Site of the Month (SOTM)

What is Kentico’s Site of the Month?

Site of the Month (SOTM) is Kentico’s monthly recognition program that celebrates the most innovative, high-performing, and user-centered websites built on Xperience by Kentico and earlier Kentico platforms. 

Since 2019, the program has highlighted standout projects for their design, technical excellence, accessibility, and creative use of Kentico features, from personalization and automation to performance optimization and multi-site management. 

Site of the Month winners aren’t just good-looking sites; they’re packed with complex features and thoughtful content. Each month, a panel of Kentico experts reviews new project submissions from partners and clients, spotlighting the top digital experiences across industries and regions. 

How does Site of the Month work? 

Starting in 2025, all projects submitted through the Kentico Partner Portal are automatically eligible for the Site of the Month award. Each winning project is then shortlisted for the annual Site of the Year (SOTY) competition, turning the recognition into a year-round celebration of digital excellence. 

Award process overview: 

1. Monthly Selection– Kentico’s internal committee evaluates newly launched sites.
2. Expert Review– Criteria include design, usability, accessibility, performance, and platform innovation.
3. Public Visibility– Winners are featured on Kentico.comand Kentico’s social media.
4. Automatic Nomination for Site of the Year– All SOTM winners qualify for the annual SOTY competition.
5. Community Choice Award– Public voting decides an additional “people’s favorite.”

What makes a good website?

While award-winning projects vary in size and scope, they share a focus on experience-driven design and meaningful business outcomes. 

Common characteristics of SOTM winners: 

• User-focused design— intuitive, responsive, accessible, and visually engaging.
• Content that delivers— dynamic, localized, interactive, or AI-enhanced.
• Technical performance—speed, scalability, accessibility, and SEO best practices.
• Advanced features— personalization, multilingual support, CRM integrations, or hybrid delivery.

Projects that share their backstory, goals, challenges, and collaboration highlights, stand out most, helping Kentico recognize innovation beyond visuals. 

Why is Site of the Month important?

Kentico’s SOTM program showcases what’s possible with Xperience by Kentico and celebrates the creative partnerships behind every project.

For digital agencies, it’s a trusted benchmark of excellence; for brands, it’s a mark of credibility, quality, and innovation. 

Key benefits for winners: 

• Featured on Kentico’s global channels and newsletters.
• Eligibility for Site of the Year and Community Choice awards.
• Recognition in Kentico’s partner ecosystem.
• Enhanced visibility for clients and agencies alike.

SOTM sites prove that creativity and technology can work in harmony, blending design, performance, and purpose. 

What trends define recent Site of the Month winners?

Based on verified 2024–2025 data from Kentico’s awards archive, several trends define the new generation of recognized sites. 

• Migration to SaaS/Hybrid: Over 70% of 2025 winners were built on Xperience by Kentico’s SaaS or hybrid DXP. 
• Accessibility & Compliance: Nearly all sites aim for WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility. 
• Personalization: Rapid growth in data-driven content delivery across finance, tourism, and education. 
• Performance Optimization: Most winners achieve 80+ Lighthouse scores and fast mobile UX. 
• Global Reach: North America (55%), Europe (30%), APAC (15%). 

Which industries are most represented in website? 

Across 17 months of data, Kentico recognized around 90 websites from a wide range of sectors.