Web Marketing with Bill Fukui

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2010-04-28T10:16:00.001-07:00

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2010-04-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

To provide my followers with a wider variety of subject matter and perspective, please visit our website marketing group blog http://www.page1solutions.com/Blog, where I will be posting there from here on.

See you there!

AMO - VISX University

2010-03-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Are you heading to Boston for the ASCRS ophthalmology meeting in April? It's just around the corner. AMO, owners of the VISX laser technology brand, is having it's annual University courses set up to help ophthalmolgy practices become better at building their refractive and other areas of their practice. Page 1 will be supporting this event and we will be there to answer any questions about website/search engine/social media marketing.

New Product - Dental Numbness

2010-02-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

While at the MOMS meeting, I got the opportunity to be exposed to a relatively new dental product that is gaining some traction in the industry - Dental anesthesia reversal (OraVerse). It deals with the reversal of numbing anesthesia so you don't have to drool, talk funny, or any of the other side effects from having dental work done.

Generally, you will have numbing lasting several hours after treatment, which may effect your going back to work, meetings, talking on the phone, etc. This generally allows patients who still want to go back to work or finish the rest of their day the ability to schedule an early appointment without hesitation.

It is a product by Novalar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

We discussed the marketability of this product to the consumers and the competitive advantage it may provide to higher-end dental practices that offer it. We also discussed the pros and cons of even giving it away and when to do that.

Good Stuff!

By the way, if you want to look into OraVerse, contact Rick Ornelas at ornelas@novalar.com.

Meeting of the Minds 2

2010-02-04T03:44:00.000-08:00

I also wanted to add the my previous entry and mention that I also met with another one of my favorite clients, Dr. Ken Mogell, a cosmetic dentist in Boca Raton.

As always, we had a candid discussion about several issues, discussed updates to his website, and agreed to develop an annual strategic plan for his online marketing for his practice. We had a great, yet very productive time.
----------------------------------MOM Group Photo--------------------------------

Meeting of the Minds

2010-02-04T01:47:00.000-08:00

One of our high-end dental clients, Ron Konig, DDS. (a Houston cosmetic dentist) recently offered me the opportunity to sponsor a meeting of some very accomplished and successful dental professionals who refer to their group as "Meeting of the Minds".

I was given the opportunity to present a course on marketing to today's new "e-Patient". It was designed to be a one-hour course, but the interaction with this online-savvy group of dentist expanded the dialog to over two and a half hours. I felt as though I monopolized their meeting, but they insisted it was what they wanted and that it was a very productive use of their meeting time. I have to say I also walked away with some "gems".

We later went to dinner at an upscale Italian restaurant. It was a great time and I got to spend some time with a group of pretty dynamic individuals.

Online community advice vs. marketing and advertising

2010-01-11T05:06:00.000-08:00

The pendulum has swung the other way!

For years, online consumers have been innundated with marketing messages as the Internet evolved from a primarily information exchange medium, to one dominated by advertising and marketing. The medical industry is by no means an exception.

However, with the growth of social media and online communities, as well as the exponential increased influence of consumer reviews and opinions, today's E-Patient has much more decision-making resources beyond medical advertisements and self promotional brochure websites to guide and influence their medical decisions. Most see this as a good thing for the consumer. But it doesn't come without a cost and added responsibility.

I recently ran across a video that gave unique perspective to the responsibility of online communities when dispensing medical-related advice, and consumers searching for medical information and guidance on the Web.

http://scienceroll.com/2009/11/26/most-creative-presentation-ever/

Quality medical marketing and dental website design firms should take extra care, but also take pride in our services by ensuring we help and guide our clients present helpful information for distribution on the Web.

Ten Most and Least ReTweetable Words

2009-12-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

This year, author and self proclaimed “social media and viral marketing scientist,” Dan Zarrella put together lists of the 20 most and least ReTweetable words and phrases. They are not necessarily surprising, but are important to keep in mind when using Twitter as a marketing tool. After all, ReTweets are easily the most valuable aspect of Twitter. Here is a sampling of the top ten words that Zarrella has on his lists:

10 Most ReTweeted Words

You
Twitter
Please
ReTweet
Post
Blog
Social
Free
Media
Help

10 Least ReTweeted Words

Game
Going
haha
LOL
But
Watching
Work
Home
Night
Bed

Click here for Zarrella's complete top 20 lists

More About Blogging

2009-11-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

I have posted previously about the need for online marketers to invest in blogging. It is probably the single most effective thing you can do yourself to drive more traffic to your site, get more links to your site and get more pages indexed by the major search engines.

I just stumbled upon a fairly recent article that was posted on the hubspot.com website. They actually did a study of more than 1,500 websites to validate these ideas.

Their study showed that websites for companies that regularly blog got 55% more visitors to their website than the static websites that did not.

The websites that blog also showed that they got 97% more inbound links from other websites than their non-blogging counterparts.

Lastly, the sampling showed that the blogging websites had 434% more indexed pages than websites that do not. (link to full article)

The below are some examples of websites that effectively leverage blogging strategies:
Las Vegas Cosmetic Dentist
Drug injury lawyer
Chicago Lasik Surgeon
Washington DC plastic surgery

If you don't have a blog incorporated into your website, contact us, or someone who can. Then start blogging your way to more online traffic, visibility, and credibility.

Using Negative Reviews to Your Advantage

2009-11-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

There’s no question that social media has become a vital part of any practice’s marketing strategy, and while it has provided great opportunities, it has also presented unhappy patrons more than enough chances to publish negative reviews. Many of our clients have expressed concerns about their clients or patients expressing dissatisfaction online, which is keeping them from using social networking sites to market their practices. Don’t let it. Instead, face these reviews head on.

You may feel tempted to do anything you can to bury a bad review, but the truth is, a negative review is actually an opportunity to make yourself or your practice look even better.

By responding to these types of reviews promptly and publicly, you are showing people that you are professional, care about your clientele, and that you are committed to providing the best service possible. Try apologizing to the person for their bad experience (whether they’re right or wrong) and go above and beyond to turn the situation around. Kill them with kindness. Use the unhappy review as an opportunity to prove your commitment to excellence.

If the review site doesn't allow you to respond publicly, you can still try to reach out the person, either directly or through another social networking site, such as Facebook. Also, encourage your happy clients to write about their experiences online, especially on sites that already have negative reviews.

Bottom line: people are talking about you online, whether you are participating or not. Being afraid of negative reviews is more of an argument to join the social networking wave, not to avoid it. By responding to reviews, you will not only save a relationship with a current client, but you may just find yourself with a few new ones.

Comment of the day

2009-11-06T06:28:00.000-08:00

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
—Anne Bradstreet

Physics doesn't lie. It is always faster, more abrupt, more traumatic to fall, than to pick yourself up. It's called Gravity!

Most businesses and consumers have experienced this while we are in the midst of what is recognized as a slow economic recovery. There are lessons learned here that should be recognized by professional practices that will help you weather current and future adversity, so you can continually welcome prosperity.

1. Don't Be Complacent (Definition –adjective; pleased, esp. with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect)

2. Don't be wasteful, frivolous, or over-extend your resources.

3. Constantly manage your resources. Stop procrastinating and plug the leaks in your personnel, product offerings, services, etc. that is silently bleeding your business, productivity, and profitability.

4. Always be looking/prospecting/marketing for more business. Don't depend on the just one stream to fill your schedule, and keep developing more of them. At some point, any individual stream will diminish and eventually dry up.

5. Surround yourself with "go-to" team mates. In the midst of crisis and adversity, your greatest assets (key personnel) will rise to the occassion. Make sure you recognize who they are and give them the latitude to increase their contribution, and reward them.

Go out there and make it a good day!

