Jonathan's Web Marketing Blog
4.05.2007
Layers of Information
People visiting your website usually have a question about one of your services. They are hungry for information. The trouble is that some people are hungrier than others. So, how do you avoid "over feeding" one person while also avoiding "starving" the other person? The answer is to layer the information. Use multiple pages of information that will allow the visitor to dig as deep as they want to.
So, if you're a plastic surgeon that wants to market to potential breast augmentation patients online, you should address all aspects of breast augmentation by structuring your information in layers:
You don't have to add all of these pages at one time, and in fact, adding them
gradually with show the search engines that your website is growing all the time. Good pages to start with are the top level general page, an FAQ (frequently asked questions) page, and a before and after gallery page.
It's important to note that since the search engines choose which pages will show up on the search engines, we have to be careful to present the information in such a way that navigating to the other pages is easy, and that the visitor can easily understand what to do if they get dropped into a page that is a third level, and they just want top level information. Don't make the visitor think. It has to be easy to navigate around your site.
The added bonus to layered, deep content is that it gives your search engine optimization specialist multiple pages of content to work with, thereby making your search engine placement more successful.
I used plastic surgeons as an example in this post, but this concept applies to any type of website.
So, if you're a plastic surgeon that wants to market to potential breast augmentation patients online, you should address all aspects of breast augmentation by structuring your information in layers:
Top level: Breast Augmentation - general, "at a glance", information that links to sub pages below:
Second Level - Breast Augmentation Options
---Third Level - Breast implant shapes and textures
---Third Level - Incision options and implant placement
---Third Level - The risks of breast augmentation
---Third Level - "Is breast augmentation right for me? Am I a candidate?"
You don't have to add all of these pages at one time, and in fact, adding them
gradually with show the search engines that your website is growing all the time. Good pages to start with are the top level general page, an FAQ (frequently asked questions) page, and a before and after gallery page.It's important to note that since the search engines choose which pages will show up on the search engines, we have to be careful to present the information in such a way that navigating to the other pages is easy, and that the visitor can easily understand what to do if they get dropped into a page that is a third level, and they just want top level information. Don't make the visitor think. It has to be easy to navigate around your site.
The added bonus to layered, deep content is that it gives your search engine optimization specialist multiple pages of content to work with, thereby making your search engine placement more successful.
I used plastic surgeons as an example in this post, but this concept applies to any type of website.
Labels: Content, Content Freshness, For Attorneys, For Dentists, For Ophthalmologists, For Plastic Surgeons, Optimization, Visitor Conversion
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
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4.03.2007
Can Your Website Support SEO For Your Keywords?
Most people understand that search engine optimization has something to do with keywords, but few people understand the importance of a website's content and structure when embarking on a search engine marketing campaign.
Your website must have the content to support search engine optimization. Because the search engines are interested in serving up only the most relevant web pages for any given search, a single page of content that lists out your services is not going to present itself as an information resource. Each service that you offer should be presented with a minimum of one page of quality content. Services or practice areas that you consider to be more important than others in your practice should have several pages.
Having these pages of content allows the optimizer working on your site to focus the search engine optimization on one or two terms per page instead of optimizing each page for all of the keywords that you would like to target.
Your website must have the content to support search engine optimization. Because the search engines are interested in serving up only the most relevant web pages for any given search, a single page of content that lists out your services is not going to present itself as an information resource. Each service that you offer should be presented with a minimum of one page of quality content. Services or practice areas that you consider to be more important than others in your practice should have several pages.
Having these pages of content allows the optimizer working on your site to focus the search engine optimization on one or two terms per page instead of optimizing each page for all of the keywords that you would like to target.
Labels: Content, Optimization
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
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3.27.2007
"The Philadelphia Predicament" or "Sojourners from South Jersey"
When I get calls and emails from people in the southern part of New Jersey, the client and I are faced with a bit of a predicament. I would liken it to a planet's gravitational pull. People in South Jersey, especially Southwestern New Jersey, who are searching for professional services online, do not search for New Jersey terms.
