Clint's Internet Marketing Blog

This blog has moved

noreply@blogger.com (benbcraig) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:22:00 +0000

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The Future of My Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:20:00 +0000

I will be posting full time on the main Page 1 Solutions blog. Check out the great information there!

Social Media ROI

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:01:00 +0000

TubeMogul: The Overview

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:59:00 +0000

TubeMogul.com is a relatively new service that has the capability to distribute your online videos to multiple video sharing sites (i.e. YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) with only one upload. Anybody who has experience with uploading videos to YouTube, understands how frustrating it can be to wait up to two hours to get a one minute clip online. And nobody wants to have to repeat that process over and over again with other video sites.

TubeMogul claims to have “rich analytics” and effective video promotion. The best part: It’s free (for now at least). I am just starting to learn about and understand the service and am hopeful that it will not only help streamline our video submission process, but will help us learn more about the most effective strategies for online video creation in general. As soon as I have more personal experience, I will be sure to share my thoughts! Check back soon!

Reasons NOT to Stress About The New Facebook Privacy Settings

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:39:00 +0000

With the recent announcement that Facebook's new privacy settings are going live, many people are worried about sharing too much information. Fears that Facebook profiles have gone from a safe, private place, to one which is not only public to the Facebook community, but to anyone who uses Google (aka EVERYONE) has many users concerned about the personal content they have shared with friends and family.

In reality, the new settings are not going to make a huge impact on any user's experience. Instead, it is going to make it easier to share certain information with only certain people. For example, if you would like to send a message to only a certain group of friends, you will be able to with a simple option that will be next to the "share" button. Or, if you want to share a link (to your own website or blog, for example) you can easily make it public to the world and search engines.

Until this new option, it has been very difficult for Facebook users to separate posts that would be useful to all Internet users from posts that only their friends need to see.

So, instead of being worried about the new privacy settings, realize three things: 1.) Facebook would not do anything that would jeopardize their user-base. 2.) You won't have to read what random people had for lunch (as on Twitter). And 3.) This option makes Facebook an even more valuable web marketing and link-building tool.

Comments, questions or fears about the new settings? Leave a comment!

How Google Social Search works

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:47:00 +0000

There have been many questions lately about how Google will implement social search into it's results, and how this will effect Internet marketing strategies.

In this video, Matt Cutts from Google's search quality team, explains how Google utilizes information from your social circles to improve your search results.

LinkedIn Tips

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:42:00 +0000

With Facebook and Twitter catching so much attention, many practices have been over-looking LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the top social networking site for professionals that should not be ignored. It is a valuable tool for all professionals, even doctors and lawyers. Spend a little bit of time every week connecting with other LinkedIn users and updating your profile.

LinkedIn is especially good for strengthening your online presence, both individually and for your practice. You can use it for managing your reputation, link building, and even for generating leads.

There are numerous ways that you can utilize the networking service. By contributing to discussion groups, you can establish yourself as an expert in your industry. There are thousands of groups, but if you are struggling to find a good one, shoot me a message and I’ll help. You can also show off all of your impressive credentials publicly or post links to your blog or website on your public profile to help drive traffic your way. Or, invite your connections to write recommendations for you, (and try to return the favor). LinkedIn can be a great place for testimonials.

Your profile on LinkedIn demonstrates that you are up-to-date and happy to expose your credentials. People will appreciate your transparency.

Twitter Lists

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Have you logged on to Twitter lately? Most likely, you'll see a notification about the new feature "Lists." Twitter lists are "timeline you build yourself, consisting of friends, family, co-workers, you name it." Essentially, it allows you to sort the users that you’re following into useful categories. You can check out other users' lists (if they’re public) and make as many lists as you'd like.

It's a great new feature, that’s been a long time coming. Let me know what you think, or add @Page1Solutions to one of your lists!

CoTweet: 'How Business Does Twitter'

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:44:00 +0000

Recently, one of my favorite co-workers (who also happens to be Page 1’s in-house social media marketer) brought a new Twitter platform to my attention. CoTweet is yet another third-party Twitter tool, but focuses mostly on companies that have multiple people contributing to their Twitter account (or accounts).

