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2010-04-28T10:18:00.001-06:00

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Social Networking: Could it really save your life?

2010-04-22T13:24:00.003-06:00

Anyone in the marketing industry knows that social networking is a great way for business owners to reach a broader audience that they might not otherwise be able to tap into. Social networking is also a great way to brand a business and possibly even obtain clients from this marketing effort. However, could social networking save one's life? It certainly did for one lucky gentleman.

This gentleman, Carlos Sanchez, made a status post on Facebook stating that none of his friends nor family members were acceptable kidney donors for him. When the mayor of East Haven, Connecticut, April Capone Almon, (whom Sanchez was just one out of her 1,600 friends on Facebook) saw his status, she was tested and turned out to be an acceptable match for him. She ended up donating a kidney to a man she barely knew.

On April 8, 2010, Sanchez successfully received his kidney transplant. Think Facebook can't save your life? Think again. For more information about this story, click here: http://www.newser.com/story/86784/mayor-gives-kidney-to-facebook-pal.html.

Twitter's Big Announcement

2010-04-20T16:03:00.005-06:00

Facebook has advertisements, Google has pay-per-click, Youtube has commercials before videos, and it was simply a matter of time before Twitter would find a way for companies to advertise on its popular site. On April 12th, Twitter introduced its concept of advertising, "sponsored tweets." Here is a short overview of this new form of advertising.

What are sponsored tweets?
Sponsored tweets are ads that show up on the top of search pages. These ads are simply tweets, which means users can re-tweet them, reply to them, link to them, and favorite them. The idea behind this is a business' relevant tweets will now be available to a large market. Here is an example of a sponsored tweet from Starbucks, which is currently displayed on Twitter's blog:

Will users be overwhelmed with "sponsored tweets?"
No. As of now, only one promoted tweet will show up on each page. These sponsored tweets will be clearly labeled as being promoted. Twitter COO Dick Costolo claims that profitability is not the goal with this, and they plan to slowly introduce this so they do not overwhelm users.

How will these promoted tweets work?
Co-Founder and Creative Director of Twitter, Biz Stone wants these promoted ads to be beneficial to users. Twitter will measure the success of these ads based on resonance to ensure that only relevant ads are showing up. The way this works is if an ad is not connecting or "resonating" with users, it will not longer show up. The ads will work the same way as paid Google ads; advertisers will bid on keywords.

Should I invest in sponsored tweets for my business?
At this point in time, the answer is no. As of now, only huge companies such as Starbucks, Virgin America, and Bravo are embarking on this new method of advertising. We will continue to follow these exciting new developments. If you are interested in learning more about sponsored tweets, please read AdAge's article, "Twitter Has a Business Model: 'Promoted Tweets.'"

Twitter Announces New Money Making Plan

2010-04-14T08:45:00.003-06:00

Twitter, a popular social marketing site, has been a highly trafficked site since it's launch in 2007; they finally decided to cash in. The company announced Tuesday that they plan on rolling out a new business plan, which they refer to as "Promoted Tweets" Advertisers will soon be able to buy search terms and come up in the Twitter stream. Only one ad will show up alongside the other search results.

It has been 3 years since the company launched, so it is not surprising that they have decided to come up with a new way to make money. Twitter has become increasing popular for businesses over the last few years. My clients are starting to embrace social marketing more than I would have ever imagined, and it is great to see them use creative and new ways to reach and build relationships with potential patients and clients.

For an example of how you can use Twitter to your advantage check out our Page 1 Solutions Twitter page!

Does Your SEO Company Answer the Phone?

2010-04-07T14:49:00.003-06:00

I had a client recently tell me that getting the registrar information for her site might take a few days because "my old company doesn't answer the phone." She was required to submit all her requests for changes and service through their website and would then be given a "ticket number" and a response when someone got to it.

I was surprised to hear this. In the world of internet marketing, conversations are the only way to truly understand a client's business and their marketing objectives. How can an SEO company be sure they are delivering the right results if they never speak with the client?

