 has announced its prestigious annual awards are now open for entries.){kind=link}
The Association of Online Publishers (AOP) has announced its prestigious annual awards are now open for entries.
The Digital Publishing Awards have returned, including three new categories for 2026, to celebrate the individuals and teams working to create, deliver, and monetise quality online content.
AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2026
Coming into their 24th year, the awards continue to set the standard for editorial, commercial, partnership and publishing excellence.
The deadline for this year’s entries falls 12 March, and the winners will be announced at the AOP Awards dinner on the 11th of June 2026 at Old Billingsgate, London.
With 26 categories, awards are open to all members and non-members of the AOP.
This year sees an increased focus on innovation, with The AOP Publishing Innovation Award – Audiences and The AOP Publishing Innovation Award – Revenues added to the roster of categories, alongside The AOP Publishing Business Effectiveness Award, which is also new for 2026.
Each category will be judged by an independent panel of digital experts, led by co-chairs Chris Cannon, Managing Director at TechFinitive and Jacqui Merrington, Director of AI at Mail Metro Media.
The full list of judges can be viewed here.
“Innovation and adaptability are top of the priority list for digital publishers as we enter a year of inevitable change in the industry”, said Richard Reeves, Managing Director at AOP.
“We saw these attributes in huge volumes throughout 2025, with industry players collaborating to tackle rising challenges in the most positive way”.
“Once again, I am thrilled to give digital publishers, and the wider ecosystem, the opportunity to celebrate their wins and highlight the skilled teams and individuals that are both paving the way for the industry of the future and proving the enduring value of high-quality journalism every day.”
The full list of categories is as follows:
Individual Excellence Awards
- Rising Star
- Sales Person of the Year
- Journalist of the Year
- Editor of the Year
- The AOP Award for Inspiring Local Journalism, sponsored by Google News Initiative
Team Excellence Awards
- Advertising Operations Team of the Year, sponsored by Index Exchange
- Audience Development Team of the Year, sponsored by UKOM
- Commercial Team of the Year
- Product Development Team of the Year
- Editorial Team of the Year: B2B
- Editorial Team of the Year: Consumer
Digital Publishing Excellence Awards
- Best Video Strategy
- Best Use of Audio
- Best Creative Solutions Led / Content Marketing Campaign
- Best Publisher-led Social Good Initiative or Campaign
- New for 2026: The AOP Publishing Innovation Award – Audiences
- New for 2026: The AOP Publishing Innovation Award – Revenues
- Best Research / Insight Project
- New for 2026: The AOP Publishing Business Effectiveness Award
- The AOP Employer Excellence Award
- Best Media Tech Partner: Audiences
- Best Media Tech Partner: Revenues
Grand Prix
- Best Online Brand: B2B
- Best Online Brand: Consumer
- Small Digital Publisher of the Year
Publishing companies who have demonstrated success across several categories in the AOP Awards will be invited to enter the following category:
- Best Digital Publishing Company 2026
Entries should be made online and can be entered here.