CoTweet allows account administrators to assign tasks to colleagues for follow up and distributes the responsibility for keeping the profile(s) up to date. It is easy to use, too. Like all platforms, it takes adjusting to, but after playing on the platform for a little while, you will realize that it is very user friendly.

Another great aspect of the service is that you can see which user posted what tweets, so you can hold your employees accountable for lack of participation, inappropriate messages, and so on. You can also track your URL clicks by integrating with your bit.ly account. You can schedule tweets for later dates and post one tweet to multiple accounts, allowing you to spend less time on Twitter.

Overall, I highly recommend CoTweet for any company that uses Twitter. It is easy to use, effective, and manageable.

Follow Page 1 Solutions on Twitter: @Page1Solutions

An Intro to Social Bookmarking

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Social bookmarking is great for collecting and sharing your favorite Web pages. It is incredibly convenient, as you can access your bookmarks at any time from any computer. And, if used strategically it can help with your search engine optimization efforts.

If you’re anything like me, using a social bookmarking site will take some getting used to. I’m comfortable with my “favorites” tab on my browser, and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to adjust. But after playing around on Delicious for just a few minutes, I’m hooked.

If you decide to go with Delicious - which I recommend - be sure to download the toolbar on your computer. You don’t have to have it, but it makes bookmarking and tagging a site quick, and is less of an adjustment from original bookmarking.

Also be sure to bookmark your own website, blog, etc. This will only help for SEO, however, if your bookmark is “public.” Usually this option can be found under “settings.” Search engines can see if a site is being shared publicly and so the more social bookmarks pointing to your site, the better.

Comments? Questions?

Twitter Verified Accounts

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:45:00 +0000

One of the biggest problems we’ve seen with Twitter is users impersonating public figures and businesses. In response, Twitter is beta testing with a new feature: Verified Accounts. This feature is currently only available for individuals, but I’m sure that if all goes well, businesses will be close behind.

Twitter will be starting with public figures that struggle with identity theft the most (e.g. movie stars and athletes), but soon will likely offer the option to other users who need protection. So while celebrities and public officials may be first in line, legal and medical professionals may not be too far behind.

If you are struggling with impersonation problems, but do not yet qualify for a verified account, be sure to report your problem to Twitter - they are generally good about pulling fake accounts.

How can you tell if an account has been verified? A badge will be above the user's name, location, and bio. Click here to check out an example.

Follow us on Twitter:

Make Your Own Twitter Logo

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:55:00 +0000

I wanted to quickly share with you a fun Twitter tool that I recently found. TwitLogo is an application that makes is simple to create a Twitter-like logo using your practice name (or any words for that matter). It is easy to save and can be used on your website, blog, e-mail, etc.

With Twitter increasing its popularity, the bubbly blue letters have become easily recognizable. By transforming your name into a Twitter logo for your website or your e-mail signature, your readers quickly realize that they can find you on Twitter. And with the Twitter logo appearing everywhere, the personal touch can make the logo stand out, instead of just blending in with everything else.

You even have the option to personalize your logo further, by changing its colors and size, but be careful as to not lose the Twitter connection completely!

Follow Page 1 Solutions on Twitter:

Doubting the Power of Social Media?

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:22:00 +0000

The following video contains some compelling statistics in regards to social media. Eric Qualman of the social media blog, Socialnomics, is committed to proving that communication via social media is not a fad, but rather a revolution.

Qualman's new book, Socialnomics: How social media transforms our lives and the way we do business will be in stores on Monday, August 31st. I'm definitely looking forward to checking it out.

The Importance of Call Tracking

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:03:00 +0000

Many times while speaking with a new client, they ask me how they will know how well their website performing. To completely understand how successful your online marketing strategy is, you must track everything you do. At Page 1 we use many tracking systems, but the one that seems to be overlooked by many practices is call tracking. Recently, I have found that prospects are calling practices just as often as they are emailing them. By placing a unique 800 number on each of the marketing efforts you are running, you will be able to tell whether the caller found you through your website, a print advertisement, etc. You can even specify the caller’s exact source from the web, i.e. Google natural listings vs. Pay-Per-Click. Armed with this knowledge, you can cut the fat from your marketing efforts and maximize ROI. All phone tracking numbers work with your present office number.

