Free small business marketing advice website www.marketingdonut.co.uk scooped two awards at last night’s inaugural Golden Twits Awards which celebrate the best in Twittering.

Chief tweeter James Ainsworth and site editor Simon Wicks were at the London nightclub Fabric to pick up awards in the categories ‘Information Service’ and ‘Public Service’, reflecting excellence in using Twitter as a business tool for the public good.

The awards’ jury comprised a roll-call of big-hitters in digital and social media, including Peter Abraham, Director of Econsultancy.com and Adam Sefton of Reading Room.

@MarketingDonut also bagged fifth place in the ‘Public Vote’ award, a sure sign of the high regard it has built on Twitter.

Jam-packed with free advice, tools and resources

“Marketing Donut was launched with no marketing budget,” said James Ainsworth, who runs the @MarketingDonut Twitter account. “We’ve exclusively used low-cost or no-cost marketing tools — the ‘new rules of PR’ that we advocate to the small businesses we serve. Twitter has played a major part in our success, so the GoldenTwits Awards are a vindication of our strategy.”

Site editor Simon Wicks added: “The Awards are also a vindication of our belief that small is the future of UK business and small firms deserve the best marketing advice and information we can offer. Marketing Donut is packed with resources designed to help maximise sales for small businesses. Plus, visitors can access money-saving offers and hook up with other businesses in the Marketing Donut community.”

Recognising Twitter as a business tool

Gordon Young, publisher of The Drum — the media and marketing website behind the Golden Twits, said: “We started the awards to highlight how important this form of communication is becoming and to show how democratic communication is becoming.

“This is an awards for individuals and organisations, as well as corporations. Twitter is a great leveller — it really comes down to what you are saying and how creatively you are saying it. It enables small organisations to amplify their voice and stand out as much as large ones.

“That’s why the Marketing Donut submission stood out. Marketing Donut is encouraging small businesses to be proactive in engaging customers, to shout about their business and talk to people about what they are doing.”

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