The Internet Standards Assessment Report, Released by the Web Marketing Association, Provides Newly-Compiled Information About Trends in Web Site Development

March 10, 2009; 11:03 AM

West Simsbury, CT (PRWEB) March 10, 2009 -- webaward.org - The Web Marketing Association, today released its Internet Standards Assessment Report (ISAR), which provides industry-specific benchmarking data for web development. The ISAR Index reversed a downward trend and the overall standard of excellence in Web development rose across 96 industries.

ISAR Index Chart

The ISAR index is an average of all scores in the Web Marketing Association's WebAward competition sine 1997. Index was essentially flat, declining slightly in 2008 to 51.6 from 51.8 in 2007.

"The ISAR Index is the benchmark that many organizations use to compare their Web development efforts to," said William Rice, President of the Web Marketing Association. "Web standards move as the technology and consumer trends push companies to upgrade their Web efforts and consumer expectations are reflected in the judges scores. This year, expectation grew faster than the average Website."

The ISAR report includes the following just-released information:
Detailed Industry findings as compared to historical trends
Best and Worst Industries in Web Development
Best and Worst Industries as they compare to the 7 criteria for a successful Website
Award-wining sites for each industry
Commentary for each industry as compared to the overall competition in 2008

Information within the report is derived form the Web Marketing Association's annual WebAward competition webaward.org which judges websites in 96 industries based on the seven criteria that combined help create award-winning websites.

The WebAward's seven criteria for a successful Website include:
Design
Innovation
Content
Technology
Interactivity
Copywriting
Ease of Use

The ISAR report also includes an index with a running benchmark of web development to which each industry can draw comparisons. Drawing off information found in the ISAR report, web developers and others within organizations responsible for web design, can leverage statistical data to make more informed decisions in an effort to create more effect websites.

"The most successful award-winning websites develop the correct balance of design, innovation and technology to create a total user experience," said Rice. "Once the total user experience is attained, the site becomes a sales tool itself because it has captured the visitor and the winners of the WebAward do this especially well."

According to the ISAR report, the five best industries for Website development in 2008 were:
1) Movie Web sites
2) Television Web sites
3) Entertainment Web sites
4) Electronics Websites
5) Political Web sites

The worst overall industry websites included those such as Institutional Services, Auction and Legal websites.

To request your copy of the 2009 WebAward ISAR report, please visit: webaward.org/isar_report.asp

Web Developers anxious to see how their site compares with the ISAR Index can enter the 2009 WebAward competition in April and receive valuable feedback regarding their web development efforts. Learn more at webaward.org.

About WebAwards:
Now in its 13th year, the 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.  For more information, visit webaward.org.