By tracking both online and offline ads, you can easily evaluate ALL of your marketing efforts to see which are performing best. Call tracking has become an increasingly valuable tool for any Internet Marketing strategy. Call tracking can save you time by capturing important caller information such as name, location and phone number. This will further develop your Internet Marketing strategy.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding your marketing efforts.

Controlling Your Reputation Online

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:35:00 +0000

Online networking sites provide a perfect platform for reputation management. You can utilize social media to encourage happy clients to review your work and refer your services to their friends. It also allows you to find any negative reviews or press, so you can initiate damage control as quickly as possible.

Sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn give you this control over your reputation. Don't sit back and wait for other people to talk about you online, start the conversation. Control the conversation.

If you aren't quite sure how to start your social media marketing strategy, let me know. I'd love to help.

The Majority of Online Consumers Regularly Use Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Statistics show that at any given time, 85% of US consumers online will be reading, viewing or contributing to social content. Whether they’re blogging or tweeting, consumers are relying heavily on social networking sites to share their experiences with the world. Recognizing the value of word-of-mouth marketing can help your practice generate more leads and possibly even save some money.

Encouraging your clients to share their experience with their online networks will certainly help drive traffic to your practice. Consider creating a Facebook page of your own, where clients can publicly express how happy they are. Try using Twitter to announce events or promotions.

Your marketing strategy needs to include social media, if for no other reason than your prospects are using these sites as their primary source for finding a good or service. They're usually free, relatively easy to use, and take little time.

Exclusivity, Do you have it?

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:11:00 +0000

How important should exclusivity be when you are looking to hire a new SEO firm? I would argue that it should be in the top 3 things you should be looking for. As we all know, there are only 10 slots on the first page of any given search engine for natural listings. Knowing that, how would it make you feel knowing that your SEO company takes on 10, 15, or even more clients in any given market place, telling them all that they will get on the first page of the search engines? How do they determine who is going to be their priority? Who pays the most? Who they have the best relationship with? To me this isn’t very comforting. And what if they bring on a new client that pays more than you—where does that put you in their eyes? At most, a good SEO firm should only allow 3 clients per market place, that way they won’t cannibalize their clients’ results and business. Keep this in mind when you are looking for a new SEO firm to take over your site. And if they don’t offer exclusivity, you should be asking them these difficult questions.

Overwhelmed by Social Networking?

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:13:00 +0000

There are literally hundreds of social networking sites on the Internet. With so many options, it becomes difficult to distinguish which you should be using and for what purposes. I think that often times the dilemma of deciding which sites to join, leads us to extremes: We either sign up for them all or shy away completely (neither of which are good options). But these tools can be very valuable to your web marketing and branding strategy, so you might as well jump on board.

First and foremost, if you don’t already have a profile on LinkedIn, get one immediately. It is probably the most important social networking site for professionals such as doctors and lawyers. It may feel like a lot of work, but if you spend a little bit of time everyday on you profile, it will slowly but surely come along. The great thing about LinkedIn is that once your profile is complete, it rather low maintenance. Plus—the discussion groups and networks that you can join and participate in will help establish your credibility. Heck you might even learn something.

Other important social networking sites for professionals include Facebook, Google Profiles, and Twitter. Facebook and Twitter require significantly less work upfront than LinkedIn, but will need involvement on your part (10-20 minutes weekly). All of these, including Google Profiles, will help your search engine positioning and visibility.

Social media marketing is a process. Don’t over-do it, but don’t ignore it.

The Recession and Social Media Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (SaraS) — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:22:00 +0000

Recent studies are showing a clear correlation between the downturn in the economy and the growth of social media. Both companies and consumers are beginning to utilize social networking sites, such as DoctorsNLawyers and Facebook, as tools to help survive the recession.

Consumers are putting a higher value on online recommendations and reviews than ever before. They are turning to social networking sites to see what other people are saying about particular products and services. From a consumer standpoint, companies that participate in social networking are easier to relate to and trust. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to lose.

