24-7 AMs

Meeting Clients in Person Enhances Relationships

2008-08-20T09:07:00.001-06:00

Our office and workplace:
We are fortunate to have many people from diverse backgrounds at our office. We are not a cookie-cutter company, and we certainly do not make cookie-cutter websites. And the reason for this is because each of our clients is unique in their own way. But how unique? And how often do we get the opportunity to develop a relationship that is more than an expectation to have answers?

Giving answers, that’s what the AMs do. But in life, how does context dictate the questions and answers of a business relationship? And from our inter-relations with clients, what perceptions do they gather of us and us of them? Is it all glamour? All business? All frustration? Not all personalities mesh, that’s just a fact of life.

One of the day-to-day challenges is getting to know our clients. We rarely have the opportunity to meet in person and while we are a phone call or an email away, logistically, we can be worlds apart. There is an easy way to bring the two halves together and that is to have a face-to-face conversation, in the client’s office, about their company and how it relates to their website.

Advantages of meeting clients:
We as AMs are more than the person on the phone, and they are more than a body associated with a website. We talk a lot about making a “connection” between viewer and website, but sometimes struggle to do this behind the scenes. How well can you get to know a person when you only go over reports and fix what is broken?

I recently had the experience of meeting three out-of-town clients within one month. One was a Chicago Cosmetic Surgeon and one of the others was a set of Washington D.C. Injury Attorneys. Meeting face-to-face with each of the clients was a unique learning experience and brought me closer to them.

Our goal as AMs is to represent the client through their website—to present their goals, objectives, and philosophies so that in turn, their business will favorably increase. Meeting face-to-face moved us forward and I learned you can’t judge a practice entirely by the website or the person representing the website. When you set foot in the door of an office, it shows you how the environment operates on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps not all of our clients have skyscraper offices looking down on the people they can help, but rather they reside on the same street level as the people who need help.

To summarize, information gathering over the telephone and email can only accomplish a good understanding of what a practice is all about. Only meeting in person and “living” the experience can acquire the great understanding needed for a phenomenal website and superb website marketing results.

Making the Leap

2008-06-20T12:51:00.004-06:00

Occasionally, I send secret shopping inquiries through my clients’ contact forms and see how they respond. Not only does this tell me if their forms are working correctly, but tells me how my clients respond to interested queries.

One of the biggest reasons I secret shop my clients is I want to make sure my clients aren’t losing out on valuable business because of the way they respond. Sometimes I will get complaints about lack of lead generation. One of the first thing I will do is secret shop them.

What I look for is:
1. How soon they respond to my inquiry
2. If they answer my questions
3. If they provide additional information that I did not ask for, but is helpful to know
4. If they link back to their website
5. If they provide their contact information in the email, including a phone number

Recently I secret shopped a client who said he was not getting any conversions from his web leads. He said he gets leads, but none of them ever respond back after he contacts them.

I secret shopped him, sending him some basic information on why I was contacting him under a different email address. This was his response:

“Thank you for your inquiry. I would be happy to discuss your specific question. However, we would need a phone number to contact you.”

Really??? You need a phone number to contact me? Though you just contacted me by email to tell me…you can’t contact me…?

While there’s no doubt that many of us like to communicate with clients by phone, you should remember that not all people feel that way. In fact, if your phone number is prominent on your site, you should assume that the person who contacted you by email would like to be contacted by email.

Not only that, but this reply is so general, it might as well be an auto-response. It may well be, in the view of a prospective client, who is at least hoping for some reference to the question he or she took the time to type into your form.

How do you make that switch from an email conversation to a phone one? My recommendation: Answer the question briefly, but helpfully, including that not every client’s case is the same and that, for a more accurate answer, you would like to meet with them or speak with them on the phone. Include all those little details listed above, especially your phone number, and encourage the person to contact you again.

Don’t lose prospective clients. If you are not answering your email leads personally, secret shop yourself and make sure whoever is answering them is doing a good job. Web marketing can be one of the most cost-effective ways to generate business. Make sure you are cashing in.

KINDNESS - a quick thought

2008-05-08T09:48:00.003-06:00

“Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a battle.”
- John Watson

For some, it is really easy to get wrapped up in their own selfishness. Kindness does not have to be an epic act. It can simply be an acknowledgment that you do not see things from the same perspective as another.

