This April, Google will present the 16th edition of its popular Online Marketing Challenge (OMC) to a global audience. Launched in 2012, the Challenge is an international event that brings together digital marketers from around the world to celebrate innovation and best practices in online marketing. While the event takes place virtually, it’s a great opportunity to network, share knowledge, and find new insights.

Why Should You Participate In The OMC?

If you’re interested in digital marketing, the OMC is a great place to learn and gain experience. You’ll get the chance to prove your skills as a marketer to a team of industry judges who will score your entries based on a set of pre-defined criteria. The scoring criteria relate to how well you perform across a range of tasks associated with digital marketing, such as search engine optimization (SEO), content creation, email marketing, and analytics. In other words, the judge will examine how well you use the tools and techniques available to you within the Google Marketing Platform to perform your role as a marketer.

What Is The Structure Of The OMC?

The OMC is a team event, which means you’ll need to work with others to succeed. You can form teams of two or more people, with your collaborator(s) presenting their own marketing ideas, and you’ll each need to work together to create a compelling marketing campaign. The only difference is that you’ll be competing against yourself.

The good thing about teaming up is that it’s not simply a case of you showing up, competing, and winning. You’ll need to collaborate to bring your joint marketing campaign to life and keep things interesting.

In addition to the virtual nature of the OMC, which is beneficial for networking and gaining exposure, the event also features a number of face-to-face sessions, where you can learn and train with experts in your industry. For more information on the OMC, visit the Google website.

How Much Does It Cost To Participate In The OMC?

The cost of participating in the OMC is $199 per person, which covers the cost of joining the Guild as a non-member, accessing all the features of the Google Marketing Platform, and participating in the Challenge. Plus you’ll need to cover the cost of travel to any face-to-face sessions that you might attend.

Who Is the Judging Panel For The OMC?

The judging panel for the OMC is a combination of experienced industry experts and former contestants from previous years of the event. The judging panel is responsible for examining your work and scoring your entries based on a set of pre-defined criteria. These criteria are designed to examine your understanding of SEO, content strategy, and email marketing. The experts on the judging panel will then choose three winners, who will each receive an Android tablet and an AMD Ryzen™ 5 processor, as well as prizes donated by brands such as HP, Lenovo, and ASUS.

If you’re interested in participating in the OMC, feel free to apply through the Google website by April 10, 2016.

Once you’ve applied, you’ll receive further information regarding the event, including the schedule. Keep an eye on the website for updates.