Speaking in Houston

2009-11-06T06:10:00.000-08:00

One of our clients, Houston cosmetic dentist Ron Konig, asked me to participate in a dental meeting (Meeting of the Minds) that he his hosting in January.

Each member is in a different city/state and we share all ideas, marketing info, business info, and technical information. The meeting consists of approximately 20 leading-edge dentists, including Ken Mogell, a Boca Raton cosmetic dentist, who is also a Page 1 Solutions client.

I will be presenting a course on building and marketing a Social, Relationship-focused website and managing your online reputation.

Looking forward to putting this information together and presenting it.

Breaking News - Google and Twitter Agreement

2009-10-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

Looks like Twitter finally found a way to make some money - Google (what else!!). Google just announced that it has struck an agreement with Twitter.

With the agreement, Google will now add to its results real-time updates from Twitter - "Tweets". See the below example when you Google "Lasik web marketing":

Not sure how this will end up. In fact I can envision "tweets" mucking up search results! But that is beside the point.

This is simply another example of the direction the Web is going - Giving more control and power to the people. Reviews, personal comments, testimonials, complaints, etc. are all a growing part of the online community and search marketing.

The good news, for those that really take this to heart, is that it will force you and other businesses to be better - Better service; better results; better products; better communicators with clients; etc. Your online reputation will demand it.

Embrace accountability! You can make this a positive and turn it into an opportunity, or you can ignore it and have your business suffer, without you really knowing why, until it's too late.

Today's Effective Websites: It's about the user . . . and you!

2009-10-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

As recently as a few years ago it was appropriate, even expected, that your website look, read and function merely as an "online brochure." Stock photographs and cookie-cutter copy that could be found on hundred of other competitor websites were more common than not.

As the Internet came to become a more focused advertising and marketing media, "advertising and marketing experts" pushed clients to focus solely on the visitor - Create copy that was promotional and compelling; use imagery that's engaging and high-impact. Designs were built to "WOW" and impress visitors. Practices were told to look at their website like advertisements - "It's not about you, it's about them!"

Today, the Internet, and more accurately, online users, have changed. Users are wanting to buy, but not be "sold." They are more effective navigators of websites and much more savvy online shoppers. They are also more skeptical to online advertisers and gimmicks.

For example, an independent study indicated that visitors were less likely to click a call to action button that included "Free," and more likely to click on one that used "Instant."

Online users also use the Web as a means to "get to know" providers and businesses, before they even contact them. And let's face it, people choose a provider, not because they are the "best" (they have no way of knowing that); they choose someone that they like, trust, or have some rapport with.

Social media websites have clearly demonstrated that today's online users are no longer voyeuristic and utilize the Web for relationship-building purposes. It's critical your website leverage this change.

Thus, your website needs to focus on the visitors, but understand that they want to know about you and your practice, as well. Your website needs to have custom photos and images of you, your staff, your clients/patients, your office/facility. You will also want to include elements such as custom videos, blogs, testimonials, etc. too.

Some sample of effective websites that address this issue:
Dallas plastic surgeon
Raleigh personal injury lawyer
San Diego lasik surgeon
San Diego cosmetic dentist

If you have not updated your website in last year or two, you should probably consider incorporating these concepts.

Is Your Site A Trusted Website?

2009-10-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

Over five years ago (2004), Yahoo released information about how it indexes information, including what it called TrustRank. TrustRank is a set of algorithms that Yahoo, and other search engines use provide its users with higly relevant search results.

Contrary to some common belief, TrustRank does not only rely purely on the total number of links that point your website. It also takes into consideration the credibility, or "authority" of those websites and is intended to combat spam forms of linking in the search results.

Even though Google doesn't refer to TrustRank, and has its own form of measuring (PageRank), the majority of SEO experts are quite confident Google uses the same strategy to provide better results for its users. In other words, it isn't about just getting more links pointing to your website. It's also important that you get links from the right type websites so that your website is a "trusted" site in the eyes of Google, Yahoo and Bing.

So how do you become a trusted website? There are a number of ways, and too many details to go into in just one blog entry. Come back tomorrow for the first installment to what you need to consider with building a "trusted" website.

Google Reader

2009-09-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

Google Reader is not only a fantastic tool for organizing your blogs, but it can also help with your Internet marketing strategy. Keeping in mind that Google tends to favor its own services in regards to its organic listings, it is a good idea to subscribe to your blog (which is part of your website) via Google Reader. The more links that Google sees pointing to your site, the better.

At Page 1 Solutions, we follow all of our clients' blogs on Google Reader so we can keep with their happenings, as well as aide in their SEO efforts. If you have any questions about Google Reader, or SEO, please feel free to leave a comment below, or contact us.

Dental Meeting - ICCMO

2009-09-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

Spending the day at the International College of Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics (ICCMO) meeting at the Interlocken Resort.

One of our clients, Boulder cosmetic dentist and TMJ specialist, Mark Birnbach, spent time discussing his blogging strategy and leveraging social media as a patient referral medium. We have a plan set and will be leveraging his website as part of it.

We'll let you know the impact at a later time so be sure to check back later!

Google Launches Sidewiki

2009-09-25T09:41:00.000-07:00

Google's blog just announced that they are releasing a new tool as part of it's toolbar called Sidewiki.

Like Wikipedia, it is aimed at leveraging the collective knowledge of online users/visitors to add to the information on a given topic for others to see and benefit from.

Sidewiki allows visitors of a website to see and post comments and additional insight to give people who visit that page at a later time more feedback on the page and topic. It allows visitors to "chime in" on the topic and expand the information to include more than one perspective.

Not sure how well this will work (it does require downloading the Google Toolbar and updating it with to include Sidewiki), or what other unforseen ramifications may come as a result. Like most things that are built with the intention of improving the users experience, there are foces in the online community that tend to manipulate or use them in a negative manner.

If you are a service provider marketing on the Web, like a cosmetic dentist, a lasik surgeon, a plastic surgeon or an injury lawyer, this may have an impact on the growing business of online "Reputation Management" if it does get a lot of consumer penetration. We'll have to watch it closely.

Did You Know 4.0

2009-09-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this great video from YouTube user xplanevisualthinking. Not only are the statistics and facts in this video compelling, they are backed up by a long list of credible sources.

Subscribe to Page 1 Solutions on YouTube!

Strategic Link-Building - Develop credibility by not having "bad neighbors"

2009-09-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

It has become common knowledge for even the most novice search engine marketer that incoming links to your website is an important algorithm in search engines' (particularly Google's) indexing strategy.

However, in order to ensure your incoming links do in fact enhance your credibility, you need to make sure the links that are pointing to your website are relevant websites. For instance, if you are a Las Vegas cosmetic dentist, having links from a relavent cosmetic dentistry website, like www.the-cosmetic-dentistry-directory.com, are relevant "votes of confidence" in your website and helps search engines recognize that you are "local" to the Las Vegas market.

On the down side, having the wrong links point to your website can hurt your listings more than helping them. Search engines see lots of links from irrelevant websites much like stuffing the ballot box and that the votes do not actually represent confidence in your website. These can be seen as "link farms".

In addition, if you have links from a website that has a very checkered history with the search engines, you could also get penalized. Having "bad neighbors" or "hanging out with the wrong crowd" is as relevant to websites as it is with life in general.

Here is a link to an online link-checking tool to check if you are associating with questionable websites or in proximity to "bad neighborhoods".

"Engagement Objects" and SEO

2009-08-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

At the 2009 Search Engine Symposium (SES) in San Jose, Bruce Clay, a long-time, highly regarded and recognized expert in the SEM industry was interviewed and touched on the subject of video and "engagement objects," and the changes Google (and likely other SEs) are making to their algorithms. (view video) Some interesting points:

1. For some time, Google has used 120 different variables in its algorithm to rank, organize and index its listings. With the goal to expand its index using "universal search" (adding more items to index beyond just website or pages, like images, graphics, maps, video, etc.), it is believed that the variable will expand to 200+.

