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Make Your Social Media Strategy Sizzle with Summer-Focused Content
How Is Summer Different than the Rest of the Year?

Warmer temperatures make people more active in the summertime. With kids out of school now, many families will take at least one vacation over the next few months. And since 81% of Americans save money specifically for the summer season, there is more opportunity for your business to gain customers and grow.

What Can a Small Business Do to Stand Out?

Larger, national brands don’t have to work as hard to benefit from the seasonal surge, but small businesses can also succeed through social media campaigns. Using location-specific social media, optimized pages, and summer-focused content, you can take your business to the next level this summer.

What’s the First Step?

The first thing on your summer to-do list: claim and optimize your social media pages. Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram will be the heavy hitters this summer. Google+ and Yelp both require verification, so you should start this process immediately. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram don’t have lengthy verification procedures, but they should be optimized with branded images to familiarize users with your business. All of these sites also need to link to your main website and other social media profiles if applicable. Alternatively, you’ll also want your website to link to your social media profiles for quick and easy connections. Now that the website and social media interlinking of your business is setup, the real work starts.

My Profiles Are Optimized, Now What?

Now it’s time to get to work. The theme is summer, so your posts should reflect the season. Here are a few content creation tips:
- High energy and fun
  - Summer is all about having a great time, so your posts should reflect the sweet summertime mood. There is no set formula for social media posts. You need to experiment a bit to find out what attracts the most engagement from your audience. Mix it up and show your employees having fun on top of working hard.
- Holidays and events
  - Independence Day and Labor Day are two major federal holidays during the summertime. If your business is open on these days, make sure to post about your hours of operation. Social media is also a great, free way to notify your customers about holiday promotions.
  - Keep a close eye on your city’s calendar of events, and try to coordinate promotions and posts accordingly. Here in New Orleans, we have this handy calendar provided by New Orleans Online. A fashion boutique, for example, could take advantage of the upcoming outdoor festivals and offer a sale on tank tops, shorts, sunglasses, and other festival gear. Food vendors at the same festival can get a lot of social media interaction if they post pictures of their fan’s favorite dishes.
- Deliberate engagement
  - In between selfies and status updates, social media users are constantly scrolling through their timelines. Make yourself not only appear but also encourage interaction by asking fans to like, share, or tag a friend. Users love to engage with their favorite brands, but make sure you have someone on deck to respond.
- Encourage locals and tourists
  - Large brands or franchises may have the backings of national companies, but small businesses have the strength of the ever-growing “Go Local” trend that swept the nation this past decade. You should highlight your locality in your posts. Some locals prefer to patronize businesses that will stimulate the local economy, and many tourists are searching for the more “authentic” local experience.
These tips will help make your social media outlets stand out instead of getting lost in the ever-growing sea of likes.

Sounds Like a Lot of Work

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Take it from the pros: Social media optimization is a complicated and time-consuming undertaking. Research provides insights into your industry’s most successful social media approaches, and then the posts are written, edited, and published on a timeline that encourages engagement from your target audience. Search Influence offers a full range of social media optimization services including content creation, brand management, and graphics creation. Now is prime time to prepare your business for the upcoming season, and we’d be more than happy to help out.
June 14, 2016
5 Rookie Mistakes That Will Ruin Your New Website’s SEO

Here at Search Influence, we take pride in providing valuable SEO information and tips for our clients, from the nitty gritty of Google’s algorithms to the basics of designing a great website. Our recently published white paper covers 5 SEO mistakes that could be lurking in your web design. Here’s a rundown of the rookie mistakes you may not know you’re making.

Your Site Is Too Slow to Load

Large, unoptimized images on the landing page can significantly decrease site speed. Not only does this lead to poor user experience, it affect how Google ranks your site in searches.

You’re Not Allowing the Site to Be Crawled

Web crawlers are how search engines know pages of your site exist and what the pages are about, so restricting their ability to crawl and index essentially renders your site invisible in search results.

Your Site Isn’t Mobile Friendly

More and more people use phones and tablets to access the internet. You can miss a large percentage of your target audience if you do have have a mobile friendly site.

It’s the Wrong Kind of Flashy

Relying too much on Flash elements can slow down your site and causes complications for mobile users. And while single page sites can be visually appealing, you can miss many optimization and analytical opportunities.