While this thought is not directly correlated with Website Marketing, it does boil down to a common denominator: People.

My thoughts and heart goes out to the people of Myanmar. Life is precious and you never know when it will end. Take a moment today to reflect on how you treat others.

To learn how you can help the victims of the deadly Myanmar cyclone, visit here.

SEO-Friendly Webdesign

2008-05-02T13:38:00.002-06:00

Some website designs perform better when it comes to search engine placements than others. While assessing a website to make it more SEO-friendly, here's a quick checklist of what to look for:

Navigation
Content
Doorway, Splash Page, or Hidden Text
Cross-Browser Accesibility
Focus of Message
Nuts and Bolts of Website Performance
Templates

I know that sounds like quite an intimidating and vague list of terms, but stick with me and I'll explain what each of them mean and why they’re important when considering your website's design.

1. Navigation

First off, Flash is a big no-no. But if your navigation has been designed in Flash, in the great words of Douglas Adams, Don't Panic. If your main navigation is a big Flash piece, understand first of all that search engine spiders can't read it. The robots merely see it as a big, moving image. They have no way to know if it's the impressively designed layout of your site, or a big dancing banana. To help them understand, we can add text navigation in conjunction with your Flash, so it is visible to both human and search engine eyes alike.

Ideally, your navigation will be created in text. Not sure which yours is? Simply try highlighting part of the words. If you can highlight the letters individually from their background, you’re looking at text. If not, it’s probably time to reconsider your navigation.

2. Content

The content itself should be easy to read and understand. Visitors to your site should not have to endlessly hunt to find what they are looking for. And, once they find what they're looking for, try not to confuse them with endless industry jargon. True, it's hard to replace some terms, like search engine optimization, but offer simple explanations to the necessary five-dollar words. Do your best to present one message per section (or page) when organizing your material.

3. Doorway, Splash page, or Hidden Text

Yet another big no. Doorway and Splash Pages are pages where you enter a site and see only a 'click to enter' flash piece or 'welcome to our site' in flashing red letters. Often these include hidden text—text the same color as the background—the use of which is a great way to get your site banned from the search engines.

The best way to introduce your site is to take visitors directly to it, not force them to wait through a collage of pretty but irrelevant images, and the best way to present text is in an organized, visible manner that won’t get you blacklisted.

4. Cross-Browser Accessibility

Although Internet Explorer still dominates as the most used browser, Firefox has shown the first-base player a few tricks, becoming widely popular and even changing the usability of Internet Explorer. (Remember the days before 'open a new tab'?) While it's widely accepted that diversity in the browser arena is a positive change, not every browser displays website code in the same way. In some cases, important elements of your design might be lost or not show up on as you intended. Make sure you’re checking in more than one browser to be sure the 47% of us who use a different browser are really seeing what you want us to see.

5. Focus of Message

So many websites lack a concise message. Are people able to understand what you are trying to say? Do images and shapes help convey that message, or do they distract from it? If we find that your site is offering conflicting messages, we'll inform you that your site is a good candidate for a redesign. The use of organized and clear content does in fact open more doors for SEO tactics on a website.

6. "Nuts and Bolts" of Website Performance

Quick Loading
Do visitors have to wait to view your website? Even graphic-heavy websites should load quickly. Images and content should not only look attractive, but must also be available very quickly, or you’ll lose your visitors before they ever see your site.

Page Titles
Page Titles are extremely important when considering your redesign. Not only do they help indicate what your page is about, but can act as an SEO boost for your site.

Meta Content and Alternative Content
Meta Tags may not be as important as they once were, but with the major search engines these days it still is prudent to have these included within the code of the site itself. We often come across high-end designs for companies of all sizes that do not include Meta content, and subsequently perform poorly on the search engines.

7. Templates

You may hear your account manager talk about getting you into a templated site. Don't be confused! While there's such a thing as a website template which means several sites may look exactly that same, when we're talking about the programming of your site, this could have a hugely positive impact on your site's performance. The more straightforward the code of a website, the more easily search engine bots can move through your site, determine what it pertains to, and catalog it—and the more likely they are to visit again sooner.

While we recommend custom designs for all clients when that option is viable, creating a site where the layout of each page looks similar and cohesive is highly important. Not only will it help your visitor understand that he or she is still on the same site, but it cuts down on the cost of those updates which are so important to make frequently to your site.