At Page 1, all of our SEO clients have an account manager they can call directly and have conversations with. Account managers can help you make the most of your internet marketing by helping you decide the best keyword phrases to target and techniques to get you first page listings. And when something at your practice changes, we are here to help you update your website and marketing accordingly.

So, if you SEO company doesn't answer the phone, give us a call!

Facebook's New Search Capabilities

2010-04-05T13:57:00.003-06:00

The week of March 13th, 2010 marked an epic achievement for Facebook. It was during that week the world's favorite social networking site became the most visited website in the United States, beating Google for the first time ever. With Facebook's continuing improvements to their search feature, this may become a more common occurrence.

According to Comscore, in January 2010, search queries on Facebook climbed 13%. Although the amount of searches on Facebook are extremely small compared to search engine giant, Google, Facebook is aware that people are searching for information through their site, and are making the right changes to support these users.

Last Tuesday, Facebook made an announcement on their blog about new improvements they have made to their search feature. Not only will search results instantly pop up as you type, but a new menu feature titled, "See More Results" will also show up. Facebook engineer Wayne Kao claims, "You'll see a wider variety of relevant results and be able to discover new connections you might want to make on Facebook right as you're entering your search."

These time saving changes make Facebook both more user friendly, and allow visitors to better connect with their community as well as the world. With over 400 million members, Facebook currently has the visitors and now is planning on ways to keep them on the site.

If you are interested in creating a presence for your business on Facebook, please contact Page 1 Solutions today!

Universal Search & Real Time Search - What Are They?

2010-04-05T10:03:00.010-06:00

Recently I've spoken to a few clients who have heard about Google implementing Universal Search or Real Time Search. With all the new features and applications that Google has recently rolled out it can easily be confusing as to what each does, and more importantly how it will affect your internet marketing strategies.

Universal Search

Google's Universal Search now incorporates listings from its news, images, videos, local, book and blog search engine results into it standard website search listings. Now when you do a search on Google you may see results from more than one of these areas along with the regular website listings. Think of this as Google's way of cutting back on the clicks necessary to find what the searcher may be looking for.

Below is an example search I did for Cosmetic Surgery. Instead of only seeing listings for websites, Google has incorporated news results, local businesses, blog posts and book results along with the regular website results!

Real Time Search

Google's new Real Time Search automatically pulls in new results as they happen. These results are displayed in a "Latest results" area. The feed will constantly stream new results while the user is viewing their search results. Results are pulled from Twitter, Facebook fan pages, Google's News and Blog searches, new web pages, recently updated web pages, MySpace updates, Google Buzz and a number of other social networking sites.

However, the Real Time Search feature will not always appear in your search results. For the section to appear there must be a real-time component to the topic. If Google sees a sudden spike in queries or information for a certain topic, then the section is activated. Results are ranked by time and only appear if they are highly relevant to the topic.

For example, on the day I did these searches Jason Elam retired from the Denver Broncos. Since this is a newsworthy topic the Real Time Search feature appeared in the results (see below). It continued to scroll new results as they were pulled in. When I searched for Jason Elam a few days later the Real Time Search feature did not appear since the timeliness of the information was no longer relevant.

What Does It Mean For Your Business?

With both of these new features you do have an opportunity to gain more exposure for your business. Want to increase your chances in showing up in the Real Time Search? Then, if there is a specific topic that is gaining considerable attention in your industry discuss it in on your social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, or write a blog about it. If your blog and social accounts continually have content relevant to your industry, its very likely that each is already acknowledged as being focused on specific topics concerning your industry. Continue to post relevant topics on a regular basis, build your authority and utilize that to your advantage.

Google's Universal Search also opens up plenty of new opportunities. This search silos information from multiple search areas. Not only could your website appear in the search listings, your business's videos, images, news, blogs, local listing or social networking pages could also appear. Increase your chances of being found by utilizing these different areas. Have business videos or client testimonials? Post them on YouTube. You can also increase your chances by verifying your local business listing and developing a social networking presence. Below is an example of a search for Dr. Terry Bass. Not only does his website appear in the listing, but so do his Facebook fan page and his videos!

