This is why we have moved our blog to http://www.mediaura.com/mediaura-news

We are posting regularly, and until we finish the transition, our wordpress will remain intact to guide you there. But just so you don’t miss out on any of our exciting adventures or tech blog advice – bookmark our website: www.mediaura.com

Good luck in 2012!
-The Mediaura Team

1. Does Flash add something unique to this task/project?
2. Can it be done another way?
3. Who is the target audience (mobile / web / both)
4. What is the best user experience?
5. How important is SEO?

In some cases Flash is still king. Look at the popular games on Facebook. They are almost all Flash-based. Most of the banner ads on the internet are still Flash based, with a JPG or GIF backup for non-Flash enabled browsers (i.e. iPhone and iPad).

But if we’re talking about a fading slideshow on your homepage, or an animated dropdown menu or navigational button then you can accomplish this with JavaScript and/or CSS and have a cleaner experience for the user that works on all platforms.

So as of today it’s still a useful tool, and we actively create content using Adobe Flash and Flex. It’s just not always the right tool, and that is where experience comes into play.

If your interactive partner insists on using Flash for your entire site or large portions of it when it’s not necessary,ask them to use an alternative technology. If they can’t honor this request or explain why Flash is a better choice, then you may need to find another developer.

That has been our response so many times these past few weeks. The Mediaura team has recently been overwhelmed by a great deal of recognition for our work. While it has never been a secret how dedicated our team is to success, it is wonderful when people outside of your organization honor and praise your efforts. It pushes us to continue surpassing expectations and raising the bar for what is possible in our industry.

Mediaura's Better Business Bureau Torch Award Application

On Friday November 18, 2011 we were honored by the Better Business Bureau as winners of the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics. With over 100+ companies nominated (and an application that took about 2 months to complete), we were thrilled when we were announced as a finalist. When we heard that we won, we were ecstatic!

Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics

Wow. This is one of the greatest honors any business could ever receive. Integrity is one of the strongest driving forces behind the work we do, so this award means a great deal to the Mediaura Team.

As we were preparing to attend the Better Business Bureau award ceremony, the team was still riding high from the day before. You see, on Thursday (November 17, 2011) Mediaura won Business First’s “Healthiest Employer” award.

Recognizing employers who have made conscious-efforts to focus on health initiatives and a positive work environment, the Healthiest Employer Award nomination much like the Alfred B. Sloan award, brought attention to Mediaura’s foward-thinking employee programs.

Business First Healthiest Employers Issue

Healthiest Employers LLC, an Indianapolis-based research company, judged the companies that entered this year’s contest. The research company developed a 75-question survey and a proprietary scoring system for measuring six core areas of wellness.

We were also interviewed by the fabulous Business First staff about our practices, and the various initiatives that employees have responded to and what has worked.

Healthiest Employer Winner "Mediaura"

Healthiest Employer Finalist Recognition

Healthiest Employer Winner: Mediaura

Wow.

Lead 411 also ranked Mediaura #39 on their Top 200 tech companies. To see the full list, click here. We were humbled to have been nominated, grateful to have made the list, and when we realized that we were the only Kentucky business listed – proud.

Mediaura: Lead 411 Hot Company

Wow.

But it hasn’t been all “Winning Awards” at Mediaura, the team has been working very hard on quite a few new game-changing projects that we are anxious to announce. So be on the lookout for that in the near future.

Another project that we were happy to be involved in was Dress For Success Louisville’s annual Suit & Salad luncheon. Dress for Success is a non-profit organization that we are always willing to support, because of the empowering work they do in our community (and as an organization, the world).

We were asked to design and layout collateral materials (such as a brochure) and their powerpoint presentation that would display before, during, and after the luncheon. The theme for this year was “Turning Over A New Leaf” and we had a great time at the event!

Dress for Success Louisville & Mediaura

Our headquarters has been a hive of non-stop activity. Even with the holidays approaching we show no signs of slowing down, but it’s in this environment that we thrive and do our best work.

Make sure to keep checking back!

We celebrated the launch of Attorney at Law Magazine with publisher Anna Barker. It was an exciting event and we’re proud to see as this publication grows and receives the attention that it deserves. Anna Barker always comes into our office with great ideas and her forward-thinking is a sign of great things to come.

