To summarize, SPEED of your website is now being taken into consideration when Google compares your website to all your competitors when determining page rank.  Not only does SEO meta tags, longevity, number of visitors, and back links (just to name a few) determine your page ranking on Google…. now they are looking at how fast your website downloads when a visitor enters your site.

With the continued growth of the world wide web, the explosion in mobile marketing with cell phones, and the addition of the new iPad using mobile 3G technology, Google is smart and being proactive.  They are encouraging web owners to work with them for a more user-friendly Internet environment and attempting to control the amount of web storage necessary to expedite online search.  There is no better way to grab the attention of website owners and encourage them to cooperate with online efficiency than to penalize them for slow download time, which in turn slows down search.

In addition, the vast majority of websites designs today are not mobile ready for easy viewing on either a cell phone or iPad.  Flash websites or flash headers found in many HTML websites can be a problem due to increased loading time and lack of integration with mobile units.  Also, video is not viewable on mobile units or the iPad unless in MPEG4 format or other formats compatible with 3G technology.

Does this mean you have to redesign your website?  The answer is NO… in most cases.  And if you are currently redesigning your website or creating your first website,  it is important to address these issues NOW while in design stage.

So, what do you need to know or do to remain on the "bleeding" edge of Internet marketing?  Have you tested your website on a mobile unit or iPad to see what it looks like?

Here are a Five Tips  on how to optimize your current site to meet the new Google SEO guidelines and how to ramp up your website for mobile technology and the iPad.

1. Check out your website on a cell phonewith Internet access to see what it looks like. If areas are black or text is overlapping or illegible, your website needs some updating to correct.  In some cases you might require a site redesign or separate mobile website created if you have a flash website. Also, video is not viewable on mobile units or the iPad unless in MPEG4 format or other formats compatible with 3G technology.  If content is missing on a cell phone, it will usually be missing on an iPad also.
2. Remove any flash intros and music on your site. Flash of any kind is not viewable on the majority of mobile units and slows down your website load time.  Most consumers don't appreciate flash intros slowing them down when entering your site or listening to the music anyway.  Just contact your webmaster and ask them to remove it.
3. Flash headers are a problem.  Although they are more engaging than stationary headers, they also increase load time and do not show up on most mobile units.  If your contact information is in a flash header, mobile users can't easily find contact info.  There are different options available to address these issues without going through site redesign, so don't panic.
4. Video slows down websites.  However, if your video is embedded from another video site such as YouTube or stored on a separate server it will not affect the speed when downloading as long as it is in a format that can be viewed on mobile technology.  Most website video is not compatible unless embedded or linked from YouTube.
5. Streamline your written content on pages for faster uploads. Remove all the fluff, bullet point wherever you can for easy reading, combine pages where possible, and delete pages consumers don't use or read.  Bigger is not always better…. One Contact/Location page with a map, phone number etc is all you need. Too many pages on different areas of contact not only confuses visitors, but decreases the speed of your site.

For more information on SEO of your website and how to update your orthodontic Internet marketing program to comply with the exploding age of mobile marketing, contact me for a free online consultation to determine your specific needs to update, redesign or create a new website.

Watch this video on how "Evian Water" set their video marketing promotion apart from all the other water manufacturers and attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers from around the world to watch their video on YouTube, both in the US and with a separate video Internationally.  They will definitely associate the Evian brand with the baby video the next time they see it.  Mission accomplished…

I understand you do not have the marketing budget that Evian had to create this type of video. But with some imagination, good scripting, and the right royalty free music, you are only limited by your own imagination. Using photos instead of video is an alternative. With great subject matter and a fun spin on things, you can create a great emotional experience so prospective new patients will remember you when compared to other orthodontic treatment providers in your area.

Here is a video created by an orthodontist in Phoenix, AZ. and produced on a free program on his Mac Laptop.

This video promotes his treatment expertise in a fun format that encourages active participation in the practice from patients with a contest. He thought outside the box. What can you do?

Leave a comment below on you thoughts about this type of video production.

If you are still hiding in your shell when it comes to adding video to your Internet orthodontic marketing website, it is time to come up for air, stick your neck out, and reconsider your options.

The latest Nielson report was just released on September 15th, 2009.  The number of videos watched increased 41% last month compared to August of 2008. Unique viewers were up 18% and the number of videos a viewer watched  is up 19.6%.

Here's how it broke down among the video sites:

If you aren't ready to commit to the time, learning curve, and expense necessary to add video to your website… a easy solution is Marketing With Live Video.  The is a very inexpensive solution to adding video to your site that grabs attention and directs new patients to contact your office for a new patient exam.

Here at two examples of what video on your homepage can to do to set your website apart from your competition in the area to grab attention.

SureSmile practice Dr. Richard Schechtman www.braceace.com (there is a cookie on this site where it will only play once a week after entering the site.  It won't play a second time if you want to show someone unless you use a different computer)

Brodsky Orthodontics in Lakewood CA - patient testimonials – www.drbrodskysmile.com

Whether you opt for video streaming on YouTube, your website, or you want to consider a live actor to grab the attention of new patients, there are recommended guidelines to setting up video marketing correctly for optimum return on investment.  Contact me for a free 1/2 online consultation and I will be happy to review your options.

Leave your comments and tell me how you feel about video marketing on your website.

Major companies all over the world are spending big dollars to create clever short Internet video marketing campaigns to entertain, engage, and brand their business with current and prospective new customers.