Want to learn more about how to maximize your business's online presence? Contact your Account Manager to discuss what is right for your practice, or if you're new to Page 1 you can contact us to learn more about how we can help your business.

Responding to Negative Reviews Online

2010-04-01T13:27:00.001-06:00

Online negative reviews can really hurt business. People like to hear positive experiences, especially when it comes to medical services. When your client finds negative reviews, the first step you need to take is to decide if the review is something you should respond to. You cannot respond to all negative reviews, but some you should address.

Here are some steps to consider when responding to negative reviews online:

1. Own the issue
Show the public that you are aware of their problem and that you are paying attention to them. Some people just want to be heard, and by not running from the problem, you may be able to soften the blow of the negative review

Your potential patient will be reading your response, so write the reply for them. This shows them that you are willing to face your criticism head on and you have nothing to hide.

It doesn't matter if the reviewer is stretching the truth, or lying, own the issue and respond without getting defensive.

2. Assure the public that future patients/clients will not have the same problem
A critical part is to assure the public that this is not a normal problem, or that something has changed.

3. Offer to fix the problem
You can't always fix every issue, but by offering to try on good faith will show online users that you want to do everything you can to offer a solution. Encourage the disgruntled person to contact you directly.

When drafting your response, take your time, do not come across defensive and keep it brief. Taking control of the issue will ensure that you your future customers will have faith that their experience will be better.

For more information on marketing and reputation management, contact Page 1 Solutions today!

Eyebrow Transplants? Say Whaaaaat?!

2010-04-01T10:59:00.003-06:00

Are you what any fashion and beauty magazine would disapprovingly deem an "over-plucker"? Do you wish your eyebrows grew in fuller to properly frame your face? You may consider an eyebrow transplant or also called "eyebrow restoration". This is no joke.

For approximately $3,000 to $5,000, you can opt for an eyebrow transplant which is presently the newest (and arguably the whackiest) trend in cosmetic procedures.
At Bosley Medical, an eyebrow transplant consists of removing hair from the side (above the ears) and back of one's scalp and implanting into the arches above one's eyes. The results can be very dramatic and typically last a lifetime.

For more information on this procedure, please visit http://www.bosley.com/solutions/eyebrow_restorations.php.

The Benefit of Online Videos

2010-03-29T13:24:00.002-06:00

Online videos are currently a hot item in the world of internet marketing. Although many see these videos as a means of entertaining consumers, videos actually serve as a great way to increase your site's search ranking.

Search engines seek to deliver a mixture of relevant content. In a recent study, Forrester Research found that "videos were 53 times more likely than traditional web pages to receive an organic first page listing."

Youtube is growing in popularity. Besides being the most popular video streaming website, Youtube is well on its way to becoming a major player in the search engine arena. Youtube currently accounts for 25% of Google's US searches. With so many people searching for content, it's important for companies to have valuable content available to consumers.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of online video, please read "Video Content Boosts Search Ranking, Brand." Contact your account manager today to learn more about how Page 1 can help you with your online video needs!

Injectable Fillers: Not Just for Wrinkles

2010-03-23T10:28:00.001-06:00

Think injectable fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane are just for wrinkles? Think again. These hyaluronic acid-based fillers can be used for under eye circles and even non-surgical rhinoplasty and consist of substances already present in the human body.

Many people have dark circles that never go away or even subside, despite adequate amounts of sleep and proper skin care. These types of dark circles are often times hereditary and are the cause of a thinner tear trough (the area under the eye where a tear would naturally fall against). The filler is used to fill in this thin area with a small needle that penetrates the top layer of dermis. The filler is injected into a few different areas of the tear trough and then is smoothed out using a q-tip or something similar.

Injectable fillers can also be used for what is being called "non-surgical rhinoplasty". This is a very appealing option for those who dislike a certain feature of their nose but do not want to experience the cost, time and pain associated with traditional surgical rhinoplasty. Certain areas of the nose (bridge and/or tip) can be injected with a filler to raise or fill in depressions. For example, if a nose has a bump/hump in the center of the bridge, filler can be used around the bump to make it less defined. Fillers can also be used to reshape the tip of a nose.

