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Website Combined

2009-07-10T10:20:00.006-06:00

We just finished combing URL's on Dr. Paul Huynh's site! Previously, there were two URLs on one site - making it challenging to navigate. The designer, Lori, did a great job re-doing the navigation and re-directing pages.

Go to www.lasiksd.com to find out more about Dr. Paul Huynh San Diego Lasik Surgeon.

Shelnutt Law Firm Site is Live!

2009-07-08T13:48:00.005-06:00

The Shelnutt Law Firm is a Personal Injury and Criminal Defense Law Firm in Birmingham, AL.

Their website just went live. As usual the our designers built an exceptional site. Check it out!

http://www.thealabamalawfirm.com/

Why Celebrities Are Using Twitter – And You Should Be Too.

2009-07-07T16:46:00.004-06:00

Celebrities are head-over-heels for Twitter. They eat it, breathe it, and sleep it. And it seems kind of silly. I can’t count how many times I’ve thought to myself “why in the world are these high profile people so obsessed with some micro-blogging service?”

And then it hit me today: They love it because they have finally found a way to control their own reputations. They can combat Perez Hilton and lessen the blow of paparazzi. Twitter gives celebrities a voice—a voice that millions of people are listening to.

Essentially, these media magnets are taking PR into their own hands. They have found an opportunity to brand themselves and are taking full advantage. It’s pretty smart, actually.

But strangely enough, it’s the law firms and medical practices that haven’t yet caught on. Social networking websites are among the top resources for consumers these days. They are using them to find referrals, research their options, and tell other people about their experiences. Your prospects are on Twitter—why aren’t you?

Brand yourself. Brand your practice. Take advantage of the opportunity to control your own reputation online. Respond to rumors, address bad press, and reply to reviews (both good and bad). And if nobody’s talking about you, then get the conversation going (and fire your PR rep, because she’s not doing her job).

Click here to follow us on Twitter

Google Friend Connect

2009-06-30T15:02:00.002-06:00

We all know social networking is the wave of the future. I am proud to have the first Page 1 Solutions client to take Social Networking into a brand new direction. Google recently released a new program called Google Friend Connect which allows websites to add different widgets to their site to make it more interactive, like Facebook, Myspace, etc.

After looking at some of the cool features that Friend Connect has to offer, I spoke with my LASIK client, The Carter Eye Center. They just built a brand new LASIK focused site with the intention of appealing to the younger generation and I thought they would be the perfect client to test this new program out on. They had asked about different ways we could make the site a little more interactive for users to leave comments and ask questions.

Google Friend Connect has the potential to make a site come alive and allow feedback from users. There are several options you can add into the site. After becoming a member of the site, users can rate, review, leave comments, make recommendations, and much more. We chose to start with 3 of the available features but have the option to add more down the road.
I am very excited to see how far we can go with the social networking for Carter Eye Center. They are the first in their area to try this, and will stand out in front of their competition.

Taking blogs to the next level

2009-06-30T10:15:00.003-06:00

Recently my client, Westport cosmetic dentist Dr. Worthington had us program a cosmetic dentistry blog onto his website. I knew this would be a great help to his website by adding fresh up to date content and creating internal links on the pages of his site. I told him he had to fully commit to blogging at least once a week. He promised me he would and the very next morning I had a phone call asking me to check out the new dental implants blog he posted. Now, Dr. Worthington is blogging at least twice a week for the blog on his website- when he had never blogged before in his life.

Additionally, he set up his very own 'Exciting World of Dentistry' cosmetic dentistry blog. On this blog he picked from one of the generic templates that blogger offers and now writes at least one blog a week on this Exciting World of Dentistry blog as well. On these blogs, he also links back to his main site, to again create more links and information out on the web about his practice.

It is so refreshing to see a client take what I have taught them and expand that into something so much greater. I am very excited for Dr. Worthington to see the benefits of all his hardwork and effort.

Fast Response Time Essential to Effective Web Marketing for Law Firms

2009-06-24T14:58:00.004-06:00

In response to the devastating Metro collision in Washington DC on June 22, we promptly wrote and added informational pages to two of our clients' websites. We hope that by doing so they are able to assist anyone injured in the accident that occurred on the Red Line at the height of evening rush hour. While the media has been focused 24-7 on this crash, so have the train accident attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C.

Warm Woolies - Exciting Opportunities

2009-06-24T09:35:00.006-06:00

Warm Woolies is a local company that we have been working with since 2004. They are a non-profit organization whose volunteers knit clothing for children around the world. They have been working with orphanages in China, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Reservations throughout the United States.