2. With this expansion, it is believed that many of these universal search items, like video, will significantly influence your website's listings. The more engagement objects that Google recognizes, the better your listings.

3. At some time in the near future, it may be possible that if you do not have video or other engagement objects, you will not get top listings, period.

Below are just some examples of using engagement objects:
San Francisco Lasik Surgeon
Baltimore Personal Injury Lawyer
Buffalo Dentist
Denver Cosmetic Dentist
Seattle Plastic Surgery

Economic Recovery - Hone Your Negotiation Skills

2009-08-25T08:25:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago, the Dow surpassed the 9,000 point level and did not immediately plunge. Investors did not simply cash in on short term returns and we are seeing the Dow rise to over 9,500.

Regardless if you believe or don't believe that the economy is recovering, we can all agree that the recovery is different than what we were used to. Today, there's fewer stretches of smooth steady growth, and more peaks and valleys; less "take it or leave it," and more "give and take."

The good news: there is more opportunity for small business owners to negotiate in all aspects of their business: vendors, products, employees and even clients/patients.

The key to success is to hone those negotiation skills. I recently heard about a book by Jeanette Nyden, called Negotiation Rules! A Practical Approach to Big Deal Negotiations.

Nyden focuses on three core negotiation skills.

-Making trade-offs, rather than concessions

-Making effective counteroffers, rather than saying no

-Planning for all conversations, rather than winging-it

The take away here is to stop looking at your sales/marketing process as "business as usual," and start taking steps to better leverage the changing business and consumer marketplace.

Twitter Etiquette

2009-08-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

Twitter is a great branding and web marketing tool, if used properly and strategically. When jumping on the Twitter band-wagon, be sure to consider the following:

• Give, give, give! The more information and resources that you are willing to give away to your followers, the more likely they will be to trust you with their business. Spend time building that trust before you try to advertise or sell to your followers.
• Be relevant. Consider who your audience is before you send out a tweet. They likely don’t want to know that you’re grabbing coffee, or what you’re having for lunch. This is annoying spam that is irrelevant to your purpose for marketing on Twitter.
• Only use hashtags if they are relevant to the subject of your tweet. It is incredibly inappropriate to include hashtags that are popular, yet irrelevant, in an attempt to increase your visibility. You will lose followers.
• Be sure to give credit to others. It is perfectly fine (and encouraged) to copy any tweets that other users have sent that are also relevant to your followers, but be sure to include “re-tweet” or “RT” along with the original tweeters username.

And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter: @Page1Solutions

More on Targeting The Right Keyword Phrases

2009-08-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

In recently talking with a dentist, the question arose as to whether or not it made sense to target his major metro city (Philadelphia), even when his office is located in an outlying, upscale suburb.

I suggested he include the major city in his keyword strategy (ex. "Philadelphia cosmetic dentist"), but he was concerned that people in the "city" wouldn't come out to his practice. There are a couple of reasons why I still recommend he consider including the major city in his strategy.

1- Consumers search for "local" service providers using the major city in their searches, even though they may not live exactly in the "city". For example: Google statistics indicate that many searches that include "Philadelphia" are done by consumers that live in the surrounding metro area and suburbs. See for yourself.

2- People looking for and researching highly important or expensive services are willing to go farther than down the block to work with someone they trust and have a lot of confidence in. If you offer services or a level of quality that others don't, people will drive to secure your services. The key is to ensure your website and correspondence with visitors effectively communicates those differences.

So whether you are Philadelphia Injury Lawyer or an Allentown cosmetic dentist you may want to consider Philadelphia in your list of target keyword phrases.

If you have questions or other thoughts, comment below.

Search Engine Keywords

2009-08-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

The next few entries are going to be devoted to keywords in your search engine optimization and marketing strategy.

To start, choosing the right keyword phrases and prioritizing them is the foundation to your success.

It is no secret that the vast majority of service providers are local, and that you should start with keyword phrases that include some localized keywords. For example, rather than target open-ended keyword phrases, like "cosmetic dentist," focus on phrases like "Las Vegas Cosmetic Dentist" (the link will take you to a Las Vegas dental practice to use as an example).

One question that does arise: "If my practice is locate outside of a major metro city in an outlying suburb, does it make sense for me to target keyword phrases using the the large city?"

I believe the answer is: It depends. Seriously. Whether to use the major metro city will depend on a number of factors, including, but not limited to: 1) how far out you are, 2) the type of services you offer, 3) if there are any geographic barriers, 4) the value of your services 5) the affluency of your area, and even 6) the travel habits of people in the surrounding area.

For instance, a high-end, cosmetic/tmj dentist in Piedmont, CA admits that he gets a lot of patients because he is high on the Google search for "San Francisco cosmetic dentist," even though his office is located across the bay from San Francisco.

Choosing the right set of keyword phrase does take some time and research. But don't make too many assumptions. You may be leaving a lot of important exposure to your competitors.

Marketing Return On Investment - Reality Check

2009-08-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

What does your marketing ROI have to be in order for it to be "productive"?

I recently spoke to a dentist who explained that he would only consider advertising if it had the opportunity to generate a 5 to 1 return on his investment. "Anything less than that, I am not making any money."

His rationale is that his practice works on a 20% profit margin and every marketing dollar has to support the other 80% his overhead.

I understand his perspective, but shouldn't everything you invest in a practice (personnel, technology, furniture, decor, rent/mortgage, collateral materials, software, hardware, etc.) share the burden of generating a return?

For instance, some practices indicate that as much as 80% of their business comes from good word-of-mouth. If this revenue is credited to the "business," the overhead should be applied there as well. Thus, if your business/service/results/outcomes are not generating the majority of your revenue and new business, then you really need to take a much closer look at every aspect of your practice and the "return" each contributes. The fact is, marketing costs usually make up less than 10 percent of your overall expenses.

In short, rather than expect 10 percent of your expenses to carry the other 90 percent of your business, as well as your profits, make sure every part of your business is "pulling their own weight." At least, separate your referral and direct marketing revenue and place the ROI burden on the appropriate area of your practice.

Even the best, most cost-effective marketing in the world can't save a bad product or service. If your ROI isn't where it needs to be, don't focus solely on the 5-10 percent that makes up your marketing and overlook the 90 percent of the rest of your business.

IACA Meeting

2009-08-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

Spent the end of last week at the IACA meeting in San Francisco, and met with a lot of our existing clients, as well as practices that have indicated a strong interest in becoming one.

Trends
Although many practices indicated that the end of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009 was a financially trying time, most acknowledged that they started to see things turn around in their practice in the 2nd quarter, particularly the increase in cosmetic patients. Most are looking to do more aggressive strategies on the Web, as everyone indicated that they continue to get more patients from the Web than any other marketing effort they do. Some will be doing more aggressive SEO updates. Others are adding services like sleep apnea, sedation dentistry, etc. While others still are looking to do more in the social media and referral marketing arena.

IACA Attendees
Unfortunately, I cannot recall all fhe clients we met with, but some of them included:
Ken Mogell, Boca Raton dentist
Josh Bernstein, San Francisco cosmetic dentist
Ira Shapira, Chicago cosmetic and sleep apnea dentist
Sue Wendling, Portland cosmetic dentist
Larry Evola, Buffalo cosmetic dentist
Mark Birnbach, Boulder and Denver cosmetic dentist
Joseph Henry, Orange County cosmetic dentist
Michael Chung, Washington, DC cosmetic dentist
Tucker Di Edwardo, LVI Global
Keith Ogawa, Medford cosmetic dentist
Ron Konig, Houston cosmetic and TMJ dentist
Michael Bufo, Portland, Maine cosmetic dentist
Dave Dooley, Chicago cosmetic dentist
Daniel Strater, Dallas cosmetic dentist
Joel Smith, Beaumont cosmetic dentist
Robert Beebe, Maine cosmetic dentist

If I missed someone, please post a reply so I can update. It was great seeing all of you, and I look forward to see new things happen on the Web you! As always, we appreciate all of your support and collaboration.

