24-7 AMs | An Internet marketing resource for 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.

Get More Facebook Fans

2010-01-29T16:50:00.004-07:00

My client, J. Steven Baker, DDS, believes in the power of Social Networking. He does a great job posting entries on his Facebook Fan Page. A few days ago we were talking about web marketing strategies and the question came up, "How can I pursue more fans"? The common complaint I hear from my clients is that Social Media is time consuming. It doesn't have to be. Here are a few simple and creative ways to get more Facebook Fans.

Put a sign in your office asking people to become a fan.
Add a reminder to find you on Facebook on your business cards, appointment cards, and stationary.
Add a link in your email signature letting people know you're on Facebook.
Put links to Facebook on your website.
On your other Social Networking sites add a link back to your Facebook Fan Page.
Offer a discount for patients who are fans on Facebook

Facebook is another tool you can use to create a buzz about your website. I encourage you to give it a try. For more questions about Social Media Marketing please contact Page 1 Solutions today.

Google Ad Planner: Incredible Insights with the Click of a Mouse

2010-01-29T16:44:00.003-07:00

Google has continued to impress many over the years. Google has become a noun in everyday language ("who was the 17th president of the United States?", "I don't know, Google it!"), created a cell phone, and is constantly creating new brand extensions such as Google Trends and Google Analytics. As an internet marketing company, we have seen firsthand how beneficial these extensions have been to us in the way we track the success of our clients' websites.

In this continuous trend of innovation, Google's new child, Google Ad Planner, is about to change the way marketers and advertisers gain insights into both their competition and target market. While it's still in beta, Ad Planner is a research and media planning tool that connects advertisers and publishers with the click of a mouse. Imagine an account planner and media planner combined into one, who is able to give you immediate results. That, give or take, is essentially what Google Ad Planner is.

There are 2 aspects of Ad Planner that I both love, and believe can change the way we gain insights on both our target market and competition.

First, Ad Planner provides in-depth information on who exactly is visiting your competing sites. By typing in a website, Ad Planner will give you information about the age, gender, income, and education of the people visiting that site. Ad Planner also displays other websites these individuals are visiting.

Another amazing feature of Ad Planner is the ability to gain insights on a specific target market based on particular keywords they're searching. Ad Planner allows you to enter your desired demographics and specific keywords, and it will display the top websites your demographic is visiting after searching those specifics keywords. All of this provides marketers, advertisers, and SEO gurus with unbeatable insights that would normally have taken months to gather.

While there is still plenty of room to grow and improve, this new tool has huge potential to transform the way marketers do their research.

Google Social Search and how to make it work for you

2010-01-29T16:08:00.001-07:00

Just recently Google released a new social search function. This new feature will now take into account what your social networks are talking about when providing search results.
In order to activate this particular feature, you first need to have a Google account. Within the settings area of your Google account you have the ability to sync all of your contacts and social networks. Once this is done you will began seeing keyword specific results based on what your contacts are saying. Are you confused, I know I was at first? What this means in plain English is if you have gone through and managed to sync your contact(something much easier for some than for others) if you search on the new Ipad and anyone of your contacts has mentioned it on one of their many posts you will see that in your search results. These types of search results are becoming more common and represent a new way to further optimize your site.
This type of function provides our clients (you) with a great opportunity to get your site on the search results page by using the social network sites you have already created. To take advantage of this you simply need take what you have already done with your social networks and expand on it. Here are some basic steps you can take:
1. Whenever possible add new contacts and friend to your social networks; more friends means more opportunities for visibility
2. Build out your Google Profile with as much information as you can and include all of the social networks you belong to
3. Specifically build your friends list on Google and Google chat since these contacts get top billing in the social search results.
4. Encourage your employees, clients and collogues to tweet, post, mention, or link to your site as much as possible using their networks.

How people search for information is changing. Traditional optimization is still extremely important but these types of new personalized searches present a great opportunity for the new "word of mouth marketing".