They are in the process of working with Lands' End on a campaign later this year to help fight homelessness. Warm Woolies will be featured in their September magazine and on their website. They will be holding a Denver based event later this year, in conjunction with Lands' End, to raise awareness about homelessness and those in the community who are less fortunate.

It is a pleasure for us to work with such a wonderful group of people and volunteers.

New Ideas Wecome!

2009-06-22T10:16:00.002-06:00

Recently, many of my clients have begun to use Social Media like Twitter and Facebook. There is so much buzz about this new phenomenon that everyone wants to be in on the "next new thing." Cherrish at Pratt Plastic Surgery and I created a new Facebook fan page for Seattle Cosmetic Surgeon Dr. David F. Pratt- I showed her all of the basics to create events for new specials, adding photos, etc.

Additionally, she created a discussion board on Facebook. This allows her to post new topics and have people respond after to keep people engaged on the topics. She posted topics on Breast Augmentation and Financing which is a common concern for most people right now.

I encourage all of my clients to come up with new and exciting features on Social Media. It creates better branding, more word of mouth and who knows it might even generate some leads.

Should you be "Vlogging?"

2009-06-17T11:37:00.004-06:00

A video blog, also known as a vlog is great tool that can be used to market your website online. Some video blogs even use keywords to describe the video which can help with optimization. Using a vlog is an effective way for businesses to explore different ways of communicating with their audience.

A fantastic example of video blogging is Dr. Paul Angelchik , a plastic surgeon in Phoenix, Arizona. He uses video blogging to inform and educate his plastic surgery patients of the different options they have available to them. Vlogging can help build relationships with patients and clients early on in their decision making process.

Page 1 Solutions created a youtube channel for Dr. Angelchik's vlogs that have been viewed several times. His breast augmentation vlog about Saline vs Silicone has even received a couple of comments from youtube viewers.

If video blogs turn out to be anything like blogs and podcats, the answer to the question: Should I be vlogging is definitely “YES!” Video blogging can be a pretty inexpensive way to add some pizzazz to your site and step out in front of the competition.

Is Bing the next big Thing?

2009-06-16T08:38:00.006-06:00

By now everyone has heard of Bing, Microsoft's new search engine, but is it really ready to take over Google? With all of the buzz surrounding the new search engine, Bing has now over taken Yahoo as the second search spot. However, some of this intial surge could be do to the large amounts of advertising. It will be interesting to see if people stick with Bing after the initial launch. The numbers are still rising but as of June 4th, this graph came out of the StatCounter information logs:
As you can see Google still has a major hold on people's search engine, but only time will tell if Bing can close the gap.

B-E Aggressive

2009-06-11T12:40:00.007-06:00

Tuesday June 9, 2009 a ConAgra factory in Garner, North Carolina exploded. At 2pm I received a call from my client David Stradley from White and Stradley. He wanted to help the employees and families by getting the word out as quickly as possible that they are lawyers who deal with factory accidents like this and can help answer questions and help them with what to do next.

We immediately set up an aggressive pay per click campaign targeting several keywords and wrote a new page of content to address the factory accident. The Pay Per Click account was set up and running before the end of business day and White and Stradley has already gotten several impressions and click views to the page. In the last 2 days their website is one of the only sites showing up for Pay Per Clicks, but they won't be for long.

Being aggressive with Marketing and recognizing when extra and quick measures need to be taken is critical. If you don't act on situations that arise, your competitiors will. Page 1 Solutions helped set up a specific PPC account, wrote, posted and added a new page of content within 2 hours. I am always proud of my fellow employees, but Tuesday they all banned together and got something done for a client that really needed fast action.

Vanity URLs Coming This Weekend

2009-06-10T08:51:00.001-06:00

Facebook is launching Vanity URLs this Saturday, June 13th. Vanity URLs will enable our clients to personalize their Facebook link, making it easier to share to others and to publicize.

This could be important for search engine optimization purposes. When a person searches for a name on Google, it's likely the Vanity URL Facebook page will be in the top results.

Read the recent article.

Using Video as a Marketing Tool

2009-06-08T15:31:00.003-06:00

Video has become an essential tool in website design and Internet marketing. When done well, it can be highly effective for driving traffic to your website and increasing your leads. By adding video to your social networking sites, such as Facebook and YouTube, you quickly and inexpensively boost your online visibility.