Any questions?

I hope you got to the end of that list of explanations and heaved a huge sigh of relief. You've already done everything perfectly? No problem? Fantastic!

If you're on the other side of the fence, however, and staring at your site thinking, 'This thing is never going to work,' don't be discouraged! Call or email your account manager and let us know your concerns. Not only do we want to make sure your site looks great, our goal is to help your site perform at peak level.

Our Client Open House and Luau

2008-04-21T16:14:00.004-06:00

Fun Photos:

Delicious Fruit Ka-Bobs

Dancing the Night Away

More Tasty Treats

Musical Entertainment

Aloha.

How social networking is changing the web

2008-04-14T13:55:00.010-06:00

Many users of the web now expect a more personal experience when they visit your website. We have all witnessed the huge growth of sites such as My Space, Face Book, Wink, YouTube, and Fickr. These sites are quickly outpacing many of the traditional websites in popularity. What does this mean to you? It is signaling that many Internet users want more personal contact. If you can portray a portion of who you are on a more intimate level potential clients will feel more at ease when choosing a service provider. No one likes to hire someone for professional services without more information. From the client's point of view they maybe more inclined to hire you if they realize you donate your time and services to worthy causes, or see you have close family ties. This helps them to perceive you as someone they can trust and feel comfortable with.

The other important impact of networking sites is the ability for your practice to set up a profile on such sites as LinkedIn, Plaxo, Corante, and Avvo. This is a great way to build links, and mass market yourself. They give you the ability to further personalize yourself. Many network websites are free, and give you the ability to blog, which also helps with your search engine popularity. If you haven't set up a profile on LinkedIn, Plaxo, Corante and Avvo please do so. Take advantage of their free marketing.

Firefox 3 in Beta Testing

2008-04-10T10:23:00.002-06:00

Recently released is Firefox 3 Beta 5, a new version of my favorite browser Firefox.

While not all of my Add-ons/extensions function with the Beta version, it appears to be superior to its former self.

Firefox is quickly becoming the browser of choice for knowledgeable and savvy internet users.

Here are some fun statistics on browser use.

If you wonder why this matters, the answer is this:
Different browsers can display websites differently. As a result, it is important to test websites in multiple browsers to ensure they look great across the internet regardless of what browser a user prefers.

For more information about browsers, contact your account manager.

Understanding Optimization

2008-04-04T10:20:00.009-06:00

If you're reading this blog, chances are good you already know that SEO is the abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization. What you probably don't know is what exactly that means. Granted, much of the information I hold is considered proprietary, but I can endeavor to help you understand that not all SEO is created equal. Let’s start with a little bit of history from here at Page 1 Solutions:

~~~~~
In the beginning was the Website. Though the Website was good - well-designed, easy to navigate, and abounding with content - the Website did not appear on the first page of most search engines. So the Optimizer introduced Coding to the Website to help the search engines easily "read" and understand what the Website was about. And for a little while, back in 2004, the Website performed extremely well on the search engines—even the coveted Google.

After a time, many other optimizers from many companies began to duplicate and improve on the coding, and the search engine market became greatly competitive.
~~~~~
That's just the basic back story to help understand why we do what we do every day. Now let's talk about what we earnestly desire to do every day for each of our clients, and why it is important:

Each of our clients' sites is treated to monthly directory submissions, link building, ongoing maintenance, and long-term analysis. (Long-term trends, usually 3-6 months, are much more indicative of how well a website is performing than a short-term stretch of only a few days or weeks.) More recently, we have also begun insuring each client's site is submitted to Google Maps (Google Local).

There are two primary additional strategies we have seen making a sweeping difference to optimization recently:

Perhaps the most important way to optimize your website is through continually adding new content. There is more than one way to do so, and each offers different benefits, but the benefits are enormous, not only to achieve your goals on the search engines, but also for visitors to your website, who are gratified and engaged when they are able to find information specific to what they are searching for.

Secondarily, though not without great impact, is the regular submission of articles or press releases to other websites. This provides both inbound linking and what those in the marketing industry like to call "buzz," when readers searching for information come across a new article which links to your site.

If you're missing either of these two strategies, your web marketing efforts may be said to be lacking, particularly in view of the changing competitive strategies of today’s search engine markets. Let me add here, that if your SEO contract doesn’t include these steps, chances are good that your marketing strategy is not lackadaisical, but merely needs updating.

