Using Social Media to Reach a Local Audience

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Tom Fortier

The rapid growth of low-cost online marketing is motivating local business owners to embrace social media as a way to reach new clients.  Small private practices can be overwhelmed by the prospect of incorporating social media into their marketing plans because it is very time consuming. However, when done right, it can be a cost-effective and powerful tool for connecting to new clients. According to a recent MerchantCircle survey, local businesses are focusing more time and budget on their efforts to bring consumers in the door.

Key Online Media Marketing Points from the survey:

  1. Local merchants are flocking to simple, free marketing methods such as social media sites and are slow to adopt mobile marketing and group buying.
  2. Facebook has now surpassed Google (66 percent) as the most widely used marketing method amongst local merchants.
  3. Facebook is almost tied with Google search (40 percent) as one of the top three most effective marketing methods, with 37 percent rating Facebook as one of their most effective tools.
  4. Twitter: nearly 40 percent of local merchants are using the microblogging platform to build awareness, up from 32 percent in Q4 2009.
  5. Mobile marketing: less than 15 percent of merchants report doing any sort of mobile marketing or advertising, and more than half have no plans to do so in the coming months.
  6. Traditional offline marketing methods continue to decline across the board.

Think about the above points. While many practices spend thousands of dollars each month on SEO strategies and competing for Google rankings, they eschew free or low-cost alternatives that connect them more effectively with a targeted audience. Take point #5 for example – mobile marketing can be a costly method of promoting your practice, and the survey results show that business owners recognize this fact. In this fast-communication environment, being able to connect to those consumers through social networks can be the difference between finding new clients or being overlooked in the market.

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Law Firm SEO – Inbound Link Building

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Tom Fortier

Between the Accidents.com Blog and the Injury Experts Blog, we have certainly had many “trial and error” experiences in building back links to our sites.  As we have discussed in previous entries, inbound links are an extremely valuable way to build your site ranking and improve your traffic.  In a recent article on SEO Consultant Firm, founder Dustin Ruge identifies Legal Article Directories as an important resource for building inbound links to your site:

Ideally, links should come from as many different sources as possible – preferably those that are relevant to the legal industry. In short, the perfect world is to have a one-to-one ratio of links to linking domains due to problems inherent to bleeding links. Of course nobody ever achieves this ratio but is is always a good objective to keep the links /domains ratio as low as possible.

How To Use Legal Article Directories
Legal article directories provide a number of benefits to law firms including:
- Article syndication to build back-links to your website: There are more than 4500+ active legal blogs in the United States and new blogs are added each and every day. Many of these blogs needs good content to add to their blogs so by providing free use of your article along with a link back to your website in your article, you are created a win-win scenario for both the firm that needs more content and you who need more textual inbound links.

- Free articles for use on your blogs: As stated above, there are a growing number of legal blogs that ideally need active content additions at least 1-2 times a week. Unless the firm has shadow writers for their blogs, the reality is that most will not have the time, discipline and resources needed to create all of this content. Article directories now allow you to easily find legal articles by practice area and use them on your blog – for free.

- In-house counsel visibility: A recent study of in-house counsel attorneys show that 27% place a high importance on attorney blogs when doing their research. In addition to adding articles to your blog, you can further cast your net by providing this content to other blogs for use – creating yet another place when an in-house counsel may be able to find you when they review the “about the author” information on the article.

Directory Criteria:
- Must Provide “Follow” Links
- High Page Ranking & Alexa Traffic Rank
- Legal Article Categorization
- Allows Textual Links From Articles

source: SEOConsultantFirm.com

You do want to be careful not to overdo your back linking. Remember that too much SEO & link building can hurt your website. But with that in mind, getting the right flow of content to and from article directories is a crucial step in getting that coveted search engine rank on page one!

Posted in Link Building, SEO Tips | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Junk SEO Content Strategy is Not the Answer

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Marcela Shine

The more I learn about SEO the more annoyed I get about search engine results.  And in particular, as it relates to how content is written and indexed by the search engines.  We find that more and more blogs are popping up everywhere, particularly in the personal injury space.  But how valuable is the content?  I think we all know the answer to that.  An article in ADOTAS today about AOL’s content strategy explains it the best:

Re: finding content topics -

“… Editor considerations (drawn out with bullet points) for topics to cover are traffic potential, revenue/profit, turnaround time and (last of all) editorial integrity. The mechanical process for identifying high-demand topics…”

Re: search engine results and how individuals are searching today:

…  “For one thing, the young’ens are using social tools such as Facebook to sidestep all the junk found in a Google search. StumbleUpon is another great tool for social discovery. Then there’s Digg and Reddit for social recommendations. The kids get that companies like AOL and Demand are pushing out cheap content aimed to topple search results; they get that media companies (especially newsy outlets) are spraying out SEOed garbage.”