6 Ways to Optimize Your Pay Per Click Landing Page(s)

2010-01-29T14:53:00.007-07:00

If you are running a Pay Per Click (PPC) online marketing campaign, you are almost assuredly doing so to extend your reach in the marketplace and generate new business. PPC campaigns are a great way to increase traffic to your website and convert leads for your business. A large part of running a PPC campaign is developing an effective 'landing page,' which is the page people navigate to (or 'land' on) after they click on your ad. Landing pages are the catalyst for a successful PPC campaign, so understanding how to design them effectively is crucial to the overall success of your PPC campaign.

Following are 6 ways to ensure your landing page is maximizing its potential for converting leads:

1) Have a Clear Call to Action

When users get to your landing page, make sure there is no question as to what they should be doing. If you want them to contact you for a free consultation, make a prominent call to action to drive them to do so, such as: "Contact us today for a free consultation!"

2) Keep Your Landing Page Clean

Keep visual distractions to a minimum. Adding a few visual aids to your landing page is encouraged, but too many will distract the user from filling out the contact form. Besides, no one likes a dirty landing page.

3) Keep Content Concise

Write succinctly
Use bullet points
Encourage users to contact you

4) Match Expectations

If you offer something (a special, free consultation, etc.) in your ad, make sure it can be easily found on your landing page. If people are clicking on your ad for a special and cannot find it on the subsequent landing page, they will leave faster than you can say "bait and switch."

5) Short Forms

Only include the absolutely necessary form fields in your contact form. Don't make it a chore to contact you.

6) Trust Symbols

If you are highly rated, accredited, honored, etc. by any credible organization, flaunt your honoree logos on the landing page! If people know nothing about your practice, they can at least trust the BBB for accrediting you.

If you follow the above suggestions while developing a landing page, you will give yourself the best chance of converting leads through your PPC landing page. Plain and simple, keep it plain and simple.

If you would like more information about developing landing pages or initiating a PPC campaign, contact Page 1 Solutions today! (Another example of a Call to Action -- see what I did there?)

How an In-Office LASIK Visit Changed My Vision (of the surgery)

2010-01-29T13:07:00.007-07:00

Last week I attended a re-opening celebration for my client The 20/20 Institute to showcase their South Denver office redesign and new North Denver location in Westminster, Co. Attendees included business partners, patients and friends all with the opportunity to have pictures taken with Paul Stastny and TJ Galiardi of the Colorado Avalanche hockey team.

The staff was on hand to answer questions, and as I still wear glasses, I took the opportunity to lie down under the Allegretto laser and go through a simulation of what happens during the LASIK procedure. I was shown how each eye is done by focusing on a green light, and while the eye is held open to prevent blinking, it was explained that if my focus were to shift away from the green light the procedure stops instantly until the 'map' taken of my eye has re-aligned with the laser and it will start again.

I have to admit, when I think of 'lasers' the first images in my mind are of the storm troopers shooting at Luke Skywalker, or the attempt to take James Bond's life in the film Goldfinger. The level of technology, precision and safety regarding the lasers used for LASIK is apparent once you are lying on the padded table looking up into a small and very unobtrusive cluster of lights. I was also reassured by the level of professionalism and knowledge the staff member showed when answering my questions or offering information that answered them before I had to ask. The prescription was read on my glasses and I was told with my criteria, each eye would take just 15 seconds - wow!

On top of this, while mulling around the new state of the art office munching on tasty treats I could overhear patients talking with one another about their experience at 20/20 and how much laser vision correction changed their lives. The littlest things can make the difference - more than once I heard, '...and I could see the alarm clock!'

The ability to see the office, meet the staff, do a dry run with the actual laser and have an idea of exactly how long it would take has really given me a new perspective on LASIK surgery and weighing the risks and benefits. If you have ever thought about LASIK surgery, I strongly suggest contacting a surgeon in your area (that's The 20/20 Institute if you are in the Denver metro area!!) and setting up a consultation. In my case, this was a very effective way for my client to turn a long shot prospect into a potential patient. My overall comfort level exceeded my expectations, and as someone who is expecting, comfort really matters.

