Vancouver Social Media Awards to recognize students and industry in B.C.

Nominations for the first annual Vancouver Social Media Awards will open on October 22 and be accepted until November 27. The trophies are scheduled to be handed out on March 28, 2013, during an event featuring industry speakers at the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre in Yaletown.

Social Media Awards 2013 will have eight categories—half of them for postsecondary students and the other half for industry professionals. The criteria for these categories—Best Student Blog, Best Student Social Video Channel, Best Social Media in B.C., Must Follow Student of 2013, Best Company Blog, Best Company Social Video Channel, Best Social Media Campaign of 2013, and Must Follow Company of 2013—will also be released on October 22. The Best Social Media Campaign of 2013 award will have subcategories for the for-profit, nonprofit, and public sectors.

On January 5, 2013, the top seven nominees in each category will be announced. Online voting between January 7 and February 21, 2013, will reduce the top seven to the top three. A panel of seven judges will have the final say.

The nonprofit group behind the Social Media Awards is the Social Media Network, which started as a student club at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia.

“As a BC student based organization, The Social Media Network has a unique position to create an unbiased, transparent, and critical award,” a document on the awards website states. “Vancouver is home to an amazing talent of social media and enthusiasts. The social media scene in Vancouver is one of the most vibrant in the world. Our goal is to recognize outstanding BC students and professionals once a year.”

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