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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Google Friend Connect

We all know social networking is the wave of the future. I am proud to have the first Page 1 Solutions client to take Social Networking into a brand new direction. Google recently released a new program called Google Friend Connect which allows websites to add different widgets to their site to make it more interactive, like Facebook, Myspace, etc.

After looking at some of the cool features that Friend Connect has to offer, I spoke with my LASIK client, The Carter Eye Center. They just built a brand new LASIK focused site with the intention of appealing to the younger generation and I thought they would be the perfect client to test this new program out on. They had asked about different ways we could make the site a little more interactive for users to leave comments and ask questions.

Google Friend Connect has the potential to make a site come alive and allow feedback from users. There are several options you can add into the site. After becoming a member of the site, users can rate, review, leave comments, make recommendations, and much more. We chose to start with 3 of the available features but have the option to add more down the road.
I am very excited to see how far we can go with the social networking for Carter Eye Center. They are the first in their area to try this, and will stand out in front of their competition.

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posted by Ashley Martin at 3:02 PM 0 comments

Taking blogs to the next level

Recently my client, Westport cosmetic dentist Dr. Worthington had us program a cosmetic dentistry blog onto his website. I knew this would be a great help to his website by adding fresh up to date content and creating internal links on the pages of his site. I told him he had to fully commit to blogging at least once a week. He promised me he would and the very next morning I had a phone call asking me to check out the new dental implants blog he posted. Now, Dr. Worthington is blogging at least twice a week for the blog on his website- when he had never blogged before in his life.

Additionally, he set up his very own 'Exciting World of Dentistry' cosmetic dentistry blog. On this blog he picked from one of the generic templates that blogger offers and now writes at least one blog a week on this Exciting World of Dentistry blog as well. On these blogs, he also links back to his main site, to again create more links and information out on the web about his practice.

It is so refreshing to see a client take what I have taught them and expand that into something so much greater. I am very excited for Dr. Worthington to see the benefits of all his hardwork and effort.

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posted by Amanda at 10:15 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Fast Response Time Essential to Effective Web Marketing for Law Firms

In response to the devastating Metro collision in Washington DC on June 22, we promptly wrote and added informational pages to two of our clients' websites. We hope that by doing so they are able to assist anyone injured in the accident that occurred on the Red Line at the height of evening rush hour. While the media has been focused 24-7 on this crash, so have the train accident attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C.

posted by Lesa at 2:58 PM 1 comments

Warm Woolies - Exciting Opportunities

Warm Woolies is a local company that we have been working with since 2004. They are a non-profit organization whose volunteers knit clothing for children around the world. They have been working with orphanages in China, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Reservations throughout the United States.

They are in the process of working with Lands' End on a campaign later this year to help fight homelessness. Warm Woolies will be featured in their September magazine and on their website. They will be holding a Denver based event later this year, in conjunction with Lands' End, to raise awareness about homelessness and those in the community who are less fortunate.

It is a pleasure for us to work with such a wonderful group of people and volunteers.

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posted by Shannon Montoya at 9:35 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 22, 2009

New Ideas Wecome!

Recently, many of my clients have begun to use Social Media like Twitter and Facebook. There is so much buzz about this new phenomenon that everyone wants to be in on the "next new thing." Cherrish at Pratt Plastic Surgery and I created a new Facebook fan page for Seattle Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. David F. Pratt- I showed her all of the basics to create events for new specials, adding photos, etc.

Additionally, she created a discussion board on Facebook. This allows her to post new topics and have people respond after to keep people engaged on the topics. She posted topics on Breast Augmentation and Financing which is a common concern for most people right now.

I encourage all of my clients to come up with new and exciting features on Social Media. It creates better branding, more word of mouth and who knows it might even generate some leads.

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posted by Amanda at 10:16 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Should you be "Vlogging?"

A video blog, also known as a vlog is great tool that can be used to market your website online. Some video blogs even use keywords to describe the video which can help with optimization. Using a vlog is an effective way for businesses to explore different ways of communicating with their audience.

A fantastic example of video blogging is Dr. Paul Angelchik , a plastic surgeon in Phoenix, Arizona. He uses video blogging to inform and educate his plastic surgery patients of the different options they have available to them. Vlogging can help build relationships with patients and clients early on in their decision making process.