This week’s YouTube marketing champion, in just 60 seconds, uses a tried and tested formula: cute babies, and a bizarre situation.

In 45 seconds, New Zealand Air posted video that is both risque without offending to engage… and memorable for the next time you are booking an airline flight in their area .

Millions of people are watching these videos around the world every WEEK. You don't have to market to the world, nor do you have to pay thousands of dollars to produce clever video. Think outside the box to script unique and memorable content related to your business to create attention.

Your videos may grab attention today… next week… next month… or next year. This is the beauty of Internet marketing.

In addition to a standard "me too" video marketing campaign… come up with something clever, fun, and off the wall about your business. You will be pleasantly surprised how it affects your audience.  Don't have any clever ideas? Ask your audience….  Run a contest for the best video marketing idea and have your patients decide who the winner will be.  This accomplishes two things.

1. You don't have to spend time or money coming up with a great idea
2. You know what your patients want to see.  They voted for it.

Give it a shot.  Food for thought …You will be pleasantly surprised.

While many of us equate the popularity of our video orthodontic marketing tactics with views and click through rates, let's take a moment to consider other advantages which might be considered to have value when promoting your practice with video. Sure… tracking new patient referrals off the Internet and conversion rates are valuable, but what else is there?

Who and how many:When talking about video views on YouTube or other video sites, there are two pieces that are no brainers. "How many" actually viewed the video is good info for tracking ROI, while "Who" boils down to whether or not the video is being seen in your demographics. Marketing to your demographics is where the true hidden value comes in. If your viewers are professionals such as dentists, dental specialists, physicians, or teachers, coaches, and parents in your local area, PR could result in new referrals from other areas which were developed because they were able to find and watch your videos. This would not be readily apparent when you look at your number of clicks on YouTube, especially if you only have a few hundred views.

Education and Experience: A library of online videos educating and informing consumers about treatment and services you offer, serves as both a record of your professional expertise and your commitment to educating and informing your patients which builds trust.

Exposure/ Publicity / Brand Value: When a video becomes popular on YouTube or another video sharing site people begin to see and talk about it more. This could be an extremely useful marketing tool for you and is also valuable in SEO for search results and page rank.  The ultimate goal of any video is to found on page one of the search engine.  When setting up your video program correctly, new prospects much prefer video to the written word.  It also lets you tell your story exactly the way you want it delivered, without relying on second hand translation from patients, staff, friends, and family that might not come across the way you want it to.

It's persistent: Once you upload, for the most part, it remains there for some length of time unless you no longer provide the services and remove it from the Internet.  It is a perpetual "evergreen" record of your specialized expertise and can lead others to your website.

Networking and Social Value: You create a video… you put it online at multiple sites, and you end up meeting new people. Not only can you increase your business exposure throughout the community, but you'll also find new patients. Even if they aren't ready to have their teeth straighten, reconstruction work, or are just thinking about try a different treatment provider right then, they may be ready in the future. Don't rule out the power of bookmarking your business on a computer or jotting your practice name down for future reference.

Overall there's more intangible value for online video marketing than meets the eye. One step leads to another and eventually may translate into new patients contacting your office and building your business. As your Internet marketing program gains exposure with video, the referrals will increase exponentially over time. That's a definite win in any business.  Don't look at video as a short term marketing venture when marketing your practice.  You should be in it for the long haul and progressively build your video collection on the Internet as a marketing tool to build your practice for the future.

Jump Start Your Orthodontic Marketing Program on the Internet with Video

Online video viewership set a new record December 2008 with a 13% increase over the previous month according to a report released from the comScore.com Video Metrix Service. For the first time, more than 14.3 Billion videos were watched in December by US Internet users. As you might expect, Google Sites (which includes YouTube) led the growth charge, accounting for 49% of the incremental gain in overall videos viewed versus the previous month. In December, almost 100 million viewers watched almost 6 billion videos on YouTube alone.  In January, YouTube reached its first month of more than 100 million viewers.  The first time ever!

I know this subject is scary and most of you don’t even want to think about producing video as part of your Internet marketing program.  It’s too expensive…  It takes too much time… I don’t know where to start! If you don’t, you are missing out on a huge opportunity which will impact the bottom line of your practice today and its future in years to come.

Having your video rank on page one of Google is Dental Marketing Mecca.  Viewers can't resist clicking on a video when searching for products or services online. Once your video link reaches page one… you are golden.   Viewers click and it keeps playing and playing,  just like the energizer bunny, 24/7, whether you are working, sleeping, eating, playing golf, or enjoying your family.  There is no better return on investment today than video marketing.

Why is video so powerful?

1. Video is the #1 marketing tool available to deliver your personalized marketing message, exactly the way you want it, at precisely the moment a prospective new patient is looking for your services on the Internet.
2. It engages the senses and creates emotion.  Viewers can hear and see who you are and what you are all about.  This is difficult to accomplish with the written word on a website.
3. Statistics show that video marketing on a website increases consumer interest by more than 100%, resulting in a call to action for products or services.  (contact your office for an exam)
4. It is less expensive to produce video than TV and radio commercials.  Plus, once your video is created and uploaded to the Internet, it is “evergreen”; visible for everyone to see until you take it down… or not.
5. Video is the #1 preferred form of communication in today’s tech savvy society.  What would you prefer to do… watch a video on a subject of interest or read website copy?  There is no contest.