The results of injectable fillers are almost instant and are fairly inexpensive and cause mild discomfort at the very most. The results typically last approximately nine months to a year.

ePRs and Press Releases.. What the heck is the difference?

2010-03-16T16:11:00.002-06:00

In our last monthly meeting we discussed Public Relations and there were some questions about the differences between press releases and ePRs. I thought I would pull together a breakdown of some of the common differences between them.

ePRs
Let's start with what ePRs means. Many think it is an acronym for electronic press release, which is actually not the case. ePR stands for electronic public relations. Public Relations doesn't have a simple definition because it encompasses many different areas, including Press Releases.. confused yet? In the Page 1 Solutions world, we refer to ePRs as syndicated articles.

They are basically informational articles, for example. "Breast Augmentation after Pregnancy" that links back to the clients' website. The type of distribution depends on the type of service used: if we submit to free ePR services the distribution is effective for link building purposes, but somewhat minimal in terms of sending traffic. A paid ePR gets a much wider distribution, because we pay the submission website to send the article to other media avenues.

There are different rules and benefits depending on where the article is submitted. Here is some basic information about ePRs:

Submissions cannot be advertorial or commercial
Content is informational and should not be sales oriented
Submissions are usually around 300-500 words
There are several linking guidelines that vary from different article directories.
Good for link building and Optimization
Free ePRs go to 5 different website directories
Paid ePRs go to 24-7 press releases-which have their own distribution list. They are also sent to 4 free directories
No time sensitivity

Press and News Releases
Press and News Releases are very different from ePRs. The biggest difference is that they are about the client. Press Releases should be about an announcement, such as a new facility opening, website launching or staff hires. News releases are used to comment on something already newsworthy, making your client the expert on the topic. Releases are really helpful both in developing organic search results and online reputation management.

Here are some common rules and benefits of press releases submission:

It is not free advertising; it needs to be newsworthy, timely and interesting
Reporters should be able to take pieces of it to re-write, or post without changing a word.
When writing, ask yourself, "How are people going to be able to connect?"
The first 10 words are the most important
The 1st paragraph should be able to stand alone
Great for optimization, they can be picked up by hundreds of websites and RSS feeds by only one submission to a paid wire release
Inverted pyramid style writing, most relevant information presented first
Should follow AP style
Submissions are usually around 500 words (about one page)
Should always have the following elements: media contact information, summary, dateline, boilerplate and a quote from your client

Both can help your organic search results, but press releases alone target online reputation and credibility. If done aggressively, they can significantly help optimization and reputation online. For more information about how press releases can help you, contact Page 1 Solutions today!

Toyota Recalls

2010-03-16T13:25:00.003-06:00

As of the beginning of this month, the number of deaths related to the recalled Toyota vehicles has risen to 52 and the number of injuries is at 38. What exactly caused these injuries and deaths in highly popular vehicles manufactured by such a reputable company?

Allegedly, the following vehicles have had dangerous problems with "unintended acceleration":

2005-2010 Avalon
2007-2010 Camry
2009-2010 Corolla
2008-2010 Highlander
2009-2010 Matrix
2004-2009 Prius
2010 Prius
2009-2010 RAV4
2008-2010 Sequoia
2005-2010 Tacoma
2007-2010 Tundra
2009-2010 VENZA

This "unintended acceleration" has been a result of gas pedals being stuck in a depressed position and not returning to their normal/idle positions in a timely and safe manner.
There was also a Toyota recall back in November 2009 where gas pedals were becoming stuck due to the car's removable floormats. However, this previous recall is not related to the most current "sticky" pedal Toyota recall.

Toyota is still working on a solution that will entail replacing part or all of the gas pedal assembly. They are also working on a new gas pedal design. Toyota urges that if you own one of the above vehicles and start to notice any problems, pull your vehicle over immediately and call a dealership to come pick up the vehicle.

Can SEO and PR work together?

2010-03-16T13:17:00.003-06:00

SEO traditionally was used in order to increase business through site traffic. PR traditionally was focused on media. Press releases were written to appeal to the journalists and reporters, hoping to grab their interest enough to write a story.

