach their reputations to the quality of these awards.
Hence why the UK Search Awards is one of the very few award occasions Polemic Digital chooses to enter. When we learned in October that we’d been shortlisted for three UK Search Awards, we were absolutely ecstatic. To be listed among so many great agencies and successful projects was a true honour. Just to make it to the shortlist is an accomplishment in and of itself – especially in such competitive categories – and in all honesty, that’s where we expected it to end this year.
We attended the awards event, held in the Bloomsbury Big Top in London, with perhaps a little hope but certainly no expectation beyond having a good time. This year the UK Search Awards were bigger than ever, hosted by comedian Jason Manford with over 650 people attending from all over the country. We were looking forward to catching up with many of our industry friends and to celebrate the search industry in the UK.
So when Polemic Digital was called out as the winner for not one, but two of these highly coveted awards, we couldn’t really believe it. In fact, right now, looking at the awards on my desk, it’s still hard to believe that we won.
Out of the three nominations, we won two: Best Low Budget Campaign for our work for Super Saver Oil, and Best Small SEO Agency.
This latter award is an especially proud moment for us, as we’ve only been going since 2014. It’s amazing to see how far we’ve already come in such a short time.
When anyone achieves success, it’s never just a single person’s efforts that make it possible. Polemic Digital is a two-person agency, with me as the SEO guy and my wife Alison as the business person. She shares as much in Polemic Digital’s success as I do.
Many thanks to our families as well, and to all the people around us who have helped over the years with their advice, friendship, support and love. We couldn’t have done it without you. We love being part of the SEO industry, and we love being part of the Northern Irish digital scene – both communities are full of amazing people doing great things on a daily basis.
And most of all thanks to our clients who put their trust in us to deliver results, and make all of this possible. It’s a privilege to work with so many inspiring businesses and to be able to contribute, however modestly, to their success.
These national award wins so early in Polemic Digital’s journey certainly set the bar high for future achievements. We hope to live up to the expectation and continue to deliver award-winning SEO services. Onwards and upwards!