Speed to Market wins the race…  The window of opportunity to be the first in your area to add video to your website is short.  Don’t be a “me too” practice.  Lead the way in an economy that cries out for something different to stand out in the crowd.  If your marketing budget doesn’t allow for custom video right now, an inexpensive but powerful alternative is www.marketingwithlivevideo.com.  Hire an Internet actor to deliver your marketing message for you.

One way or another, video is the key to a successful Internet marketing campaign.  Venture outside your comfort zone and deliver your own PR message to consumers in your demographic.  Do it today to improve the health of your practice or die.

Are you ramping up your Internet SEO orthodontic marketing strategies like newspapers across the country?

I found an interesting post today by Beth Lawton of the Newspapers Association of America on Newspapers businesses across the country ramping up their online video operations, purchasing equipment, training reporters, heavily promoting the results, and ultimately drawing new visitors and advertisers to the newspaper's Web site. 

More and more consumers are no longer using traditional news media like newspapers, TV and radio to keep up with national and local news, sports, and events. It is much easier to go online when you have a free minute or two to quickly catch up on the the latest headlines than it is to find time to sit down and read a newspaper… and lets face it… why spend the money on newspaper subscriptions when you can find it online for free.  Thus the dilemma facing the news media industry.  The Internet has seriously affecting their bottom line now for some time.  Consumer subscription rates are down and advertisers are spending more and more advertising dollars on the Internet than ever before. 

Baby boomers like myself and older Gen X consumers who are accustomed to reading printed newspapers and magazines, will always prefer those quiet personal moments sitting  and reading the newspaper, whether it be early in the morning with a cup of coffee or in the evening after a busy day. But even I find myself quickly scanning the Internet everyday to keep up to date on what is happening around me in the world. Going online is easier and I find it more and more difficult to find the time to keep up with the news any other way.

Younger consumers, without hesitation, immediately head for the Internet to update themselves and prefer the quickest and most engaging format available to take in information… which is video.  Video news clips are an entertaining and easily absorbed condensed version of what we need to know on the subject.  Since You Tube is the number one source for video on the Internet, whether the news media likes it or not, it is the place to go. So…If you can't lick em… join em.

How does all my enlightened rhetoric pertain to orthodontic marketing of your practice?

Whether you are a newspaper conglomerate or a small business owner,  leading edge marketing methods now available today on the Internet engage consumers while branding your business. The sort and long of it… video marketing on You Tube can help build your practice.  This post by Beth Lawton brings to light many of the benefits and pitfalls of marketing on You Tube. Although an orthodontic practice is not interested in attracting advertising revenue, branding your practice and driving new patients to your website is applicable.  The cautions and advice listed at the end of the post are good advice also.

Take the time to read this article and then ramp yourself up!  Go out an buy yourself a mini DV tape video camera if you don't have one and start playing with it.  I recommend the Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with microphone, USB, or Firewire capability, which is a must for quality video.  You can purchase one now for around S599.00 on Amazon.  It used to be around $1,000.  This camera records in both standard and HD formats which many video cameras don’t do. 

Adding video to your orthodontic marketing strategies is not difficult… it all depends on how quickly you and your team can adapt to new ideas and venture outside your comfort zone to market your business in a digital world.

You never know… it could be fun!

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think…

Don't Worry – Orthodontic and Dental Marketing Is Alive And Well Today If Done Correctly…

I did a little research about the Great Depression… And of course, there's lots of bad news and scary parallels with what's going on today…

*** BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS ***

Companies in the RADIO and PRINTING mediums had boom times during the depression.  Why?  Because radio and printing were new and emerging MEDIUMS for business. What does that mean to you? Well…  what is the equivalent of RADIO and PRINTING today? What's the emerging medium I have been talking about for over a year?

That's right… the INTERNET and VIDEO MARKETING. And it's still an emerging baby in its infancy with good news all around!

* The Internet's COST BASIS is lower than traditional marketing…

* The ability to increase your marketing demographic is greater than ever before if done correctly…

* You can automate your patient contact services over the Internet with email and text messaging…

* You can automate your marketing messages with your website, video, social networking, and e-newsletters…

* You can automate your customer service with 24/7 access to patient information, appointments, and financials…

* You can automate almost EVERYTHING with digital technology except the treatment provider, a friendly well trained team, and the personal touch you maintain when coming in personal contact with patients, family members, and referring practices.

So I say… FORGET what's happening in the world…IGNORE IT.   RELAX.

FOCUS on your Internet marketing strategies to increase new patient referrals … and digital technology to increase conversion rates. FOCUS on the opportunities… and MOST IMPORTANTLY… INVEST in yourself and your business… There are still many patients out there with disposable income looking for dental treatment providers.  Be the first to market "ahead of your competition" and there is no need to worry.

I was recently asked to speak at the Ortho II Users Meeting and spoke with many practices who are doing just fine during this recession.  Some are even still building their practices.  What are they doing differently than most practices today?  They are actively marketing on the Internet with:

1. A keyword optimized SEO website to increase their visibility on the Internet
   
2. Video or virtual spokesperson to promote their practice on their website and YouTube
3. Free Google Maps marketing campaign
4. External linking to their website to increase page ranking
5. Social networking where applicable
   

Watch this video from Dr. Blair Feldman's office in Phoenix, AZ on YouTube.  A contest was run in the office for best smile of the year. This video was shot and produced by Dr. Feldman himself and is a great example of what you can do to promote your practice through the Internet.