There's a common-sense psychology to search engine marketing strategy that most people don't realize. Even if someone lives several miles outside of Philadelphia (or any major metropolitan area), even if they live across a nearby state line as in our South Jersey scenario, they will still tend to search using the broader term because they are narrowing their search, starting broad, and ending narrow. It's for this reason that statewide searches, while seemingly desirable, are not as important as the major metropolitan search (in this case Philadelphia for New Jersey even though Philadelphia isn't part of New Jersey).
Occasionally, the users will assume that they have to drive into the city in order to see the best doctor/lawyer, so they will do a search for something like "philadelphia cosmetic surgeon". When they find someone who is near them and whose website they connected with, they are likely to email that doctor.
In general, it doesn't hurt to optimize for a couple smaller locations along with the major metropolitan area (i.e. Trenton in addition to Philadelphia), but you don't want to try to optimize your entire website for every bedroom community out there. The search engines won't understand which phrase is most important, and they won't see that you intend to appeal to any specific location. Consequently, you'll likely only show up for the least competitive, least desirable searches.
Instead, you can pick up the lesser areas with an inexpensive pay-per-click campaign if you absolutely have to be there when that rare search comes about. You can also use a page or two of content that is focused on that area and optimize that page for that specific locale, but that's another blog entry.
So, whether you're in Philadephia or not, whether you're a plastic surgeon, a cosmetic dentist, a lasik surgeon, or an attorney, be sure to prioritize the locations that you will target with your website marketing starting with the major metropolitan area and expanding to smaller location names only as necessary.
There's a common-sense psychology to search engine marketing strategy that most people don't realize. Even if someone lives several miles outside of Philadelphia (or any major metropolitan area), even if they live across a nearby state line as in our South Jersey scenario, they will still tend to search using the broader term because they are narrowing their search, starting broad, and ending narrow. It's for this reason that statewide searches, while seemingly desirable, are not as important as the major metropolitan search (in this case Philadelphia for New Jersey even though Philadelphia isn't part of New Jersey).
Occasionally, the users will assume that they have to drive into the city in order to see the best doctor/lawyer, so they will do a search for something like "philadelphia cosmetic surgeon". When they find someone who is near them and whose website they connected with, they are likely to email that doctor.
In general, it doesn't hurt to optimize for a couple smaller locations along with the major metropolitan area (i.e. Trenton in addition to Philadelphia), but you don't want to try to optimize your entire website for every bedroom community out there. The search engines won't understand which phrase is most important, and they won't see that you intend to appeal to any specific location. Consequently, you'll likely only show up for the least competitive, least desirable searches.
Instead, you can pick up the lesser areas with an inexpensive pay-per-click campaign if you absolutely have to be there when that rare search comes about. You can also use a page or two of content that is focused on that area and optimize that page for that specific locale, but that's another blog entry.
So, whether you're in Philadephia or not, whether you're a plastic surgeon, a cosmetic dentist, a lasik surgeon, or an attorney, be sure to prioritize the locations that you will target with your website marketing starting with the major metropolitan area and expanding to smaller location names only as necessary.
Labels: For Attorneys, For Dentists, For Ophthalmologists, For Plastic Surgeons, Keywords, Optimization
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
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3.23.2007
Are You Master of Your Domain?
A follow-up to yesterday's post - I realized that I left out another danger in working with companies that rent out web space: domain name ownership.
We occasionally have clients who come to us with a website, interested in doing search engine optimization, only to find out that not only do they not own the website, but they don't even own their domain name. It's fairly rare, but when it happens, it's very disappointing. Talk about a double-whammy!
This means that all of the money spent building equity in your domain name has been wasted if you leave the company that rented the site to you. Sometimes the company will offer to sell the domain to you for an exorbitant fee. Depending on how exorbitant it is, it might actually be worth it if you're showing up on some search engine listings.
