CATMEDIA Adds Another Silver Telly Award to Its Trophy Case

CATMEDIA has recently won its seventh Telly Award in just the past three years. The Silver award, the highest honor in the competition, was bestowed upon the company in the General Government Relations category for its “Washington Air National Guard: 194th Mission Support Group” video.

The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and platforms. They are judged by experts in respected fields of television, cinema, production companies, and streaming networks that include Netflix, ESPN Films, Complex Networks, and Dow Jones.

“After facing a year like no other, our team has continued to create, innovate, and thrive,” said Catherine Downey, CATMEDIA founder and CEO. “I am ecstatic that we were honored with a Silver Telly Award, which serves as a shining symbol of all the great work our team has continued to do despite the challenges and adversity of the past year.”

The Telly Awards winner announcement caps a year-long celebration of creators defying the limitations by embracing platforms to showcase creators’ best work after a year of uncertainty. CATMEDIA is among a list of winners such as HBO, Walt Disney Company, Netflix, Microsoft, Adobe, Nickelodeon, and more.

“We are pushing boundaries for video innovation and creativity at a time when the industry is rapidly changing and impacted due to COVID,” said Parker Branch, CATMEDIA assistant creative director and team lead for the award-winning video project. “Using a mix of animation and photographs, we produced an animation, which highlighted the individual groups that the Wing is comprised of. We delivered creative treatments, scripts, pre-production, production, post-production, voiceover narration, music and sound effects mixing, and 508 compliances.”

This year, the 42nd annual Telly Awards received a 15% increase in entries. The growth was driven by a significant rise in remote and virtual productions. The Telly Awards toured a selection of Telly Award-winning work from NYC, London, Amsterdam, and Toronto. Last year’s Telly Awards received over 12,000 submissions from top video content producers including Adult Swim, the BBC, Condé Nast, Complex Networks, Netflix, Refinery29, RadicalMedia, T Brand Studio, and Ogilvy & Mather.

The full list of the 42nd Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at tellyawards.com/winners.

 

ABOUT CATMEDIA
CATMEDIA is an award-winning Inc. 500 company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in advertising, creative services, media production, program management, training, and human resource management. As a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), CATMEDIA provides world-class customer service and innovative solutions to government and commercial clients. Current CATMEDIA clients include Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

ABOUT THE TELLY AWARDS
The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multi-screen industry The Telly Awards celebrates. Partners of The Telly Awards include NAB, Stash Media, Production Hub, and Independent Filmmaker Project.

Catherine Downey Listed In Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders For 2021

CATMEDIA CEO Catherine Downey has been named one of Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders for 2021, the fourth time in her esteemed career in which she has been recognized on this prestigious list. 

CATMEDIA is a full service creative and marketing agency that has been recognized for numerous awards over the years. The agency has been named an Atlanta’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For four times, and it is one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Top 20 Women-Owned Firms in Atlanta.  

Catherine-Downey-Tuck-WBENC

500 Most Powerful Leaders 

Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders recognizes the city’s most reputable CEOs, presidents, government and civic organizations leaders, and non-profit executives, who are respected leaders in their communities that strive to create opportunities for other Atlantans. 

Leaders are listed in various sectors according to their respective industries, including Arts, Sports, & Entertainment, Professionals, Business, Real Estate, Education & Healthcare, Religion, Nonprofits, & Advocacy, Government & Infrastructure, and Restaurants & Hospitality.  

Leadership in the Community 

As a recognized leader who has made significant strides in her career, Downey has been an active participant in leadership development in the Atlanta business community working alongside other highly successful leaders to blaze a trail for aspiring professionals. Joined by her diverse staff of true innovators, Downey strives to uphold and boost CATMEDIA’s status as a leader among government service contractors by delivering outstanding products and services to continually to move the needle.  

As a leader, I encourage my employees to think creatively,” says Downey. “I want them to think critically and independently, tell me what’s not working, and suggest ways that we can improve. I’m all about giving them the tools to help them succeed, encouraging them to take ownership and do great work.” 

Downey was accepted into and completed Leadership Atlanta, Class of 2019, a nine-month, executive-level series, in which 85 established leaders are chosen each year to represent a broad cross-section of metro Atlanta. The goal of Leadership Atlanta is to work together as a network of established leaders to improve and strengthen the City of Atlanta long-term. Also, as a member of Vistage, an organization that supports the continued training and development of CEOs and leadership best practices, Downey continues to exemplify the importance of growth in leadership and the ability to adapt to change. 