Going to San Francisco

2009-07-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

I will be going to San Francisco to attend the International Association of Comprehensive Aesthetics (IACA) national meeting later this week, so my posts may be a little infrequent.

I will also be participating in presenting a course with Bob Weiss (Alyn-Weiss & Associates), Dr. Randy Jones, and Dr. Joe Barton.

Obviously, it is a privelidge to share the microphone with these highly credible professionals. I can also personally say that they are genuinely nice people.

Looking forward to it.

Times Continue To Change - sometimes for the better

2009-07-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

All this talk about change in my most recent post. However, I want to emphasize, change is not always bad.

The Dow ended yesterday over 9,000 pts for the first time since January!! Hopefully, this change in the market continues. I've noticed second quarter 401K numbers going up for the first time in I can't remember how long.

Ok, so this isn't about marketing, . . . but ... wait... what am I talking about? It has all to do about marketing.

So many businesses have gone into hibernation, and like turtles tucking everything under their shell, have all but pulled most of their marketing dollars (and investment dollars) out. The key is to know when to get back in.

You need to determine your key indicators and when that time is. But make sure it isn't too late. If you wait to until after everyone has already regained their marketshare, your dollars are not going to have as much impact. Again, if you waited too long to pull out, then don't make the same mistake about getting back in. The opportunity may pass you by.

More Learning From The Past

2009-07-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

"Let your fingers do the walking through the . . ."

When's the last time you heard that jingle? You probably used to use the yellow page book to find providers, restaurants, get phone numbers, location information, check on products, inventory, hours of operation, etc. But as most consumers realize, much of what they used the phone book for, they now use the Web instead.

It is no surprise that Yellow Page Advertising is taking a hit because of the economy. However, their biggest problem is not the declining number of advertisers, but the declining number of USERS. Without users, so goes the value of the medium.

For generations, people used publishing outlets to get information. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, white and yellow page books, etc. dominated! They had all the brand recognition, the financial resources, all the data! Unfortunately, they continued to see themselves as a publishing company, not an information source.

Could you imagine if Yellow Pages got into the search business 10 years ago, rather than waiting for their business to deteriorate. With all their branding, resources and cash flow, it is not unrealistic to say instead of "Googling" we could be "Dexing" today.

Learn from others mistakes and don't fall asleep at the wheel. Stay sharp and open to opportunities.

Learn From TV's Past

2009-07-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

I remember when I first entered the professional services (doctors and lawyers) advertising industry about 15 years ago.

-Television was, by far, the dominant medium for advertising
-The vast majority was viewing the big 3 networks (ABC, CBS, NBC)
-High quality ads were produced on film
-Target audiences were easy to find and reach
-Parents worried about their kids watching too much television

Today,

-On average, people spend twice as much time on online (32.7 hours/week) than television (16.4 hours/week).
-The big 3 have lost the majority of the prime time market to cable programming
-Video and television advertising production has gone digital
-Television audiences (and people in general) have become ultra fragmented with so many program options; it is no longer a simple task to target audiences and much easier to waste marketing dollars
-Parents worry about their kids spending too much time on the Internet

Television changed the world. And in the process, it too has gone through a lot of changes. Even "free" television is no longer free and requires you purchase new HD-ready sets.

The fact is, the changes that television had, the Internet will experience too, at a much faster pace. For example, if you built your website less than a year ago, you probably need to update it simply to allow mobile devices to display it correctly (ex. iPhone and Blackberry display websites differently than your desktop or laptop).

The important thing is to always "keep your head in the game" or you risk being a rabbit-ear antenna television in an HD world.

Social Bookmarking: Another Great Web Tool

2009-07-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

Social bookmarking is a beneficial tool that is too often overlooked. Instead of being limited to a single computer, social bookmarking services allow you to add and access sites from any computer at any time.

Sites, such as Delicious and StumbleUpon, allow users to not only access and save bookmarks, but also allow them to manage and share their resources. Bookmarked sites can be tagged, titled, and organized so other users can find them. You can easily sort your resources, or find new resources that other users have tagged with keywords. For example, if I am looking for articles, blogs, or websites with information about SEO, I can search for other users’ bookmarks that have been tagged “SEO.” The most popular sites will appear first, enabling me to find any industry must-reads.

It’s not a bad idea to join a site like Delicious, so that you can tag your own websites and blogs so they can be found by other users. The bookmarks are RSS enabled, so they are easy to subscribe to and publish. And, you can reach your target audience by finding users that have similar interests.

Worried about sharing too much information with your network? Don't, because you can set any bookmarks that you don’t want anyone else to see to private.

Overall, social bookmarking is a great for managing and sharing your web pages. I highly recommend it.

Official Google Blog: Blogger is turning 10

2009-07-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Blogging has been around for a long time. In fact, Blogger.com will be celebrating it's 10th birthday in August.

Blogging still remains one of them most effective ways to build online community, credibility and expand your online presence, but you have to participate and contribute. Also, when you make entries to your blog, be sure to add photos, graphics, or images to make it more appealing and make sure you include links to credible sources for more information, including new pages that get added to your website.

The key is: Keep blogging!

Back To The Basics

2009-06-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

I attended the ASMBS (American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery) 26th Annual Meeting in Dallas at Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center Grapevine last week.

As an industry, the bariatric surgery marketplace is an emerging market for medical advertising and marketing firms and is not as a competitively mature as the LASIK, cosmetic surgery or cosmetic dentistry industries.

Interesting though, many surgeons we talked to were familiar with more sophisticated search engine optimization strategies, like link-building, social media, and pay-per-click advertising. Yet when we looked at their website, they lacked some of the most fundemental elements, which undermined any of their more sophisticated strategies. So this entry is about some of fundamental elements when developing your website.

1- Start with organizing your website and all of its pages with your target keyword phrases in mind, first! Don't try to cram too many topics and target keyword phrases on one page. The more pages; the better. The more focused your content on every page, the better.

2- Make sure your copy is original, not duplicated text found on other websites. Many inexpensive website design firms sell templated website designs with cookie-cutter opy that can be found on many other providers who are "leasing" the same website and copy. Bottom line, search engines don't want to waste space on its servers indexing the same information over, and over, and over again.

3- Don't stop adding to your website. Whether you add new pages, change existing information, or program a blog and make regular entries, search engines will reward you for updating your website with more current and accurate information.

So before you throw all of your efforts and energy into more sophisticated optimization strategies, don't forget to do the basics first. All of your other search engine positioning efforts will make a bigger impact if given the right opportunity.

Bariatric Surgery Meeting

2009-06-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Just landed today in Dallas and will be attending the 26th Annual American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Meeting (ASMBS), to see if this medical industry can be very synergistic with our current clients, particularly our plastic surgery website marketing clients.

For years (I think I originally started looking into bariatric surgery in 2000), I believed that this industry could be a mutually beneficial relationship for patients, our clients and our business. The type of impact successful weightloss surgery can have on a patient is something I believe everyone in our agency could get behind and feel like we make a difference in the world. It is that altruistic purpose I talked about with Norton.

We have already started to work with a Los Angeles bariatric surgery practice and a Denver bariatric surgery practice. We'll see if this meeting can help accelerate our penetration in this industry and bring its providers a much needed service. Stay tuned.

