The Greenville Advocate was presented the Alabama Press Association’s General Web Excellence award Saturday night at the Southeastern Press Convention in Destin, Fla.

General Web Excellence is the top award presented in each division for a paper’s use of its website. Winners are chosen based on the content, navigation, visual/design, advertising, interactivity and timely news coverage.

“The way people seek out news is changing,” Greenville Advocate managing editor Andy Brown said. “For many people, the Internet is the first place they go to find news. We’ve tried to embrace that and we’re happy to be recognized for our efforts.”

The Advocate also received third place in General Excellence, the highest award given in each of the APA’s four divisions, and second place in Advertising Sweepstakes, the top award given in the advertising competition.

Seventy-six newspapers submitted 2,477 entries in the editorial competition, while 35 newspapers submitted 764 entries in the advertising competition. The Nebraska Press Association judged the contest.

In total, the Advocate won 22 awards, including six first-place awards.

“We placed well overall in the editorial and advertising categories,” Greenville Advocate publisher Tracy Salter said. “I am pleased with each award that our team received. We have a top-notch staff and I am excited to see our work recognized at the Southeastern Press convention.”

Awards won by the Advocate include:

• Third place for Best Use of Photographs/Editorial Content
• First place for Best Editorial Page
•  Third place for Best Local Education Coverage
•  Third place for Best Spot News Story, “Two tornadoes confirmed” by Austin Nelson
•  First place for Best Humorous Column, “My fireworks are better than yours” by Austin Nelson
•  Second place for Best Presswork
•  Third place for Best Special Section, “Profile 2011”
•  Second place for Best Headline, “Toil and rubble” by Kevin Pearcey
•  Second place for Best News Photo, “Show of support” by Kevin Pearcey
•  First place for Best Classified Page or Section
• Second place for Best Single Ad Over ½ Page – Black and White
•  Third place for Best Single Ad Over ½ Page – Black and White
•  First place for Best In-Paper Promotion of Newspaper
•  Second place for Best Signature Page, “Education is empowerment”
•  Third place for Best Signature Page, “He has risen”
•  First place for Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section, “Profile 2011”
•  Second place for Best Niche Publication, “For Camellia Magazine”
•  Second place for Best Classified Display Ad
•  First place for Best One-Time Special Section, “Faces of Faith”