The Content Is Weak

When it comes to Google’s algorithms, text is more important than visuals. Good content gives a better understanding of what the page is about, for crawlers as well as human readers. And old fashioned SEO techniques, such as keyword stuffing, can do more harm than good.

If you’re concerned that your site may be suffering from any of these problems, fear not. Check out our white paper for more detailed information on each of these concerns. Once you have a better understanding of the issues at hand, you can reach out to your web developer or one of our SEO specialists to begin addressing your concerns.

Image 1 Credit

June 9, 2016
5 Medical Practices Effectively Using Instagram

Instagram’s visual language is a great way to tell your brand and practice’s story. The layout is both straightforward and engaging. The platform is on the rise, and Instagram users are nearly 60 times more likely to share an image than those on Facebook. In a field that can be rather clinical, pun intended, Instagram provides medical professionals a means of showing their personality and building trust with their patients. Images spark engagement through follows, likes, and comments. A medical practice’s Instagram feed allows it connect with patients and customers through conversation, questions, and concerns. With the use of hashtags, you can find new audiences and grow your following.

In this post, I highlight five medical practices that are effectively using Instagram to promote their practice.

#1: Dr. Aamir A Wahab – @draamirwahab

Dr. Wahab’s dental practice Unforgettable Smile is located in Beverly Hills. He uses Instagram to promote the diverse dental and oral health care services he provides. Dr. Wahab counterbalances those more technical images, such as x rays, molds, and dental tools, with photos of himself with clients, both celebrity and unknown. Before and after images, with patient permission of course, are a great way to show client results. Not only do they demonstrate your skill, but it allows potential patients to see what’s possible. It’s also an ideal time to employ a hashtag like #transformationtuesday. Overall, Dr. Aamir’s Instagram is successful because it’s diverse in its content and constantly engaging—and it doesn’t hurt that he’s a “celebrity dentist.”

#2: Dr. Chris Balgobin aka Dr. BBL – @ddr.bbl

Dr. Balgobin is a cosmetic surgeon specializing in liposuction and Brazilian butt lifts, or bbl. He’s also a franchisee of Dr. Miami, also known as Dr. Salzhauer, whose Instagram is a little more eccentric than most medical practices. Dr. BBL’s Instagram feed is almost entirely before-and-after photos, and the majority of those are butt lifts. While some doctors on social media are more clinical and matter-of-fact, Dr. BBL’s Instagram takes very graphic results and portrays them lightheartedly. His use of emojis, selfies, and memes bring a more playful side to his medical practice. He’s done an expert job of displaying his niche in the larger field of cosmetic surgery while keeping his content engaging and tailored the platform on which it appears.

#3: St. Charles Vision – @stcharlesvision

St. Charles Vision is a doctor-owned facility providing comprehensive care. They have six locations serving the Greater New Orleans area. Their approach to Instagram is just as comprehensive. Their feed features new trends in eyewear, client portraits, celebrity spottings, and more! St. Charles Vision is also very active in the community, and their feed shows views around town. In a field all about the visual, it’s obvious that optometrists should be promoting themselves in graphic terms. Their feed features a lot of original images. Though they occasionally throw in an advertisement for a certain brand of glasses, the majority of the photos are unique to the business. They also connect their followers and encourage engagement with the hashtag #raiseyourglasses. St. Charles Vision’s new Distinctive series with artist Zack Smith features striking images of clients in fashionable glasses. This is a great way to promote your products and services, while also highlighting your wonderful customers!

#4: Dr. Simon Ourian – @simonourianmd1

Dr. Simon Ourian is a cosmetic dermatologist based in Beverly Hills. He uses Instagram to establish his expertise in his field. Dr. Ourian’s posts educate his clients about the causes of different cosmetic concerns, the various treatments, and even describe his consultation process and pricing. The classic before and after images of non-surgical butt lifts, laser treatments, and botox injections are visual testimonies of his work. These images foster both interest in the practice and trust in the doctor’s results. Dr. Ourian posts nearly every day and features a variety of images, as well as videos. This ensures his feed is diverse. He’s active on the platform but does not overwhelm his followers with multiple posts a day or anything overly promotional.