A savvy businessman would take advantage of the opportunity and not let the conversation occur without him. Networking sites are a tool for branding and promotion—they are the next generation of marketing. Networking on the internet is usually free and rarely difficult.

Page 1 Solutions is a perfect example. We maintain over ten blogs, have profiles on many of the networking sites and encourage our employees to do the same. In fact, we think it’s so important that we hired somebody full-time to maintain our online presence. It’s too valuable not to.

LVI Regional

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Hanging out at the NYC LVI Regional. First time in New York City. I cant believe how many people are in 1 city.

Questions To Ask Your New SEO Firm

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:47:00 +0000

I recently had a potential client ask me some great questions and I thought I would share them. I know they are not the only people with these questions. My responses are below the questions, but these are always great things to ask your SEO/SEM firm.

1) Can you give me the background of your company? I see you have an excellent BB rating, and that the company started in 2001, but if you can expound on that it would be great.

Dan, Page 1's president, is a practicing lawyer and he got started with Network Affiliates, who did a lot of TV advertising in the 80’s, 90’s and even currently. He then started Page 1 as a subsidiary company primarily working with law firms but in more recent years we got into the medical field also. See this page for more information about the history of Page 1 Solutions: www.page1solutions.com/more_about_page1.html

2) Do we get to pick the specific search terms and the number of terms we want incorporated into the website?

Yes, but keep in mind that it doesn't do you any good to show up for terms no one searches for. This is something we work on together.

3) How many templates do we have a choice between, can you give me some examples? Also, what kind of control would we have over adding new information, or things such as video or audio, or the blog?

Right now we offer several different templates, depending on what industry you are in. You can see samples of these templates here: www.page1templates.com. As far as adding information to your site, you can give us as much as you want. The more information, the better and everything we write, will be approved by you. The blog is built into the site and you have access to post things 24/7 through the blog. Video and audio we can always add. Another bonus is that you own the website, so all the writing and designing we do for you, you keep.

4) What is the time frame for getting the new website up and running, (I realize the search engine part will build on itself and take some time)?

If we do a template website design, it typically takes about 6 to 8 weeks. Most of the time, we are done sooner than that. Custom website designs will take longer.

5) What is the contract length of time? How long is the monthly SEO rate rate locked in for?

Our contracts are 12-month contracts. The price that you sign up on is locked in for that year. There are certain circumstance that will allow you to lock that price in for 24 months.

If you have any other question or want to discuss in-depth your situation I would love to hear from you.

The Importance of Setting Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:14:00 +0000

A whole lot goes into creating a website and online marketing strategy. There are also a lot of factors involved in measuring the success of a project. Did we meet client expectations? Did we get the project done in time? Does the website get more traffic from the web? Most importantly, does it drive patients and clients into the practice? When working with our clients, we always try to set realistic expectations.

Setting the right expectations upfront can make or break any project. You must clearly communicate everything they can expect throughout the course of the project. At Page 1 we have a team who is handpicked for every project and we must let our team know exactly what’s expected of them - what they should be designing, building, or writing. If your team doesn’t have a clear vision of what they’re doing, or if our client doesn’t understand what we need from them, the project will inevitably fail. If we build something that we like but don’t take the client's needs into consideration or we don't discuss their vision, we will fail again, wasting valuable time and resources. Also, make sure everyone is clear about what’s next, and that they have everything they need.

Setting expectations isn’t difficult, but it does take time and knowledge. We need to marry our knowledge and expertise with the client’s wants and needs. We get a lot of people who are so focused on the imagery of a site that they can't see the whole scope of the project. Imagery alone does not make a website do well on the search engines. That’s where our knowledge and the setting of crystal clear expectations comes into play. We set these expectations in place with the client up front, before the project is even started.

We use a questionnaire form and a few surveys to start setting expectations and getting the clients creative juices flowing. We always encourage the client to ask questions if they don’t understand something. This initial step can seem long and tedious, but it’s laying the foundation for the project's development over the months to come. You need to take this time to clarify the unknowns and draw out hidden objectives.