PR and SEO are natural companions. Consumers and reporters are using the internet more and more to find news and product and service information. Because of this, online press release distribution has become more common to reach audiences, but 99.5% of press releases aren't optimized for the internet. PR is no longer just an avenue dedicated with the sole purpose of reaching the media. It has become part of an integrated sales and marketing strategy that can be better reached with SEO writing techniques.

Here are some important things to note regarding online press releases:
Distribution is becoming progressively more useful in organic search results.
Have potential to direct consumers to an appropriate web page where they can request more information or inquire about the service offered.
Enhance the effectiveness of company messaging. (Reputation Management)
May also lead to an increase in sales and revenue.
Search engines are the primary channels used to find news and information on products and services, so it is vital to have a good presence.
Increase web presence and brand visibility.
Contribute to one of the most important parts of SEO off-page linking.
Put the power back into the press release make it an even more useful tool to organizations.

If you would like to learn more about how you can use Public Relations to your advantage, contact Page 1 Solutions today!

You Didn't Need Another Reason

2010-03-11T16:20:00.002-07:00

As if anyone needs another reason to join Facebook, here is another. Searches originating from Facebook went up 10% from February to March according to comScore. Most other search engines showed little or no change in their numbers.

Facebook is not the new Google and isn't coming close to the traffic that Google, Yahoo, Bing, Aol and Ask are getting, but people are searching there so you should be there when they do. Facebook has 400 million users and your future customers are some of them.

If you aren't on Facebook yet, talk to your Account Manager today and get started!

The Importance of Reviews!

2010-03-05T15:33:00.004-07:00

Your online reviews are becoming more and more important. Consumers are getting smarter about how they use the internet and they are looking for more information about you and your practice than what you present on your website.

Having a first-page listing, an authoritative website, and a blog that lets consumers get to know you are all great ways to generate web business, but off-site information about you matters too. A big source of information about you are the reviews on your Google Local Listing.

Not only does Google use the reviews on your Local Listing to rank where you show up on a local search, but your potential leads are choosing whether to contact you based on the reviews they find in that listing. The more positive reviews you have, the better you show up and the more business your listing will generate.

Here are ways to get more reviews:

Ask for them! For doctors, a great time to ask for reviews is during a follow-up appointment. Patients have had a chance to get complimented on the work, they've lived with the results for a while and they are happy, so take advantage! If you are a lawyer, ask for a review right after you settle a case.
If your office sends out a newsletter, link to your Google Local Listing in it and ask for reviews.
Post a link to your Listing on your Facebook or Twitter page! This is a great way to use social media.

Ask your Account Manager for a one-page information sheet that explains how to post a review. We can customize it with a link to your Google Local Listing and you can give it directly to your clients. This is a great way to improve your online image!

6 Tips for Engaging Facebook Fans

2010-02-26T13:09:00.005-07:00

It seems that February unofficial became social media month for me. I worked with several clients to setup new Facebook fan pages and discussed how to get more fans. But whether the client was new to Facebook or had a fan page for awhile, I found myself having the conversation of "How to make the Facebook fan page better?" over and over again. Here are a few tips.

Tip #1 - Start a Discussion

The entire basis of social media is to connect and share. By utilizing the discussion application, you open up your fan page from being a source of information about the practice page to an engaging social media page.

An easy way to start a discussion is to ask for opinions or questions about a recent news topic connected to your industry. For example, if you're a plastic surgery practice you could start a discussion about ABC News' story on Fat Transfer for Breast Augmentation. You can briefly share your thoughts about the procedure and/or story and end by asking fans what their thoughts are or if they have any questions they would like answered about the procedure.

Write a teaser and post a link to the discussion page as a wall update. If you're having trouble getting the discussion started, encourage practice staff or other people you know well to comment. I also recommend posting a link to the discussion on your personal page to get things rolling.