SEO is a changing entity, exactly as your practice and website should be. Just as you are constantly searching out updated information, usually through continuing education or by keeping yourself abreast of the news in your practice areas, your website should continually be updated and recreated to suit the changing needs of your website visitors.

If your site is already hitting stellar page-1 listings, don't rest content to ride the current wave of success. New strategies for optimization are creeping up constantly, and while we don't recommend chasing every trend to the detriment of your site's stability, undertaking proven steps to keep your site at the front of the search engines' notice isn’t just an option, but a necessity.

Seeing My Client With New Eyes

2008-04-01T14:53:00.005-06:00

As an account manager one of biggest challenges we face is building a trusting relationship with a true understanding of the clients business, their philosophy, and needs. We talk to our clients trying to get a true understanding of who they are, but still this can feel incomplete. My client the 20/20 Institute has given me the chance to learn first hand who they are.

On Friday, the 28th I underwent IntraLase LASIK , and now completely understand what the 20/20 Experience is really about. When I went into the 20/20 Institute I wasn't sure if I would be a good candidate since I'm in the over 40 category. After a thorough exam I was sent home with contacts to wear in my right eye. Monovision in certain cases is a good alternative for those who need both distance and near vision. The doctor wanted to be certain I would be comfortable with different vision for each eye. He was very clear he would rather not perform the surgery, than to possibly make me feel more uncomfortable with the final outcome.

From the moment I walked in for the first consultation I felt like I had found a spa for the sight challenged. I had a personal concierge who helped explain the process. She walked me through all the paperwork, and financing. The 20/20 Institute itself is a very luxurious, yet comfortable environment. I never felt pressured or rushed to to make a decision regarding the procedure.

I must say on Saturday morning I felt like a new person. I haven't seen this clearly in years. I feel 20 years younger! It is amazing how much this has changed my outlook in less than a week, and how it has given me a new appreciation for my client.

Get in Google Local!

2008-03-27T09:36:00.004-06:00

What is Google Local?

Google Local is also known and Google Maps. Google provides users directions based on address or location, interactive maps with several viewing options (map/satellite/terrain) . Additionally, users can a search for businesses based on the keywords entered.

You want an example?

I searched for a injury attorney in Baltimore in the Google Maps section. Our client came up:

(CLICK TO ENLARGE:)

In the Web section of Google, they come up again in the Google Local Listings AHEAD of all the natural listings (Though our client is #1 in the natural listings) as the Letter E:

(CLICK TO ENLARGE:)

Google Local is an handy tool. It can be customized to add photos, hours of operation, testimonials, reviews and can be a great selling tool as part of your website marketing efforts. It can also be an opportunity to show up more than once on the first page and increase your chance of getting business.

Ask your Account Manager how to get into Google Local.

#15!!!!

2008-03-13T13:50:00.002-06:00

Just a quick update – yesterday we took over our 15^th truck load of donations to the Jeffco Action Center! We have been collecting donation for this local charity for over a year now and have made a real impact on their organization.

The Jeffco Action Center has been providing essential stabilizing services to the people in Jefferson County who are in danger of becoming homeless, or attempting to move out of homelessness.

Page 1 Employees are encouraged to continue to bring household items, clothing, food, toys and school supplies for those less fortunate. Also, Friday March 28 and Saturday March 29, the JAC will be holding a ‘Spring Beautiful Junk Sale” at the Jefferson county Fairground. This is the largest rummage sale in Jeffco and all the proceeds go to the JAC. For more info, visit http://www.jeffcoac.org/index.php

A public Thank You to everyone who has donated to this great cause!

My inability to read minds - A lesson in partnership

2008-03-13T11:24:00.004-06:00

I must spill my guts about this. I have had two telephone calls today asking for changes to websites because the practice area is "something that the practice does not do."

Both of these sites have been custom developed by Page 1 Solutions from the ground up meaning:
1. pages for the site were established by Page 1 and approved by the clients
2. custom content was written by Page 1 and reviewed and approved by the clients
3. the site was programmed out by Page 1 and reviewed and approved by the clients
4. the site was optimized by Page 1 and reviewed and approved by the clients

Those are just four of the many times we reviewed the website with them. Here is the deal - the practices did not stop participating in those types of actions, they never did them...ever...and they do not plan on doing them...ever.

