Insider tips to make your Golden Post Awards entry stand out

Contributed by Frances La Rue, Awards Committee Co-Chair & Southwest Council Representative, and Angela Ramirez, Awards Committee Co-Chair & Midwest Council Representative

The 2025 Golden Post Awards entry period is officially open! If you’ve done standout work in government social media, this is your chance to get recognized. Submitting an entry isn’t just about trophies—it’s about celebrating the impact of your work, benchmarking against industry peers, and gaining well-earned recognition for your agency.

So what makes a winning entry? Let’s take a look at our top tips from the Awards Committee Co-Chairs and don’t miss your deadline to submit your entry by February 28, 2025.

What are the Golden Post Awards?

The Golden Post Awards honor the best of the best in government social media in the U.S. and Canada, recognizing excellence in strategy, innovation, and impact. Government communicators operate in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment with limited resources, yet they continuously deliver creative and effective digital engagement. This awards program was created to celebrate those efforts and highlight top-performing social media professionals in the public sector.

This year, we’re taking the Golden Post Awards to the next level with nine all-new categories that better reflect today’s social media landscape. Another update change? We’ve shifted to a paid entry structure to continue enhancing the program. Your first entry is free, and additional entries are $50 for the second and $75 for the third—a small investment to support the continued growth and prestige of the Golden Post Awards.

Winners will be honored live at GSMCON2025 in Orlando, FL, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025—a moment you won’t want to miss!

Top strategies for a standout submission

Want to take home a Golden Post Awards trophy at GSMCON2025? Follow these key strategies to craft an entry that captures the judges’ attention.

1. Think strategy first

A great post or campaign doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built on strategy. Judges want to see that your work was intentional and well-planned. In your entry, clearly outline:

• Your goals (Hint: Use SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
• Your audience (Who were you trying to reach, and why?)
• Your approach (What platforms did you use? How did you execute the campaign?)
• Your results (How did you measure success?)

2. Show, don’t just tell

Back up your claims with hard data and visual evidence. Did engagement rates soar? Show the numbers. Did a campaign increase community trust? Include testimonials or public feedback. Before-and-after comparisons, survey results, and audience impact metrics all help to build a compelling case.

3. Make your best work stand out

Judges review a high volume of entries, so don’t bury the most impactful aspects of your work. Showcase your strongest elements up front. Put your most compelling visuals, top metrics, and key takeaways where they’re easy to see. Make sure your attachments—like campaign assets, performance graphs, or audience feedback—are relevant and reinforce your narrative.

4. Align with category criteria

Make sure your entry clearly addresses the judging criteria for your selected category. Review the award descriptions carefully and tailor your responses to match. A well-aligned entry makes it easier for judges to see how your work fits the category and why it deserves to win.

5. Make it visually engaging

Make your submission easy to digest by breaking up long sections with visuals, bullet points, and headers. Upload relevant images, videos, or graphics to support your case. If you used data, consider turning raw numbers into charts, infographics, or animated visuals to strengthen your story.

6. Learn from past winners

One of the best ways to get inspired for your entry is to study what has worked before. We’ve compiled a gallery of past winning and finalist entries from the last three years. These examples can help you understand what makes a compelling submission and how to structure your responses. Check out the winners & finalists galleries here.

7. Watch the webinar recording

For even more insider guidance, watch the free webinar recording of “Creating an Exceptional 2025 Golden Post Awards Entry.” In this session, we’re sharing tips, program updates, and you can tune in to our Q&A with registrants–we covered a lot of fantastic questions! This is a great way to hear what others are asking and gain deeper insight into what makes a strong submission.

8. Proofread & polish

A well-written, error-free submission reflects professionalism and attention to detail. Before submitting, take a break and then review your entry with fresh eyes. Read it out loud, check for typos, and ensure all required fields are completed.

Mark your calendar! Entries due Feb. 28, 2025

Entries must be submitted by February 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT. You can start your application now, save your progress, and come back to finish later—but don’t forget to hit submit before the deadline. Get started on yours today

Good luck on your Golden Post Awards Entry! We can’t wait to see your submission and hope to see you on the stage at the Golden Post Awards in May!

Meet the authors

Frances La Rue
Awards Committee Co-Chair

Frances La Rue is the Public Affairs Manager for the City of Anna, Texas. After years of working on a team with other city communicators, she consciously decided to chart her destiny as a one-person shop in Anna. She implements the city's strategic integrated communications plan and serves as the public information officer for all departments and public safety agencies. Her work is frequently recognized with state and national awards.

Frances has a master's degree in strategic communication and innovation and a graduate certificate in advanced digital and social media from Texas Tech University. She received her bachelor's in marketing and her master's in organizational leadership from California Baptist University.

Before joining Anna, she worked in municipal communications for McKinney, TX and Corona, CA.

Angela Ramirez
Awards Committee Co-Chair

Angela is an award-winning government communicator who is passionate about leveraging social media to build strong relationships between government agencies and the people they serve. During her tenure with the City of Tampa, Angela proudly maintained a dynamic social media presence for the City, telling Tampa's story through historic events, including the Super Bowl, the COVID-19 pandemic, major hurricanes, and more. She also helped establish a community-centric social media following for the City, growing the @cityoftampa Instagram profile from less than 1k followers to over 100k in under five years. 

She has recently moved to the beautiful state of Colorado and now serves as Communications Manager for the City of Lakewood, the 5th largest city in the state. Her passion for government social media continues as she strives to be a thought leader in the field. She takes immense pride in the connections she's made with social media professionals across the nation. 

Angela earned her bachelor's degree form the University of South Florida and is currently completing her master's degree in Digital Strategy from the University of Florida. In her free time, you can find her scrolling Instagram Reels, spending time wiht her husband and dog, or planning her next big adventure. 

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