Hashtags Add to the Twitter Frenzy

2009-06-22T13:58:00.001-07:00

Hashtags are the latest craze on Twitter. Users are including key search phrases preceded by a hash symbol (#), which helps their tweets show up on relevant searches.

For example, if I am tweeting about my new iphone, I would include the hashtag #iphone at the end of my tweet. Twitter then groups all of the Tweets that include #iphone together, so they can be easily found in a search.

It’s always a good idea to include a hashtag in your tweets, just be careful to make sure that your tags are relevant and appropriate to your topic (otherwise they will be regarded as spammy, hurting your brand more than helping).

Happy Tweeting!

More Google Local

2009-06-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

My apologies for leaving those interested in Google Maps/Local hanging. Today's your day.

As mentioned earlier, the optimization strategies that may get you top listings in the "natural" or "organic" listings on Google, may not always get you top Google Local listings.

In addition to utilizing the Google Local Business Center, there are other things you can do to build more local credibility in the eyes of the search engines.

In fact, only a small percentage of business actually claim and validate listings through GLBC. It is believed that much of the local search results are more influenced by trusted sources such as the Better Business Bureau, directories such as InfoUSA, Acxiom, and Localeze.

It also makes good sense to find other "local" sources to get your business information listed. There a lots of local websites, directories, blogs, etc. that can help improve your "local" presence and your credibility in the eyes of the search engines.

Getting more traffic . . . Bing!

2009-06-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

Breaking News - ComScor, Inc. recently announced that in the second week of June, Microsoft's share of the Internet search market increase by more than 50 percent from it's share prior to releasing Bing.

Bing's search share rose from 8 percent in May to 12.1 percent in by the end of last week.

The search traffic increase is in large to the $100 million marketing campaign by Microsoft to promote it's new search.

This information is credited to www.Marketwatch.com and comments about Bing are also posted

A Lasting Message

2009-06-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

I am deviating somewhat today in my entry, as I was notified yesterday of the passing of the patriarch of Network Affiliates, Norton Frickey.

Network Affiliates was my first exposure to a career in legal and medical advertising, and I, as well as much of Page 1 Solutions, am a result of what Norton built there about 30 years ago.

Although Norton never really grasped my last name, referring to me as "Foo-too-lie," I always saw it as our little connection.

I will share one conversation I had with NF early in my history with the agency that stuck with me ever since.

I once asked him what drove him to step out of the shadows of the legal establishment and blaze the trail of legal television advertising, knowing he would be somewhat shunned by his colleagues. Did he really forsee the financial success it would bring?

He responded by saying he had no idea. But what he did know was that his message "fighting for the rights of the little guy," was something he really believed in. At the time, there were so many people with no access to the legal system, because you had to be either a company, or very well to do.

"That's not what our forefathers envisioned for our judicial system."

Then it occurred to me: If you do things with passion, for the right reason, and with a bigger, underlying atruistic purpose, success, including financial, is simply an outgrowth.

Since that time, I have tried to take that approach to sales and other things, and not focus so much on the sale, the contract or money. Rather, I focused more on providing a worthy service and products to clients that can really benefit from them. It's worked for me.

Thanks, NF!

Google Local

2009-06-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

Many online marketers and consumers have not only started to see the "local" or "map" listings on search engines results, they are now starting to focus on them.

It is also important to note that the same results that get you the top traditional organic listing, may not be enough to get you on the local/map listings.

The most important thing to make sure your business is properly submitted to the Google Local Business Center.

The LBC is a free listing and allows for free updates and is one tool Google uses to identify and rank "local" businesses. Suprisingly, most businesses have not taken the time, or more likely are not aware of it so they remain unlisted.

There are some other things that you can do to improve your local/map listings, but I will need to share those in the next entry.

Stay tuned . . .

More Focus

2009-06-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

I am currently listening to a book on CD called The Breakthrough Company.

It is a book on how emerging entrepreneurial businesses "break through" the barriers that keep most businesses leashed to their current realities, and in a majority of cases, lead to their ultimate demise.

One of the numerous things they discuss is the ability to focus and follow through. This concept also applies to how we approach your Search Engine Optimization. For instance, we have New York rhinoplasty surgeon. Although he actually performs all cosmetic surgery procedures, including breast augmentation, liposuction facelifts, etc., his main focus and expertise is rhinoplasty.

We recently have started to shift all of his new updates and optimization to focus on rhinoplasty keyword phrases We will make continual updates and optimization to the website focusing in this area.

Check back to my blog for updates on his progress.

Super Service

2009-06-10T09:12:00.000-07:00

Yesteday, one of our account managers interupted a meeting to ask about a Raleigh, North Carolina personal injury client that needed to get a Google sponsored pay per click campaign online immediately, as the media just announced news about a factory explosion.

Here was an internal email she sent this morning:

2:35 Client calls requesting a page written on an factory explosion and wants to set up PPC to direct people to his site
3:10 Lynn writes a page and sends it over
3:45: Client edits and approves content and asks if everything can be done today
4:00: Lori agrees to post the page, w/o even having a task assigned
4:15: Shannon starts PPC account for client

Bada Bing! That’s what I call exceeding client expectations.

Big thanks to Shannon, Lynn and Lori.. you guys rawk! 

Ashley Martin
Account Manager

Page 1 Gives Back

2009-06-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may not be aware, Page 1 Solutions, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, has committed to make a donate for every website we build. In the month of May, Page 1 has donated enough to plant an additional 20 trees and saved 2,000 sq. ft. of rainforest land.

Our Design manager, Troy indicated that this roughly offsets the carbon foot print created by commuting to and from work, for five employees. He also got a local auto repair shop to offer our team discounts, including free tire rotation. To quote Troy, "So, planting trees/saving rainforest land + taking care of your car = small feet = happy planet."

This is one example of making a difference, but also a good way to also get incoming links from a highly credible website.

MSN chasing Google - BING!

2009-06-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

In the same week Google announced it's new software for managing Internet messaging (email), MSN unveiled it's new brainchild to compete with Google's search. It's new live search platform is called Bing.

This is like watching a prime time soap opera where everybody has an idea of what will likely happen, but twists and turns can change the outcome.

In one camp, the thought is: It's taken Microsoft nearly 10 years to arrive late to the forum for a prize fight where the battle has already been won, and the victor having already moved on to loftier goals.

Others, although much fewer, think that as Google extends its resources and energy into other areas (youtube, email, social media websites, etc.), it will create opportunity for more focused providers (Bing??) to make up ground in the search arena. (Remember other empires that were fighting too many fronts, like Rome, Napoleon, the Mongol Empire, England, Germany, etc.??)

Personally, I would like to see more competition in the search arena because in the end, the marketer and consumer win when there is more competition. Monopolies eliminate choices. So I am pushing for Bing, or any other worthy competitor, to gain some marketshare, but it will be a long uphill battle.

In the meantime, stay sharp and keep working the angles.

"Wave" Good Bye To Email???

2009-06-01T05:37:00.000-07:00

Recently, there has been a buzz around a developing new technology that can allow users to communicate in a new way through the Internet, without Microsoft Outlook or Explorer browser (or any browser for that matter).

Sounds like a monumental, if not impossible, task! The only thing that makes developers and the media serioius about the possibility is that it is being developed by Google.

The new technology is called Wave and in the words of project leader Lars Rasmussen, it's email, "if it were invented today."

Email, for the most part, has not really changed a tremendous amount over the years, which by Internet standards (where everything is in constant change). That may change later this year.

The bad news for marketers is that it may complicate how the the Internet universe communicates with each other. The good news for the proactive, opportunity-focused website/Internet marketing agency, is that it will likely create new opportunities for them and their clients.

Stay tuned for developments . . .

Presentation at IACA

2009-05-27T06:34:00.000-07:00

I am scheduled to participate in a presentation at this year's IACA meeting in San Francisco in July, and am currently working on the presentation.