#5: Dr. Sandra Lee aka Dr. Pimple Popper – @drpimplepopper

Dr. Sandra Lee is another dermatologist that’s keeping it “poppin” on Insta, but definitely in a different way from Dr. Ourian. Dr. Pimple Popper has become an internet sensation, and this account is the perfect example of a medical practice using Instagram successfully. Be warned—her account is not for the faint of heart! Before Instagram, Dr. Lee’s YouTube channel had few followers, but now her Instagram account boasts 1.3 million followers! You can watch short clips of cyst removals, popped pimples, never ending blackheads, and literally everything in between. Want more? Almost every Instagram video on her account prompts users to visit her YouTube channel for longer clips.

Dr. Lee posts photos and videos daily. She’s consistently engaged with users, even building anticipation for full videos with sneak-peek clips and teaser images. Fans come together under her hashtags #DrPimplePopper and #popaholicsunite. Instagram users comment with their delight and disgust, and share these videos with friends and families for amusement and shock value. Dr. Lee has built a loyal fan base that keeps coming back. The Dr. Pimple Popper Instagram account has been featured in the Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, and more!

June 6, 2016
Did You Catch All of That? A Rundown of Our Top May Blogs

It’s summertime! May was full of so many informative and fun Influencer blog posts, not to mention the laugh-out-loud-worthy gifs. If you haven’t caught up with all of our blogs yet, here’s a quick run-down of all the top blogs from May.

What Happened to Facebook’s 20% Text Grid Tool?

The Cliff’s Notes version is that Facebook has 4 categories for the amount of text allowed on an ad: “OK”, “Low”, “Medium,” or “High.” A “High” amount may not reach your audience, but you may also have more room to be flexible with the ad. To every rule there is an exception: Movie posters, book covers, and product images don’t “count” as text.

Why Social Media Is Critical for the Growth of Your Business

We all know that social media is here to stay, but here’s the nitty gritty with the reasons why. Bottom Line: your customers are active on social media—a whopping 76%—and Facebook remains the real winner with the most users.

13 Things We Wish We Could Tell Our Younger Selves: A Guide for Graduating Seniors

As graduating seniors, there’s so much pressure to go out in the world and do great things. Fear not, 13 of our employees provided solid advice for those entering the workforce. From knowing it’s okay to ask for help, keeping your goals in mind, or reminding yourself that you shouldn’t just accomplish things just to check them off your list, these pieces of advice are bound to make an impact on a young graduate’s mind.

Oh No! Where Did Medical Schema Go?

For anyone in the medical field, or anyone interested, there’s a new version of medical Schema. The changes involved include a new extension, which have been moved to another subdomain and more extensions are most likely on their way.

Seeing Colors? Google Expands Paid Ads

Hopefully you didn’t miss a major Google update, which involved paid ads in two new areas, Local Finder ads and Maps ads. With the Local Finder, the reduction of five displays to three wasn’t enough for users, so Google integrated some paid ads. Regarding Maps ads, ads are now shown in purple font, positioned at the top of the results, and a purple icon is added directly in the map.

June 2, 2016
Paper Vs. Digital To-Do Lists? Influencers Give Their Opinions
If you take a moment to look around today’s workplace, you will probably notice two sets of distinct people: those that use technology for everything, including their to-do lists, and those “old schoolers,” who embrace technology but are quick to pull out a tablet and pen to write down everything they need to do. I wanted to find out more about this phenomenon here at Search Influence, so I interviewed four colleagues to get the scoop on how they complete their tasks. Here is what I found out.

Influencers:
- Chris Roberts – Software Developer
- Jensen Quadros – Account Associate
- Presley Brouillette – Account Manager
- Mary Silva – Internet Marketing Team Lead
How do you get your projects done on time? Do you prefer writing your to-do list down, or do you use an online reminder system?

CR: Dev Team uses two software programs, Trello and Pivotal, to keep track of projects. We check these routinely throughout the day and keep most project related information stored there.

JQ: I prefer writing down my task list on a notepad. All the work we do is on the internet and all of our systems are on the computer, so being able to write a to-do list down is something I like. I get all my work done on time by making sure I’m getting as much crossed off of my list as possible by the time Friday comes around. Sometimes, I put items with later due dates on my list just in case I have extra time to get ahead.

PB: I don’t have an online reminder system; however, I just use a Google Sheet and type everything in there. Each day, I highlight the things that I need to get done that day, whether it be client related, internal project related, or follow ups. That way, I know how I should manage my time. If for some reason I cannot get something done, I will re-date it for tomorrow and make it a first priority.