Tip #2 - Take a Poll

This is a quick and simple way for your fans to share their opinion. You can poll about anything, but keep it related to the practice in some way. If you've been thinking about doing a special on a service but not sure where to start, then ask your fans what procedure they would be most interested in getting if money wasn't an issue. As an extra incentive to cast their vote, you can offer a free or discounted service to one randomly chosen voter.

You can also make it as fun as well as research based. For example if you're a dental practice and a hygienist gets a new puppy you can have the fans vote for its name. Does your practice make philanthropic contributions? You can have your fans vote to determine which charity you'll give to or participate in. The possibilities are endless.

Tip #3 - Setup an Event

This is a great way to connect with your fans offline as well as online. I recommend keeping the event related to your business. For example, a plastic surgery center that has an Aesthetician can do a wine and skin care evening. You can add details about the event, receive RSVPs, and much more. The event application can also be used as notification tool if someone in the practice is speaking at an event, being featured on TV or radio, or is making any other form of public appearance.

Tip #4 - Join the Conversation

I've seen numerous pages that don't allow its visitors to comment on their videos, posts or photos. I highly discourage this. Even if you allow comments, you still have control over whether they are visible or not. But it is not enough just to allow comments. You must join the conversation! If someone leaves a comment, don't forget to comment back. To ensure timely responses, I recommend having a dedicated admin for this.

Tip #5 - Become a Resource for Information

The most common mistake I see are a fan pages that only talks about their business toting their own specials, blog posts, staff, etc. and nothing else. While it is a good idea to share that information on the page (after all it is your practice's page!), I recommend publishing interesting and relevant content about your industry. Have you recently read an interesting or relevant blog that someone else wrote? Then share it! This helps to make users not only fans, but repeat visitors.

Tip# 6 - Offer Exclusive Incentives to Fans

While I realize this may not be feasible for every business, for many businesses it is. When someone new becomes a fan, send them a welcome message with the incentive. Recently I began following a company on twitter and received a message from them thanking me for following them, as well as a code for 15% off one of their services!

In addition to sending out initial fan incentives, you can periodically send incentives to all of your fans or even just the fans that are active on your page thanking them for their input.

The fundamental basis of all social networks is connection and sharing. To do that it's essential to engage your audience. Need more help? Your Page 1 Account Manager can work with you to get the conversation started!

New Website

2010-02-22T10:45:00.002-07:00

Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Keith Blankenship has a brand new website. He offers full service dentistry to people in the Jacksonville, FL area. Dr. Blankenship is an LVI fellow and has numerous memberships in prestigious organizations including Florida Dental Association (FDA). http://www.pontevedradental.com/index.html

Resolution Evolution

2010-02-19T16:22:00.005-07:00

Screen resolution and screen dimensions, used synonymously, represent the physical number of columns and rows of pixels you are viewing on your monitor (e.g. 1024 x 768).

As monitors and technology advance, so does the average screen resolution. Currently, 20% of people view their screens in 1024(W) x 768(H) screen resolution. This used to be the resolution a majority of people used, but now, due to the creation and distribution of wide-screen monitors, 76% of people use screen resolutions that are larger than 1024(W) x 768(H). Over the last six months, only 2.6% (average) of all viewers have used browsers with 800 x 600 screen resolution.

Previously, designers used to focus heavily on keeping the most important elements "above the fold" on a monitor (the point at the bottom of the screen you can see before having to scroll down). This was considered crucial to ensuring people with smaller screen resolutions are able to see the most important design features of a site since the design would be compacted or cut off in order to fit in the smaller resolution. The down side of trying to accommodate viewers with smaller resolutions was the creation of "top heavy" designs. Fortunately, as the web has evolved and technology has advanced, web users have become more savvy and don't think twice about scrolling through pages. This offers more freedom in where design elements may be placed.

While it still tends to be a better practice to keep the most important and sought after design elements above the fold (e.g phone numbers and addresses), it is also noteworthy when considering design to limit the amount of horizontal lines that are present at the fold. Having multiple horizontal design elements at the fold might accidentally trick the viewer into thinking they are at the bottom of the screen and prevent them from following their instinct to scroll.