The presentation is spearheaded by Bob Weiss, owner of Alyn-Weiss and Associates and will also include a case study by one of the IACA members. It will cover 1) statistics comparing multimedia marketing options and their efficiency, 2) website design, 3) search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, 4) referral-based marketing and 5)social media, particularly LinkedIn and Facebook.

I think this presentation will not only be very well received by the attendees, but help them as well.

Just wrote a review

2009-05-26T20:02:00.001-07:00

Ok, so you have seen the Google results that are located next to the map. These are Google Local results. One way to help get higher listings on them is to write positive reviews for them.

I just wrote a review for one of our clients. The best part is that it is all true. They are Las Vegas Cosmetic Dentists and we just started positioning their website on the search engines.

Here is a link to the review I just wrote about them.

They are great dentists and even nicer people. They are going to do well.

Bulk Email - Don't Jeopardize Your Website!

2009-05-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

Most practices don't think too much about the hosting of their website or email, because for most part, they don't experience a lot of problems or issues (which is good).

However, there is one thing you should be aware of regarding protecting your hosting services:

Your domain is not the same thing as your IP address and it can be shared or dedicated.

Engaging in negative online behavior or having "bad" neighbors can not only hurt your listings on the search engines, it can get you banned and even force your host provider to shut down your website all together.

One of the most common faults many practices engage in is sending bulk emails out through their main IP (hosting both their email and website). Even if the list is composed of your own patients/clients or highly filtered "opted in" email addresses, this can create a problem: Your emails can be perceived as "spam".

If you want to engage in database marketing, do so with a seperate email provider, one who is set up with this objective in mind. One that has been doing a lot of aggressive national advertising is Constant Contact. Some other options are: ResultsMail or Campaigner.

So before you start blasting away, think and make sure you don't shoot yourself in the foot!

Word of Mouth Marketing: Electronic Referrals

2009-05-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

It is not unusual when I have practice's tell me that they get the majority of their business (many, as much as 80%) is generated from positive word of mouth referrals from happy clients/patients. The facinating thing for most practices is that they do nothing to consciously stimulate it! At the same time, they spend thousands of dollars on yellow pages, direct mail, print advertising, and radio/television.

So why is it that they will spend 100% of their marketing dollars and attention to things that generates about 20% of their business? The answer is that there has not been a simple "just pay some money" means to professionally and effectively market word of mouth business - Until today!

We all familiar with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc. However, Social media is NOT a website. It is a human phenomenon where more and more people are feeling comfortable with using the Web to build, manage, and communicate relationships.

The key is to find ways to get into the "community" by thoughtful participation and contributing. We will address this, and more, in subsequent entries, but for now, start thinking that your practice can and needs to enter the social media marketing arena and how you can stimulate more word-of-mouth business through a medium your patients/clients and all of their friends and co-workers are communicating, right now.

Dentist: Highest Profit Margin in 2008

2009-05-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

I just got passed an article that came out at the beginning of the year that identified a study that was conducted on 115,000 businesses and dentists were shown to be the most profitable among all different business types, including accountant/tax perparation (which showed a 15.6% profit margin), and even lawyers (13.4%).

The article was posted in the Triangle Business Journal .

So, if you are a dentist and feel crunched by the economy, don't fret, you are likely doing relatively better than most businesses.

Don't Stand In The Way

2009-05-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

I had several members of the Page 1 team attend (on their own initiative) an Internet Marketing meeting (The Rocky Mountain Internet User Group)where the topic was social media marketing. We met yesterday late after noon to debrief and discuss information. Some of it included:
-Changes in Search Engine Optimization technology (Google, Yahoo, etc.) and their growing ability to provide customized results based on user habits, location, history, demographics, etc.
-How more consumers are turning to their own network of friends, relatives, co-workers, even acquaintances, to get referrals and advice when considering big or expensive decisions.
-In order to facilitate this, they are leveraging their online social networking communities (facebook, myspace, twitter, etc.)

However the most beneficial part of this meeting was the initiative that these team members demonstrated and the desire to bring more to Page 1 and the passion to become part of something bigger than the work they do here.

For any manager fortunate enough to have team members like this, I have one one bit of advice: Don't get in their way, and even find ways for them to manifest this passion. Maybe even more than "a mind", passion is a terrible thing (for any business) to waste.

Facebook vs. MySpace

2009-05-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

From a business perspective, there are several reasons that Facebook is a more valuable web marketing tool than MySpace. Here are just a few:

Facebook is the 5th most popular site on the Internet and is ranked the top social networking site, while MySpace is listed as the 9th most popular site overall and is 3rd on the list of social networking sites.

Facebook has over 200 million more users in the U.S. and 500 million more visits per month than MySpace.

Nearly 60% of Facebook users have an income over $60k, as opposed to 51% of MySpace users.

56% of Facebook users have earned a college degree. The majority of MySpace users have no college education at all.

73% of MySpace users are under the age of 34, while the fastest growing demographic of Facebook users is 35+.

As you can see, Facebook's popularity and demographics are significantly better for social meida marketing.

For more great Internet statistics, check out http://quantcast.com.

Google Trends

2009-05-13T05:15:00.000-07:00

I recently was given an article that identified a tool that I have been familiar with for a little while (Google Trends). Google Trends is a tool that reports the gross number of searches done for a given keyword and keyword phrase over a number of years.

Obviously, there are outside forces that drive the number of searches for specific keyword phrases, such as mass media advertising, news events, public relations campaigns, etc. Typically, you will see large spikes in search volume when mass media generates interest in it, particularly national media.

For instance, when you see the trend of searches for "cosmetic dentistry", you will see a slight decline in the number of searches over the past few years, particularly after television shows like Extreme Makeovers and The Swan went off the air.

The other interest thing, although the total number of searches for "cosmetic dentistry" has declined, some of the cosmetic dentistry procedures, like "Invisalign" have increased! For that reason, it is important to make sure you have pages on Invisalign, like our Houston Invisalign Dentist and aggressively promote them on search engines like Google.

However, the bigger picture value of this tool is that it somewhat quantifies consumer interest level in certain topics and it does so with much greater immediacy than government or consumer research reports. Some indications are that it can even impact and predict the value of stocks! I am not a day trader, but with this type of tool, it can be tempting.

Niche Websites

2009-05-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

The concept of creating multiple niche websites to supplement a main practice website is not new. For years, it has been an effective way to create more focused information and resources for target services and keyword phrases.

For instance, one of our clients, www.broadwayplasticsurgery.com, also has a breast augmentation specialty website, www.denverbreasts.com, that is the #1 listing on Google for "Denver Breast Augmentation". Coincidentally, Dr. Broadway's main website also is on the first-page (#7).

What has changed over the years is the manner and ease with which you can create more Internet real estate and get more visibility on the search engines. New website development platforms allow you to easily create niche websites that can help build link-popularity and even secure high listings. The biggest challenge is coming up with original content, but we do that all the time for our clients.

Legal Social Media Seminar

2009-05-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Last week, Sara Schwarz (Page 1's Social Media Marketer and I participate in a seminar set up by Alyn-Weiss and Associates and Ginny Ford. The issue that was discussed was Legal Marketing and Human Resources within the scope of Social Media and Social Media Websites, like www.Linkedin.com, www.facebook.com, etc.

The following is a brief synopisis:
1- Individual lawyers and legal firms must address the phenomenon of social media as soon as possible - For example, highly conservative associations and organizations like American Bar Association and Martindale Hubbell have already jumped in by creating social media forums/sites for the associates and members.
2- Attorney firms need to also need to formally incorporate social media into their marketing strategy - target relevant websites, determine the type and nature of information to post, create the time and invest the necessary resources.
3- Legal firm adminstrators will need to develop formal policy, especially bigger firms with more staff/associates, to clarify issues that can arise in social media settings, such as solicitation, professional conduct, client information disclosure, etc.