Throughout the project, it is this initial set-up and consistency that will make or break a project. I can’t emphasize enough the important of communication and putting everything on the table before you just dive in. In most projects things change as you go, but by not setting these expectations, these changes have the potential to be disastrous, wasting time, money and resources. If you take the time to lay the foundation, the hard stuff won’t be so hard, and you’re almost always guaranteed to keep clients happy and successful.

If you have any question or want to discuss your current project, I would love to hear from you.

Musical Websites

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:14:00 +0000

I was recently on the phone with a with a potential client and as we talked about her practice. We were trying to determine what she really wants to focus on and where she wants to be. In order to get a better understanding of her and her practice, I asked to look at her current website. As soon as I typed in the website address, it popped up and started playing music. I immediately went to turn the music off, but as I clicked on other pages it would start playing again. I got a little frustrated with it and asked her “Why do you like music on your site.” She gave me a real simple answer “I think it adds class.”

She is not alone in that thought. Many people feel that music on their site adds class. For some, it might be welcoming or soothing, but there are statistics that show a far greater number of Internet users who find music on websites annoying.

One main reason people find it annoying is because a lot of research for various services or products are done at work. Maybe on break or even while consumers work. Now, if you are working (or supposed to be working) and you land on a website where music starts to play, you immediately do what I did. You ask the question, “how do I turn this off?” If I was simply surfing the web, I would just hit the back button and move on to a different (and quiet) website.

The most important thing to remember is that when you are surfing the web, you are just doing that, surfing. You are not looking to get serenaded and chances are, you might have music playing on your computer already. The primary focus of your searching is to get information about something so that you can make an educated decision.

If you have any question or want to discuss incorporating other design elements that will keep a visitor on your website longer, I would love to hear from you.

The Power of Testimonials

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:15:00 +0000

I was doing my typical searching on the web the other day, looking at websites and looking for new ways of doing things, when I came across some statistics for online consumers and how they shop. The main statistic that caught me off guard was that 87% of potential patients or clients believe user reviews.

I guess this shouldn’t be such a shock, seeing that we often ask family and friends about the businesses and services they use. They will let you know if they had a great experience and based on their recommendation, you will usually give that business a call. The same goes for negative reviews. If your friend had a really bad experience someplace and they told you about it, you will most likely form an opinion based on their review.

I always tell my clients to collect testimonials and post them on their website, but I never knew how much impact it can have on someone who is visiting your website. These testimonials could very well dictate whether or not they contact you.

If you are not collecting testimonials, you should start. If you don’t know how to collect them, one thing that I suggest is having an exit survey for your patients with a "comments" box for them to fill out. You will be amazed how many people will leave you a nice testimonial to use. Then as a follow-up with that patient, ask them if you can use their quote on your website.

You should also make sure to have testimonials sprinkled throughout your site, instead of just one page. Remember, your site is more than just a bunch of text, it’s a reflection of you, your personality, and what makes your practice special. To today's consumers, this tends to be more important than where you went to school and what advanced training you have.

If you have any questions about testimonials or how you can start incorporating them into your website, please contact me and we can discuss your individual needs.

Google What?

noreply@blogger.com (Clint Macklin) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:57:00 +0000

I was listening to the radio the other morning while driving into work and it was one of the funnier morning shows I had heard in a while. They were having people call in that had Googled someone from their past and the funniest or most bizarre story won some tickets to the Nutcracker. There were people calling in saying that a boyfriend they had from years ago had gone to prison or an ex-husband had told authorities and filed a case for being abducted by aliens. Some really funny stories, but it got me to thinking. Do me a favor today and Google your name. If you haven’t ever done this you should. Your name and information is very viewable these days and these are the types of things your potential patients and clients are doing as they become more affluent in searching on the web.

My point is pretty simple. People start building a relationship with you before they even speak to you. So it leaves me to ask the question of what people are finding on Google when they search for your name. Is it a good reflection of you? And does that information give them the perception that you want them to have of you?

These are just some things to think about. If you would like to talk about your current online image or how to improve your online image, please contact me. I would love to hear from you.