So why are they on the site to begin with?

It is a simple equation of partnership. It is my responsibility to be really clear and explain EXACTLY what the client needs to look for/take action on. It is the client's responsibility to read what I send them and give appropriate feedback.

I wish I knew all the regulations and laws that affected each website in each state, but I don't. I need to be informed so I can make you the best Gosh-Darn website possible and have it appropriately reflect your practice.

I know that we both are very busy, but when we rush rush rush through things, you end up with something that is not what you need. Here is an example: (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining - I really just want quality. When we work closely and communicate, we get quality.

Testimonials and Blogs

2008-03-11T13:25:00.003-06:00

It’s no secret that the majority of business we see is from word-of-mouth referrals. If you shop at a particular chain store with blue letters on their sign, you were probably told by someone that they had good deals there. Your health care provider was probably referred to you by someone you trust. And if you’re “thinking smart” about your internet marketing, you should also be considering ways word of mouth can happen on the web.

We spend a lot of time talking about business blogs around here, so you may be surprised when I name a great option for word-of-mouth referrals, or marketing if you think of it that way, at the beginning of the next paragraph. This isn’t to say that you should give up on your own blogging efforts. You wouldn’t stop answering the phone just because you got an email account! After all, we call it “word of mouth” and not “word of screen” for a reason. That doesn’t mean raiding the phone lines is the only way to get referrals.

Personal blogs can be a great source of business referral! One of our writers created a blog entry about her recent experience at the dentist’s office and posted it on Page 1’s blog. Her very positive raving is a good example of how people reading their friends’ blogs might follow a link back to your website, or may reply to the post and ask for more particulars about your services.

If you have a patient or client who expresses his or her appreciation for your excellent work, request a written testimonial, and if the person has a blog, ask him or her to post an entry with a link to your site. (You can go to some real depth with this and link their testimonial to their blog and so on, depending on how interested you are in networking your website.) The link will add a little more of that value to your site that we’re always looking for, but the greater reward will be when a new client or patient arrives and says, when you ask, that they got your name from Lydia’s work blog.

Inspire me! Impress me!

2008-02-28T08:23:00.003-07:00

Imagine for just a moment that I am your customer. I do a Google Search, I come across your website, and
BAM!
You now have 20 seconds to earn my interest or I go away.

So what do you do? What should you have on your site?

There is a certain perceived glamor that surrounds fancy websites with lots of movement and interactivity. But the truth is, most consumers don't need a flashy website to be impressed. What impresses people is EASILY finding what they want and understanding what is in front of them. In the book Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug, his point is a website should be designed and written in a way that lets consumers accomplish their intended tasks easily and directly. Here is a sample chapter.

So what do you do?

[ ] Make sure your site is really targeted towards what you want to promote. In some cases, this may mean you create a specialty site dedicated only to the area of practice you want to grow. Don't try to slip in other irrelevant subject areas. That defeats the entire purpose.

What should you have on your site?

[ ] Images. Include images of people who resemble your target market. It is no secret, people like things they can relate to. Also include images of things that make you special. For example, if you have some technology or resource that most others do not don't just tell me about it, show me.

[ ] Easy to Understand Navigation. Are your navigation elements labeled clearly and in the same way that you refer to them in your practice? Whatever you do, don't clutter it. Beware the clutter.

So are you doing these things? If you are not sure, call your account manager. We do not expect you to know these things. We are here to help educate you about web marketing. It is literally our job to ensure you are doing the right things when it comes to promoting your site. Don't let your customers leave your site uninspired and unimpressed.

Track with Me

2008-02-15T08:57:00.003-07:00

The account managers at Page 1 Solutions offered up a collective cheer of joy when we heard that call tracking is going to be standard with all new client contracts. Why is that? Because we know, just like you do, that most new business contacts you via phone, not by email. While we have long been able to keep track of the messages that come to you through your contact forms, there have been rumblings about the need for call tracking since somewhere around the Jurassic age.

No doubt you have a number of questions about the purpose and effectiveness of call tracking. I have attempted to anticipate a few of them, and provide answers as follows...

What does call tracking do?

Call tracking keeps specific track of the number and length of calls that come to your office through a particular phone number. It may surprise you to know that your phone company does this every month and sends you a report on it. In lay terms, we call it a "phone bill."