MS: HANDWRITTEN TO DO LISTS ARE THE BEST! I use a journaling bulleted list system—but I developed some of my own symbols outside of traditional bullet journaling—in my Search Influence Moleskin.

How does your organizational system help you or your team stay organized?

CR: It facilitates collaboration between team members and visibility to management, plus our team is familiar with these two systems.

JQ: I use this list system because I like having a physical copy of my list in front of me at all times. I frequently have lots of different tabs and windows open, so even if I did keep my to-do list in a Google Doc, I wouldn’t be looking at it as much as I look at my physical copy. I also like organizing my list by client because, when I check on each client’s campaign to create my to-do list, I get an idea of where the client is overall. Thus, I’m not blindly writing down tasks on my list; I have an understanding of where each task item is in the scope of the client’s campaign. This is especially helpful when you’re working in account management.

PB: The best thing about having something in a spreadsheet is that you can link directly to other things. Because we work in online marketing, most of the things we do are online. That being said, in my spreadsheet, I can directly link to client websites or our internal task management systems.

MS: I prefer a handwritten to-do list for two reasons. For one, I think actually writing what I have to do down helps me think through things more critically and also helps each thing on my to-do list stick and stay top of mind. The other reason I prefer writing my to-do lists is that in my role working on the technical production side of Search Influence, I often have at least 20 tabs or windows open in Chrome and ten applications open on my computer throughout the day. Having a digital to-do list would add to the clutter and also make it harder to navigate to quickly. I like being able to just look down at my bullet journal and get to my next to-do easily. Bullet journaling in particular is great because it works well for longer to-do lists—I often have 30 to-dos on my list a day. It allows me to get everything down as it comes up while still prioritizing along the way, not having to create a new list as new things come like you would for a chronological-type list where the first thing is highest priority.

How do you prioritize your to-do list: by importance or by due date?

CR: Currently, our managers meet weekly to prioritize software tasks.

JQ: I prioritize by order of importance and by due date. I have an understanding in my mind of what items will be most important to get done by each day of the week. It’s really common for other things to pop up in the middle of the day and divert my attention from my to-do list, but after I’m done with the one-off item that needs my attention, I go back to my list.

PB: A little of both. I highlight everything that has a due date of today. From there, I prioritize things by importance.

MS: The bullet journaling makes prioritization easy. Here’s a picture of my “key” for marking objects:

I don’t usually color code my actual lists because the symbols themselves are great enough to easily differentiate to-do list entries. The symbols not only allow me to tell that obviously something that has a star next to it is really important but also indicate that something with an exclamation mark, which means to research or look into something, might take longer and be less time sensitive. So it might also be lower priority.

How often do you update your to-do list?

CR: Multiple times a day.

JQ: I update my to-do list once a week. Every Monday morning, I spend a good bit of time checking through each client’s campaign. After I figure out what items need to be completed for the week, I start working right away.

PB: Literally all day, everyday! Nothing better than deleting something that you completed!

MS: Daily. When I create my new list for the day, new items are marked with a dot. For old items, the dot becomes a left facing angle bracket (“<“), indicating that I let it go a day and therefore increased its priority. I also just really enjoy the satisfaction throughout the day of physically crossing things off my list when they’re done.

What would happen if you lost your to-do list system?

CR: We would probably attempt to recover the data and switch to another system.

JQ: If I lost my to-do list, I would have to create another one. However, I wouldn’t want to do that because I spend a lot of time creating my to-do list!!

PB: I don’t even want to think about it. Die from a heart attack probably.

MS: I’d probably forget to do a few of the things, but generally since I hand write my lists, I think I have them pretty firmly etched in my brain.

Feature Image Credit
May 31, 2016
Search Influence Teams Up with PCA Louisiana to Prevent Child Abuse
When you hear the words “child abuse,” what is the first thing you feel? For most people, it’s a feeling of disgust and shame, but it’s also a distant feeling. You might think, “I don’t work in education or with children, so what can I do about it?” You probably don’t think that you could make any type of significant contribution to preventing child abuse in your community.

Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana, a statewide nonprofit, spent the month of April helping Louisiana residents change the way they think about child abuse and prevention by emphasizing that we all play a part. Search Influence was proud to sponsor PCA Louisiana’s month-long Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, which just wrapped up at the close of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The local affiliate of Prevent Child Abuse America, PCA Louisiana is the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to child abuse prevention. The mission of the organization is simple and clear: to prevent the abuse and neglect of Louisiana’s children. The organization supports children and parents through intensive, evidence-based programs and community-based education across the state.

Search Influence is proud to call Louisiana home. As with any community, however, there are some startling facts about our beloved state that leave us feeling compelled to take action and make our home a better place.
- Louisiana is estimated to spend $1.2 billion per year on the direct and indirect consequences of child abuse and neglect.
- Louisiana ranks 47th in the nation in overall child well-being.
- In 2013, more than 10,000 of Louisiana’s children were victims of child maltreatment.
As a sponsor of Child Abuse Prevention month, Search Influence created, published, and helped promote an infographic to help Louisianans understand the impact prevention can have on our state’s economy, our children’s wellbeing, and how we can each contribute.

I had the pleasure of working with the staff and PCA Louisiana and the internal staff here at Search Influence in order to create the infographic. They were kind enough to add our name to their Thank You billboards in Baton Rouge. Here is a snapshot:

You might be wondering how YOU can play a part in child abuse prevention in your state. Visit www.pcal.org to learn more about prevention programs.

Pinwheel Image Credit
May 26, 2016
5 Tips to Improve Local Search Rankings Even If You Don’t Have a Physical Location
If you’re new to the world of SEO, trying to optimize your business on the internet can feel like you’re trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube: You have an idea of what the finished result should look like, but the process leading to the final product may feel convoluted. Given that SEO strongly emphasizes the importance of NAP consistency, it’s possible to feel even more puzzled on how to optimize your website if your business does not have a physical storefront.

Follow these five tips and you will be on the path to success.

Do I own a service area business (SAB)?

Before diving into how to optimize for a service area business (SAB) website, it’s important to identify whether or not your business is a SAB. A SAB is a business that does not service customers at the business’s physical location. Instead, an employee will travel to the customers to provide goods or services. Examples of SABs include HVAC companies, limousine companies, house cleaning services, landscaping services, mailing services, etc. (My favorite example of a SAB happens to be the ice cream truck that comes to my neighborhood during the summer.)

Know thy service area.

If your business is a SAB, you will need clear answers to the following questions for a successful online optimization campaign:
1. What is your service area, and how far will you travel?
2. Do you have multiple service areas? If so, where?
Tips & Recommendations
1. Targeted Area Pages – A targeted area page is content that is specific to the area you are trying to service. The title tag, on-site content, H1, and meta description can be optimized to the specific location you service. For targeted area pages, the content should contain location specific information, such as specials that apply only to that area, customer testimonials from locals, completed projects in the area, and even location-specific videos.
2. MyMap – A MyMap is a custom map that outlines the specific areas your business serves. It implements a visual on your website for a better user experience. You can create a standard one, shown below on the right, or even customize your MyMap, like the one shown on the left.
3. Categorical Directories – When you submit your business to a directory, you are receiving an authoritative link back to your site, which provides referral traffic and in turn strengthens your site authority in the eyes of Google. (The saying “You are judged by the company you keep” is a common expression that is helpful in understanding link building from authoritative sites.) While directories can advance your SEO goals, be sure to submit your business to a categorical directory instead of a local directory. Unlike a local directory that is organized by a business’s NAP, a categorical directory is organized by industry.
4. Get5Stars – Reviews are a great way to reinforce that your business services multiple areas. Get5Stars is a tool that allows for customers to leave reviews on your website. In turn, you can review the client feedback before publishing it live on your website.
5. Optimize your Google+ correctly – When you are setting up your Google+ page, be sure to select the box that says “I deliver goods and services to my customers at their location.”
Follow this up by filling out the ZIP codes you service. If you are a SAB that also accepts customers at your storefront, you can check off the second box. Optimizing your Google+ page correctly will hide your physical location from the viewer while also increasing your page’s authority on the maps pack for the areas you serve.

Words for the Wise

When optimizing your SAB online, avoid from these common mistakes:
1. Advertising your P.O. Box address as a physical location
2. Portraying an existing business as your own
3. Using a virtual office address
4. Creating identical targeted area pages (also called “Find and Replace” pages where the content is exactly the same but only the geo modifiers are different)
Still have questions? Watch our recent webinar for more information and tips.

