13 Tips for Creating a Better Award Program Landing Page

TL;DR

A strong award program landing page should do more than provide a login button. It should help prospective applicants understand the opportunity, determine whether they're eligible, prepare the required materials, understand the selection process, and confidently begin their application. Clear branding, eligibility requirements, application instructions, important dates, FAQs, resources, and strong calls to action can create a better applicant experience from the very first interaction.

Why Your Award Program Landing Page Matters

For many applicants, your program landing page is their first interaction with your award program.

It sets expectations for everything that follows.

An applicant may arrive with a long list of questions:

• Am I eligible?

• What does the award recognize?

• What information will I need?

• How long will the application take?

• Do I need references?

• What documents should I prepare?

• When is the deadline?

• How will applications be evaluated?

• Who can I contact if I need help?

If your landing page provides little more than Register and Log In buttons, applicants have to search for those answers themselves—or begin an application without knowing what to expect.

A well-designed landing page can make the process easier.

It gives prospective applicants the information they need to decide whether to apply, prepare their materials, and move confidently into the application process.

Here are 13 elements to consider including on your award program landing page.

1. Consistent Program Branding

Your application experience should feel connected to your organization.

Use branding that aligns with your website and other digital channels, including:

• Logo

• Brand colors

• Typography

• Imagery

• Buttons

• Banners

• Icons

• Tone of voice

When someone clicks Apply Now on your website and arrives at your application portal, they should immediately recognize that they're still interacting with your organization.

Consistent branding creates continuity and can help reassure applicants that they're in the right place.

2. A Clear Program Overview

Don't assume visitors already understand your award.

Provide a concise overview near the top of the page explaining:

• What the award recognizes

• Who the program is for

• Why the award exists

• What recipients receive

• Who administers the program

Keep this section relatively brief. Applicants should be able to quickly understand the purpose and value of the program before deciding whether to learn more.

If your organization manages multiple award categories, provide a short description of each or make it easy for applicants to find the appropriate opportunity.

3. Prominent Calls to Action

Make the applicant's next step obvious.

Depending on the stage of your program, calls to action might include:

• Apply Now

• Start an Application

• Register

• Log In

• Continue Your Application

• View Eligibility Requirements

• Download the Program Guide

Use clear, action-oriented labels rather than vague buttons such as Learn More when you can tell applicants exactly what will happen next.

Also consider where calls to action appear.

An Apply Now button shouldn't be hidden at the bottom of a long page. Make important actions easy to find without overwhelming visitors with too many competing buttons.

4. Eligibility Requirements

Help prospective applicants determine whether they're eligible before they invest significant time in an application.

Clearly explain relevant requirements such as:

• Membership status

• Education

• Career stage

• Professional credentials

• Geographic location

• Industry or discipline

• Years of experience

• Organizational affiliation

• Age or program-specific requirements, where appropriate

• Previous participation or award restrictions

If eligibility rules are complicated, consider creating a short checklist.

Clear eligibility information can reduce confusion for applicants and help administrators avoid receiving submissions that don't meet basic program requirements.

5. Step-by-Step Application Instructions

Give applicants a simple overview of the application process.

For example:

Step 1: Review eligibility requirements.

Step 2: Create your account.

Step 3: Start your application.

Step 4: Complete the required sections and upload supporting materials.

Step 5: Request references, if required.

Step 6: Review and submit your application before the deadline.

The exact process will vary, but showing applicants what to expect makes a potentially complex application feel more manageable.

If applications can be saved and completed over multiple sessions, tell applicants that too.

6. A List of Required Documents and Information

Don't make applicants discover required materials one question at a time.

Provide a checklist of what they should have available before beginning or submitting the application.

Depending on your program, this could include:

• Résumé or CV

• Letters of recommendation

• Reference contact information

• Personal statement

• Essay responses

• Publications

• Transcripts

• Professional biography

• Headshot

• Work samples

• Project documentation

• Budget information

• Supporting letters

• Certifications

If references are required, explain how that process works.

Does the applicant upload a letter, or does the system contact the reference directly? When is the reference deadline? Can the applicant see whether the reference has responded?

Providing this information upfront gives applicants more time to gather materials and request information from others.

7. Selection and Review Criteria

If appropriate for your program, tell applicants how their submissions will be evaluated.

Selection criteria might include:

• Professional achievement

• Leadership

• Innovation

• Community impact

• Academic achievement

• Quality of the proposed project

• Alignment with program objectives

• Demonstrated need

• Potential impact

You don't necessarily need to publish every internal detail of your review process.