How does call tracking work?

The goal for call tracking for a website is to determine how many calls are directly generated by a website. To do that, we have to create a separate 800-number to put on the website - separate from the one you currently use.

So...do I have to have two phones, then?

Happily, no. The phone line set up for your website transfers directly to your main line when it is dialed. The new patient or client dials the number on the site and is sent to your main phone line.

Why should I know how many people are calling directly from my website?

Let's pretend you have a three-strategy marketing plan: web marketing, TV marketing, and print ads. Wouldn't you like to know what percentage of the calls you're getting can be attributed to each section of your efforts? We sure would!

I already have an 800-number.

Great! Do you use it in all your marketing campaigns? If so, it won't specifically work for tracking calls from your website. If you're only using it on your website, let us know, and there's a good chance you already have access to call tracking without even realizing it.

I already have a website set up with Page 1.

If you're reading this, there's a good likelihood that you're already a client with us. If that's the case, call tracking is available, and you shouldn't hesitate to take advantage of the option. You can contact your account manager to ask for more details, or to let us know that you're as excited about this new option as we are.

I don't care how many people are calling me from my website. I just want to be number 1 on the search engines!!

Great! Let us know that too! We know that some clients are more interested in the number of new clients they're brining in, while others know that the country as a whole is moving toward the internet as its primary source of information, and still others just want to show up on the search engines above the competitor down the street. Whatever your goal is for your web marketing, make sure you're letting your account manager know. We can better help you reach your goal if we know what it is.

When you are beating your competitor on the search engines, showing up in that coveted number-1 spot on Google, and reaching that goal you've set for yourself, your next goal can be to figure out if it's really paying off to buy those two 30-second spots during the Super Bowl half-time.

Is Broadband used broadly?

2008-02-13T08:58:00.002-07:00

When considering adding flash to your website, or deciding how many pictures to have on a page we often hear the questions, "Will everyone be able to load my website? Do people still use dial up?"

A recent study by Emarketing showed that 80% of Generation Y and X, ages 18 to 42, use broadband Internet connection at either work or home. Even more reveling, 64% of baby boomers, ages 43 to 61, also have broadband Internet either at work or home.

This data clearly shows the prevalence of high speed internet and the convincingly decline of dial up Internet from both home and work computers. With the advances in technology, these percentages will only increase over time.

If you're interested in adding flash to your website contact your Account Manager for more information.

Pay Per Click - Common Misconceptions

2008-02-08T09:33:00.002-07:00

Here are the top five Pay Per Click Misconceptions and truth behind each one.

Pay Per Click converts less often then SEO.

Both PPC and SEO are great ways to generate traffic and email leads from your website. Although each situation is unique, PPC can generate not just more leads, but better leads. With PPC you control where you're listed on the search engine and what you want your ad to say. By controlling the specific search you want to show up for, you're able to filter serious candidates from browsers.

Sponsored listings are less relevant then natural listings.

Sponsored listings are listed at the top of each page and highlighted to stand out. Often users associate these listings as more important than natural listings because they understand companies pay to be listed there. That being said, both hold credibility and ultimately are both great avenues to generate traffic and leads.

PPC is not worth doing if you're scanning well in the natural listings.

The more times users see your name the more they become comfortable with you. By having multiple listings on the first page you also increase the likelihood of your site being visited.

PPC costs more money then SEO.

Although this can be the case depending on the competitive nature of the keywords you are bidding on and the frequency they are clicked on; PPC can also often cost less than SEO. Developing a balanced plan that utilizes both of these strategies is often the best method to reach the greatest share of your target market.

"Click Fraud" is a huge problem.

With Google Adwords, the program we use and recommend, Google has security systems in place to identify potential click fraud. In cases identified as possible click fraud Google will not charge your account for any of the clicks that occur from the same IP address. Yahoo! is very similar in the safeguards they have in place and will also not charge an account that registers several clicks on an ad from the same IP address. Overall, Google and Yahoo! are very cautious and protective of their advertisers to prevent any potential fraud.

Web Video: Making Believers of Us All

2008-02-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Using video on the web isn't a new idea, but where it was historically problematic, we're now playing a whole new game. It is now safe to say that the matters that made video risky in the past have settled enough to make video a worthwhile venture for a practice marketing itself on the web.