A professional, custom-produced video can help distinguish you from your competitors. It improves your SEO and conveys your message in manner that is enjoyable, unique and modern. Even if it’s just a silly outtakes reel, a video can be incredibly valuable marketing resource.

MomsTwitter While in Labor

2009-06-05T11:54:00.006-06:00

Times have sure changed. In the 70’s it was popular for parents to put a birth announcement in the local paper. In the 80’s and 90’s people videotaped their child’s birth. For the 21st century there is Twitter. For those who may not know, Twitter is a blog/IM hybrid. It is the latest trend for expectant mom’s to give a play-by-play of their experiences in labor to friends and family. Sound weird? More moms are using Twitter because it is an easy way to disseminate real time information to many people.

Recently, a friend of chronicled the birth of her baby boy on Twitter. Including me there were 23 other people following the saga. My friend tweeted about her water breaking, epidurals, and boredom. She was in labor for almost 48 hours so she had plenty of time to write. We could send her encouraging words too. She appreciated those kind words - especially when she started pushing!

Expect more moms to be twittering while in labor in the future. Even celebrity moms are getting in on the act. In February, singer Eykah Badu tweeted on the birth of her baby girl to more than 4,500 followers. Twittering while in labor is just another example of the impact that social media has on interpersonal relationships.

Twitter may have a similar impact on business relationships. I suggested it to Dr. LeSueur as way to bring instant exposure to his cosmetic dental office. With the exposure comes the potential for more website traffic and referrals. It’s easy to use Twitter simply answer the question: What are you doing? The idea is to have a conversation with the people you follow and those who follow you. Twitter uses the term follower which is similar to "friend" on Facebook and "connections" on LinkedIn.

Twitter Topics:

• Direct tweeters to look at new blog posting on your website (make sure to add a hyperlink to the blog)
• Breaking news stories that are relevant to your practice/office and linking to that relevant page on your site
• Local news stories
• News announcements about your practice/office (new newsletter coming soon, community service, etc.)

Law Firm
• Comment on recent legal news or trends
• Recent wins

Medical Office
• Announce new procedures offered
• Promotions or specials offered on services

If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is priceless.

2009-06-05T09:38:00.002-06:00

Showcasing your company or business has become a big part of how consumers choose to either do business with you or buy your services. With "traditional" avenues shrinking, newspapers; magazines, etc., consumers are getting more and more savvy in the way they search for services in their cities, towns, villages.

Like any good business owner, you have your site up, it looks great; easy to navigate, relevant content, optimized well, and plenty of pictures to show off your company.

Now, take that next step. Connect with your potential customer base on a personal level. Online Video. More and more Americans are watching online videos, 78.6 percent of U.S. internet users’ watched online videos in April 2009.

With the different options out there for video, Borderless Video, streaming, and more; you can put your company’s products and culture in full view, and give consumers a more personal and intimate look at your business.

Visiting with clients

2009-06-03T12:59:00.004-06:00

While most of our clients are based throughout the nation, some of the Account Managers have the pleasure of meeting to our clients face to face. Yesterday I had the privilege to visit with my client Boulder Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Joel Schaffer. I work primarily with their practice manager, Kathleen and it was fantastic to put a face with the voice.

Right when I walked in the office I was greeted with a big hello, as if I had know Kathleen for years. I noticed right away how well they knew each and every new and old patient coming through their doors. Dr. Schaffer has been a Boulder dentist for over 30 years now.

Recently, we added a flash banner to their site. Previously, the website banner image was static with just the flat irons. We enchanced the photo, added the flash text and put a glissen affect on the text. It is a nice addition to the site while not taking away from the beautiful flatiron's photo.

Also, we added a new cosmetic dentistry blog. I taught Kathleen how to blog and we came up with different topics she can blog on. It is always good to include blogs about new procedures, new tools and equipment, any holiday or practice events.

The visit ended too quickly, but I am sure in time I will get to visit them again!

Google Local-- Tips for a Successful Business Listing

2009-06-01T11:29:00.001-06:00

We all know Google Local (GL) is an excellent tool for developing an online reputation and a supplementary first-page presence. Since more and more people have begun taking advantage of Google Local as a resource, Google has made some changes to their requirements that may prevent GL listings that once reigned supreme from showing up at all.