Video Blogs

2009-05-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

I just shot my first video blog!! Our in-house videographer, Andrew Harris, started producing them for the Page 1 staff yesterday. We should have some of them online real soon. It is again another example of how our clients need to view the Web and Internet users.

Even just a few years ago, the Internet was primarily a voyeuristic media and users were much more anonymous. They were much more reluctant to give out their name, email, or any other information. Today, they give up credit card numbers, phone numbers, social security numbers, addresses . . . they even are willing to find their spouse online!

It's all about relationship!! The trend toward using the Internet for developing and enhancing social relationships is a real key for marketers in leveraging the Web. Don't just think of Twitter and Facebook. Everything from the look of your website, to the writing style of your content, to the use of videos, and even the emails you send, should all incorporate strategies to address how consumers now use this medium.

Now, more than ever, it is time to take another look at your overall online marketing strategy to make sure your efforts really incorporate strategies to leverage the phenomenon called "online social networking". Things you did, even a couple years ago, should be revisited.

Attending Ophthalmology Meeting In NY

2008-10-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have the pleasure and opportunity to speak with the board and membership of the Windsor National Associates, during their Fall meeting in New York.

This is a group of some of the most influential and leading ophthalmology providers and practices across the country. The meeting will go from October 24-25, 2008.

I also noticed some very credible and reputable presenters and courses, including Kevin Corcoran (President, Corcoran Consulting) and Dave Harman (President, Marketscope). Pretty good company, I would say.

Marketing To Generation-based Audiences

2007-11-15T06:17:00.001-08:00

As the Internet grows to reach its second Billion users, and more and more people gravitate and use the Web, it is becoming more important to make sure your Web marketing is addressing and focusing on different niche audiences.

At the recent American Academy of Opthalmology meeting in New Orleans, there were several courses and mention of cross generational marketing. No longer is it just baby boomers, we now have Genartion X, Generation Y, Generation i, Silver Surfers, etc.

Websites need to be designed to meet the needs of all these audiences. How your website is layed out, organized, layered, written, etc. will all make an impact on how these target audiences view and respond to your site.

Images, graphics, video, animation, text size, usability are all important considerations when designing your site and which sections need to address each audience.

What generation are you?

Bill
Page 1 Solutions

Marketing To Generation-based Audiences

2007-11-15T06:14:00.001-08:00

As the Internet grows to reach its second Billion users, and more and more people gravitate and use the Web, it is becoming more important to make sure your Web marketing is addressing and focusing on different niche audiences.

At the recent American Academy of Opthalmology meeting in New Orleans, there were several courses and mention of cross generational marketing. No longer is it just Baby Boomers, we now have Genertion X, Generation Y, Generation i, Silver Surfers, etc.

Websites need to be designed to meet the needs of all these audiences. How your website is designed, organized, layered, written, etc. will all make an impact on how these target audiences view and respond to your site.

Images, graphics, video, animation, text size, usability are all important considerations when designing your site and which sections need to address each audience.

What generation are you?

Bill
Page 1 Solutions

All This Talk About Video

2007-06-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

There has been much chatter about video on the Web and confusion about what it means, how it should be used and will the Internet and Search Engines all convert everything into video, leaving text in its wake.

Well, I don't profess to have the crystal ball on what the Internet will be in the next year, two years, or the next five years. But I do not encourage my clients to always shoulder all the financial risks when it comes to investing in new gadgets and widgets to build their business and practice.

Some website marketers are taking advantage of this emerging market by getting their clients to spend upwards of $10,000, $15,000, even $20,000 simply to put a video on their website. Although we can produce, host and build in video for your website (actually we can do it for less than half of what they are being quoted), I do encourage you to consider what roll it serves in the grand scheme of your online marketing, and will this investment give them the greatest return.

I believe video will play a growing roll on the Web and in your website marketing strategy, but it shouldn't be everything. Don't drop everything that you are doing just to jump on the bandwagon where you don't know where it is headed. Like any good marketing or long-term investment strategy, diversity is the key. If you are interested in adding video to your marketing mix, email me and I would be happy to shed some light on this topic and some affordable options.

Look for more on video coming.

Bill
Page 1 Solutions

Purpose Of The Home Page

2007-05-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

Recently, we were asked to submit feedback on a formum discussion on home pages. The question, “What is the purpose of a home page?” is misleading in that it assumes that there is one right answer. The reality is: the purpose of an effective home page will differ from one business to the next, and even one practice to the next.

For instance, the purpose of the home page for a branded, product-focused website, like www.sony.com, will be much different than a service-based business website, like a dental provider’s site. Product marketing is much different than service marketing.

Even your target audience should impact the purpose of your home page. For instance, if your strategy is to get consumers to type in your website address after seeing your mass media advertisement or after being referred by an existing patient, the purpose of your home page is quite different than if the majority of your visitors don’t know you or your domain and simply found your site while researching on the search engines. Non-bonded visitors have a lot less patience on a website than a visitor that is already familiar with you.

The fact is there isn’t just one purpose. To take it one step farther, every home page should accomplish multiple objectives, not just one. Some objectives you should consider when developing your home page:

1. Image – It must project a high quality image that reflects the level of dental services you offer. Image is import, but it’s not everything.
2. Credibility – Your home page should also help you establish or elevate your level of credibility.
3. Transition – Many visitors are still in “scanning mode” when they get to your home page. An effective home page quickly gets visitors to realize they have reached a good destination. Only then do they slow down and transition to “reading mode.”
4. Leads – Your home page is usually the most frequently viewed page of your site. Therefore, it needs to also convert visitors into leads.
5. Brand – Home pages should further your brand and work synergistically with your other advertising efforts and messages.
6. Usability – Make sure visitors can find what they want without much work, and get them to destination pages with one click, or as few as possible.
7. Search Engines – Home page content is also important to helping your website secure top search engine placement.
8. Compelling – Your home page must motivate visitors to click deeper into the website. “Next step” links and calls-to-action are vital.

There are a lot more objectives beyond this short list. However, the point is: spend a little more time to identify your business and visitors, and you will have a home page that better meets your needs, objectives and purpose.

Bill Fukui
Page 1 Solutions

Spreading The Google Empire

2007-04-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

Google recently signed an agreement with Clear Channel radio, which owns the country's largest chain of radio stations. That includes 30-second spot times on all of Clear Channel’s 675 stations during all programs and all times of the day.

The search engine giant had already signed to sell radio adds for some 800 stations, but they were primarily in small media markets. This is Googles biggest step to date to penetrate the larger media marketplace, beyond the Web. This is stirring some concern among the media execs who are likely becoming wary of Google's expansion onto their turf.

Radio appears to be a better fit for Google that television, since most of TV's major revenue is tied to national advertising campaign airtime, where the bulk of each radio station's revenue come from local advertisers. However, Google also recently began selling advertisements for EchoStar Communications’ DISH Network and its 125 national satellite channels. This is in addition to launching a test to sell ads for some of the nation's largest newspapers, like The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times and newspaper chains.

Google's expansion into other areas and media, may be an effective means to diversify its revenue and broaden its media industry base and brand identity, but I can't help but think what that may mean to Google's core business, Internet search. In a world where, many times, success is based on focused energies and resources (which is how Google go to where it was to begin with), it may create an opportunity for some search competitors to gain ground.

History is littered with examples of empires (Rome, Napoleon, Japan, England) spreading itself too thin trying to cover too many fronts. Not that Google is going anywhere, at least in the foreseeable future, but it will be interesting to watch.