Resolutions continue to be a factor in designing websites, but fortunately it is easy to test designs to confirm they translate throughout all current resolutions than it used to be. If you'd like to know what screen resolution you are using, click here.

The Key is Connecting

2010-02-16T16:17:00.004-07:00

It is well known that Search Engine Optimization is crucial to getting potential customers to your site, but how do you get them to stay and contact you? There are a lot of elements of your website that can affect a lead's decision to contact you or keep shopping, here are a few:

Is the site welcoming? Are there photos of your office staff? Pictures of your staff help people know what they will be seeing when they come in to your office.
Do you update your own blog? Personal updates can make a big difference. Write a quick blog entry about a recent case you worked on or charity event your office participated in - these can help web visitors feel like they know you before they ever step foot in your office.
Calls to Action - Well-designed buttons and images that call attention to items like financing options or your page on Facebook can help patients get to know more about your practice.
Contact Info - Is it easy to get a hold of you? Is the phone number easy to find? Are there contact forms on each page? If a lead has to think too hard about how to contact you, they won't do it.

Finally, make sure you are tracking the phone leads from your website. Talk to your account manager about getting a call-tracking number so you can really track of the value of your SEO.

Connecting with potential leads is crucial, even if your website is on the first page of Google. Don't let your site get passed up because your personality isn't there!

Botax??

2010-02-16T15:24:00.001-07:00

Did you know that there could be a 5% tax in 2010 on cosmetic procedures to help fund the health care reform?

Seemingly, this new tax would target the wealthy with enough expendable income to be able to afford elective procedures. However, it's arguably a very sexist and classist tax that most Americans are not happy about.

This proposed tax will ultimately affect middle class women. Almost 90% of all cosmetic procedures are performed on women with an average annual income starting at just $30,000 (71% of those who get plastic surgery make less than $60,000 annually).

In addition to the discriminatory issues with this tax, it would also likely drive cosmetic procedures overseas. In 2004, New Jersey enforced a 6% tax on cosmetic procedures which caused residents to travel to surrounding states (particularly to New York and Pennsylvania) or even overseas for their cosmetic procedure(s), where surgery risks and complications are much higher than in the states.

Here are some good articles I found on the topic:

http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Press_Releases/Nationwide_Survey_Shows_Americans_Oppose_a_Cosmetic_Tax.html

http://www.atr.org/cosmetic-tax-failed-economic-discrimination-policy-a3596#

Keep up with Changing Times

2010-02-15T12:19:00.005-07:00

Google has a new search algorithm called Caffeine coming out in early 2010. Once Caffeine is implemented, users will not likely find the search result experience much different, but webmasters may see their placement results climb or fall based on changes made for Caffeine.

Some of the factors that could influence your results on Caffeine include:
� Frequency of updates to site
� Load time for website
� Broken links
� Links out to relevant websites
� Social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc) updates will be listed high in Google

Page 1's SEO and Social media teams are already implementing many procedures and are ready for this change:

1) We regularly test sites to ensure there are no broken links.
2) Improving code to ensure optimum load times for sites.
3)We recommend regular updates to websites such as page additions, blogs, and videos.
4) Our social media specialists send updates to Facebook, Twitter etc.

If you are concerned about improving or maintaing your website results please contact us for recommendations that apply to you.

Google URL Builder

2010-02-03T15:34:00.003-07:00

Do you have any clients using a TV station or other online source for advertising, such as a banner ad, online newsletter or a law line page? One of my clients, car accident attorney Michael Barszcz and I were going through Google Analytics and he noticed the reports that the TV stations were giving him were significantly different from the stats in Analytics. The discrepancies were large enough that he was considering stopping services with one of the television stations he is working with.

After working with the TV station we created a unique URL using Google Analytics URL Builder. We sent it to the television station and they changed the regular link going to his website home page, to a URL that is recognized specifically as a separate campaign in his Google Analytics account. It still goes to his home page, but it automatically created a "Campaigns" section in the Traffic Sources Overview. Now the client can see a better view of exactly what traffic is clicking through to his site.

Creating a new URL takes about 5 seconds and is great for tracking separate online campaigns.