Domain equity is not something that is easy to accrue, so it's terrible to have to buy a new domain name and start all over. Having said that, don't waste another month paying to promote someone else's domain name. You'll have to bite the bullet. Buy your own domain name. Buy your own website, and tell your colleagues about your mistake so that they don't fall prey to the same problem.
We occasionally have clients who come to us with a website, interested in doing search engine optimization, only to find out that not only do they not own the website, but they don't even own their domain name. It's fairly rare, but when it happens, it's very disappointing. Talk about a double-whammy!
This means that all of the money spent building equity in your domain name has been wasted if you leave the company that rented the site to you. Sometimes the company will offer to sell the domain to you for an exorbitant fee. Depending on how exorbitant it is, it might actually be worth it if you're showing up on some search engine listings.Domain equity is not something that is easy to accrue, so it's terrible to have to buy a new domain name and start all over. Having said that, don't waste another month paying to promote someone else's domain name. You'll have to bite the bullet. Buy your own domain name. Buy your own website, and tell your colleagues about your mistake so that they don't fall prey to the same problem.
Labels: Domain Names, Online Equity, Optimization
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
0 comments
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3.21.2007
Look Before You Leap
Did you know that you can have a website, but not actually own it!? It's true, and this can bite you in the rear if you bought into a website without the understanding that you're actually leasing the site.
Leasing your site isn't always a bad thing, but in general, when you pay for a website, you should expect to own it. Leasing a design is okay if you just want to throw something up on the web that has your contact information on it. The trouble is, the search engines care very little about your contact information. They care about substance.
Substance takes work. If you pay someone to go through the work of developing new content for you, in my opinion, you should own that content. But this isn't always the case. Read the fine print. Depending upon the marketing firm, you may just be borrowing that content. Moreover, that content may be posted to hundreds of other websites on behalf of hundreds of other professionals like you. So what sets you apart? Is it your website's design?
Chances are, if you pay a monthly fee (aside from a straight-up hosting fee or a search engine optimization fee) for your website, you don't own the design either. You may have even paid a moderately steep "set-up" fee. Even in cases where you paid thousands of dollars up front, you may not own your website. Check your contract.
Not owning your website can mean that you are tied down to the company that originally sold you the site. This company is likely not proficient at search engine optimization, which means that in order for you to start getting great search engine results, you'll need to uproot yourself from the old company, leaving your old website behind, and spend the money to develop a custom website that you actually own, no strings attached. Custom websites cost more, but that's because you're not only paying the web marketing firm for their work, but also paying for the ownership of the end product.
From the search engines' point of view, custom websites are the main event - specifically the original content. If the search engines come to your site and find content that they've found nowhere else, then your site is viewed as an exclusive source of new information. You're not regurgitating someone else's information. You're an information resource. That will get you great search engine listings, and it will make your site more credible to human visitors too.
Leasing your site isn't always a bad thing, but in general, when you pay for a website, you should expect to own it. Leasing a design is okay if you just want to throw something up on the web that has your contact information on it. The trouble is, the search engines care very little about your contact information. They care about substance.Substance takes work. If you pay someone to go through the work of developing new content for you, in my opinion, you should own that content. But this isn't always the case. Read the fine print. Depending upon the marketing firm, you may just be borrowing that content. Moreover, that content may be posted to hundreds of other websites on behalf of hundreds of other professionals like you. So what sets you apart? Is it your website's design?
Chances are, if you pay a monthly fee (aside from a straight-up hosting fee or a search engine optimization fee) for your website, you don't own the design either. You may have even paid a moderately steep "set-up" fee. Even in cases where you paid thousands of dollars up front, you may not own your website. Check your contract.
Not owning your website can mean that you are tied down to the company that originally sold you the site. This company is likely not proficient at search engine optimization, which means that in order for you to start getting great search engine results, you'll need to uproot yourself from the old company, leaving your old website behind, and spend the money to develop a custom website that you actually own, no strings attached. Custom websites cost more, but that's because you're not only paying the web marketing firm for their work, but also paying for the ownership of the end product.