Powering the Positive - Reviews That Is

2010-01-27T16:48:00.004-07:00

If you're one of our clients you've more than likely heard us emphasizing the importance of reviews time and time again. We all know that potential consumers use them to gage your business, services or products. Even search engines use them, particularly in ranking your local business listing. But how do you go about getting reviews, and more specifically how can you make sure you they are positive reviews?

My reply, be strategic. While sending a solicitation email to your entire contact database may be the quickest and easiest way to request reviews, it is also a sure fire method for receiving less than stellar responses or reviews that lack substance.

Instead, sit down and identify clients that you have very positive, long-term and/or substantive relationships with. Include any clients that you definitely know are tech savvy.

When you draft the request, here are the important elements you will want to include:

Instructions for posting the review on specific sites (Do they need to be logged in, etc.)
Links to your company profile on the review site(s). Don't make them go searching for your profile.
Let them know that they are a valued customer and you appreciate their opinion.
Mention why you want the review. Specifically the importance of existing customers feedback and experiences on potential customers.
Thank them for their time and opinion.

I also recommend not sending the request as part of an extensive list of information about the business, new news, etc. While you can always include a link and quick blurb in a newsletter, sending the request out solo will garner the attention it deserves.

Consumer Reviews

2010-01-25T14:59:00.002-07:00

Did you know that online product/service reviews are extremely important, especially now more so than ever?

A fellow coworker and I were chatting and he mentioned that he thought over 70% of consumers read and are highly influenced by product/service reviews online. I found an article online that supports this number in greater detail: http://promomagazine.com/research/online-consumer-reviews-influence-0416/.

We should be talking to our clients to find out if they use other services such as Demand Force or Smile Reminder that help them gather patient reviews (Smile Reminder offers other functions, as well). We should also be encouraging clients to get on Yelp and make sure we are putting access to the review site on their websites. Further, we need to be putting the actual testimonials on their sites. Right now, I have a few clients who are putting Yelp and Tom Martino/Troubleshooter (CO client) logos and links to their reviews on their websites.

Vitamin Water Creates a New Flavor of Facebook

2010-01-25T13:23:00.001-07:00

Wanna know what Facebook tastes like? Well according to Vitamin Water, it tastes like black-cherry lime. The new drink flavor is a result of an online marketing campaign that ended this month. Vitamin Water asked Facebook users to compete in naming and creating a new flavor to represent Facebook. It is the second time this month that a unique campaign has swept through Facebook. Recently I blogged about a strange breast cancer awareness campaign on Facebook, where users were updating statuses with their bra colors. The campaign went global in less than a day.

Both marketing campaigns, though very different, have one major thing in common, they both got the attention from millions and have started more people talking about how social networking can launch a successful marketing campaign.

Social networking is no longer just to connect with old friends and share photos. Businesses that aren't using them need to start or they will be quickly behind the competition. Not only can they help brand your business, but with the recent viral campaigns, it has shown it can reach your target demographics instantaneously.

For more information on ways to think outside of the box with your online marketing, contact Page 1 Solutions today.

Increasing Traffic to Your Blog

2010-01-21T13:09:00.005-07:00

As experts in optimization we all know different ways to optimize our clients' blogs. We use content that is keyword rich. We bold certain words to add emphasis. We create hyperlinks throughout the content for the spiders to easily move around from page to page.

Recently a family member asked me how to increase traffic to his personal blog. How can someone increase blog readership if the blog doesn't have a central theme. He posts a variety of different things like photos, poetry, artwork and short stories. I spoke to some of our SEO blog experts here are Page 1 Solutions and also Googled different effective ways. There are a lot of different opinions out there. I pulled together some of the most common answers from other bloggers and SEO resources.

The following is a short list of ways to increase traffic, aside from optimizing content:

1. Add your blog to as many different blog directories as you can
2. Read other blogs and create a track back to you.
3. Comment on other blogs. Especially blogs that are highly trafficked.
4. Add links from social networking sites into your blog.
5. Update social networking statuses for friends to check out new blog posts.
6. Create a feed from new blog posts on sites like Twitter
7. Add your blog to RSS feed directories
8. Join sites like Digg, de.li.cious, technorati
9. Ping your new blog posts
10. Write about things that people want to read- become an expert in something.
11. Contribute to online forums.
12. Write and post blogs as often as possible.