Page 1 Solutions created a youtube channel for Dr. Angelchik's vlogs that have been viewed several times. His breast augmentation vlog about Saline vs Silicone has even received a couple of comments from youtube viewers.

If video blogs turn out to be anything like blogs and podcats, the answer to the question: Should I be vlogging is definitely “YES!” Video blogging can be a pretty inexpensive way to add some pizzazz to your site and step out in front of the competition.

posted by Ashley Martin at 11:37 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Is Bing the next big Thing?

By now everyone has heard of Bing, Microsoft's new search engine, but is it really ready to take over Google? With all of the buzz surrounding the new search engine, Bing has now over taken Yahoo as the second search spot. However, some of this intial surge could be do to the large amounts of advertising. It will be interesting to see if people stick with Bing after the initial launch. The numbers are still rising but as of June 4th, this graph came out of the StatCounter information logs:
As you can see Google still has a major hold on people's search engine, but only time will tell if Bing can close the gap.

posted by Amanda at 8:38 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 11, 2009

B-E Aggressive

Tuesday June 9, 2009 a ConAgra factory in Garner, North Carolina exploded. At 2pm I received a call from my client David Stradley from White and Stradley. He wanted to help the employees and families by getting the word out as quickly as possible that they are lawyers who deal with factory accidents like this and can help answer questions and help them with what to do next.

We immediately set up an aggressive pay per click campaign targeting several keywords and wrote a new page of content to address the factory accident. The Pay Per Click account was set up and running before the end of business day and White and Stradley has already gotten several impressions and click views to the page. In the last 2 days their website is one of the only sites showing up for Pay Per Clicks, but they won't be for long.

Being aggressive with Marketing and recognizing when extra and quick measures need to be taken is critical. If you don't act on situations that arise, your competitiors will. Page 1 Solutions helped set up a specific PPC account, wrote, posted and added a new page of content within 2 hours. I am always proud of my fellow employees, but Tuesday they all banned together and got something done for a client that really needed fast action.

posted by Ashley Martin at 12:40 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Vanity URLs Coming This Weekend

Facebook is launching Vanity URLs this Saturday, June 13th. Vanity URLs will enable our clients to personalize their Facebook link, making it easier to share to others and to publicize.

This could be important for search engine optimization purposes. When a person searches for a name on Google, it's likely the Vanity URL Facebook page will be in the top results.

Read the recent article.

posted by Millicent at 8:51 AM 0 comments

Monday, June 8, 2009

Using Video as a Marketing Tool

video

Video has become an essential tool in website design and Internet marketing. When done well, it can be highly effective for driving traffic to your website and increasing your leads. By adding video to your social networking sites, such as Facebook and YouTube, you quickly and inexpensively boost your online visibility.

A professional, custom-produced video can help distinguish you from your competitors. It improves your SEO and conveys your message in manner that is enjoyable, unique and modern. Even if it’s just a silly outtakes reel, a video can be incredibly valuable marketing resource.

posted by andrewH at 3:31 PM 0 comments

Friday, June 5, 2009

MomsTwitter While in Labor

Times have sure changed. In the 70’s it was popular for parents to put a birth announcement in the local paper. In the 80’s and 90’s people videotaped their child’s birth. For the 21st century there is Twitter. For those who may not know, Twitter is a blog/IM hybrid. It is the latest trend for expectant mom’s to give a play-by-play of their experiences in labor to friends and family. Sound weird? More moms are using Twitter because it is an easy way to disseminate real time information to many people.

Recently, a friend of chronicled the birth of her baby boy on Twitter. Including me there were 23 other people following the saga. My friend tweeted about her water breaking, epidurals, and boredom. She was in labor for almost 48 hours so she had plenty of time to write. We could send her encouraging words too. She appreciated those kind words - especially when she started pushing!

Expect more moms to be twittering while in labor in the future. Even celebrity moms are getting in on the act. In February, singer Eykah Badu tweeted on the birth of her baby girl to more than 4,500 followers. Twittering while in labor is just another example of the impact that social media has on interpersonal relationships.