Bandwidth used to be the biggest problem. In order to put video on the web, you used to have to compress it until the picture was barely recognizable, and the viewing area had to be the size of a miniature post-it note. It is still true that different video platforms may require a visitor to your website to download software to be able to view your video, or that users with slow internet connections may not be able to view the video at all. All that said, the Internet has grown to embrace video, and some predict that the Internet and television will eventually merge to the point that websites without video will become archaic. But let's focus on the present.

Video can do so much more for you than just make your site look high-tech. By adding more types of media to your site, you increase your exposure on the web, and also your site’s appeal to various audiences. There are entire search bots and websites on the Internet solely dedicated to looking for video. If you have a video, we can submit your video to all of those video sites with the goal of getting more incoming links, and therefore more exposure. (In fact, we routinely do so for our clients who already have video on their websites.)

Search engines like Google and Yahoo have entire pages of search results dedicated to serving up video, audio, and images as search results. Not to mention the advent of Google's Universal Search, which some people are making waves about. This diversity in media can make your site more visible in the eyes of the search engines.

Video can also increase your credibility. The public perception is that video on websites is technically impressive, but it also gives you the opportunity to speak directly to your audience, which sends the message that you know what you're talking about, and are confident in the message you’re sending. Like it or not, if you say it on video, your message is more convincing: seeing is believing.

Video increases the time that the average person spends on your site. Not everyone will watch your video, and those who do watch your video may not watch the entire video unless it's very short, under a minute for example. Luckily, video length is not crucial. A visitor who views your video is more likely to feel a personal connection with you or your practice, and is therefore more likely to look around other areas of your site. If you can extend your average visitor session, you'll find you are getting more emails.

(If you’re interested in using video as a conversion tool on your site, but don’t have any yet, contact your AM. Page 1 offers video at about half the cost of a comparable package through the competition.)

In short, having video on your site provides three major benefits:

1. It can provide increased credibility to your practice.

2. It expands the venues through which you can market your site.

3. It encourages visitors to remain on your site longer, helping convert them from visitors to leads.

If you have a video you send out to potential patients, consider putting it on your website. If you're featured on the news, be sure to get that video out there. Even better, ask us to produce a custom video for you with you and your staff speaking to your audience and with testimonials to increase your credibility. Don't let a web marketing resource go to waste!

A domain tool for you!

2008-01-31T08:30:00.001-07:00

I know all about it. Domain names are complicated. From switching website hosting, setting up email for a domain name, finding out where a domain is located, figuring out who is in charge, trying to locate a user name and password can be frustrating.

There are many online resources for domain names, but one of my favorite is Domain Tools.

Step 1 - go to Domain Tools.

Step 2 - enter a domain name into the Whois Lookup field and click 'Search'.

Step 3 - look at all the glorious information retrieved!

Domain Tools gives you a lot if information about domain names.

(Click Thumbnail To Enlarge)

You can look up valuable information such as when the domain was registered, when it will expire, what server it is pointed to, who it is registered to and through what company it is registered. Domain tools even provides indexed information about the domain name's performance and includes a thumbnail of the website design.

To summarize, if you need information about a domain name - Domain Tools is the place to go.

Pay Per Click

2008-01-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

As more and more clients begin taking their practice nationwide its important to discuss the benefits of Pay Per Click, or commonly called PPC. For those unfamiliar with PPC, you can find these listings on your major search engines highlighted above the natural positioning and/or running down the right column of the window such as with Google.

The benefit to running a PPC Campaign on a national level is that you don't have to spend a lot of time waiting to show up on the natural listings. In addition, PPC offers the flexibility to control how much you spend, who you target, and what you want your listing to say.

Of course, there are downsides to PPC in comparison with natural listings. Primary that you have to pay for each click to your website. However, as we all know it takes a commitment and long term investment to reach the first page naturally.

If you have any questions about Pay Per Click contact your account manager and they will be happy to review this option with you.

Check in later this month for Common Misconceptions about Pay Per Click.

Wanna Trade Links?

2008-01-24T08:21:00.001-07:00

I sometimes get calls and emails from clients who were solicited for a link request through their website contact forms. The request generally goes like this:

"Dear Sir/Madam. Your site is informational and it would be mutually beneficial for us to place links on each others sites. This is my site. Here is the information you can put on your site. Once I have seen that you have added my link, I will add a link to your site.
Sincerely,
Dude or Chick"

After receiving this request, the question I get posed is 'will this help my SEO efforts'? Because the search engines take who links to who seriously, credible relevant links can play a major role in a websites visibility on the search engines. Unfortunately, a lot of these requests come from Link Farms.

