The WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Awards takes the votes of North Carolina to nominate and award their choice for ‘best’ in businesses, people and places. For the first time Bloggers were added to the People Category giving Fayetteville Bloggers the amazing opportunity to stand out and show off what a Blogger’s influence means to our community.
Wait! What?
Those were the first two words that came to mind when I saw a post in the East Coast Influencers Group announcing the WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Awards was including a Blogger category for nominations for the first time! I’ve seen Voter’s Choice or Best type nominations and awards before but never with a category included for Bloggers. This was rather epic and I knew I wanted to make sure my name was in the mix for sure!
I couldn’t keep this to myself. I grabbed the link to the nominations page and shared it with the head of the Fayetteville NC Bloggers Network – Jenny Bell. Jenny is the Communications Coordinator for The Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau but she is also the creative force behind Go Fayetteville a blog extension of the CVB focused on interacting with the community through written content, images, and experiences.
We agreed this was an amazing opportunity to shine a light on Bloggers as well as our city. Jenny took the reigns and shared The WRAL.com VCAs link within our FayNC Blogger group, encouraging the 20+ local Fayetteville Bloggers to encourage their followers and audience to nominate them.
When Nominations ended on December 2nd Fayetteville had three – that’s right 3 of the 5 Finalist spots in the category!
View this post on InstagramSo honored to represent Fayetteville as 3 of the Top 5 Bloggers Nominated in the @wral Voter’s Choice Awards! _ My fellow Nominees are @gofayetteville & @fayareamom _ #WRALvcas #StateViewHotel #Raleigh#RaleighNC #TheMrsTee
In It To Win It
I remember the day the Finalist lists were posted. I don’t think I could message Jenny fast enough. Did she see? We had three in Bloggers in the running! She saw and trust me she was just as excited about it as I was. The way we looked at it even if none of us won we could forever say we were voted among the Top 5 of The WRAL.com Voter’s Choice Awards for Bloggers! I mean who doesn’t love bragging rights, right?
Except we did want to win so it was time to start kissing those babies – okay maybe not but it was time to start promoting and pushing our followers to help us get to that final goal of making a Fayetteville Blogger WRAL’s Best Blogger!
Off we went to our individual audiences and followers asking them to help us reach the next level. After all, this is all about the Voters’ Choice! I did everything from posts to a quick video letting everyone know how big this was and how important it could be not only for Bloggers but for Fayetteville – oh and of course our individual blogs!
Our amazing followers heard us and the votes started pouring in. Local businesses gave their support by sharing the vote links and telling their customers how much every single vote counted!
It’s A Big Deal
After weeks of asking for support, it was time for the votes to be counted. Each of us had done our best to promote and secure as many votes as possible. Emails went out letting us know the votes were being tallied and the winner would be announced on January 10th at an awards ceremony at The Stateview Hotel in Raleigh.
Here’s how everything was to organized:
5 Finalists · 2 Honorable Mentions · 1 Overall Winner
The night of the awards I was beyond nervous. No matter who won this night was going to be a big step for Bloggers throughout North Carolina. This was the first time we were included in the awards and that in itself is no small thing. Other first time categories included Best Instagrammer, Best Twitter Personality and Best Podcaster!
The winner would not only bring a spotlight to their city but they would hold the honor of being the very first Blogger to receive a WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Award!
… and the Winner is …
As WRAL anchor and reporter Mikaya Thurmond announced the People Category it was the moment we had been waiting for all night – I mean it was the last category …LOL Once she said it I felt like everything went into a mix of slow-motion and fast-forward. I know it doesn’t make sense but it was like I heard her and saw our names on the screen and then suddenly we were clapping for the winner all in a few seconds.
5 Finalists
View this post on InstagramSuch a Blessing to me included among such an amazing group of Bloggers. _ Congratulations to us all for bringing Blogging to a new place of recognition! _ @bitesofbullcity @gofayetteville @fayareamom @stillbeingmolly & Me ? @themrstee _ #WRALvcas #StateViewHotel #Raleigh#RaleighNC #TheMrsTee
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2 Honorable Mentions (2nd & 3rd Place)
View this post on InstagramSo Blessed to have received Honorable Mention in the @wral Voter’s Choice Awards for Top Blogger! _ #WRALvcas #StateViewHotel #Raleigh#RaleighNC #TheMrsTee
1 Overall Winner
That’s right folks! Fayetteville Bloggers stood out in two of the three top places for the 2018 WRAL.com Voters’ Choice Awards and we couldn’t be prouder!! Jenny Bell with Overall Winner for GoFayetteville and me with Second Place Honorable Mention for this little site I love – TheMrsTee!
Final Results
You Did This!
As Bloggers, the work we do is ultimately for the audience we share it with. At the end of things, You Did This! If it weren’t for your views, shares, encouragement and overall support I would have never been able to make it to this point. Thank YOU!
I am so grateful for this milestone and I’m already looking forward to the greatness ahead . . .Stay Tuned!
Yet To Come . . .
Now that WRAL has added Bloggers to the mix of the Voters’ Choice I’m looking forward to seeing our own local publication (*hint: Fayetteville Observer 😉 ) give us the same opportunity to stand out right here in Fayetteville! What do you think?
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Lifestyle Blogger & Media Influencer at It's Me, Tee
I am the ‘ Tee’ behind It’s Me, Tee an award-winning Lifestyle Blog where I share my love of all things Faith, Family, Fashion, Food, Fun, Tech & Travel.
“Believe in yourself, your passions, and your dreams. Your voice is unique – build on that. Embrace what is different about you and make it your greatest asset!”
“Believe in yourself, your passions, and your dreams. Your voice is unique – build on that. Embrace what is different about you and make it your greatest asset!”
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