All it takes is a good internal or external marketing idea, minimal investment in equipment, time to learn video technique and production,  and the Internet to get the word out….   You don't even have to learn it yourself… you can outsource it to a professional, staff member, high school student, or family member interested in computers and the Internet.

Kudos to Dr. Feldman and his team for a job well done….  not only with a great marketing idea, but using the Internet and video as a way to get the word out on the results of the contest.

For more information on how you can build your practice on the Internet, feel free to contact me Toll Free at 877-295-5611 or email marykay@orthopreneur.com

Head In the Sand With Video Marketing?

Internet Orthodontic Marketing Do or Die…

I know this subject is scary and most of you are paralyzed into inaction when it comes to either thinking about or actually producing video as part of your Internet orthodontic marketing program. If you don't bring your head out of the sand NOW, you are missing out on a huge opportunity which will impact the bottom line production of your practice and its future in years to come.

Online video viewership set a new record December 2008 with a 13% increase over the previous month according to a new report released from the comScore.com Video Metrix Service. For the first time, more than 14.3 Billion videos were watched in December by US Internet users. As you might expect, Google Sites (which includes YouTube) led the growth charge, accounting for 49% of the incremental gain in overall videos viewed versus the previous month. In December, almost 100 million viewers watched almost 6 billion videos on YouTube alone.

Having your video rank on page one of Google is Internet Orthodontic Marketing Mecca.  Once your video link reaches page one… you are golden.  Viewers can't help but want to click on, which will maintain its position due to click through rate.  Below is what "organic" domination of Page One on Google  with video looks like.  What do you think patients will click on first?

Listed Are 5  Key Pointers To Consider when uploading your video to the Internet.  Following These Guidelines Will Increase Your Visibility and Click Through Rate…

1. Add your video, including testimonials, to YouTube and social networking sites.  You are missing out on valuable new patient referrals if it is only found on your website. 
2. Brand and Keyword optimize your video so consumers find it when searching with their patient keywords in your demographic.   If your video is not indexing on page one of Google, you are losing potential new patient starts.  Viewers love to click on a video if it is seen in any position on page one.
3. Keep your videos to 3 minutes or less, whenever possible.  Today's Internet consumers are ADHD challenged.  They won't watch a video for long unless it is really of interest to them.  You are better off making multiple short videos rather than one long video.
4. Monitor your video on a regular basis and change keywords, if necessary, to improve its page ranking.  If you can't find it on page one within a month, you need to change the code.
5. Speed to Market wins the race…Your video does not have to be an expensive production that is perfect… Just look at the videos on YouTube. Consumers are interested in content… not perfection. 

Here is a great example of a 90 second video, one of my clients produced themselves… in less than a week at  Elliottorthodontics.  The photos they took create interest and the scripting they wrote clearly describes both features and benefits of treatment.  Their new site will be completed soon.  But in the meantime, they are being proactive attracting new patients with video on YouTube and their site. 

 “If you want what you have never had, you must do what you have never done!”  Wayne Dwyer

Here's to your marketing success on the Internet!

Make sure you upload all your orthodontic marketing videos to Google video NOW…

It is no surprise and a long time coming…  Since Google purchased YouTube, the #1 video site in the world, there is no need for Google to support two major video sites.  The good news is Google will still support all videos which are currently uploaded along with management tools in the future.  If you haven't already uploaded your orthodontic marketing videos to Google video… get them up. You can still upload videos for another few months.  Why do I advise this?  Because Google loves to index its own video services and it is a hosting service, which will not be available in the future, for free. 

Some businesses which uploaded video to Google, however, are finding this a problem.  They didn't save the master files to allow them to upload old video again to other services.  Once uploaded, free services do not save the original video file.  Don't find yourself in this dilemma in the future. Here a three tips to follow when creating and storing video for your practice:

1. Always keep a master file of all your videos on a hard drivie in the event a hosting service or video production company goes out of business.  This includes videos posted on your hosted websites.  You never know what the future brings. Don't count on someone saving a copy for you and returning it willingly.
2. If the videos are professionally created, include in the contract you would like a copy of the completed videos in original file format  such as flv, wmv, Quick Time etc. Not in format only viewable on a DVD or CD player.
3. Request a copy of the raw .avi footage, in the event you want to combine older videos clips with new clips… to create a new video, especially patient testimonials.  If you shoot footage yourself, there is no problem if you save a copy. However, if you source it out, ask what the videographer's policy is before you contract services.  Even though you paid for the service, you may not have rights to the original footage. Once informed, is your choice how you would like to proceed with services.  Always be informed up front. 

You don't know… what you don't know… until you know it.  Now you know it!

To read Google's release and FAQ's read more here

So what does this mean for orthodontic marketing?

Screw your shoes on, get your scripts ready, research video cameras, and put video on your website in 2009.  No more procrastinating… you can't afford not too! Only one practice can be the first with an "effective video marketing presence" and one video doesn't cut it.  You need to tell the story of your practice to engage new patients to increase referrals.  This requires multiple areas of subject matter.

I can hear the grunts and groans now!  Don't worry, it's not that hard and you don't have to spend thousands of dollars on professional video productions to be effective with an online video web 2.0 marketing campaign.  The goal is to be "seen" and "heard", which in turn builds trust and increases referrals. 