New Requirements for Google Local (the short list):

1. You must have the actual business name in the title. It is no longer acceptable to have keywords, phone numbers, or URLs in the title.
2. Only one Google Local listing per physical address. While this has been a request for some time by Google Local, it is now being enforced.
3. Only add and develop the categories that are directly relevant to the business.
4. The description and custom attributes fields are great places to add additional information about your business listing. Keep this information separate from the business’ title, address, or category fields.
5. Only the primary URL for the website should be included in the profile. Do not include URLs that redirect to the primary, or secondary website URLs.

To read more information on this, click here.

Additionally, there has been buzz about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) making “fake” reviews illegal. “Fake” reviews are generally classified as comments posted by people who have not directly received services from the business listed on GL. Variations of these reviews exist, from people within the business reviewing their own services to competitors writing nasty reviews as an underhanded method of self-promotion. While all user reviews are currently tracked by Google Account login and IP address, The FTC is taking a more critical look at GL practices with the goal of keeping users honest and preventing spammers.

These changes may appear like potential set-backs, but realistically, they are an opportunity to gain ground in Google Local. By closely monitoring and abiding by updated regulations instituted by GL and the FTC, we can keep our accounts up to date while other business listings go unchecked, and in their neglected state drop in rank.

Badda Bing!

2009-05-29T08:54:00.006-06:00

Microsoft is in the works of launching a “re-branding” campaign of Live Search. Bing, the “New Decision Engine”, being touted as a smarter vertical search tool, and will be available to the masses on June 3^rd. After typing in a query, a SERP's usual list, blue links surrounded by sponsored links. Bing clusters the results, with tabs, buttons and charts. A one stop shop for the results, not having to click through page after page of results.

Microsoft’s Online Services Division President Qi Lu -

"When you see a query box, you type in it. [The assumption is that] it will give you what you want. But [consumers'] expectations have increased. They are using that search box for all kinds of things: to purchase product, to plan a vacation, to research a particular organization, to study a particular concept."

They also say that SEO customers won't need to change their existing practices to suit the new search engine

Will Bing take a big bite out of Google, doubtful, but it’s nice to see more options and competition out there.

EXTRA EXTRA!

2009-05-27T13:00:00.004-06:00

Recently my client, plastic surgeon Dr. David Broadway was featured as a "Lifechanger" on Extra Entertainment News. The video, Getting Michelle's Arms the Hi-Tech Way discusses the benefits of VASER Hi Def Technology. Dr. Broadway is a pioneer of the VASER procedures and uses the procedure for various trouble areas of the body, including the abdominal, breast, arms, love handles, and buttock.

Becoming an expert for the media is an excellent way to market yourself to the masses and gives you great material to add to your website. Video is getting to be more and more important online. which is why working with the media and your online marketing team can really help your practice set yourself apart from the competition.

Social Networking Sites: The New Search Engines?

2009-05-13T17:19:00.002-06:00

Trends are beginning to show that consumers are depending on sites such as Facebook and DoctorsNLawyers to get recommendations and find useful information. Instead of relying on Google to tell them which cosmetic dentist or plastic surgeon to use, people are asking friends within their networks such as LinkedIn and Twitter. The results that consumers are getting from their online network connections tend to be much more current, relevant and trustworthy than what a traditional search engine can provide.

A great example:

For the past month I have been on a quest to find a new place to live. I have explored sites such as Craigslist and have searched for rentals on Google, but have hit some serious problems. I have been confronted with overpriced rentals and numerous scams attempting to obtain my personal information. I was unsatisfied and did not trust these search results.

A bit disgruntled, and nearly homeless, I gave up. I turned to Facebook to vent and (half-jokingly) plead for my friends to put a roof over my head. Within the hour, more than 10 people responded offering help and advice. In less than a day, I found a new home. Lesson learned: From now on, I’ll consult my social networks before referring to Google.

And the same is true for your prospects. They want to hear about your practice from other people that have experienced your staff and your services. Encourage online word-of-mouth to help boost your current web marketing strategy.

Got a brand…?

2009-04-24T08:34:00.003-06:00

It is important for companies to differentiate themselves through online brand strategies, exhibiting a clear message and providing a fulfilling user experience. Brand strategy serves to create credibility and to gain the trust of the users through understanding cultural and market trends.

The Internet has caused problems for many brands because most companies think of the web as just another advertising medium, like radio, television, newspapers and magazines. While the Internet is a mass communication medium, the difference between the web and any other mass medium is that it is interactive. The user of the message is in charge, not the sender.

You build a powerful Web brand by making the brand itself interactive, allowing the customer access to further information. Every brick-and-mortar company should have a web site, but it should be an informative, or information site. It should be a place where customers can go if they want more information about your products, company and culture.

