Every website has a story.
Some stories involve award-winning design, flawless mobile responsiveness, and beautifully optimized user experiences.
Others involve stretched images, mysterious sidebars, and navigation menus that feel like escape room challenges.
Naturally, we respect both.
The Ugliest Website in South Africa competition was created to celebrate the weird and wonderful corners of the internet while helping deserving South African websites get the glow-up they deserve.
But despite the playful name, the competition isn’t about mocking businesses or humiliating website owners.
It’s about:
- community,
- creativity,
- second chances,
- and helping outdated websites become modern, functional, and user-friendly.
So how exactly does the competition work?
Let’s break it down.
TL;DR: How the Ugliest Website Competition Works
- Anyone can nominate a qualifying .za website with the owner’s permission
- The competition takes place in three phases: nominations, public voting, and professional judging
- Finalists are evaluated on design, SEO, mobile responsiveness, usability, and performance
- Winning websites may receive a makeover package worth over R50,000
- The campaign is designed to uplift businesses and projects — not shame them
Who Can Enter?
Pretty much anyone.
You can nominate:
- Business websites
- Personal websites
- NGO websites
- Side hustles
- Passion projects
As long as:
- The site uses a .za domain
- The website serves South Africa or is based in SA
- You own/manage the website or have the owner’s permission
- The site is publicly accessible
- The content is not offensive
Importantly, the website does not need to be hosted with HostAfrica to qualify.
We don’t discriminate against ugly websites. We embrace them equally.
How the Competition Works
The competition happens in three phases, giving every wonderfully questionable website a fair shot at internet redemption.
Phase 1 — Nominations Open
This is where the chaos begins.
If you own a website that needs help — or know someone with a website that looks like it lost a fight against the early internet — you can submit it through the nomination form.
The process is simple:
- Enter the website URL
- Add a few details
- Tell us why it deserves the title “Ugliest Website in South Africa”
That’s it.
No complicated technical requirements. No 47-page application forms asking for your childhood fears and favourite colour.
Just honesty, bravery, and perhaps a slightly outdated navigation menu.
Phase 2 — Public Voting
Once nominations close, our judges review all entries and create a shortlist of the Top 20–30 finalists.
This is where things become gloriously democratic.
The shortlisted websites will appear on the public voting page, where visitors can score them using our official “Ugly Meter” slider from 1–10 ugly points.
There may also be a few optional reaction buttons such as:
- “My eyes!”
- “So much potential”
- “Please redesign this”
All in good fun, of course.
The goal isn’t to bully website owners. It’s to celebrate the weird and wonderful corners of the South African internet while helping deserving websites get attention and support.
Public voting also helps owners understand how real users experience their websites, which can be surprisingly valuable.
Because sometimes the navigation menu that “makes perfect sense” to the owner feels like an escape room puzzle to everybody else.
Phase 3 — Professional Judging
After voting closes, our judges step in for the final round.
The finalists are evaluated across several important website categories, including:
- Visual design
- SEO
- Messaging clarity
- User experience
- Mobile responsiveness
- Website performance and speed
In other words, we’re not simply looking for ugly websites.
We’re looking for websites with the biggest transformation potential.
Some websites might look rough visually but have strong messaging.
Others may look decent but perform terribly on mobile.
Some may simply commit the unforgivable crime of using seven different font styles on one homepage.
Our judges will evaluate the full picture before selecting the winners.
Why We’re Doing This
The internet can be unnecessarily harsh sometimes.
Website owners already deal with enough:
- Technical problems
- SEO confusion
- Rising costs
- Constant updates
- Security issues
- Trying to understand why Google suddenly decided their homepage belongs on page six
So this campaign isn’t about piling onto struggling businesses.
It’s about creating something entertaining, community-driven, and genuinely useful at the same time.
A surprising number of small businesses know their websites need improvement but feel overwhelmed by the process. Others inherited old websites and have been too afraid to touch them in case the whole thing collapses like a digital Jenga tower.
We get it.
And honestly, there’s something admirable about keeping an old website alive through sheer determination.
You Shouldn’t Be Embarrassed About Entering
Seriously.
Every modern website owner has had an ugly phase.
Some websites just happened to keep theirs publicly archived for longer than expected.
Even major companies have launched questionable websites at some point. The difference is they usually have entire teams and budgets dedicated to fixing them quickly.
Small businesses, side hustles, nonprofits, and personal projects often don’t have that luxury.
This competition exists because we know many people simply need:
- a second chance,
- better tools,
- professional guidance,
- or someone to finally say:
“Friend… your website buttons should probably not be neon green on a red background.”
There’s no shame in needing help online.
The internet changes fast.
One moment your website looks modern and professional.
Five years later it looks like a preserved museum exhibit from the golden age of Flash animations.
How To Enter
Entering is simple.
Step 1 — Submit Your Website
Fill in the nomination form with:
- Your website URL
- Basic details
- Why the website deserves the title
Step 2 — We Review Entries
We’ll check that:
- The website uses a .za domain
- The site loads publicly
- The content is appropriate
- The nomination has permission
Step 3 — Shortlisting & Voting
Approved websites may be shortlisted for:
- Public voting
- Professional judging
- Final winner selection
Finalists and winners will be contacted via email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my website need to be hosted with HostAfrica?
Nope. Any hosting provider is welcome.
Can I nominate someone else’s website?
Yes, as long as you have the owner’s permission.
What kinds of websites can enter?
Business websites, personal websites, side hustles, NGOs, and passion projects are all welcome.
Is this competition meant to shame website owners?
Not at all. The campaign is intended to be fun, light-hearted, and uplifting while helping deserving websites improve.
What does the winner receive?
The winning website may receive:
- A website makeover worth over R50,000
- Free hosting
- SEO and technical audits
- Professional consultation
- A featured website glow-up story
What does the nominator receive?
The person who nominates a winning website receives R1,500.
Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Website Beholder
At the end of the day, every website starts somewhere.
Some begin as polished masterpieces.
Others begin as a chaotic collection of dropdown menus, stretched images, mysterious colour schemes, and one very determined business owner trying their best.
Naturally, we respect both.
The Ugliest Website in South Africa competition is about celebrating growth, creativity, resilience, and the wonderfully strange history of the internet itself.
So if your website currently looks like it was assembled during a nationwide WiFi outage with only half a tutorial and a dream…
This might finally be your moment.