What is a Link Farm you ask?

A link farm is a site that is created for search engine ranking reasons only and contains numerous unrelated links. These types of pages will get recognized and penalized by almost all search engines once they are found.

Things to be cautious of if you get one of these requests:

1. Notice if it is addressed to anyone in particular. If it just says "Hi" they are just trying to get in touch with someone who will listen. These types of unsolicited requests for business relationships can be shady.

2. It is not a good idea to respond to these requests, even if you say "don't contact me again." If you respond, they have your email address and can bother you further with these requests or resell your email address for spamming lists.

3. Be wary of anything that doesn't look immediately credible.

If you have questions about whether a request is legitimate, forward it to your account manager. We see things like this all the time and will be able to help you determine if it is worth your time.

Is search engine optimization marketing, or technical?

2008-01-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

Search engine optimization is a specialty many people claim to have skills for without fully understanding both the marketing, and technical perspective. Yes, it definitely a marketing tool, but without the technical skills, and a commitment to ongoing research and development your marketing dollars may be wasted. If a marketer doesn't understand the importance of coding, registrations, blogs, electronic press releases, and link building campaigns then they are not doing a complete job.

Here at Page1Solutions we strive to have strong mix of proven marketing strategies, technical expertise, and ongoing research and development. The search engines make it impossible for anyone to deploy a single strategy, neglect research, or forget about tracking metrics. Many webmasters do not have a complete understanding SEO when they design websites. They may produce a beautiful website that is difficult for the search engines to index. We work with websites designed by other companies in addition to designing our own websites. We understand we need to keep the customers goals in mind whether it is our design or not.

So the next time someone calls your to sell you their optimization services consider these questions:

What is their marketing background?
Do their designs win awards?
How will they prove you have received value for your dollars? Do they have strong tracking programs?
Do they continually monitor your account for success?
Are they strong with technology?
Do they offer a variety of products to help reach your SEO goals?
Do they do ongoing research?

Anyone can read SEO for Dummies and claim to understand the business, but unless they work in the business day after day, and year after year they cannot claim to be an expert.
The account managers, and entire staff at Page1Soultions is here to see that all your web needs are met.

About Mike P

2008-01-03T11:04:00.001-07:00

I finally blogged! To learn a bit about me check out my new blog at:

http://mikepetersonsworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/loving-my-new-job.html

Practicing What We Preach - a lesson in link building

2007-12-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

As you may already know, link building and content freshness are important. We always encourage our clients to get links from credible and relevant websites such as their higher education institutions and the associations/clubs to which they belong.

Another area where links can be attained is from the charities and non-profits that we contribute to. For example, Page 1 recently held a casino night /open house which doubled as a fund raiser for two charities. Page 1 donated half of the proceeds to the Second Wind Fund, a Colorado organization which aims to decrease the incidence of teen suicide. As a result, we have been made a sponsor of the organization and will receive a link from their website to ours.

Part of the reason we got the link is because we asked for it. Asking for links can be uncomfortable and we get that. However, the value that comes from those links is well worth getting over the initial jitters. In short, DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR LINKS. The worst thing that could happen is the organization will say no. You have nothing to lose, except better website marketing results.

Usage and Usability - Leading Search Engines - November, 2007

2007-12-13T09:12:00.001-07:00

According to Hitwise US, the volume of search engine usage numbers fluctuated towards the end of 2007. This list below shows the top four search engines based on United States Internet usage and ranked by volume of searches for the 4 weeks ending November 24, 2007.

Rank Search Engine Volume
1. www.google.com 64.89%
2. search.yahoo.com 21.33%
3. search.msn.com 5.56%
4. www.ask.com 4.71%

It is important for us to keep an eye on usage statistics and how they fluctuate. It helps us keep our clients on the top and keep us prepared to adjust to ever-changing markets.

It is no surprise that Google is still top dog.

So what does this mean for ME in the world, you ask?

If you want to keep or increase your positioning on Google:

Keep updating your sites!
Refresh your content often!
Stop your procrastinating!
Call your Account Manager!