Mediaura Team with Anna Barker

We were also honored these past few weeks to have been the recipients of several wonderful awards and recognition for our outstanding services and programs. Our team takes great pride in the work we do, and we always make sure to give 110% to all of our projects. Client satisfaction is our most important priority, so it’s fabulous to be recognized for our commitment to go the extra-mile.

Winning the award for GLI’s “Very Small Business of the Year” was a major accomplishment for our team. The prestige of this award made it simply an honor to be nominated, and winning it…well we’re still processing that ourselves!

Mediaura is named "Very Small Business of the Year"

Mediaura wins Alfred B. Sloan Award

Mediaura has also been busy attending several business-centric functions. Recently we spent the day at a One Southern Indiana event that promoted all of the innovative businesses in our area. It was a fantastic opportunity to let companies in our area know that Interactive services can be affordable and innovative!

Mediaura at One Southern Indiana event

Mediaura at Louisville Advertising Federation

Last but certainly not least, Mediaura was proud to sponsor the Louisville Advertising Federation’s inaugural luncheon, “Traditional Marketing in a Digital World” with guest speaker R/GA Associate Creative Director Paul Dery.

Paul did a magnificent job of relaying how important it is for the “creatives” and the “tech geeks” in the advertising realm to work together. He cited several of R/GA’s own examples, where the ‘nerds’ were able to take an idea and make it not only current but ground-breaking.

Mediaura felt it was imperative to sponsor such a great event, because while we are a mixture of “tech geeks” and “creatives” ourselves, we definitely feel that cooperation leads to the greatest success.

Louisville AdFed Board, with Paul Dery from R/GA and Andrew Aebersold of Mediaura

These are just a few of our recent highlights, and with so many exciting projects both on the horizon and currently in-production we are anxiously awaiting to share them with you.

So keep checking back and thanks for reading.

Mediaura

She recently contracted Mediaura to work with her on an online presence for her magazine. Built on a customized content management system for increased SEO purposes, the website provides supplemental information about the magazine along with additional features and support.

One of the additional features to the website, is utilizing the immediacy of the internet in order to feature an “Attorney of the Week” section. The section will highlight a notable attorney every week, along with pertinent professional, biographical, and law firm information.

The goal of Attorney At Law magazine’s website is to be a resource for attorneys within the state of Kentucky. This includes featuring an up-to-date calendar for all professional events such as: The Kentucky Bar Association, the Louisville Bar Association and the Legal Aid Society, just to name a few.

Another notable section is the catalog of “back-issues” providing the viewer with access to previous editions of Attorney At Law Magazine. Each back issue is partnered with a Digital Edition that is available for download.

For those who are interested in advertising in the printed edition, mechanical specifications are available to the viewer along with a downloadable .pdf of information.

These are just a few of the many features we have integrated into the website for Attorney At Law Magazine, with a few more bells and whistles to come. This has been an exciting project and our team looks forward to working with Anna Barker & the Attorney At Law Magazine team in the future.

Visit Attorney At Law Magazine today to learn more about this exciting publication.
To learn more about Mediaura and the services we provide, please visit our website.

Recently, Mediaura was contracted to help Hayden, Craig & Grant revamp their overall branding (logo, business cards, envelopes, letterhead) along with their online presence.

Aside from programming it to include a built-in CMS (content management system), we also made sure that it was optimized for Search Engine Optimization & Marketing; which is crucial for any law firm currently maintaining a digital presence in the marketplace.

The overall aesthetic was to marry the corporate, professional look of a reputable law firm with a historical touch. Hayden, Craig & Grant is located in the historic downtown area of Louisville, Kentucky and they were keen to highlight that piece of their history.Hayden, Craig & Grant have a wide-variety of services in their arsenal, so on the interior pages we made sure to not only list their specialty areas of practice, but to also give a general overview of what those services entail. This allows the viewer to have a more in-depth look at their law firm and what it is about.

In addition, we also listed the attorney contact information, with a hyper-link to their “Linked-In” social media pages. In order to keep a clean and well-organized format, we elected to style the pages so that pertinent attorney information would be immediately available for all members of the firm.

When the viewer elects to learn more about a particular attorney, they are then directed to a page that contains a more in-depth at the individual.

This area not only provides the user with the necessary contact information for the individual attorney, but it also gives an in-depth look at their professional background, education, experience, and area of expertise.