From the search engines' point of view, custom websites are the main event - specifically the original content. If the search engines come to your site and find content that they've found nowhere else, then your site is viewed as an exclusive source of new information. You're not regurgitating someone else's information. You're an information resource. That will get you great search engine listings, and it will make your site more credible to human visitors too.
Labels: Content Freshness, For Dentists, Optimization, Web Design
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
0 comments
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3.02.2007
We're Not For Everyone
Page 1 Solutions is such a unique company, and I honestly feel lucky to be part of it. We offer a service that is really the right way to go about web marketing. Any other method has some sort of drawback, a common drawback being that many other methods just don't work. Our limited exclusivity also means that our business relationships are closer-knit than what I believe other companies have with their clients. Our account managers take ownership over the success of their clients' websites. They are part of a well-oiled machine whose product is growth and prosperity. Having tooted our horn as I just have, I have to say that we're not for everyone.
I say that with a bit of a smirk, but it's the truth. Here are some reasons why you may not be a good fit as a Page 1 client:
1. You don't see the value of showing up on the search engines OR, in your market, there is not enough value to provide a large enough return on your investment with us.
This is something that we establish when we first start talking with someone about the possibility of working together. Does it make sense? If it's not going to be a mutually beneficial relationship, we won't take the client.
2. Web marketing with Page 1 isn't financially viable for you at this time.
We're not the cheapest company out there. We know that, and we're comfortable with that. If we were cheaper, we couldn't provide the same level of service that we pride ourselves on, and we'd lose clients. That's not something that we're willing to do. We work hard for our fees, and we offer great value in return.
3. You can't trust us to be the experts.
Sometimes people have been burned so many times by marketing companies that don't deliver on promises, that they have trouble taking our advice on what is in their best interests. We only suggest strategies that will be mutually beneficial. If a client can't believe that, then we can't work with that client.
4. Your company isn't within our areas of expertise.
We work with attorneys (primarily personal injury lawyers), plastic surgeons, cosmetic dentists, and ophthalmologists (primarily doctors focusing on refractive surgery). That's not in order of expertise. We're highly adept at working with all of those syndications. One of our biggest selling points is that we know your industry, that is if you're one of those four. If you're not, then we can't do our best for you, and we're only really interested in doing our best. If it's not our best, then it's not mutually beneficial.
If you've made it this far, and you're looking to improve your search engine results, I'm interested in speaking with you. Call me today at 1-800-916-3886, ext 210. If one of those areas raised any red flags, then we're probably not the right fit, but I'm certainly glad to talk with you about the possible problem to see if it's something that we can work past. In the end, we're not in the business of being everything to everyone. We're just looking for some long-term partners in success!
I say that with a bit of a smirk, but it's the truth. Here are some reasons why you may not be a good fit as a Page 1 client:
1. You don't see the value of showing up on the search engines OR, in your market, there is not enough value to provide a large enough return on your investment with us.
This is something that we establish when we first start talking with someone about the possibility of working together. Does it make sense? If it's not going to be a mutually beneficial relationship, we won't take the client.
2. Web marketing with Page 1 isn't financially viable for you at this time.
We're not the cheapest company out there. We know that, and we're comfortable with that. If we were cheaper, we couldn't provide the same level of service that we pride ourselves on, and we'd lose clients. That's not something that we're willing to do. We work hard for our fees, and we offer great value in return.
3. You can't trust us to be the experts.
Sometimes people have been burned so many times by marketing companies that don't deliver on promises, that they have trouble taking our advice on what is in their best interests. We only suggest strategies that will be mutually beneficial. If a client can't believe that, then we can't work with that client.
