TopRank Online Marketing SEO Designer Named to 2006 WebAwards Judging Panel

Minneapolis, MN May 30, 2006 –The Web Marketing Association is pleased to announce that TopRank Online Marketing’s Thomas McMahon has been selected as a judge of the 10th annual international WebAward competition for Web site development. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets industry benchmarks based on the seven criteria of a successful Web site. It recognizes the individual and team achievements of Web professionals who create and maintain outstanding Web sites.

"Unlike other awards, the WebAwards is not a beauty pageant where only the design and name recognition is important," said William Rice, president of the Web Marketing Association. "For the past decade, the WebAwards has used a quantitative judging formula based on seven criteria to evaluate benchmark and set industry standards for Web site development. Thomas McMahon will play a critical role in setting the standard for Internet excellence by applying his expertise to each site he adjudicates."

Says McMahon, “We want to recognize web sites for outstanding design, usability and quality. Most sites don't put enough thought into the end-users’ experience or into search engine friendliness. Some sites have good usability, bad design. Some have good design, bad usability. It's those that offer both that should be recognized.”

Thomas McMahon has worked for TopRank Online Marketing for the past year and a half as a SEO Designer, optimizing existing web sites and blogs, creating search engine friendly designs for new web sites as well as creating a number of blog marketing tools, WordPress plug-ins and FireFox add-ons. Prior to TopRank, McMahon worked with a web design agency for 5 years providing expertise in web design and Flash.

TopRank Online Marketing President, Lee Odden adds, "I'm very proud to see Thomas participate in such a highly regarded program. The standards he's set for our clients' will certainly benefit the web sites he will be tasked to evaluate for the WebAwards competition."

The 2006 WebAward judges consist of a select group of Internet professionals who have direct experience designing and managing Web sites – including members of the media, interactive creative directors, corporate marketing managers, site designers, content providers and webmasters – with an in-depth understanding of the current state-of-the-art in Web site development and technology. Judging for this year's awards will take place in July and August, with winners announced in September.

About TopRank Online Marketing

TopRank Online Marketing is an industry leading search marketing agency offering integrated search engine optimization, online public relations and blog marketing services. TopRank has been listed as a top ten world-wide SEO firm by topseos.com and Promotion World and is the only Minnesota search marketing firm included in Marketing Sherpa's Guide to Search Engine Optimization Firms. TopRank is a member of the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization (SEMPO.org), the Search Engine Marketing Council of the Direct Marketing Association (the-DMA.org), and holds a Board of Directors position for the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA.org).

About the WebAwards
The 10th 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.

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