After the holidays, take advantage of all the sales if you need equipment.  YouTube started accepting HD (high definition) video on 11/9.  This makes a big difference in what camera to buy. I am also currently producing a step by step course on how to shoot video in a dental office environment, which can be tricky with equipment near the chairs.  When shooting video you need to think about such things as:

• Cameras
• audio equipment
• tripods
• ambiant sound
• lighting
• scripting
• wardrobe

This isn't rocket science but you need to understand how it all pieces together, to be effective.  All these areas play an important role in any video production. Completion target date is July 2009. The course includes everything you need to know on how to shoot video for your website, testimonials, and social networks.  You can decide if you want a professional to edit the content or do it yourself. I will discuss all options and make recommendations for outsourcing, if you choose.  This course will eliminate hours of frustration and paralysis by analysis.

If you already know you want to outsource, marketingwithlivevideo.com is your best bet for the money.  It works on any website, except flash intros, (place on home page) so you don't have to change your main template to accommodate the video screen. With a walk on actor, not only can a professional deliver your personalized message to patients, they can direct them to contact your office for a free consultation or any area in your website that may contain other videos or content of special interest.  There is no end to what you can do with this service. 

It is projected the entire global economy will be slow or possibly crippled in 2009.  Be proactive not reactive:

1. Step up your content marketing next year
2. Embrace an Internet web 2.0 marketing campaign to attract new patients ready to start treatment with disposable income. Patients are always online researching all their options in treatment providers on the Internet. 
3. Include video on your website and web 2.0 campaigns to engage and emotionally connect with your audience quickly.  What better way to direct viewers to contact your office for a complimentary appointment than audio/video.

Individually we have no control over the economy or the affects in is having on the average consumer. However, we do have control over how we choose to approach these uncertain times. You have the results… use them to make 2009 a remarkable year in your practice.

Happy Holidays to everyone!  I am very grateful this year to all my readers.  I appreciate all your kudos, comments, and suggestions.  It is great to know someone is listening.

Your Website with Video Is A Key Component in Orthodontic Marketing Online… 

More and more orthodontic, dental, and professional practices are implementing the latest in online marketing strategies to increase new patient referrals.  Using video as a marketing tool not only grabs the attention of viewers when they click on your website, it increases the SEO (search engine optimization), if set up correctly, to improve page ranking on the search engines.  Unfortunately, I've noticed many videos on You Tube, Google Video, My Space, and Facebook are not set up properly with SEO to attract new patients.  This is something that every Internet marketing beginner and advanced marketer should know how to do, especially after spending thousands of dollars on a professional video production as part of a marketing strategy.

Take a look at 10 basic SEO tips you can implement to optimize your videos and ensure they are picked up by the search engines. It will also increase viewers from social networking sites that use the search tool to find content they want to research.

1. Brand Your Channel Name.
Use your main keywords in your channel’s name; ex: John Smith DDS, your brand name, or City-State orthodontist. Tests report implementing this little optimization trick can improve your SEO ranking. Eventually, you brand name will become popular enough online that users will use your channel name to search for your videos.

TIP:When you setup your channel on sites like You Tube, My Space and Facebook, your user name is your channel name… so brand it with the same name on all sites right from the start.  Some sites, like My Space, won’t allow you to change your username once it is setup.  Make sure it is set up correctly the first time around. 

2. Choosing A Category
Make sure you choose the correct category for your videos. Remember, you want highly targeted viewers interested in the services you have to offer, patients who will contact your practice to schedule a new patient exam. Find the general category that relates to your area of expertise, as close as you can.  Many categories do not cover your specific areas of expertise, so do your best. This not only gives you better page ranking for your videos, but also increases new patient referrals with SEO, over time.

3. Title or Headline Copy Must Create Interest
Your video title or headline requires two components to ensure better positioning on the search engines and on any site's search tool: The first is keywords or key phrases that are relevant to the content of your video. The second is action verbs.  Discuss a problem, solution, or general information people in your target area are online to research.  This would include general information available to the entire community, community service, and special events.

4. Optimize Your Description
The same keyword rules apply to video marketing and video search engine optimization as your website… Only use keywords that actually pertain to the subject matter in your video description.  Take the time to script your video properly to improve SEO.

1. Always list your website URL; http://www.yourwebsitename.com and/or phone number first.
2. Then continue using your main keyword at the beginning of your video description and use a variation of your main keyword at least 2 times on the rest of the body description.
3. Make sure the copy makes sense and offers a good overview of the content in your video.
   When applicable, point out what viewers are going to learn or experience and the benefits and features of treatment being offered.
4. If the video is a testimonial of treatment expertise or office event,  make note of it.

5. Tags
One of the main features of Web 2.0 is "Tags". It is a content management tool that helps computers, web users, and search engines find and categorize online content. This is one of the most important areas of your on-site video SEO efforts. Use them on every video you submit to any type of online video sharing site. Your ticket to success online is your use of main keywords, secondary keywords, and any keyword that relates to your content.

TIP: First use the keywords that you use on your title, and description, then use other keywords related to the content. Also use your brand name as a tag.  For example: If your content is about orthodontic treatment, you main keyword is your brand name. Your secondary keywords are orthodontics, braces, orthodontist, plus each keyword listed again with your city, State. Viewers from all over the world help improve your page ranking so you want to include generic and demographically targeted tags alike. 

6. Tagging All The Way
This is a simple but very useful on-site SEO tip that you need to use to maximize your video. Use as many tags as you can. Make sure you use the maximum number of characters that the site let you use. Here is why: Every tag you add to your video automatically creates a web page for that tag. Each page has a link back to your video page. This allows you to optimize the site structure to back link from relevant web pages on other sites.

