The public vote has opened for the National UK Blog Awards, with the Essential Retail Innovation Blog up for a prize in two separate categories.

Public votes are now being accepted for the National UK Blog Awards 2015, with our blog up for a prize in the retail & fashion and digital & technology categories.

We launched one year ago to highlight the array of new technologies and innovations impacting the retail industry, and have been growing steadily ever since.

Members of the public have an opportunity to cast their votes up until 1 December 2014, with the finalists announced during the week commencing 12 December 2014. The judging panel will consider the entries between 8 December 2014 and 23 January 2015, with the winners unveiled at a formal ceremony in April.

Judges will base their decisions on the blogs’ design, style, content, marketing and usability.

Luke Farmer, marketing manager for Legend Exhibitions, which runs European retail events RBTE and Retail Design Expo and online trade publications Essential Retail and Retail Design World, said the awards nomination is a positive way to celebrate the blog’s recent anniversary.

“The Essential Retail Innovation Blog has firmly established itself as a vital part of the company’s social and digital offering,” he explained.

“The blog has allowed us to further our reach into the world of tech innovation, with news from around the globe that we otherwise may not have discovered. With stories as varied as ‘smart-hangers’ from New Zealand, to conversations with America about the future of payments, we are looking forward to seeing where the blog takes us next.”

The National UK Blog Awards is now in its second year following last year’s successful launch. The 2014 winners were announced at a special ceremony at The Grange, London, in April.

Retail and fashion blog category: Click here to vote for the Essential Retail Innovation Blog in this year’s National UK Blog Awards

Digital and technology blog category: Click here to vote for the Essential Retail Innovation Blog in this year’s National UK Blog Awards