4. Your company isn't within our areas of expertise.
We work with attorneys (primarily personal injury lawyers), plastic surgeons, cosmetic dentists, and ophthalmologists (primarily doctors focusing on refractive surgery). That's not in order of expertise. We're highly adept at working with all of those syndications. One of our biggest selling points is that we know your industry, that is if you're one of those four. If you're not, then we can't do our best for you, and we're only really interested in doing our best. If it's not our best, then it's not mutually beneficial.
If you've made it this far, and you're looking to improve your search engine results, I'm interested in speaking with you. Call me today at 1-800-916-3886, ext 210. If one of those areas raised any red flags, then we're probably not the right fit, but I'm certainly glad to talk with you about the possible problem to see if it's something that we can work past. In the end, we're not in the business of being everything to everyone. We're just looking for some long-term partners in success!
Labels: For Attorneys, For Dentists, Optimization, The Page 1 Team
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
0 comments
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2.07.2007
Domain Equity
Your domain name has online equity. Like equity in the financial world, this equity can go up and down, but in general, it builds slowly over time. With every day that your website is online, it builds that equity with the search engines. The more that you promote your domain name using organic search engine marketing, the more quickly you'll build that equity.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and directory listings are different in that, in general, they don't add to your domain's equity. PPC advertising is just that: advertising. Organic search engine marketing is actually online public relations. With PPC, when you stop paying the search engines for your listings, there is no residual benefit to the listings that you used to have. They have not built online equity for you.
Directories can help in building domain equity if the search engines can see a direct link to your domain name, however, that's fairly uncommon with big directories. They either do not offer a link to your website, or the link that they do offer is masked from the search engines' view by a click-counting program or because only humans can get to the link by filling out some sort of online information form (i.e. select your state, zip code, # of miles you're willing to travel, etc.).
Knowing about domain equity is important because it has a direct effect on your listings with the search engines. If you don't have a website yet, and don't own a domain name, it will take longer for you to show up on the search engines when you begin your organic search engine marketing efforts than it would for someone who purchased their domain five years ago.
We know from the Google patent that Google factors in a domain's age when evaluating a website. If the domain is older, Google assumes that it may be a more worthwhile website because it has stuck around for so long. Likewise, if a domain is just purchased for one year, Google factors in the possibility that this may be a fly-by-night, even spam-driven website.
Your domain can lose its equity overnight if you allow it to expire. Be absolutely certain that your domain will never expire without your knowledge. Domain expiration tells the search engines that they should start over in evaluating your website and is therefore catastrophic for a search engine marketing campaign.
The bottom line is that equity is not an easily manufactured commodity. Do everything that you can to build and safe-guard your domain's equity.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and directory listings are different in that, in general, they don't add to your domain's equity. PPC advertising is just that: advertising. Organic search engine marketing is actually online public relations. With PPC, when you stop paying the search engines for your listings, there is no residual benefit to the listings that you used to have. They have not built online equity for you.
Directories can help in building domain equity if the search engines can see a direct link to your domain name, however, that's fairly uncommon with big directories. They either do not offer a link to your website, or the link that they do offer is masked from the search engines' view by a click-counting program or because only humans can get to the link by filling out some sort of online information form (i.e. select your state, zip code, # of miles you're willing to travel, etc.).
Knowing about domain equity is important because it has a direct effect on your listings with the search engines. If you don't have a website yet, and don't own a domain name, it will take longer for you to show up on the search engines when you begin your organic search engine marketing efforts than it would for someone who purchased their domain five years ago.
We know from the Google patent that Google factors in a domain's age when evaluating a website. If the domain is older, Google assumes that it may be a more worthwhile website because it has stuck around for so long. Likewise, if a domain is just purchased for one year, Google factors in the possibility that this may be a fly-by-night, even spam-driven website.
Your domain can lose its equity overnight if you allow it to expire. Be absolutely certain that your domain will never expire without your knowledge. Domain expiration tells the search engines that they should start over in evaluating your website and is therefore catastrophic for a search engine marketing campaign.
The bottom line is that equity is not an easily manufactured commodity. Do everything that you can to build and safe-guard your domain's equity.