1. Go here
2. Enter Destination URL - ex: Client home page
3. Enter Campaign source - Where the campaign is coming from, ex: TV station home page, Newsletter, etc.
4. Enter Campaign Medium - Name of Campaign
5. Enter Campaign Name
6. Click Generate URL
7. Send unique URL to client or company working with client.

Once they have changed the URL, it will start to track in Analytics and you are all finished! There may still be some differences between the click report and analytics report, but the tagged URL will help mitigate the major differences.

For more questions on how you can track your marketing services, contact Page 1 Solutions today!

Blogging Basics

2010-02-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

As an online marketing company, blogging is just one of many services we do for our clients. It is also one area clients have an opportunity to contribute to their online marketing efforts. It is relatively easy to do and can greatly increase optimization. There are a few things you can do to help make the most out of your blogs for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes.

Make sure your blog is keyword rich. Blog about things you want to show up for on search engine results. Also add localizations for the area you are in. Putting both localization and an important keyword into your title will help with SEO.

Bolding helps to add emphasis to keywords in your blog. It helps users identify your important areas, as well as the search engines when they spider through your website. Linking is another great way to help with blog optimization. If you link out to other websites, such as an organization you belong to, or within your site; either way it will help users and search engine spiders move through your website.

Benefits of blogging:

Shows you're staying current to potential patients and clients
Each post gets indexed as an individual page
Great opportunity to link
Increase keyword and localization content
Interactive- Patients can subscribe and comment on blog
Opportunity to blog about patient experiences
Shows a more personal side of your practice

Always end your blog with a call to action paragraph. For more information on how you make make blogging work for you, contact Page 1 Solutions today!

Benefits of a Combined Marketing Campaign: Organic Optimization with Pay Per Click

2010-02-01T16:49:00.004-07:00

I am a fan of recommending a marketing campaign that combines both organic optimization and pay per click (PPC). Pay per click is a nice way to supplement your basic SEO and take a more aggressive approach to maintaining your presence on the search engines. Following are some basic points to keep in mind regarding how organic optimization and PPC work individually, and together:

Audience:

The purpose of any good marketing strategy is to cover all your bases and appeal to your key demographics. Daily I see two basic types of web users, both of which have different approaches to "shopping" for products and services. People who click on paid ads are typically more dedicated and likely to contact your office because they have completed their research and are ready to make a decision. These are people seeking "instant gratification." For this reason, PPC may be particularly effective in positioning the relevant, exact keywords they know will guide them to the services they seek. On the other hand, organic optimization creates a net to capture those who are just beginning the research process and are still refining their (re)search phrases and topics. These users linger on sites, taking their time to read about you and your company, digging into the details of what you have to offer. A combined approach of both PPC and organic optimization can give you a broader presence, appealing to both types of consumers.

Positioning your Presence, a Comprehensive Approach:

Not all Search Engines (SE) offer paid advertisements. While Google and Yahoo feed their PPC ads into other top search Engines such as AOL, and Ask.com, paid ads do not appear on every Search Engine. One of the benefits of having a combination of PPC and Organic optimization is that running a PPC campaign allows your ads to appear on the most highly trafficked SEs, and simultaneously, if you are positioned well in the organic listings, you are likely to still have a first page presence through the organic listings even when your paid ads are not visible.

In the best case scenario, you will appear in both the paid ad and the organic listings, securing more than one position on the first page of the Search Engines. When people see you in more than one place they assume you are more successful (i.e. "That guy is everywhere I look"), and it contributes to name branding.

Aggressively Gaining Ground:

If you have certain keywords that prove more challenging than others to position well in the organic listings, PPC allows you to appear for these keywords until your organic results for the same phrases percolate upward (Note: Some people even believe that by targeting certain keywords on paid listings that it will help speed up the process/improve your organic listings for those same keywords. This has never actually been confirmed so we can only assume it is conjecture).

These are only a few basic reasons to combine PPC with your organic marketing strategies. If you would like more information on whether PPC is worth pursuing, contact Page 1 Solutions today for more information.