However, explaining the major criteria helps applicants understand what matters and prepare stronger, more relevant submissions.

Transparency can also reinforce confidence in the selection process.

8. A Downloadable Program Guide

Some applicants prefer having all program information available in one document.

Consider providing a downloadable guide that includes:

• Program overview

• Eligibility

• Award categories

• Application requirements

• Instructions

• Important dates

• Review process

• FAQs

• Contact information

A guide can be particularly helpful for complex programs or applications that require applicants to coordinate information with colleagues, references, supervisors, or other contributors.

Make sure the downloadable guide and landing page contain consistent information. When deadlines or requirements change, update both.

9. A Short Program Video

Video can provide a more personal introduction to your program.

Consider featuring:

• A welcome from the program director

• An overview of the application process

• Advice for prospective applicants

• Stories from previous recipients

• An explanation of what the award means

• Highlights from previous program cycles

Keep the video focused and useful.

It should complement the written information rather than become the only way applicants can access important instructions.

For accessibility, include captions and make essential information available in text as well.

10. Recipient Stories and Testimonials

Previous recipients can help prospective applicants understand the real-world value of your program.

Consider including short testimonials or profiles that answer questions such as:

• Why did they apply?

• What was their experience like?

• What did receiving the award mean to them?

• What have they accomplished since?

• What advice would they give future applicants?

Authentic recipient stories can make an award feel more tangible and help prospective applicants see themselves participating in the program.

They can also help demonstrate the longer-term impact of your awards.

11. Frequently Asked Questions

An FAQ section can reduce uncertainty for applicants and repetitive questions for administrators.

Common questions might include:

• Who is eligible to apply?

• Can I save my application and return later?

• Can I edit my application after submitting?

• Are references required?

• When are references due?

• What file types can I upload?

• Can someone nominate me?

• Can I apply for more than one award?

• When will applicants be notified?

• How are recipients selected?

• Who should I contact if I need help?

Review the questions your team receives each program cycle and use them to improve your FAQs.

If applicants repeatedly ask the same question, that's a good indication the answer should be easier to find.

12. Clear Contact and Support Information

Even the best landing page won't answer every question.

Make it easy for applicants to get help.

Provide:

• Program contact name or team

• Email address or support method

• Expected response information, if appropriate

• Technical support instructions

• Links to relevant help resources

It can also be useful to distinguish between program questions and technical questions so applicants know where to direct their request.

Don't make someone search your organization's main website to figure out who manages the award program.

13. Important Dates and Deadlines

Important dates should be easy to find.

Depending on your program, these might include:

• Applications open

• Application deadline

• Reference deadline

• Information webinar

• Review period

• Finalist interviews

• Recipient notification

• Awards ceremony

• Program start date

Use specific dates and include the applicable time zone for submission deadlines.

If there are multiple deadlines, clearly explain which one applies to applicants and which apply to references or other participants.

You can also use reminder emails as deadlines approach, but the landing page should remain a reliable source of current program information.

Bonus: Design the Page for Accessibility and Mobile Users

Applicants may access your program from different devices and have different accessibility needs.

Your landing page should be easy to navigate and read on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.

Consider:

• Clear heading structure

• Readable font sizes

• Sufficient color contrast

• Descriptive link and button text

• Alternative text for meaningful images

• Captions for videos

• Keyboard navigation

• Simple page layouts

• Clear form instructions

Accessibility isn't an extra feature of a good applicant experience. It should be part of how the experience is designed from the beginning.

Think Beyond the Landing Page

Your landing page is important, but it's only the beginning of the applicant journey.

The experience should remain clear and consistent after someone clicks Apply Now.

Consider the entire process:

Program website → Landing page → Registration → Application → References → Submission → Confirmation → Status updates

Branding, terminology, instructions, and communications should remain consistent throughout that journey.

If the landing page is polished and informative but the application portal is confusing or disconnected, you've only solved part of the problem.

Conclusion

A strong award program landing page does more than introduce your program.

It helps prospective applicants determine whether they're eligible, understand what's expected, prepare the necessary information, and confidently begin their application.

Include clear branding, a concise program overview, eligibility requirements, step-by-step instructions, required documents, selection criteria, important dates, FAQs, support information, and a clear path to apply.

Most importantly, look at the page from an applicant's perspective.

Before they click Apply Now, ask:

Do they have everything they need to successfully complete this application?

If the answer is yes, your landing page is doing its job.