Labels: Domain Names, For Attorneys, For Dentists, Link Popularity, Online Equity, Optimization
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
0 comments
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1.22.2007
Picking Your Battles
The first step to a successful internet marketing campaign is to be sure that you're targeting the correct keywords and locations. If your site targets the incorrect terms or too many terms or even too few, all of your web marketing efforts will faulter.
The best way to create your list is to figure out which of your services are in demand on the internet. An experienced web marketing consultant can help you with this. You also need to select the locales that you want to target.
Of course everyone would like their site to come up when someone searches for your service, but the people who are seriously interested in purchasing your services are those that are searching for a professional in your area. So, instead of "cosmetic dentist", they search "cosmetic dentist washington dc". You'll notice our client, The Washington Center for Dentisty shows up #1 on Google.
If your website isn't optimized for the key locale names in your area, you'll miss out on prime opportunities.
It's equally important not to go overboard in this regard. Trying to target every suburb and town within a 100 mile radius of your office is usually a big mistake. It's important to pick your keywords with the end user in mind. If someone lives in a suburb, they'll usually still use the major metropolitan area as their search criteria and then select a provider from those results who is either located near them or is obviously the right person for the job and is worth the cross-town trip.
Lastly, once you have your list of keywords established, be sure that your website can support your list. If your site is slight on content, then you'll have to cram the optimization for your keywords onto too few pages. You should have at least one page of content for every keyword phrase on your list, and plan on adding content on a regular basis.
By starting off with the correct targets, you'll be far more likely to hit your mark.
Jonathan Fashbaugh
Internet Marketing Consultant
Page 1 Solutions
800-916-3886, ext. 210
The best way to create your list is to figure out which of your services are in demand on the internet. An experienced web marketing consultant can help you with this. You also need to select the locales that you want to target.
Of course everyone would like their site to come up when someone searches for your service, but the people who are seriously interested in purchasing your services are those that are searching for a professional in your area. So, instead of "cosmetic dentist", they search "cosmetic dentist washington dc". You'll notice our client, The Washington Center for Dentisty shows up #1 on Google.
If your website isn't optimized for the key locale names in your area, you'll miss out on prime opportunities.
It's equally important not to go overboard in this regard. Trying to target every suburb and town within a 100 mile radius of your office is usually a big mistake. It's important to pick your keywords with the end user in mind. If someone lives in a suburb, they'll usually still use the major metropolitan area as their search criteria and then select a provider from those results who is either located near them or is obviously the right person for the job and is worth the cross-town trip.
Lastly, once you have your list of keywords established, be sure that your website can support your list. If your site is slight on content, then you'll have to cram the optimization for your keywords onto too few pages. You should have at least one page of content for every keyword phrase on your list, and plan on adding content on a regular basis.
By starting off with the correct targets, you'll be far more likely to hit your mark.
Jonathan Fashbaugh
Internet Marketing Consultant
Page 1 Solutions
800-916-3886, ext. 210
Labels: For Dentists, Keywords, Optimization
posted by Jonathan Fashbaugh
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Web Marketing Consultant:
Jonathan Fashbaugh
A cache of internet marketing insights from Jonathan Fashbaugh, a consultant at Page 1 Solutions. Check back frequently for great web marketing ideas for cosmetic dentists, personal injury lawyers, plastic surgeons, and ophthalmologists.
Favorite Internet Marketing Posts
- Closing The Book On The Yellow Pages
- "Law Office"
- Where Do Directories Fit In?
- The Too Busy Signal
- Clarifying the Importance of Links
- Multiple Websites As A Search Engine Marketing Strategy
- Layers of Information
- How to Shop for A Web Marketing Firm - Going Beyond Price
Previous Web Marketing Posts
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- Is Your Website A Work Of Online Art?
- Closing the Book on the Yellow Pages
- Web Marketing In The Presidential Race
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- Is Your Website Staying In Shape?
- Internet Marketing Keywords
- Your New Marketing Person
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