Some sites limit the number of characters you are allowed to use when creating tags.  In this instance, make sure to include your strongest keywords and the city, state for each first to optimize new patient referrals. Use secondary keywords to fill in remaining character space allotted.

7. Become A Social Butterfly
With web 2.0 and social media today, you need to be an active user of online communities by visiting other channels, commenting on videos, and not only on those related to your niche, but on any video that you watch. Every time you post a comment on someone else’s video page, your channel name becomes a link back to your profile which is linking to your videos. This makes you an on-site active link, expanding the reach of your online video pages. Remember… the more back links the higher your page ranking, and the better your search engine position.

Marketing team members who have access to the business online sites can help with the linking and commenting process to increase visibility.

8. Grab Attention With Your Videos
Post your videos on your website, in your blog, and complement them with some text to encourage visitors to watch your videos.  The goal is to attract your viewer’s attention, encourage them to research further on your site, and ultimately contact your practice to schedule a new patient exam.  Video testimonials, video office tours, and practice overviews with a call to action asking patients to contact your office for an appointment significantly increase new patient referrals.

9. Create A Circular Viral Video Effect
Every time you post a video on your site, whenever possible, link it through You Tube instead of hosting it on your website server and then again uploading separately to video sites. Every time a visitor clicks on your video on your website, blog, My Space, Facebook, etc. it increases the total views on your You Tube video, if linked properly.  This in turn increases your video page ranking and SEO for that video. When new patients search in your area for treatment providers, your video will have a high page ranking on the search engines and drive traffic to your website.  You will need to incorporate the assistance of your webmaster when adding video to your website.  On a blog or social networking sites, it is very easy to upload video yourself.

I understand the quality of the video on your website is affected by uploading and viewing through You Tube.  However, the goal of your video is to “Grab Attention”.  The ability for patients to find your video, website, blog, My Space page, etc. immediately with high page ranking… supersedes the loss of video quality that may occur through You Tube, especially with testimonials and office events.

10. Take Advantage of All Your Social Options
If you have the time, besides My Space and Facebook, to increase viewers, upload your video to other social and video networking sites. The more social network sites you use, the more one way back links you receive to increase your page ranking. Here is a current list of your top 100 online networking sites.

Always remember to provide good content in each video. Include useful tips whenever possible, and always add some fun…  Nothing happens overnight.  Be patient… let your videos work for your 24/7,  behind the scenes to increase referrals.  Sooner…rather than later, new patient referrals will begin to increase with a strategically optimized video marketing program.

Knowing how to correctly combine online and offline marketing strategies to effectively market your practice to the current tech savvy generations, requires a synergy of marketing modalities. Capturing the attention of the most entrepreneurial, overstressed and skeptical generations to date, requires a new way of thinking on the part of professionals practices.

GenX, GenY, and Global Tweens are flocking to Web 2.0 locations where they:
 
   *  Blog and leave comments; voice their opinions good and bad
   *  Listen to audios and watch videos on specific content of interest to them 
   *  Research on business/special interest web sites to gain information
   *  Are entertained
   *  Communicate with each other in social communities such as My Space, Facebook etc.
 

 
There isn’t a subject or idea that doesn’t have an online community where people share information, ideas, news and thoughts. The goal of web 2.0 marketing is to embrace this type of information gathering and proactively join in to increase patient awareness of your practice and services.
  
Your Digital Fingerprint

Internet marketing is “evergreen”, leaving a digital fingerprint of who you are and what your practice is all about.  Taking marketing responsibility of your business with the latest in Web 2.0 marketing tactics, is the preferred communication tool of tech savvy generations when gathering information.  Failing to understand this new phenomenon may prove disastrous for those unwilling to update their marketing strategies.
 
Once on the web, your message is broadcast to the world.  Attracting and maintaining attention once visitors click on your site is what Web 2.0 is all about. Companies of all shapes, sizes, product/service categories will drop an estimated $1.4 billion on social media advertising this year alone. By 2012 the investment should double. Online marketing is the most direct means of reaching patients interested in your treatment services.  Old traditional marketing methods no longer cut it.  Melding successful marketing tactics that include word of mouth marketing with online digital technology is a winning combination.  It is also the most direct and cost-effective means of educating potential patients.
 
The challenge for marketers is understanding what social media is, how it works/interacts, which avenue(s) do you use, how do you measure social media results…and what are the obstacles.

Social media:

• is all about people and building relationships, sharing opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives with others
• can generate effective viral word of mouth for your treatment services
• is an arena dominated by early adopters (revolutionaries) willing to lead the way for others through the new Internet frontier
• will become increasingly significant in influencing how other practices follow the "Internet Cowboys" who lead online marketing tactics in orthodontics
• provides a unique opportunity to connect with referring professionals and patients to gain feedback and provide content rich information.

The demand, the interest, and the need for social networking is growing in leaps and bounds.  The Internet is no longer the future of marketing… it is NOW.  However, the window of opportunity to take advantage of positioning is limited.  Savvy online marketers implementing successful marketing strategies to stake their claim in online marketing real-estate today, will be tough to unseat with the current rules of online social networking, tomorrow.  It is forecast that Internet traffic will quadruple by 2010. The ability to understand and engage your target market with the rules of online marketing is critical to the future growth of your practice.

You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – If you think email is overpowering you, it is inconsequential compared to the volume of content that is being streamed, pushed and pulled across the Internet.