So folks, yes, it’s important to keep keywords in mind when writing.  But do not let search engines rule the way you write or you risk putting all of that work to waste.  Nobody is going to link to your content, which means no valuable inbound links.  Readers will never return to you (for business) or your site when they figure out that they found you because you were writing for Google, and didn’t really care about proving them any value.

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Why too much SEO & Link building can hurt your website

Posted on February 3, 2011 by chronis

Many webmasters know that inbound links are the most important aspect in order to highly rank your website in Google SERPS.  But many webmasters aren’t aware of Google penalties and other aspects that can penalize or even ban your website from Google’s index.  Yes link building is very effective, but if misused link building can be the demise of any website as well.  Google and other search engines are aware of all of the sneaky tactics that webmasters / especially spammers, use in order to rank their website very high i a short period of time.  One of these methods is called link spam.  What that means is that if Google sees all of your links pointing to your website with the same keywords (anchor text) that looks like spam to the Google bots and that very well may hurt your rankings instead of help them.  Another thing to look out for is building too many links too fast.  This also looks suspicious to search engines which may raise red flags and once again penalize or ban your website.  The best way to build links and not put yourself and your website in risk of being penalized, I would suggest working on a natural link building campaign.  This is what webmaster can utilize in order to automatically build links to their website that will most likely not out them in risk of being penalized or banned.  Like Google says, content is king, if you write good content and submit it to as many websites as you can, or if you create a widget or software where many webmasters might start linking to you, this would be a great and natural way to build links.  “If you build it, they will come.”

Posted in Link Building, SEO Tips | 4 Comments

Interlinking Between Sites for Site Rank – Yes or No?

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Marcela Shine

This is a great article by SEO Moz which explains the practice of  interlinking (and link building) between sites.  Why is this important?  Because if you are hiring an SEO firm that is promising  you fast results by building out hundreds of sites that interlink in order to get you ranked, it could get you in trouble in the long-term.  Find out when it is, and isn’t, okay to interlink betweeen sites by watching this great tutorial from one of the “white hat” experts in the field.

Their key points:

1.  Do it for humans, not for search engines.

2.  Stay away from spammy link building.  The search engines will figure it out, and your site can get “punished” as a spam-heavy site for it.

3.  Be authentic, because Google is THAT smart, and will figure it out.  Black hat tactics will get you punished sooner or later.

So in the end, interlinking your own sites is okay, IF it makes sense for  your readers.

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5 Essential Steps for Driving Readers to your Blog

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Tom Fortier

When we speak to our clients or prospects, we always discuss the value of blogging.  Blogs allow you to present yourself as an expert in your field – whether you are a lawyer, chiropractor, physical therapist, etc – and help you to connect with your audience in a less formal setting.  However, a key concern that our clients consistently raise is this:  “If I am going to spend time writing a blog, how do I attract more readers?”  Our clients’ time is valuable, and writing a reader-less blog is not a desirable endeavor.  With time value in mind, here are 5 simple and effective ways to start driving more readers to your blog:

1)  Utilize & Expand your Network!

Look at your own network of friends, colleagues, and anyone else that you are connected to in person or via social networks like Facebook or LinkedIn.  If you have colleagues or former classmates who are in the same business, they can be an invaluable resource to help you build your blog readership.  For example, the Pain Physician Group on LinkedIn can be a quick and easy way to find pain management professionals who are already active in social media.  Join these groups and begin participating in the discussions.  Also, invite active members to connect with you, and build your relationship.

2)  Find and Comment on Related Blogs!

This is one of the most effective strategies early on in your blog development.  We just spoke about the value of joining groups on social network sites like LinkedIn – you now have a direct source for colleagues who are already active in building their internet presence.  Look at these group members and find the individuals who already have a blog.  Add these and other blogs to your feed and participate in the discussion via the comments section.  By engaging a relevant community with your own thoughtful comments, you can generate interest in clicking through to your own blog.

3)  Join Forums!

In addition to groups on the social network sites, there are also industry groups with sites dedicated to the advancement of a profession.  Most of these sites include forums that allow registered members to engage with a community of peers.  Like commenting on related blogs, forums can be a quick way to meet a group of people who are talking about issues that are relevant to your business.  For example, APTA runs a community forum for Physical Therapists; likewise, ChiroWeb manages a forum dedicated solely to doctors of chiropractic. By communicating in a dedicated community, you can generate “buzz” for your blog that can turn into new readers.

4)  Guest Blogging!

Now that you have established and grown your relevant network, it’s time to grow your reputation as a blogger.  Guest blogging is a mutual endeavor that can benefit both you and your fellow bloggers.  Once you have identified and established rapport with other professionals in your market, offer to guest blog on their site in exchange for a backlink to your site.  Likewise, find a couple of guest bloggers to write an entry or two on your own site, with one link back to their own blogs.