We also included a built-in contact firm should users elect to reach out to the firm directly with any questions or to retain their services. The google map illustrates to the viewer the location of the firm itself.

In order to announce the launch of the new website and the addition of a new partner, we also coordinated with Hayden, Craig & Grant on a customized email blast that went out to thousands of their contacts.

Above is how the email appeared to the recipients of the announcement.

These are just a few of the pages and features of the newly launched Hayden, Craig & Grant website. Visit the page today to learn more about this competitive and internationally renowned law firm.

To learn more about Mediaura, please visit our website www.Mediaura.com

Mediaura was honored to work with the exceptional Kosair Charities team on the development of a mobile application for their organization.

Initially launched for Android, iPhone and iPad – this mobile application serves, not only as an informative piece on the organization itself, but it also provides valuable information on how you can get involved, special events, and the ability to donate directly.

Developed, completely in-house by the Mediaura team, this mobile application has been one of the most rewarding projects on both a professional and personal level, and we are honored to have been able to help Kosair Charities continue their mission; as well as playing a role to help them become one of the most forward-thinking non-profit organizations around.

To learn more about Kosair Charities please click here to visit their website.
To learn more about Mediaura and our mobile development capabilities, please visit our website.

GLI is an organization that we feel very lucky to be a part of, and their support has been a priceless asset to our growth and development as a company.

A few weeks ago we were honored to have been named a finalist for the GLI Inc.Credible Award for Very Small Business of the Year. When we say that “It was an honor just to be nominated” it’s a sincere statement. The level of entrepreneurship, innovation, and forward-thinking within the Louisville business community is staggering. It is why we are proud to call Louisville our home.

Today we were thrilled to be named Very Small Business of the Year and recognized as a business that is making an impact in our community. Our team works incredibly hard and with a personal investment in every project.

We would like to say “Thank You” to GLI and the Louisville Business Community. Thank you to all of the fellow nominees, all of whom do amazing things and we were grateful to be included in such prestigious company.

Individual tastes often vary. What one person finds appealing may be apalling to the next, whether it’s colors, images, font types, etc.

This is what makes web design so deceptively difficult, because a responsible web designer is tasked with the responsibility of having to create something that pleases the client but also engages a mass audience. Additionally the design must deliver information, enhance branding and all the while remain technically sound.

Web designers must also navigate the nuances of particular industries and their requirements. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective) there is not a “one-size-fits-all” to every client. What proved successful for one business may not be marketable to the audience of another, so it’s imperative for designers to have a grasp on who the viewers will be and target to those standards.

So while some things may be subjective, there are many guiding principles that are not. Many clients often blindly trust the person(s) developing their website to always be up-to-date on the latest advancements, technical progressions, and to price their services fairly. However, in order to ensure that you are always getting the most out of your money, there are few things every client should be aware of.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT?

Information. Information. Information.

When someone lands on your page, the design should flow in such a way that it passively “leads” the viewer in the direction you want them to go. The aesthetic should be such that it assists in navigating the viewer towards valuable content and essential information; who you are, what you do, why they need your service, and how they can get it.

The way this is achieved is sometimes referred to as ‘guiding the eye’ and it is one of the most important features of any website. If your viewers cannot find the information they need quickly and efficiently, they will often “bounce” off and seek the answer somewhere else…and if that answer is easily offered by a competitor this could spell disaster for your business.

The viewer’s eye should be taken through a series of steps, introducing them to vital information at a glance. This entire process can take mere seconds to complete, so it’s crucial to make something that will instantly capture their attention without overwhelming them.

For example, you may want your user to go from your logo to a primary positioning statement, then an eye-catching image, then to the main body text, with navigation and a sidebar taking a secondary position in the sequence.

There are many ways that designers go about achieving this result:

• Position — Where an item is on a page influences in what order the user sees it.
• Color — Using bold and subtle colors is a simple way to tell the user where to look.
• Contrast — Being different makes things stand out, while being the same makes them secondary.
• Size — Big takes precedence over little, especially where font type is concerned.
• Design Elements — When there is an arrow pointing at something, guess where the user will look?

SPACE CAN BE A GOOD THING AS OFTEN AS IT CAN BE A BAD ONE

The most novice design mistake is wanting to fill up every available space on a website with stuff (images, text, graphics, etc.). The designer bombards the user with so much information that they rarely are able to process any of it, let alone retain what it was they saw.

However an experience web designer knows that empty space isn’t always wasteful, and is often in fact, necessary in order to draw attention to important talking points. It gives the website a clear and clean direction. Tools such as line spacing, padding (how much space is between design elements such as images & text), and white space can make or break a design.

Line spacing refers to how text is laid out and it directly effects how readable your content appears. Too little space and everything runs together, too much and your texts ceases to flow in a cohesive manner. As for padding, it’s safe to say that certain design elements should never overlap others. It’s never a good idea for text to run into images or borders to touch tables, because it clutters up the design. And white space is important because it gives balance, proportion and contrast to the page.

It’s also worth nothing that the term “white space” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s white, simply that it’s blank. When white space is used effectively, it can actually come across as a more ‘expensive’ or ‘up-market’ design…when used incorrectly however, it can simply make a website look unfinished.

NAVIGATION

There is rarely anything more frustrating than being unable to navigate through a design to find the information you need. Personally, I feel that if I have to spend more than 10 seconds figuring out where I need to go to get the information I need, then I can’t be bothered with the website whatsoever. Is it a product of our “instant” culture? Possibly, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s how people now view the internet.

Remember, you want people spending time on your website because it’s thoroughly engaging, not because they’re lost and can’t find what they’re looking for in the design.

There are two things to always keep in mind in regards to navigation:

• Where am I going? – The ways in which to travel around the website should be easy to find. This means that all buttons are clearly marked and highly visible, the menu should be succinct and efficient (the viewer wants to know where you’re taking them), and most importantly – make sure it’s easy to use. Three-tiered menus are not only tedious but negatively impact your SEO return, roll-over menus that disappear at the slightest motion are terribly frustrating as well.
• How do I go back or get there? - Always make sure that your users can return quickly to a main menu or pertinent section of a website at any given moment. In design we use the term “bread crumb trails” as a way of referring to the navigational aspects of a design, letting you know where you’ve been and how to return. Site maps are also very handy in giving the user tools to find information quickly.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

The true key to successful web-design is giving information to the viewer without burdening them with a lot of uneccesary extra content. Focus on your core competency and highlight your strengths, don’t throw in a slew of other things (i.e. images, text, animation) that do little to enhance your content. Remember, you want the viewer to be focusing on what you’re saying to them. You want to provide them with information and useful content without distracting them. The more the user has to multi-task on your page, the less likely it is that they are giving your content their undivided attention.

FONT CHOICE IS IMPORTANT

Have you ever noticed the difference between the handwriting of an elementary school teacher and a busy physician? One is very clear and readable, because they want to impart wisdom and information to their students; while the other is well…chicken-scratch that you need a decade of experience in the CIA to decipher.

There is a reason that typography is a valued art, because it’s the most common (and arguably important) element of any good design. Make sure that your font is easy-to-read.

Here are just a few things to keep in mind as well:

• Font Choices — Different types of fonts say different things about a design. Some look modern, some look retro. Make sure you are using the right tool for the job.
• Font sizes —Text is meant to be read, not just looked at. Make sure the text sizes are consistent, large enough to be read, and proportioned so that headings and sub-headings stand out appropriately.
• Line Length — There is no hard and fast rule but generally your lines of text shouldn’t be too long. The longer they are, the harder they are to read. A good key is thinking about how a newspaper lays out its text. Clear, concise information.
• Color — It may look good but that doesn’t guarantee that it will read so well. Make sure your color choices are of a high-enough contrast that they are easy to read. Some people see colors differently and that needs to be taken into serious consideration as well.

ARE YOUR IMAGES RELATED?

Just yesterday someone in our office visited a website and asked, “What do these images have to do with their business?”

The visuals on your website are very important. Make sure that the pictures or images that are incorporated in the design help convey the identity of the business. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself how much of an explanation is needed. If there is no direct correlation to the images used and the business, it may be time to rethink your visuals.

IS IT USABLE?

An effective web design is more than just superficial renderings. You need to make sure that your design is actually usable. This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised at the number of businesses I’ve encountered that have a website that doesn’t work…on a multitude of levels.