There are several other things you can do to increase traffic to your personal blog page. But the above list will get you a good start and you should see an increase in user traffic. For more information on optimization and how you can use increase traffic to your site, contact Page 1 Solutions today

Are Microsites Right for Your Business?

2010-01-11T12:51:00.005-07:00

I find myself occasionally explaining to clients that their website is like a "living, breathing thing;" that it needs care and attention in order to flourish on the search engines. I also find myself offering the analogy that effective web marketing is much like putting together a puzzle: You take all of the pieces of your business that you want to market, and fit them together within an online marketing strategy. While all of the individual pieces are important, it is even more crucial to keep your eye on formulating the big picture. But what happens if you have a puzzle piece that doesn't quite fit into the framework of your overall web-marketing? Microsites may be the answer.

By definition, a microsite is a supplementary website used to brand a niche market. These sites are typically designed to target a specific type of visitor, and can serve as a promotional tool for specific topics.

Here are some suggestions of how and when to effectively use a microsite to round out your marketing strategy:

Focused knowledge - While your primary website likely offers a basic informational overview on a subject, a microsite is a perfect platform to demonstrate your more extensive expertise on the same subject. Offering detailed information on one aspect of your organization will set you apart from your competitors in the eyes of a consumer by showing your authority.
Elevated presence - Microsites enhance your presence on the Search Engines, promoting consumer awareness of your organization/business. Microsites offer multiple ways for you to provide targeted information to potential clients, and multiple ways for those consumers to find you on the Search Engines.
Compartmentalized branding - If you are branching out in a new direction that doesn't necessarily fit within your current marketing strategy, microsites offer a powerful method to market your new business/practice area/service/product. This will prevent branding confusions, and prevent complications should you later decide to sell off the new brand completely.
Targeted keywords - If you have extra domain names that are exact matches for particular keywords you want to target, microsites may provide a powerful boost on the search engines.

Think of what aspects in your business may benefit from implementing a microsite. You might be surprised at the results.

Facebook Guerrilla Campaign Gets Intimate

2010-01-11T10:08:00.002-07:00

Facebook users revealed their intimate side Thursday after a guerrilla marketing campaign asked female users to share their bra color in an effort to support breast cancer awareness. Where the campaign started or how it supports breast cancer is unknown. One thing we do know is that it's a preview of how businesses can take Facebook and other social networking sites to the next level.

Soon, it wasn't just women updating their status; Women and men Worldwide were updating their Facebook status with: "Red" "Neon" and "Black Lace." Groups emerged who supported the cause as well as groups that said, "I really don't care what color your bra is!" No matter what category you fall in, there's one thing that cannot be disputed, this will be just the beginning for similar online marketing campaigns.

Contact Page 1 Solutions today for questions on how you can take social networking to the next level.

5 Marketing Tips for Business Owners

2010-01-11T10:00:00.002-07:00

Tip #1: Develop a strategy. Because most business owners are constantly juggling multiple priorities marketing can sometimes be pushed to the back of the line. By developing a strategy you can help keep your marketing efforts front and center without wasting time. Your marketing efforts need to remain constant to continue to bring in new business. When you have gaps in your marketing plan your competitors will always get the upper hand.

Tip #2: Develop a marketing "consciousness." If you can become more involved in your marketing efforts and develop a basic understanding of what is effective you will become more inspired and have more valuable ideas for you company. I suggest reading a book on marketing, attending seminars, learning more about your website and working closely with your marketing consultant to get the most out of your efforts.

Tip #3: Keep asking questions. Continually ask questions of your consultants and see if they have new recommendations for you to enhance your campaigns. They are your most valuable allies and a good consultant will know what works and will be attuned to your competition so you can learn from others successes.

Tip #4: Use a blog. If you don't have a website and blog I highly recommend taking the time to contribute to one. This is an excellent platform to highlight your experience and strengths and make the most out of the products and services you offer. I suggest inviting your customers and potential customers to check out your latest blog posts. Blogging builds credibility and will help keep your company name in the forefront.