A targeted user is typically browsing the Internet alone, so the marketing messages can reach them personally. This approach is used in search marketing, where the advertisements are based on search engine keywords entered by the user.

And now with the advent of Web 2.0 tools – (including Social Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.), many users can interconnect as "peers". Virtual ‘word of mouth’ platform(s).

As a helpful note, I would encouraged companies to register (open an account) on sites like Twitter to "claim" their name, prior to it not being available, keeping with the overall theme of their brand.

Internet marketing differs from magazine/print advertisements, where the goal is to appeal to the projected demographic of the periodical. Because the advertiser has knowledge of the target audience—people who engage in certain activities (e.g., uploading pictures, contributing to blogs)

A business revolution is changing all the rules of the marketplace. Power is shifting from manufacturers and retailers, directly to consumers, enabled with information, choice, and connectivity.

Price, service, quality, and design advantages are no longer enough to win.

How consumers feel about you, their emotional connection with you, is what determines success these days.

How tweet it is!

2009-04-15T15:48:00.004-06:00

Twitter is quickly becoming an essential tool for online marketing. Page1 Solutions Account Manager, Lesa explains what Twitter is and how it fits into your overall marketing strategy.

Facebook Fan Page

2009-04-15T15:43:00.002-06:00

A great way to get your practice's brand name out to the public is by creating a Facebook Fan Page. Dr. Chhatre's office just made this fan page. On this fan page you can include office hours, address, photos and events. For example, on Dr. Chhatre's fan page they included their monthly botox specials.
Another great feature of the fan pages are that you can become a 'fan' of the page. Then, your friends, friends of your friends, and so forth can see your business and what you offer. thus, potential patients can see what your business and it is positive viral and word of mouth marketing.

Example of Video as a Marketing Tool

2009-04-10T08:08:00.007-06:00

Want to see a great use of video on a website, and for social networking? Serving Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, the experienced brain injury and truck accident attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, and Siegel, P.C. have incorporated their videos on multiple websites. This social networking strategy includes videos on the firm's website, a YouTube channel, as well as their Facebook profile. This should offer a lot of viewing opportunities for past and future clients.

Branding vs. Natural Optimization

2009-04-07T08:43:00.007-06:00

Recently, while going over Google Analytics with a legal client, we noticed a fair amount of traffic coming from the search engines was arriving on the site by using keywords the client had branded (e.g. the attorney and company name). The client then raised the following question: "What value is there in paying for optimization if so many people are searching using variations of the name we’ve branded?" This is a great question.

No matter how well you have branded your name, search engine optimization is still important. It is beneficial to optimize your name so that when people search for you by your branded name, you come up number one on the search engines. We optimize clients' names to ensure they come up in the natural listings. The balance of popular legal search phrases and branded name allows us to target Internet users two-fold: We make clients present on the first page for those who are familiar with their name, AND for those who are not familiar with the firm (in this client's case, the target audience of people who were injured in their area but are not necessarily from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, etc.).

Combining branded and natural keyword optimization enhances a website's presence in the natural listings—the two types of keyword optimization supplement and enhance each other well. Here are some pointers I give clients:

75% or more [people], on average, will be looking in search queries not for you, but for what your business does (From “Be Friendly to Search Engines: 7 Ways” by Monte Enbysk).

In order to keep your branded name high in the listings, you need to optimize and be in directories.

The majority of absolute unique visitors arriving on a site get there from using non-branded search phrases. Subsequently, a good number of return visitors (those who come back to the site more than once) are doing so by searching branded names.

A note on returning visitors: Returning visitors that have already visited your site most commonly search by branded names. For example, a returning visitor would likely search by “Carr and Carr” (the branded company name) in order to relocate the site they have already visited-- even if they searched by “auto accident attorney” to find the site the first time. Many of these visitors are returning to find your contact information or to do more research. In some cases, they may be searching for more information on you personally, and still be routed back to your bio page on the site.

The balance of optimizing your name branding and popular search phrases increases your chances of appearing on the first page and generating high volume of traffic to your site. From the research I’ve done so far, the only truly successful cases of companies relying entirely on their name brand for web-marketing are companies that are known on a global scale (e.g. Coke, iPod, HP, etc.).

Essentially, with web marketing we want you front and center at all times. Visibility is key in web marketing, and the balance between branded and non-branded keywords is an effective step toward dominating the Internet.