Business As Usual Has Changed

The dynamics of business as usual have changed dramatically – internally and externally. Practices no longer have control over what is being said online. It is an open forum for consumers on Google maps, online yellow pages, and other information and social network sites.  Once added, only the author can delete their personal comment, both good and bad.  Positive comments are always an asset.  However, disgruntled patients now have a new venue to blow of steam, justified or not, that can deter future referrals and adversely affect your practice. Monitoring online comments, good customer service and positive treatment experiences are more important than ever before.

Perspective patients move in/out of professional websites day in and day out when researching treatment providers.  Without a website, you are off the radar with today’s tech savvy generations.  You may as well be invisible. Social networking and Web 2.0 is forcing business to rethink and update their marketing information methods.

The proponents of online marketing claim unbridled marketing success.  However, it is difficult to precisely pinpoint the value and ROI in traditional metrics. It is impossible to find the beginning and end points of an online program, especially when your have no control over consumer feedback.
 
For most businesses it is the online video opportunities that track the most interest and the most attention. The ability to attract and identify click through rate is…HUGE!!! Online viewing is changing how the entertainment/marketing communities reach their target “market.”
 

The Internet is turning the movie and entertainment industry upside down as viewers increasingly expect immediate access to content 24/7. Their key concern today for marketers is how to monetize the video experience.

Some visionaries boast that online video viewing will quickly eliminate conventional TV broadcasts as rapidly as information gathering on the Internet killed print media as the number one source of information.  This has already proven true with the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.  Polls report teenagers, as a group, are not watching the Olympics on television.  Their preference is online video streaming of winning highlights that cut through the real-time clutter.  This information is crucial for future marketing campaigns targeting this current attention deficient generation who is unwilling to wait for information.
 
Despite these reports, the “ancient” forms of communications, news and entertainment are still important in building brand awareness. Firms that choose one form of marketing strategies over the other don’t understand or acknowledge the dynamics of traditional media and how it integrates with new media marketing.

Media synergy is important when creating an effective marketing plan. 

• Three media formats are better than two, and two media formats are better than one.
• The combination of printed marketing materials and an information website has more clout than each standing alone.  Adding a third venue, such as video to your website and social networks, attracts even more attention and intensifies marketing efforts.
• Offline media often performs better than online media. Including a URL address in printed marketing materials significantly increases web visits.
• Each medium influences online behavior differently and plays a distinctive role.
  “Qualified" niche (orthodontics) visitor search results are quite different than "total" generalized (dentistry) search results.

Understanding the differences and applying the correct online tactics will make the difference between and effective or ineffective online marketing campaign.

You Only Have Seconds To Make A good Impression

Ads and printed marketing materials may get consumers to your web site to learn more about your services, but once there.. you must sustain their attention. Why? Their next stop in the research process is to surf the web learning more about other treatment providers in the area. Use any search engine to research your keyword and numerous online social media references appear …instantly! Visitors need a reason to remember your name and continue further on your website before moving on to the next option.  Since few professional practices are adding video to their website, it is a great opportunity to set yourself apart from the competition.

Source — Ipsos
More and more, when consumers are considering the purchase of a product or service they will ask not only friends and family, they will research online for support issues and problem resolution. Consumers are aware there will be issues and problems. The deciding factor is how the company addresses and resolves the issue for the customer.

Statistics report:
• 74% choose companies/brands based on others’ customer-care experiences shared online (testimonials)
• 72% research companies’ customer care online prior to purchasing products and services at least sometimes (testimonials)
• 84% consider the quality of customer care at least sometimes in their decision to do business with a company (testimonials)
• 81% say blogs, online rating systems and discussion forums can give consumers a greater voice regarding customer care, but less than 33% say they believe that businesses take customers’ opinions seriously (surveys)

Listen..Respond..Improve

The greatest hurdle for most businesses is listening, responding (appropriately) and improving products and services once feedback is given. Vistors may like your marketing information but they make their purchasing decisions based on peers. 

Videos and information content may attract consumers. However, when push comes to shove, today’s skeptical society has a tendency to rely upon the experiences of others they trust before making a purchasing decision.

To paraphrase advertising guru David Ogilvy, “Advertising lights the fire, public relations fans the flame and website/video/social media whip it into a fire storm!”

Ignoring the influences of social media you can’t control is unwise. The key to survival today is listen…respond…improve. Web 2.0 marketing is very effective at reaching a specific target market you can't reach as effectively with traditional marketing strategies. Unfortunately, consumers also have the ability to reach out to the competition also. Online marketing levels the playing field for practices large or small, unseasoned or experienced. Riding the fence or procrastinating is no longer an option if you want to compete in today’s competitive market and build the foundation for future growth.

Buying decisions, no matter what the product or service, is based on emotion…

DeBeers, who is responsible for 40% of world wide diamond productions and has a retail presence in 25 countries world wide, did extensive research on why men and woman buy diamonds.  Their research shows that men and woman buy diamonds for totally different reasons. And though their reasons are different, they are both based on emotion, not on size, color, clarity and long term value. The same is true when patients and parents are seeking the services of an orthodontic provider. They are looking for a beautiful smile and straight teeth. They aren't looking for perfection, but the emotional feeling and self confidence one feels after their teeth are straightened.

A man, when purchasing a diamond for a woman, wants to experience the look… the look on her face and in her eyes when she sees the diamond.  A woman, on the other hand buys herself diamonds so that she can experience other women admiring the jewelry she is wearing. 