Tip #5: Use Press Releases. Email press releases to your local media outlet whenever you have anything newsworthy. It is a free way to keep your company name prominent and should be part of your strategy. Some great newsworthy topics are announcing your new website, receiving government grants, organizing a successful fundraising event, or a new business opening.

If you need help with your marketing please contact Page 1 Solutions today. We are here to help!

Can You Read Minds? I Bet You Can.

2009-11-16T12:52:00.005-07:00

How do you measure your customers?

Do you say, "the marquee or big neon sign with our name/logo out front is the last piece of advertising our customers see, therefore, it should receive all of the credit for whomever walks in".

This not not as uncommon as you may think. Decades of measuring advertising dollars has been dominated by 'saturating the market with a campaign', and see what kind of sales come out the other side. (somewhat measurable)

Today's savvy marketers rely on sophisticated algorithms to guide campaign planning and budget allocations. One of the big reasons why online marketing is such a powerful opportunity for advertisers and companies.

Picture this: you're searching for a new insurance policy. After searching for a provider, you give her a call.

Note: this is where the 'mind-reading' comes into play.

Before she even answers the phone, the agent instantly knows:

you found her site after searching for the term "affordable life insurance"
you spent 5 minutes on her site reading about term policies
you used the quote calculator to build a policy that cost $35 per month

She's in good position to close this deal, right? Connecting user website session to the incoming phone call, the agent has essentially become a mind reader.

Even with all of the traffic monitoring/click through/trending tools out there, use them wisely.

Providing that "human touch" can make the difference between a sustainable campaign, and an outstanding one that increases leads/sales.

Are you getting lost in the technology, looking at the larger picture, and using it to take advantage of where your 'leads' are coming from?

Social Media Not a Fad

2009-10-28T09:07:00.001-06:00

Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. What did those words mean to you 5 years? The world of social media was still in its infancy 5 years ago along with these websites. Now, it seems like you can't avoid these words on a daily basis.

Websites like Facebook and Twitter especially have become the new golden children of the social web. And while it appeared that a service like Twitter would be a fad to be forgotten in years to come, it seems that Twitter is here to stay. Twitter just signed agreements with Microsoft and Google to have Twitter streams show up in Bing and Google searches. What does this mean? Twitter isn't going anywhere. In fact, it also means you can search for things in real time as they are discussed on Twitter as opposed to waiting for the search engines to index websites.

But beyond the Facebooks and Twitters of the world are websites like Yelp which aggregate customer reviews on local places of business. While Yelp is a relatively new entry into the social media realm, Yelp has already become larger than Citysearch and is still growing rapidly. These new review websites like Yelp provide the consumer with reviews on local businesses from the people who matter most: their peers. It is important to harness the voice of the average Joes of the world to help spread positive word of mouth and increase your brand's top of mind awareness.

But what does all of this mean? It means that this is just the beginning of the social media movement. Social media is just beginning to gain mainstream acceptance and with the new agreements Twitter has reached with Microsoft and Google, it appears that the winds of change are blowing through the world of social media. In other words, it is important to pay close attention to the social media space. It is not a fad and figuring out a way to leverage social media for your business may be the best decision you ever made.

What a great team!

2009-10-28T08:47:00.003-06:00

I was recently invited to attend an awards luncheon to honor one of our clients, Sales Leadership, Inc., who had the recent distinction of being named a finalist for Small Company of the Year by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce.

I was honored to attend and support the president of Sales Leadership, Colleen Stanley. We have worked together for many years now, and she has provided motivation and training support for both our Sales and Account Management staff. Colleen has great charisma and drive. It isn't hard to see why the CWCC recognized her efforts and the company's accomplishments over the past year.

Congratulations to the whole team at Sales Leadership, including Merit and Katie, for this prestigious nomination.

Testimonials Illegal in your State? Get Reviews!

2009-10-23T12:15:00.002-06:00

Even if false testimonials aren't officially illegal, they are certainly frowned upon by the Search Engines. But what if legitimate patient and client testimonials are illegal in your state? One recommendation is to turn to Local Directories like Google Local, Bing Local, and Yelp.

