The Newspaper Society is revamping one of its annual award schemes to reflect the increasing importance of digital media in the regional press.

The Advertising and Digital Media Awards now offers prizes for the best blogger and best digital team.

Blog entries can cover any topic and must be situated on the newspaper’s website or free-standing with links.

Judges will be looking for how well the blog interacts with readers and develops debate as well as its relevance to the paper’s patch.

Content must be sharp and interesting and draw in regular readers.

Judges for digital team of the year will be assessing how entries have been innovative and creative in expanding their newspaper’s digital portfolio.

Candidates must provide examples of product diversity, web design and successful projects.

The best community website and best newspaper website categories are included again this year among the total of 30 prizes.

The Newspaper Society has posted the criteria booklet online which details all the awards and what each entry requires.

Newspapers have until August 8 to get their entries in and the awards ceremony will be held on October 2, in Crewe.

More information about the scheme and the criteria booklet are available from the Newspaper Society website.