Links-only sites and portals with no content of their own are excluded from this program. There must be a good amount of quality content. When I say content, I'm making reference to the written word. Galleries and other non-written material are also considered, but there must be some kind of written work present. Quantity is also considered.
Good navigation is essential.
There should be menus on all pages giving easy access to the main pages of your site. A separate index page is also a nice idea. Please be absolutely certain your site passes this criteria. If you can go through this list item by item and honestly consider your site ready, you may be well on your way to winning an award. Move on to the Awards Shrine to view the awards and advanced criteria.