The Search Engines see a difference between listing "testimonials" on your website and customer reviews. While testimonials have been deemed illegal and prohibited in certain states, and within certain professional industries, local directories offer the opportunity for patients and clients whom have received your services to speak warmly and recommend you in a "review" format that is approved and even endorsed by the Search Engines.

This makes reviews more credible since they were posted voluntarily on a forum where people can be completely honest about their experience and the service they received. This is different than an anonymous testimonial on a website that anyone could have posted. The value of honest feedback on local directories is gaining momentum. The value of non-promotional reviews is being reinforced as we see a growing reliance on the local listings by web-users, and by the Search Engines cracking down on vendors who are posting false reviews by posing as clients.

Every one of our clients should be actively pursuing reviews on local directories. However, I want to point out that those who live in states where patient/client testimonials are illegal should be leveraging the opportunity for reviews on as many directories as possible.

Genuine compliments are of great value, as is word of mouth recognition. Empower your clients by encouraging them to write reviews about their experiences with you. You won't be disappointed by these great referral sources local directories have to offer.

Making the Most of Your LinkedIn Profile

2009-10-13T16:47:00.004-06:00

I recently read an article discussing how social networking profiles like LinkedIn can be beneficial not only to your professional network growth, but also in improving your website's Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Below are a few things to consider after you've set up and are ready to use your LinkedIn profile.

1. Anchor Text and Links
Using anchor text and links is one of the most basic tactics we talk about with our clients. Creating backlinks to and from your site has high potential for increasing your site's standings in search engine results. Also, search engines scan through and analyze, to some degree, your anchor text. So Search Engines are likely to respond well to your site if you use keywords and phrases that relate back to your site and key business areas. Instead of saying 'my website or blog' try something like "my personal injury attorney blog." The level of specificity and relativity of the anchor text to your website content will have a positive effect on your SEO.

2. Use of Keywords in Your Profile
Take a look at your profile and see how many relevant keywords you included. There are probably areas in the headlines, personal interests and summary where you could add more focused phrases which, again, relate back to the content on your site and/or blog.

3. Adding Connections
This is what LinkedIn is really all about! The more you actively participate in the LinkedIn network and groups; you are expanding your visibility. Developing and expanding your network will increase the visibility of your site. Your site is a big part of your identity on the internet, so incorporate links to it from LinkedIn wherever you can and where it makes sense contextually.

4. Customizing Your LinkedIn URL
LinkedIn members have the option to create a customized URL for their profile - you are able to change it to your name or business name. I recommend you do so for one simple reason: it will improve your visibility within LinkedIn for people seeking out your information and again benefit the optimization of your website.

Overall I think this shows that keeping your website in mind when you are actively networking on the web is not rocket science and can be a pretty easy way of increasing your site and/or blogs presence. If you would like to read the complete article, you can find it here:
http://www.site-reference.com/articles/Search-Engines/How-to-Use-LinkedIn-for-SEO.html

Reputation Management: Combating Negative Reviews

2009-09-28T16:47:00.010-06:00

If you're hesitant about jumping on the social media bandwagon because you're afraid of subjecting your practice to negative reviews, think again. While it is possible, if not probable, that there will be a few unhappy reviews here and there, it is unlikely that they are somehow dodged by avoiding social networking altogether. If a client or patient is going to vent online about their experience with you, they are going to do it whether you have a profile or not!

The best thing you can do is maintain a presence across the most popular sites, from Facebook to Yelp. This way if somebody is going to bash your services (justified or not), they can do it directly on your space, where you can find and respond to it.

And remember, a negative review doesn't have to be such a bad thing. It actually presents an opportunity for you to publicly defend yourself or make things right. By responding to the reviewer in a non-abrasive, calm manner, you can actually show the online community how committed you are to your clients' happiness. Offer a remedy to the problem, and that same person may either retract their review or write a new, positive one.

Embrace social media, not only because it's here to stay, but because your reputation may depend on it.

