Quick question - is this award given to everyone?

It goes like this:
11:00am - they send me the email letting me know I was given an award.
11:15am - swing by Facebook and at least five other friend photogs have the same award.
11:16am - commence scratching my head. They are all awesome photogs, to be sure, orobably better than I - but makes me wonder if its more of a marketing ploy by WW?

If I'm thinking about this all wrong straighten me out, will ya.

My opinion: Marketing ploy

No fraking way they only give that "award" to only 5% of their listed vendors. Heck, I think they give it to ALL of their vendors. I got one with only 5 reviews.

That being said, I blasted it on FB and Twitter. I figure it can't hurt to put it out there...

maxwell1295 wrote:
My opinion: Marketing ploy

No fraking way they only give that "award" to only 5% of their listed vendors. Heck, I think they give it to ALL of their vendors. I got one with only 5 reviews.

That being said, I blasted it on FB and Twitter. I figure it can't hurt to put it out there...

+1

maxwell1295 wrote:
My opinion: Marketing ploy

No fraking way they only give that "award" to only 5% of their listed vendors. Heck, I think they give it to ALL of their vendors. I got one with only 5 reviews.

That being said, I blasted it on FB and Twitter. I figure it can't hurt to put it out there...


Hey man - that's what you should do. If they are going to give those out to market themselves, you should be able to use it to market yourself too.

Yeah, I got one too... Pretty shady if you ask me. I put a listing on there a few years ago but have never updated or done anything. I have a few good reviews, that's about it.

Not posting it.

Tony Hoffer wrote:
Yeah, I got one too... Pretty shady if you ask me. I put a listing on there a few years ago but have never updated or done anything. I have a few good reviews, that's about it.

Not posting it.


Tony, you're probably already at the point where the benefit of this 'award' would be pretty miniscule, if any was to be seen.

I am guessing from what Allan said and my own experience that all you have to do to get the award is have 5 positive reviews, but I could be wrong.

I saw a few of my friends who got it, and I think with everyone getting one, it's not that special, but a way for you to advertise and spread the word for them. But hey, it's working eh?

I got one as well... that means I am in the Top 5% of Wedding Professional Nationwide

I got one, and I am pretty much the worst.

But...but does that mean you are not in the top 5 percent of wedding pros nation wide if you don't get one I remember this last year as well on facebook.. it was like every single photographer "won" this award. Obviously you win it by existing on their website. It's like every kid who plays little league gets a trophy at the end of the season...just for playing.

It's the same as the " The Knots Brides Choice"... I got both of them, it loses it ummph because so many others have it. I won't be posting mine.....

PhotoDude79 wrote:
It's the same as the " The Knots Brides Choice"... I got both of them, it loses it ummph because so many others have it. I won't be posting mine.....

but the question is ..... how many brides know that the knot or wedding wire does this?

I'm pretty sure we had this same conversation last year.

My news feed is totally plugged with people winning the WW "Bride's Choice Award". Of course, any given bride probably doesn't experience the same thing because how many wedding vendors is she likely to be friends with at once? It's definitely annoying though. And that 5% number has got to be a crock unless their website is clogged with false/dead listings. Of course, I didn't get one... I only have four reviews.

Ziffl3 wrote:
PhotoDude79 wrote:
It's the same as the " The Knots Brides Choice"... I got both of them, it loses it ummph because so many others have it. I won't be posting mine.....

but the question is ..... how many brides know that the knot or wedding wire does this?


I will book with or without it..... If I get a award it is because I earned it. Not to be a marketing vehicle....

I just say saw how angry that looks.... I'll fix it with this...

After I got this award last year, and then had all the air let out of my tires when I saw everyone else posting it on facebook, I did some research. You have to have 3? or 5? good reviews within the last year. I did a local search of all the photographers on wedding wire, and did the math of who actually got the award, and I think it was like 10% that were listed got the award. I was amazed at all the BAD reviews a lot of my local competition got. So when I got it this year, heck yeah I just posted it! Brides seem to love it, and I think it's at least half legit.

The site is full of no-review listings, so perhaps someone with 4-5 reviews will, regionally speaking, be in the top 5-10%, based solely on reviews received (this is my deduction of how it works)

I have no reviews, I don't use weddingwire, I never get leads from there even though I have a listing, so I'm not in the "top 5%"

Fail. As Tony mentioned already, it works for togs who post it up and their clients see it. Its meaningless. A scam at best.

Realistically speaking though, everyone in 'business' has to find a means to reach out to alternative markets. I find this is a means used by most of these wedding directory sites.

Its a shame really, but whatever. I am sure many businesses are getting their money's worth because of this.

Ideally I would not post it myself.... Realistically I would.

Question is, am I an idealist or a realist?!

Well it links to my reviews. I'm damn proud of my reviews, and I don't think they are meaningless.

I've received the 'award' since 2009. I have 4 reviews and have updated my site once.