Moving Ahead in 2021 

Though 2020 was marked with challenges and uncertainty for many, CATMEDIA persevered by adjusting to the new reality of virtual working. Downey maintained her team’s success by continuing to foster a positive, creative, and productive work rapport, ensuring the delivery of first-class customer service. 

At CATMEIDA, we approach everything creatively,” says Downey. “Yes, we have processes in place, but my team embraces change to make the most impact for our clients.” 

After enduring what seemed to be an unrelenting government buying season, CATMEDIA was awarded nearly $14 million in federal contracts in 2020, surpassing its sales goal projections.  

Under Downey’s leadership, CATMEDIA’s unwavering commitment to creativity, quality of products and services, and exceptional customer service are indicative of a bright future ahead for the company, and many more successes to come.   

ABOUT CATMEDIA 

CATMEDIA is an award-winning, Inc. 500 company based in Atlanta. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in advertising, creative services, media production, program management, training, and human resource management. As a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), CATMEDIA provides world-class customer service and innovative solutions to government and commercial clients. CATMEDIA clients include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

5 Best Practices in Visual Communication for Healthcare

Effective visual communication is a pressing concern for any business, but in recent weeks is particularly relevant to the healthcare industry. There are several factors worth considering here, especially with regard to striking a good balance between presenting accurate information and doing so in a way that is understandable and memorable. We’ll take some time here to go through some of these factors and examine how various companies are tackling these concerns in their marketing graphics and materials, highlighting both good approaches and less-than-ideal approaches.

visual-communication-healthcare-google

Here is an approach is to “Google-ize” the design process for healthcare topics.[i] The client is given the ability to select or deselect terms from a list, enter in specific data or numbers if they have them, and then scroll through all the different results that come up. Each result matches certain tags that were created based on the terms selected by the client. The that best suits their needs is then chosen. This is an approach that could work in many cases, albeit in a somewhat impersonalized way.

healthcare-communication

Show Not Tell

These topics can be confusing, and as a general note, many companies don’t truly take advantage of good visual communication or any visual communication. This is not meant as a judgment: “Typical display points offering static information are designed to meet a simple communication objective: inform patients and medical staff of internal events and basic facility information.”[ii] Their primary concern is presenting the information. However, there is a benefit to presenting information in a more descriptive fashion, which is where infographics or other visuals can be a tremendous aid. A lot of healthcare design is based around simplifying some very complex concepts, and presenting the viewer with choices they can easily understand. “The emergence of a new generation of dynamic tools and infrastructures allows hospitals and clinics to transform their digital signage installations into content networks, adding value to their services while enhancing the experience for patients and visitors.”[iii] In a sense, then, visuals can serve a role similar to tools such as TurboTax, where they clarify and direct attention towards topics specifically relevant to that user, and avoid placing unnecessary emphasis on extraneous topics that, at least for that user, serve no other purpose other than to confuse.

general-hospital-healthcare-communication

Focus On What’s Important

Such graphics and visuals generally support several goals of healthcare communications. They enhance the experience: Charts, maps, and other materials can be presented to make it easier for patients to understand and find answers to questions relevant to them. They filter out unnecessary information and create tailored visuals specific to the patient. Besides making the experience easier for the patients, good visual communication can also streamline workflows for staff and practitioners. Videoconferencing tools can allow for immediate sharing of information, schedules, and other advice, and patients can in term communicate with specialists in real-time through similar video apps. “This enables on-duty staff to supervise larger areas of hospital facilities and, in the case of non-urgent interventions, to do so without leaving their stations.”[iv]

a-does-of-facts

Visual Communication and Best Practices

Finally, good visual communication can help to standardize approaches for best practices. While visual content can help explain or clarify concepts, it is not an end in and of itself and should be avoided if it is overly generic. “Generic content that is readily available and usually relatively inexpensive that “papers” over the screen, ensuring no black appears…. should be avoided, as it does little to enhance messaging and the overall objectives of the network.”[v] Other than providing specific information, it is also helpful if visual content is specifically branded to the providing institution, such that patients identify the helpful content with the people presenting it. “Equally important to content selection is visually conveying the facility’s brand with design elements like color schemes, animations, and music, which communicate to viewers that they are watching or interacting with a unique channel that has a specific purpose.”[vi] Finally, such visual content should be accessible, and intuitive to use regardless of whether they’re a patient, care provider, or another specialist. If doctors and nurses can do so without constant aid from IT resources, this will “[free] them up to spend more time with patients and deliver the best possible care.”[vii]

In general, a visual approach is much more effective at allowing patients (and people in general) to retain needed information. “Psychologist Jerome Bruner of New York University has studied the art of communication, and his research has shown:

  • People remember 10% of what they hear;
  • 20% of what they read; and
  • 80% of what they see and do.”[viii]

In general, visual design performs several needed functions. It documents job functions. Typically, if processes are documented at all, they might be done simply in Microsoft Office, and are “placed in thick binders that mostly collect dust or at best, get updated once a year or viewed when a new employee is hired.”[ix] Visuals such as flowcharts can be a huge resource here, by “[getting] everyone on the same page … to document job functions… [and] clearly show[ing] the steps needed for jobs to be done.”[x]

Identifying Bottlenecks

Another reason to use graphics in healthcare communications is to identify potential pitfalls immediately. Such design tools can “create a rough chart of the current situation in its reality, [which] allows everyone to see where the bottlenecks are, where there are redundancies and how, by using practical solutions, [they] can eliminate wasted effort.” Indeed, these design tools can create new useful processes. “Staff members can see where their part of the process fits into the big picture and are more likely to take ownership of their part of the puzzle.”[xi]

subliminal-messaging-healthcare

When creating infographics for healthcare topics, there are a few strategies to keep in mind. First, make sure your data is current and up to date. There are numerous resources for good data, including CDC.gov, healthdata.gov, and aha.org. Beyond ensuring the data is correct, it is also helpful if the data is structured in a way that makes sense. A useful rubric here is the LATCH model (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy), where information can be broken down by these categories so as not to overwhelm. Along these lines, it is also helpful to lay out the visuals in a clean, organized way that works not just for that particular content, but also for that content’s communication goals. “For example, if your content is mostly textual, you can consider informational/list layout. If your goal is to highlight a few key statistics, consider single chart or visualized numbers.”[xii]

Tell the story

Healthcare infographics should have a compelling story, which can be helped by using a clear sense of hierarchy and placement. “Use text to provide context for visualized elements such as icons and photographs… Use colors, shapes, contrast, white space, and other visual cues to draw attention to what’s important. Details such as font combinations can make or break a good infographic.”[xiii] Finally, even after crafting the perfect infographics, the work is not done: It must be seen or experienced by the target demographic. “To let your visual story on important health topics to be heard, you need to put it in front of the right audience on the right channels.”[xiv] There are lots of resources to do so effectively, including social media platforms, infographic directories, and email marketing.

diabete-think-tank

Visual design in healthcare communications is a useful tool with clear benefits. They are an “important tool in teaching, business, giving inspiration, and presenting information [and are] one of the most powerful ways to communicate with complex data.”[xv] They make complex concepts much easier to understand and digest, and help people to efficiently find their way to the answers they are searching for, as well as be aware of potentials risks or problems with a particular approach. Please let us know in the comments how infographics have helped answer your healthcare questions!

 

 

 

[i] Goetz, Thomas; Ducas, Andrea. “Visualizing Health.” vizhealth.org. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 2014. Webs

[ii] Martin, Jay. “Visual Communication Improves Patient Experience.” hfmmagazine.com. American Hospital Association. February 2015. Web.

[iii] Martin.

[iv] Martin.

[v] Martin.

[vi] Martin.

[vii] Spiegel, Ron. “Five Ways a Visual Communications Approach Can Help Medical Practices Get More From Their EMR Systems.” healthcareitnews.com. HIMSS Media. July 2009. Web.

[viii] Spiegel.

[ix] Spiegel.

[x] Spiegel.

[xi] Spiegel.

[xii] “Infographic Design 101 For Healthcare Professionals.” www.visme.co. N.p., N.d. Web.

[xiii] “Infographic Design 101.”

[xiv] “Infographic Design 101.”

[xv] Balkac, Melisa; Ergun, Erdogan. “Role of Infographics in Healthcare.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. October 2018. Web.

 

 

 

Increasing Traffic With SEO: Why It’s More Important Than Ever

It’s 2020, and you find yourself about to refresh the look of your current website or preparing to launch a new website. You may be asking yourself, “How do I get more visitors to my website?” “Can’t I just buy Google Ads and be #1 on Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP)?” “Is this SEO thing still around, and is it even still important?” The answers to these three questions are…

  • SEO or Search Engine Optimization is how you can attract visitors to your website for free.
  • NO, because buying Google Ads is only a temporary fix that will rank you at the #1 spot amongst other ads. This will be explained more in depth later in this blog.
  • YES, SEO is still a thing, and it’s definitely still around.
  • YES, in 2020, SEO is more important than ever!

What is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Simply put, you are improving, enhancing, or altering your website, so that a search engine will rank your website’s articles, products, services, or content in general, on the top of the front page. The global list of top search engines includes the following: Citation

  • Google (72.5% of worldwide searches)
  • Bing (11.9% of worldwide searches)
  • Baidu (China’s largest search Engine, but only 10.7% worldwide searches)
  • Yahoo (2.5% of worldwide searches, powered by Bing)
  • Yandex (Russia’s largest search engine, but only 1.2% of worldwide searches)
  • DuckDuckGo (.44% of worldwide searches)
  • com (.35% of worldwide searches)

As you can conclude from this list of global search engines, there are many options all over the world to choose from, but Google is the undisputed leader when it comes to search engines. In 2020, and the foreseeable future, you, as a website owner, should focus your website’s SEO efforts primarily towards Google.

So how do I optimize my website for search engines?

There are two ways to go about optimizing your website for search engines: Do-It-Yourself or hire a company like CATMEDIA to analyze your website and complete all critical SEO updates for you. Like any product, Google is always tweaking its search engine algorithm to improve and provide more accurate Search Engine Results (SER)  to its customers, your potential visitors.

For the DIYers out there, here is a quick summarized list of reliable SEO tips, enhancements, and upgrades you can make to your website:

  • Tips

    • DO find your target audience. Spend a little time figuring out who you want to visit your website or who will benefit from your website content the most. That will be your target audience.
    • DO provide and create unique content targeted to your audience’s wants and needs. With your target audience narrowed down, generate content based on their interests, hobbies, questions, etc. You want to become an authentic source of information that demonstrates your Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (EAT) on the content you’re generating.
    • DO NOT plagiarize content. Google’s 2011 Panda update began penalizing websites that copied the content from other websites to pass off as their own. The penalty for these websites was to “unrank” them or blacklist them altogether.
    • DO acquire back links from other legitimate websites. Back links are links from other websites back to your own website. Think of back links like a recommendation or referral for a job interview. The more notable and important the website linking back to you is, the better you look and perform in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). Legitimate back links are one of the few surefire ways to climb SERP and establish legitimacy. Remember that quality over quantity is the priority with  regard to back links.
    • DO NOT buy back links in bulk to boost that linkback to your website. In 2012, Google’s Penguin update targeted websites propped up by back links from link farms. Link farms sole purpose was to provide cheap meaningless back links in bulk in exchange for boosting page rank.
  • Upgrades

    • DO make your website mobile-ready. Also known as a responsive website, mobile-ready just means that your website layout and content should adapt to the dimensions of mobile devices. In 2015, Google began prioritizing and ranking higher the websites that were optimized for mobile devices.
    • DO secure your website traffic with HTTPS encryption. In 2014, Google announced that security is a priority, and the presence of a strong HTTPS encryption or a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate would positively affect ranking over the websites not providing and SSL certificate.
    • DO make your website load fast! Optimize your website’s pages, images, scripts, and code to load fast. Googles service is to provide and suggest website content that will help the user. If your website loads slow, that results in an undesirable user experience (UX), which reflects poorly on Google’s service. To be clear, your website does not need to be the fastest in the world, but it should not require a visitor to wait more than five seconds before a single-color loads on your website.

Pitfalls of Paying for Google Ads vs. Organic Search Results

Why is buying Google Ads not an SEO solution? Paying for Google Ads only fixes your problem temporarily until you run out of money. On top of that, there are plugins for all browsers call Ad Blockers  that prevent ads from reaching a large group of users. How many people are using Ad Blockers? A quick search estimates that 26-47% of web users are blocking ads on their browsers.

Acquiring organic search results does take time, but it will last much longer than any Google Ad campaign. You acquire organic results by applying the changes laid out earlier in this article by either doing it yourself or by hiring an experienced SEO company like CATMEDIA.

Why is SEO even important?

SEO is vital if you are trying to grow your business. Properly implemented SEO results in more potential customers visiting your website. Without your customers ever having to meet you, you can leverage your website to establish that you are an expert in the field that has the authority to answer their questions and provide solutions they can trust.

ABOUT US

CATMEDIA is an award-winning Inc. 500 company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1997, the company specializes in advertising, creative services, media production, program management, training, and human resource management. As a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), CATMEDIA provides world-class customer service and innovative solutions to government and commercial clients. Current CATMEDIA clients include Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

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For more information, please visit CATMEDIA