We’ve already discussed some aspects of usability – navigation, priority ranking, and text. Here are three more important ones:

• Adhering to Standards – There are certain things people expect.  For example, if text has an underline, they will expect it to be a link. Doing otherwise is not good usability practice. Your web site should do exactly what people expect it to do.
• Think about what users will actually do – It’s never safe to assume that two users are going to do exactly the same thing on your website. This is why it’s always helpful to solicit feedback from others about the design.
• Think about user tasks – When a user comes to your site what are they actually trying to do? List out the different types of tasks people might do on a site, how they will achieve them, and how easy you want to make it for them. This might mean having really common tasks on your homepage (e.g. ‘start shopping’, ‘learn about what we do’) or it might mean ensuring something like having a search box always easily accessible. At the end of the day, your website is a tool for people to use, and people don’t like using annoying tools.

BE CONSISTENT

Consistency means making everything match. Heading sizes, font choices, coloring, button styles, spacing, design elements, illustration styles, photo choices, etc. Everything should be themed to make your design coherent between pages and on the same page.

Keeping your design consistent is about being professional. Inconsistencies in a design are like spelling mistakes in an essay. They just lower the perception of quality. Whatever your design looks like, keeping it consistent will always bring it up a notch.

MAKE SURE YOUR WEBSITE ACTUALLY WORKS

I was recently asked by a professional to “take a look” at their website and then share with them my thoughts. Now while I couldn’t share my opinion as candidly as I would have liked, suffice it to say it was a disaster.

Individuals (especially those responsible for the website of a business) are often very defensive of their decisions, even when those decisions are bad, because they’re so closely tied to them. It’s sometimes hard to be objective in this regard, and the choices can range from everything from whom they used to create the design, the design itself, etc.

It pains me to think about the number of businesses that I know do exceptional work or offer outstanding services, yet their website wouldn’t reflect those qualities in a million years.

Let me put it to you plainly, you should never compromise the quality of your branding or the strongest weapon in your marketing arsenal (i.e. your web presence) because of things like personal ties to a designer or because you feel technologically challenged and out of your comfort zone. Because while things like loyalty to an individual or company is noble, if a design is unable to produce the results you need in order to achieve the success you deserve, then it is hindering your business growth.

Your website should increase your ROI and drive traffic to your business. If links are broken, information is missing, it’s a dated design, or it’s difficult to navigate, you’re going to be missing out on valuable business opportunities.

KEEP IT UP-TO-DATE

While you should always make sure that the content of your website is up-to-date, it is also extremely important that the technology your website is built on is current as well.

A good web design will have a healthy shelf-life and won’t require any major overhauls for quite some time. However, if your website is already being built with obsolete technology, old practices, or outdated methods…then the entire website is already fighting an uphill battle, especially in the realm of search engine marketing and optimization.

Furthermore, a website that isn’t current is costly – both in terms of the financial burden and the cost your business. An outdated design can convey things about your business that may not necessarily be true, but are almost always negative. No company wants to be burdened with the cost of having to re-do a website that was just recently built, this is why it’s important to make sure it’s being done right the first time.

ASK QUESTIONS

At Mediaura, we never expect clients to be experts in Interactive Technology, because that’s our job. However, we always make sure to educate our clients throughout the process so that they have a better understanding of their own property.

We like to use this analogy with clients: if you or someone you loved were in need of a major surgical procedure would you prefer a surgeon who sat down with you and explained the process in layman’s terms; what your choices were and why they recommended a certain method, why choice A is preferable to choice B, utilized the latest technological advancements, outlined the process involved, enlightened you on what to expect, and answered any questions you may have about such an overwhelming endeavor OR would you choose the surgeon who was very friendly but vague, gave you no options, and operated with dated equipment and methods?

You would choose the first surgeon without a doubt. The same goes for website development. It’s an arcane and complex industry, full of technological jargon and advanced algorithms. Clients should always feel confident that the designer they are using is honest, open, up-to-date on the latest advancements, and as forthcoming as possible with information.

It’s also beneficial for the designer as well. An educated client is going to make better, more informed decisions about their website. The client will value the designer as a resource and become more involved in the process, yet even if they don’t, even if they still prefer a more hands-off approach – they will rest assured that their website is truly a top-notch design and in good hands.

There are many things that could be detrimental to your business, don’t allow a bad website to be one of them.

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