From this research, DeBeers opted for two different marketing tactics in magazines and TV commercials:
1. A man putting a ring on a woman’s finger or giving her earrings or a necklace as a special occasion gift. The woman responding with surprise, love, tears…evoking great emotion from her. 

2. A woman walking through a crowd at a party, wearing a diamond necklace or earrings and other women turning around to admire her jewelry.  In the video commercial, the admirer nudges her escort to turn around and see for himself how nice the diamonds look on the other woman and how she herself would like the same thing.

Both are powerful ads and both are based on emotion, depending upon each targeted market.  If the printed word creates a picture in your mind worth 10,000 words, a video is worth 1,000,000. 

Click on DeBeers ad below from the male perspective

This is why they are the most successful diamond marketer in the world and have lead the industry in marketing strategies and sales.  They are the leaders that set the bar. They marketed their audience based on emotion, which developes personal relationships, and consequently built a name you can trust when purchasing diamonds. 

Their success is also based on their positioning.  They were the first ones out of the gate with this emotional tactic in the diamond industry and now all the followers are campaigning with "ME TOO knockoffs." DeBeers latest marketing tactics, even though the old ones are still being aired and are very successful, are evoking different emotions with different ads. Rather than resting on previous success, they moved on to the next campaign and are again creating new trends in their efforts to maintain first position.
 

The Heart of a New Patient Exam
In a new patient exam, getting to know the patient personally and determining the reason they are seeking orthodontic treatment, is obviously the first to do in any NP appointment. This step is no different than DeBeers surveying their audience.  Within a few minutes, any marketing savvy TC asks the key questions necessary to elicit personal information from the patient/parents.  She then informs the Dr of the results, so he/she can immediately develop a personalized treatment plan based on their answers and emotional concerns.  Questions like…
 •What are your orthodontic concerns?
 •What don’t you like about their teeth
 •If you require treatment, what type of treatment are you interested in?
 •Is this the first time you have undergone an orthodontic evaluation?
 •Have any friends or family gone through orthodontic treatment themselves?  Were they pleased with their treatment results.

The main objective of a TC is to begin building the relationship with patient/parent, provide pertinent information to the Dr so you can continue the personal relationship, and pave the way for your practice as the #1choice as their orthodontic care provider.

Now, what I would like you to do is consider this… instead of waiting for the TC to introduce you and your practice at  the New Patient exam, like every other practice, why not introduce yourself and your practice to patients/parents before the first appointment.  Give perspective patients/parents an opportunity to see your office, your team, and listen to you first hand. Start developing a personal relationship with patients/parents before they walk through the door and give them the opportunity to feel like they already know you before you walk into the room.

You can easily direct new patients/parents to your website with your welcome letter and once the word gets around, referring patients will direct friends to the Internet.  On your website, communicate with them, personally, who you are and what you can do for them.  Create an interactive virtual office tour or personalized welcome on the home page (either as a video or photographs with narrated audio for those that are camera shy). 

Today, with all the new advances in digital technology, there is no better way to market yourself, your team, your treatment modalities and your services than the Internet.  You can present your entire marketing “elevator speech” in less than 3 minutes.  The Internet is available 24/7, for convenience, and its marketing appeal for today’s digital savvy generations is unprecedented and groundbreaking.
 
The Internet, like television, allows you, as a business owner and professional to convey emotion with audio and video on your website.  You no longer have to spend huge dollars getting the word out to your perspective patients.  Today, it is easy and inexpensive to create good video for your website or, if you are so inclined with a minor learning curve, you can do it yourself right in the office.  It’s not rocket science.  All you need is a HDDV camcorder for high quality taping, minimal training, the ability to overcome camera shyness, and the desire to set yourself apart from other practices in your area.

Online video marketing is still virgin territory in marketing any businesses. But it won’t remain that way much longer. 

Patients and parents choose their orthodontist, like diamonds, based on emotion and with some element of logic. But,emotion will make the final decision.  If they trust you and feel you understand why they have come to you for treatment, they will most likely choose you as their service provider. With online video marketing, angle your tactics towards the mindset of what you want to portray to your patients, and give yourself a head start on promoting your practice.  Instead of telling them about you, your practice and your accomlishments, tell patients what orthodontics will do for them such as improved self esteem with new, less noticeable appliances. Allow the TC, your team and your patients to talk about you, rather than yourself, to build trust and provide verifiable truth.

Watch this professionally created video as a good example of orthodontic video marketing. Minimal footage is currently available on the Internet.  The time to start is now…. Be the first in your area to set the new bar in orthodontic marketing. 

This 2nd video was captured by personnel in an Invisalign practice. It is of the same video quality, but obviously not created by a professional videographer and storyboard.  However, the testimonial, given by the patient is verifiable truth of treatment expertise.  It evokes a must higher level of trust from a consumer than the professionally created video that tells a better story.  With some minor training and tweaking on technique, future videos could be created looking much more professional, even though done unprofessionally in the office.

Ultimately what most patients want is a remarkable smile that everyone will notice when they, or their child, walk into a room or has their picture taken.  How they get that smile is logistics.  It is a feature of your treatment, not the main product.  Your product is a beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime.  Target the product, not the features in your marketing tactics and videos to be an EXTRAordinary, marketing savvy orthopreneur™.

Food for thought…then take action!

Here’s to marketing smarter, faster and with less effort.