5)  Syndicate!

Syndication – distribution of your content through third party sites – can help you find a larger audience than your local city or town. This can really be an effective way of competing with larger practices in a cost-effective manner.  Once you have regular content posting to your blog, you can find new readers by finding larger sites that address the same market as your practice, and agreeing to allow them to syndicate your blog through their site.  Be sure they allow backlinks to your blog, and you will be well on your way to growing your readership!

What other activities have you found particularly effective in attracting more readers to your blog? We’d love to hear your success stories.

Posted in Driving Traffic | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Blog and Manage a Practice? Yes You Can!

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Marcela Shine

We commonly hear from our clients that they have considered blogging as a way to drive customers to their business. However, it is usually followed by key objections.  We will be exploring these objections and provide some recommended solutions over the next few blog entries.

  • “But I don’t have enough time to write regularly”
  • “I don’t really have enough traffic to my site to make blogging worthwhile”
  • “But there are so many blogs that are just ‘noise’; I want to establish mine as reputable resource for consumers in need of my expertise.”

    • Any of these are valid points, and make blogging seem like a daunting task, especially when you dedicate your time to providing legal representation, medical care, or financial advice to your clients. However, there are some simple and practical actions you can take that will minimize the time you need to spend on your blog, while also building your reputation and your practice’s website traffic.

    “But I don’t have enough time to write regularly”

    Solution: Hire a Content Writer for Your Blog

    There are many subject matter experts who make a living by writing for various sources. When talking to them, be sure they understand how to write with search engine optimization in mind. When talking to potential writers, be sure they can follow the following ground rules:

  • Must have in-depth expertise in your topic
  • Can write with frequency; search engines want blogs updated often
  • Follow the keyword set you determine will best suit your site, and determine the keyword density they should follow
  • Delivery method – how should they deliver the content to you?
  • Agree ahead that they are ghostwriting for you, and that you own the content
  • Make sure they sign an agreement that states they will not re-use the content they are writing for you in any way

    • This may seem time consuming at first, but investing a little time to sample two or three writers will pay off in the long run. These tactics will help you quickly build your blog without requiring a large amount of your time, allowing you to continue focusing on your clients while driving more clients to your business.

    Remember, you control the content, so you can always edit a contributor’s entry before posting to your blog.

    Where to Hire SEO Experienced Writers

    There are 3rd party sites like Elance and ODesk that can help you hire writers without too much financial risk.  Their system manages the entire project for you.  You can also try posting your need through social media channels.

    The value in blogging is that it can really help you grow traffic to your website organically, which is the most valuable way to increase your exposure through search engines. So get that blog started!

    Posted in Blog Content, Blogging | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

    Getting Started with SEO to Boost Your Practice

    Posted on January 13, 2011 by Tom Fortier

    Have you looked at the search engines lately to see where you practice’s website appears? Research indicates that fewer than 10% of search engine users view more than two or three pages before clicking on a result. If your practice is not appearing within the first few pages of the search results, then consumers may have to pull the proverbial needle out of the haystack in order to find your site. Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical to ensuring your practice is visible to search engine users. There are several actions required in order to improve your site rank, so don’t expect an overnight turn-around. However, you can break down your overall strategy into a several parts, and as you tackle each one, you should notice an marked improvement in your site rankings, which I hope will lead you to more conversions from site visitor to actual patient or client:

    1. Improve your site content to make it more attractive to search engines
    2. Submit your site to the major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing), build an effective link-sharing network, and promote your site by distributing content through social network sites, online forums, and blogs.
    3. Be geographically relevant! If you have not yet established your URL, consider a domain that is geographically specific (eg. www.accidents-buffalo.com)
    4. Keep an eye on your results! With website traffic changing every day, don’t let your site ranks slide over time. Monitor site visits, online appointments, newsletter sign-ups, and whatever else gives you a good read into the growth of your client-base from your online marketing activities.

    If you have achieved a top-ranked site, congratulations! We invite you to share your own success stories in the comments section, and help your colleagues in other parts of the country get the traffic they need to grow their own practices.

    Posted in SEO Tips | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

    Useful Lessons for Marketing your Practice

    Posted on December 17, 2010 by admin

    Welcome to the Accident Experts Blog! Accidents happen every day, and those who experience an accident usually require a range of services during their recovery.  Since many accident victims turn to the internet first to find help, it’s important for businesses to have effective online marketing.  We are a small business, and we are keenly aware of the challenges of advertising in the accident & personal injury space:  small practices with tight budgets competing for SEO with large practice with big budgets; reaching a local audience when search engines routinely generate first page results with non-local practices; blogging effectively, etc.  We are here to share our experiences and expertise with you, and we welcome your feedback and encourage you to share your own experiences.

    Posted in General, SEO Tips | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment