Readers' Choice Awards: What a 'Best Of' Award Really Costs

Last verified: September 26, 2026, against each publisher's or vendor's own pages. Prices and wording change often, so check the source before you rely on a number.

The Florida newspaper Readers' Choice awards we checked run as a two-round contest. First the public nominates favorite businesses in each of the award categories. Then the top nominees go to a ballot, readers vote, and the award winners are the businesses with the most votes.

The rules set a maximum number of votes. Gannett's Brevard contest allows one vote "once a day per category using one individual email address," and the Tampa Bay contest allows "one vote per category per 24 hour period." The Brevard contest says it covers more than 150 categories and recognizes "over 400 businesses and organizations" each year.

Businesses are allowed to campaign. The Tampa Bay contest hands out "nominate us" and "vote for us" graphics so a nominated business can ask customers for support, and Gannett sells advertising during its contests. What the rules ban is rewarding nominations with prizes. Gannett's FAQ says "Offering prizes or discount-related incentives to obtain nominations is strictly prohibited and may result in company disqualification."

By vote count. Gannett's Brevard program says it is "Completely driven by public participation." In the first round, the public nominates businesses. A company that makes "the top five by nominations in your category" moves on. In the second round, anyone can vote once a day per category, and the top three become finalists.

Tampa Bay's rules work the same way. Voters get "one vote per category per 24 hour period." The rules say a third party totals the votes, and that the contest does "not know the results of the contest until after the votes are tabulated."

A daily vote count rewards the business that gets the most people to click, over and over, for weeks. That can be the best shop in town. It can also be the one with the biggest email list. Neither contest says it checks quality, licenses or complaint records before a business makes the ballot.

Gannett also gives voters a reason to take part. Its Brevard page says people who nominate "in 25 or more categories will be entered to win a $250 gift card!" Businesses cannot do the same. The FAQ says "Offering prizes or discount-related incentives to obtain nominations is strictly prohibited and may result in company disqualification."

Gannett says it can help. Its Brevard, Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast pages all say "while these advertising opportunities can help boost a company's chances, the decision ultimately rests with the public, as winners and finalists are determined through their votes."

The pitch comes at each step. When a business makes the top five, the FAQ says "Improve your chances by encouraging your fans to vote for you" and to contact the sales team "to see how our advertising packages can help!" It also says the packages "enable you to actively promote your company and encourage the community to nominate or vote for you."

The ads do not buy votes. What they buy is reach: more people who see a "vote for us" message during the voting weeks. In a contest decided by turnout, that reach counts.

Tampa Bay's rules allow the same kind of push: "Competitive advertising, and campaigns ARE permitted." The rules also say "Business associates and advertisers of Best of the Best and any other owner affiliated company are not given special treatment, including but not limited to our presenting sponsor."

The plaque. Gannett's Brevard store lists a winner plaque at $100.00, window clings at $25.00 and a banner at $175.00. Each is "available to current and former winners only." The FAQ says a business that bought an advertising package gets its window cling at the awards gala and its plaque by mail. Everyone else is told to ask how to buy one.

The gala. Brevard's awards gala "is restricted to the top three program finalists only and their invited guests." The FAQ says "Our advertising packages include event tickets at different amounts, depending on the package." Finalists without a package can ask to buy tickets.

The right to use the badge. The Tampa Bay Times store sells one item, a "Licensing fee" of $450.00. Its product page says "Reaching the licensing spend level grants full and unlimited accesses to the high resolution version of the winner badges." The page then invites a business to "send a communication of your remaining balance," which suggests other spending counts toward the $450. The page does not say what counts.

Winners who do not pay still get something. Tampa Bay's winner page says "Regardless of licensing, you can still order winner merchandise." Orlando Weekly lets winners and placers download files to print their own certificates.

Winners get a digital version for free and can buy a physical one. Gannett's Brevard contest offers "free winner and finalist logos," Orlando Weekly gives winners files to print their own certificates, and the Tampa Bay Times sells full use of its high resolution badges for a $450 licensing fee.

For most businesses, the free digital badge is the minimum that matters. Put it on your website and in your social content, and link it to the contest's winner page so customers can click through and learn what the award was for. A physical plaque on the wall is optional.

Each contest is governed by its own rules, so read them before you create an ad, a press release or an article about the win. Name the category exactly as the contest lists it. If you sell services, the story behind the award, such as how many businesses were in the category, tells customers more than the plaque itself.

The software companies that build them say it plainly. Elite Insights, whose copyright line appears at the bottom of the Tampa Bay Best of the Best site, pitches its platform as "Designed With Revenue in Mind." Its home page says "Each nomination entered becomes a sale lead."

Its product pages describe how that works. "All Nominees flow into a Nomination database where the sales team can be assigned." "Voting occurs through the Voting Ballot and through Custom Voting Pages that are available for purchase." On the winners page, "Various banners and expanded listings are available for purchase." Its managed plan for publishers is summed up as "You sell and we do the rest."

Elite Insights does not say which of these features any one newspaper uses. Tampa Bay's rules say votes are totaled by a third party and advertisers get no special treatment.

A nomination email or a spot on a ballot is a chance to learn how the contest works before you spend anything.

A vanity award is one you pay to receive. The BBB says "Vanity awards are a waste of business owners' money and time." With some, you "fill out a form and pay a fee" to enter. With others, "you are simply notified that you've won and directed to a place where you can claim your award."

The BBB says the catch is usually a fee, and that these awards "typically cost a couple hundred dollars," based on its Scam Tracker reports. Its test: "Most legitimate awards do not come with costs to the recipient." It also says "If there is a fee for winning or receiving a certificate or plaque, it could be that the person or organization is simply after your money."

Newspaper contests sit in a gray zone. Winning is free, but the plaque is not. Gannett warns winners about copycat sellers: "Use caution with inbound communications to your business soliciting plaques." It says sellers not tied to the paper or the USA TODAY Network "do not have permission to use the logo and are likely fraudulent."

A plaque tells you a business won something. These questions tell you what.

L3ad.io sells nothing: no listings, placements, badges, plaques, reports or leads. There is no vote to campaign for and no ad package to buy.

Lists are built from public records with a published method, so anyone can check the inputs. A business on a list can show it for free. Nobody pays to be named, and nobody pays to use the name.

Spot a factual error? It gets fixed and noted on the list it affects.