Bill
Page 1 Solutions

Pay Per Click and SEO

2007-03-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

I got an email from a dentist today that got some advice on a dental forum about pay per click advertising being more cost effective than good search engine optimization. I felt compelled to provide the following insight:

Although it bothers me sometimes when someone that doesn't specialize in Search Engine Marketing tries to undermine specific vendors to sell their own service, (actually, WE DO PAY PER CLICK ONLY CAMPAIGNS, as well!), I don't engage in forum chatter/self promotion. I just don't think it's the venue.

Just so you know, I have over 12 years of advertising experience (TV, Radio, Print, Outdoor, Direct Mail, etc.) with medical and dental practices throughout the U.S. and understand targeting audiences, cost per lead/cost per new patient.

The reason most marketers that promote pay per click do so because they do not have the resources/expertise to consistently show up on the natural listings, which are far more difficult, but in most cases, are also more valuable.
PPC vs. Natural Listings

Would you prefer to get a free half page advertisement in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, or have a reporter write a half page expose and photo about your practice and a new dental treatment? Of course you prefer the article because of the third-party media endorsement and the credibility of the article as compared to an advertisement. The same applies to search engine marketing.

- 3 to 1 more online marketers report Natural Listings generate more ROI than PPC Listings.
http://www.iprospect.com/media/press2005_9_13.htm
Search engine marketing is more than just getting 1st-page exposure. It's about the credibility of the exposure.

- There is a minimum threshold click-through budget necessary to generate new patients, and that varies greatly by the market. Ex. - it is much more expensive in Atlanta vs. Athens. So to say a PPC budget "won't break the bank" will depend on the market and size of your bank. A $200 PPC budget will likely not generate a lot of new patients in Atlanta, sorry to say.

- Effective Marketing is all about lowering your cost per visitor, cost per lead, and cost per new patient. There is no way to do that with only PPC. The cost for each "pay per click" listing is only going up as more competitors engage in it. It's basically an auction or bidding war. The same PPC budget will only get less effective over time. SEO fees are fixed and the more traffic it gets lowers your cost per visit, cost per patient. You are also not charged more to show up on more keyword phrases. Time is also in the favor of SEO as your results percolate up over time as you build equity with the search engines.

- Relying purely on PPC makes you much more vulnerable to "click fraud" from competitors. (article in Business Week) http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_40/b4003001.htm

- Once pay per click costs get too high and you have to cut back or suspend it, your listings disappear instantly. Your site has no equity with the search engines and you have lost a lot of time, while competitor websites have been building and fortifying their position. At some point, it may be nearly impossible to make up the ground if you want to revert to a natural listing strategy.

- WE RECOMMEND PAY PER CLICK-ONLY CAMPAIGNS when it makes more sense, typically based on your market and website. If you are in a rural area where there is little competition for important keyword phrases like "cosmetic dentist Athens" and have a website not built for SEO, then PPC campaigns may be more cost effective. However, if you are in Atlanta, PPC costs for important keyword phrases, like "cosmetic dentist Atlanta" can cost much more than fixed SEO costs. No campaign (PPC or SEO) is best for every market and client. Vendors who only do one can't be doing what's best for every client.

- The best search engine strategy is to do both! Page 1 incorporates both PPC and Optimization as part of every SEO client's campaign. Here is an article to support this strategy.
www.marketingchat.org/articles/online-marketing/pay-per-click-vs-seo-4.html

Bottom line, it depends. One size doesn't fit all, particularly if you want it to be effective.

Website Marketing Course

2007-03-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to presenting a course on website marketing to dental professionals at the prestigious Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies / LVI Global. The course will concentrate on the basic elements of effective website design, s earch engine optimization and positioning and lead management.

The course is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, 2007 on the campus of the Las Vegas Institute.

Embrace Change

2007-02-28T15:44:00.000-08:00

In preparing my course for the ASCRS/ASOA Ophthalmology meeting, I was finding it difficult to locate up-to-date statistics on Internet usage, market penetration, etc. Unfortunately, the problem with the Web is it changes so quickly that once information is collected analyzed and articulately presented, it is already outdated. Information from even several months ago is no longer accurate.

Jay Levinson, the noted author of Guerilla Marketing said it's like describing "a puff of smoke". The instant you finish describing it, it has already changed shape.

That's good news for the Guerilla Marketer. This dynamic medium is still evolving and gives smaller marketers a chance a level the playing field to compete and defeat their giant competitors. The first rule of marketing on the web is
THINK LIKE A GUERILLA!

Blogs, News feeds, content, meta tags, link-building, online Public Relations, viral marketing, email marketing and sales, audio, video, animation, youtube, myspace . . . the list keeps getting longer and longer. It's not only time to get your feet wet; start swimming.

The Internet tide is rising.

Bill
www.page1solutions.com

Adding Audio To Your Website

2007-02-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

The following are some thoughts on A/V added to websites:

I think audio can be an important element if it is personalized by the contact person you want visitors to form the relationship with.

I also suggest not overdoing it. For instance, it may not make sense to put a long piece on the home page, particularly if it replays the same thing every time you open the home page. This is very annoying.

Also, putting something on every page loses it's impact. Part of A/V is you can somewhat "catch" visitors by surprise and emphasize your most important thoughts, concepts, etc. That is why I definitely like using A/V on the contact form, particularly if we have a contact person identified. Use you’re A/V strategically to drive home your most important message, not tell every detail.

Also, I don't believe long pieces are effective, unless used in the right manner. For instance, visitors' expectation when they visit a website is not to be trust into a seminar. However, when they want and expect to view a seminar, A/V can be very effective, like lasikworld.com http://www.lasikworld.com/virtual_lasik_seminar.html

Just some thoughts.

Bill

VISX Course Outline

2007-01-29T14:06:00.000-08:00

The following is a brief overview of my course at the Spring VISX University.
--------------------

LASIK Search Engine Marketing: Advanced Website Strategies to Attract New Patients

Bill Fukui, Marketing Director, Page 1 Solutions – Website/Search Engine Marketing Specialists

Course Objective:

Learn how to improve your marketing results on Web. The Internet has become the primary consumer portal to the world of vision correction, and it is essential that your practice constantly find better ways to leverage this evolving medium. Learn why your website itself is the foundation for getting top search engine listings, and what search engines, as well as consumers look for when they visit your website. Discover new strategies to implement on your website that will attract more quality visitors and convert them into new patients.

Course Abstract:

Why do certain competitors’ websites dominate my local market on the search engines, while I can’t find my website when I research local LASIK providers? How can I determine if it’s because of my website, or are there other things I am not doing, or doing incorrectly? And even if I attract more visitors, am I converting a high percentage of them into actual leads and new patients? This course will point out critical elements to legitimate search engine positioning and how to move Web-generated through the decision-making process.

Spring Courses

2007-01-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

I have been invited to present website marketing courses this Spring at two major ophthalmology events:
1- ASCRS/ASOA
2- VISX University

Be sure to keep your eye out for more details to these important and information-packed events.

Welcome

2007-01-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for visiting my blog. Check back soon for my latest thoughts on web marketing.

Web Marketing with Bill Fukui

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AMO - VISX University

New Product - Dental Numbness

Meeting of the Minds 2

Meeting of the Minds

Online community advice vs. marketing and advertising

Ten Most and Least ReTweetable Words

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Using Negative Reviews to Your Advantage

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Breaking News - Google and Twitter Agreement

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Search Engine Keywords

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Attending Ophthalmology Meeting In NY

Marketing To Generation-based Audiences

Marketing To Generation-based Audiences

More About Videos On Your Website

All This Talk About Video

Purpose Of The Home Page

Spreading The Google Empire

Pay Per Click and SEO

Website Marketing Course

Embrace Change

Adding Audio To Your Website

VISX Course Outline

Spring Courses

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