Online Marketing Makes Cents

2009-09-01T09:25:00.008-06:00

I had a call with one of my clients last week and I want to share some of the details because it was a very refreshing conversation. The meeting was with a Plastic Surgery office in Houston with Brittney Lapuerta from the Plastic Surgery Institute of Southeast Texas. The client specializes in everything from Breast Augmentation to Botox. She is very informed about search engine optimization and it is so great to have a client be involved in her account. She asked a lot of great questions and wants to make her site the best it can be. The part of the call that was the most interesting was when she said she didn't care what it costs, she just wants to dominate on the internet. With the current economy, I don't hear that very often.

Brittney said that she knows without a doubt Online Marketing is the best place to put her money and I couldn't agree more. She has researched a lot of her competitors and knows that to beat them online she must work with us. She is changing the navigation of her site, adjusting some of her keywords, reworking the flash banner, adding more content and adding custom video to stay up with her competition online. She is a great client and I wanted to share the importance of staying aggressive with marketing, now more than ever.

If you have questions about what online marketing can do for you contact us today.

Are You Connected?

2009-08-24T10:14:00.006-06:00

Are you on Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? Let's connect!

At Page 1 Solutions, we believe that it's important to maintain a strong online presence, so along with our website and blogs, you can find us on numerous social networking sites.

Social media provides us the opportunity to share updates and news with our current and prospective clients, keep an eye on our competitors, and enhance our presence on the Internet. We are strong believers in social networking, and we encourage all of our clients to participate as well.

If you have any questions in regards to utilizing social networking websites for your practice, please feel free to leave a comment!

Page 1 Solutions on Facebook

@Page1Solutions on Twitter

Page 1 Solutions on LinkedIn

Videos

2009-08-07T09:35:00.003-06:00

One of the best ways to create an instant rapport with potential clients/patients on your site is with custom video. With the video you get a chance to show people visiting your site who you are by connecting with them on a personal level. Additionally, you can separate your practice from other competitors. Last, it can help you with your optimization and also your word of mouth/referral marketing.

According to a study done by a market research firm, one third of all videos on the web are shared. Think about this. If you have your video on YouTube or available for people to see, the word of mouth marketing just paid for itself.

I think the best example of this is with the Wedding Party Entrance Dance video. I saw this video in the morning when a friend sent it to me- at that point it had about 10,000 views, I passed it along and watched again in the afternoon - at that point it had 50,000 views. I looked at it again that night because I was curious to see how viral this video had gone- and it had reached over 2 million views. I think this is a prime example on how a simple video can spread. The people in this wedding were then on 'The Today Show', 'Good Morning America', even People magazine. Of course, this is an extreme example, but it shows the power of people and the internet.

Recently at Page 1, we have done some great videos for our clients: Law Firm Marketing Consultants Alyn Weiss & Associates and Portland Cosmetic Dentist Sue Wendling. We continue to expand our options with offering custom video, borderless video, and even video in the banner. Contact us today for information on all of Page 1 Solutions t video options.

Twitter Tools

2009-07-27T10:54:00.005-06:00

Twitter�s success is downright astounding. From June 2008 to June 2009, the micro-blogging service grew nearly 2,000% (yes , thousand). And while this growth is impressive, I don't think that it would have been possible without the help of third-party applications. It's the applications that have turned Twitter from a simple social networking service into a social media marketing powerhouse.

There are hundreds of applications to choose from, but the following are my personal favorites. They are easy to use, will help strengthen your presence, enhance your tweets, and manage your profile(s).

Twellow � �The yellow pages of Twitter� can help you find users by searching for keywords, categories, and locations.

TwitPic � If you really want to share pictures on Twitter, this is the best way to go.

Twitter Feed � Automatically posts links to your (blog or blogs) on your twitter account. Saves a little time and ensures that you won't forget to link to your blog.

Twitlogo- Allows you to change your custom text into the format of the Twitter logo, which you can then use on your own website, blogs or profiles. It�s fun to play with and easy to use.

Bit.ly � This is my favorite tool for shortening URLs. You can review your history of links and track their performance.

Tweet Deck � This application is easy to use from both your computer and your phone. You can personalize your settings and manage multiple accounts.

Ask any twitterholic and they will tell you that the service is only as good as its applications. We each have our favorites, but we all use at least one of them.