Internet users from around New Zealand, over 278,000 of them in fact, have been busy singling out their favourite websites as part of the 2011 People’s Choice NetGuide Web Awards. The results have been tallied and while there were a few repeat offenders, this year’s overall winner isn’t even of local origin. Mega social networking site Facebook took out the top honour for Site of the Year, taking the crown from last year’s winner stuff.co.nz. The site also nabbed the Best Social Networking Site award.
Winners have been busy trumpeting their success including stuff.co.nz, who won the Best News Site category.
“It’s nice to know that the New Zealand public appreciates your work and takes the time to give such positive feedback,” says Fairfax Media’s general manager of digital media Nigel Tutt.
To win the category, stuff beat out fellow contenders 3news.co.nz, news.google.com, nzherald.co.nz and tvnz.co.nz.
But while TVNZ’s hopes were dashed in the news site category, it did manage to put in a repat performance of last year by taking out the Best Entertainment Site category.
TVNZ is attributing part of the win to the growing popularity of its Ondemand offering, saying weekly streamviews of the service have increased by 28 percent.
Head of digital channels and digital media at TVNZ, Eric Kearley, says the win demonstrates the company’s “commitment to ensuring consumers have access to the very best entertainment and news content”.
Like stuff, TVNZ only picked up one win, but it did manage to edge out some impressive competition in its category by way of Youtube and Tickemaster.
In the ‘not too surprising basket’ was Seek’s win for Best Employment Site. At a time when there is high interest in searching for jobs, general manager Janet Faulding says the public vote for Seek is a “great endorsement” for the value the site is delivering.
Seek recently launched a Mobile Site enabling job seekers to search for jobs anytime, anywhere and an innovative mobile job application service called Mobile Apply. The app features over 16,000 job listings and also enables users to instantly apply for a role.
Seek’s win means Trademe missed out on the accolade, but the website did win the Best Trading Site category, beating out voucher sites 1-day and grabone.
Other notable wins this year include 2degrees mobile in the Best Mobile category and google.co.nz in the Best Homepage category. And with the Rugby World Cup only days away, allblacks.com will be pretty happy with its win in the Best Sport & Recreation Site category.
And now, for your net junkie eyes, here’s the full list of winners:
Site of the Year
Best Social Networking Site
Best News Site
Stuff
Best Blog
Blogger Bites Back (NZ Herald)
Best Entertainment Site
tvnz.co.nz
Best Shopping Site
mightyape.co.nz
Best Trading Site
trademe.co.nz
Best Lifestyle Site
healthyfood.co.nz
Best Employment Site
seek.co.nz
Best Government Site
ird.govt.nz
Best Financial Site
bnz.co.nz
Best Sports & Recreation Site
allblacks.com
Best Online Forum
nzdating.co.nz
Best Site for Gamers
mightyape.co.nz
Best Site for Students
studyit.org.nz
Best Site for Families
kidspot.co.nz
Best Site for Travellers
houseoftravel.co.nz
Best Site for Small Businesses
business.govt.nz
Best Homepage
google.co.nz
Best PC Manufacturer
HP
Best ISP
Orcon
Best Mobile App
Sky App
Best Mobile Network
2degrees Mobile
Best Web Developer
zeald.co.nz
Best Online Fundraising Initiative
plunket.org.nz
Best New Launch, Re-Launch or Innovation
treatme.co.nz