Join the ESMA Expert Panel!

Are you a budding marketing student with an interest in horses, or an equine student who’s played a part in marketing an event or competition?

The PagePlay Equestrian Social Media Awards (ESMAs) is running a global competition to select one promising student to take a place on the 2013 Expert Panel. The winning student will be featured on the Expert Panellists’ page along with some of the equestrian industry’s top names.

Set up in 2010, the ESMAs reward equestrian professionals and organisations across the globe for bringing the horse world closer together through the use of social media.

How the ESMAs work

1. Nominations

When nominations open, the public will nominate their favourites in a range of categories, which include the best use of social media by: a professional rider, feed company, riding school and saddlery. There are also thirteen regional categories – which makes the ESMAs a truly global affair.

2. Selections

The best ten nominees are selected as the finalists for each category. These selections are made based on:

• The strength of supporting statements made in nominations.
• How active and engaging they are online.
• Their adherence to the terms and conditions of the social media channels they use.

3. The final

Finalists in each category are awarded a score, which is based 75% on the views of the Expert Panel and 25% on a public vote.

The 20+ members of the Expert Panel have acquired expertise in public relations, digital marketing and branding across the globe.

The task of judgment is arranged so that each expert looks at as many as six categories. Each category is subject to the watchful eye of at least three experts.

Team ESMA correlates all of the judging scores in order to reach the final results.

The 2012 Expert Panel saw the inclusion of a young Belgian web design student, keen social media and horse lover, Carl Dieryckx. Carl found the experience life changing, he describes: “Through the experience I've discovered a large community of active and passionate digital equestrians. Judging for the ESMA's Expert Panel gave me a great insight into how the equestrian world has a future on the web. Since then I have even more confidence to combine my love for horses and the digital world later on in my career.”

ESMA Director, Liam Killen said: “I picked Carl for the 2012 Expert Panel due to his obvious enthusiasm for equestrianism and his unique insight into the digital world. There’s a wealth of creative talent within the equestrian sphere and I’m keen to showcase this in many ways through the ESMAs.”

Concentrate, here’s the science bit…

If you’re over 16 and in full-time education then you can enter our competition to be a guest member of the 2013 Expert Panel.

The judging takes place over the course of four weeks. You must be able to find sufficient time from between the middle of January and the end of February to evaluate the finalists in up to six categories and award scores to them.

This is a voluntary role.

This role does not require any travel, but you will need to use your own computer and internet connection.

Visit the ESMA website and in thirty words tell us why you should be on the panel.

Entries close 30 September. Best of luck!

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