Twitter may have a similar impact on business relationships. I suggested it to Dr. LeSueur as way to bring instant exposure to his cosmetic dental office. With the exposure comes the potential for more website traffic and referrals. It’s easy to use Twitter simply answer the question: What are you doing? The idea is to have a conversation with the people you follow and those who follow you. Twitter uses the term follower which is similar to "friend" on Facebook and "connections" on LinkedIn.

Twitter Topics:

• Direct tweeters to look at new blog posting on your website (make sure to add a hyperlink to the blog)
• Breaking news stories that are relevant to your practice/office and linking to that relevant page on your site
• Local news stories
• News announcements about your practice/office (new newsletter coming soon, community service, etc.)

Law Firm
• Comment on recent legal news or trends
• Recent wins

Medical Office
• Announce new procedures offered
• Promotions or specials offered on services

posted by Millicent at 11:54 AM 0 comments

If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is priceless.

Showcasing your company or business has become a big part of how consumers choose to either do business with you or buy your services. With "traditional" avenues shrinking, newspapers; magazines, etc., consumers are getting more and more savvy in the way they search for services in their cities, towns, villages.

Like any good business owner, you have your site up, it looks great; easy to navigate, relevant content, optimized well, and plenty of pictures to show off your company.

Now, take that next step. Connect with your potential customer base on a personal level. Online Video. More and more Americans are watching online videos, 78.6 percent of U.S. internet users’ watched online videos in April 2009.

With the different options out there for video, Borderless Video, streaming, and more; you can put your company’s products and culture in full view, and give consumers a more personal and intimate look at your business.

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posted by JosephCasper at 9:38 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Visiting with clients

While most of our clients are based throughout the nation, some of the Account Managers have the pleasure of meeting to our clients face to face. Yesterday I had the privilege to visit with my client Boulder Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Joel Schaffer. I work primarily with their practice manager, Kathleen and it was fantastic to put a face with the voice.

Right when I walked in the office I was greeted with a big hello, as if I had know Kathleen for years. I noticed right away how well they knew each and every new and old patient coming through their doors. Dr. Schaffer has been a Boulder dentist for over 30 years now.

Recently, we added a flash banner to their site. Previously, the website banner image was static with just the flat irons. We enchanced the photo, added the flash text and put a glissen affect on the text. It is a nice addition to the site while not taking away from the beautiful flatiron's photo.

Also, we added a new cosmetic dentistry blog. I taught Kathleen how to blog and we came up with different topics she can blog on. It is always good to include blogs about new procedures, new tools and equipment, any holiday or practice events.

The visit ended too quickly, but I am sure in time I will get to visit them again!

posted by Amanda at 12:59 PM 0 comments

Monday, June 1, 2009

Google Local-- Tips for a Successful Business Listing

We all know Google Local (GL) is an excellent tool for developing an online reputation and a supplementary first-page presence. Since more and more people have begun taking advantage of Google Local as a resource, Google has made some changes to their requirements that may prevent GL listings that once reigned supreme from showing up at all.

New Requirements for Google Local (the short list):

1. You must have the actual business name in the title. It is no longer acceptable to have keywords, phone numbers, or URLs in the title.
2. Only one Google Local listing per physical address. While this has been a request for some time by Google Local, it is now being enforced.
3. Only add and develop the categories that are directly relevant to the business.
4. The description and custom attributes fields are great places to add additional information about your business listing. Keep this information separate from the business’ title, address, or category fields.
5. Only the primary URL for the website should be included in the profile. Do not include URLs that redirect to the primary, or secondary website URLs.

To read more information on this, click here.

Additionally, there has been buzz about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) making “fake” reviews illegal. “Fake” reviews are generally classified as comments posted by people who have not directly received services from the business listed on GL. Variations of these reviews exist, from people within the business reviewing their own services to competitors writing nasty reviews as an underhanded method of self-promotion. While all user reviews are currently tracked by Google Account login and IP address, The FTC is taking a more critical look at GL practices with the goal of keeping users honest and preventing spammers.

These changes may appear like potential set-backs, but realistically, they are an opportunity to gain ground in Google Local. By closely monitoring and abiding by updated regulations instituted by GL and the FTC, we can keep our accounts up to date while other business listings go unchecked, and in their neglected state drop in rank.

posted by Lesa at 11:29 AM 0 comments