Ice Cream Truck Image Credit
May 24, 2016
Should Each Franchise Location Have a Separate Facebook Page?

It’s no secret that Facebook is a social media powerhouse. With an average 1.09 billion daily active users, the platform has transformed the way people interact with each other and the world around them, and has revolutionized the way and speed at which we can access information. As consumers turn to Facebook more and more for information and as a means to connect with people, it comes as no surprise that an increasing number of people expect companies to be active on Facebook. According to a study performed by Hubspot, 95% of Millennials expect brands to have a Facebook presence.

Having an active presence on Facebook is no doubt a great way for brands to connect with their consumers on a more personal level, as well as a cost effective means to target new customers. However, what does this mean for franchises with multiple locations? Should each location have its own Facebook page, or should the franchise have one page that represents the brand but not necessarily each location?

According to Mashable, there are several questions a franchise should answer before deciding upon its Facebook strategy.

Does your business have components that vary based on the location?

For example, does your business offer different promotions, products, pricing, decor, etc. based on the location? If so, your business may benefit from delegating Facebook management to individual locations. By allowing franchisees to post their own content, each location can have more personal interactions, something that is very important if your business varies slightly based on location. Take McDonald’s, for example. Their menu varies based on the culture of the location. Therefore, they take a decentralized approach—they have a corporate Facebook page but also allow each location to manage their own pages.

Does your business benefit from a close relationship with its customers?

Service businesses are the perfect example of businesses that benefit from a close relationship with its customers. These businesses rely on positive interactions with customers. Because so many people are on Facebook, this is a great way to reach and interact with consumers on a personal level. Allowing franchisees to post their own content allows the brand to take on a personality as well as establish themselves as an involved player in the local community. Having a positive and strong presence on social media can be very beneficial in building strong customer relationships.

Are your industry’s consumers on Facebook?

It’s important to analyze if your target demographic is active on Facebook. For example, while 90% of Millennials are active on social networking sites, only 46% of seniors use the platforms. It’s important to analyze this to ensure that your marketing efforts are not falling on deaf ears.

Where are your locations?

While all of the above data seems to point towards a decentralized approach, there are many businesses that benefit from a centralized Facebook strategy. For example, if all of your locations are within one city or region, one Facebook page makes sense. Instead of oversaturating the market with multiple pages, it’s better to have one page that represents all of the locations within that city or region.

It’s also important to note that by allowing franchisees to post content, you forfeit complete control over your brand. By entrusting franchisees with managing their own Facebook presence, you are allowing them to represent your brand in every post, comment, or picture posted. However, in order to help guide your franchisees in post content and tone, a franchisor can provide them with Social Media Guides outlining their dos and don’ts for posting. Planet Fitness is a great example of this. While they do have a corporate Facebook page, they also empower each of their locations to manage their own Facebook page. The goal of the location pages is to drive local engagement and interaction within the community by posting about community events, special club promotions, and specific club information.

Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule. However, by assessing your industry, customer demographics and company culture, you can choose the best Facebook strategy for your franchise.

May 23, 2016
10 Things Your Medical Practice Should Be Doing on Facebook

We all like to think of ourselves as Facebook experts. This is 2016 after all, and Facebook has been around for over eight years. But the resting state of the online world in our internet age is continual flux, with updates and improvements becoming available quicker than you have the time or energy to research and evaluate. We know you’re busy, so let us give you the tl;dr (too long; didn’t read) version, with some easily employable tips and tricks that you should be using on Facebook.

1. Engagement, Engagement, Engagement!

Relationships can’t be one-sided, so make sure your Facebook fans see the benefit in keeping up with your page by responding to their comments, questions, and concerns. Just like your patients, your growing fan base wants to feel like they’re being heard. Taking just a few minutes to reach out to them and address their inquiries will keep your current fans happy and could even help you gain more interested Facebook followers. And, with Facebook providing users with an estimated response time right on your page, it’s more important than ever to quickly and thoroughly respond to your fans.

There’s a reason it’s called social media! For more tips on posting irresistibly engaging content, check out this post by a fellow influencer.

2. Create Shareable Content

The key to great Facebook messaging is shareability. Creating compelling, viral content that your fans can’t help but pass on increases your reach outside of your social network, earning you more fans and more influence. Consider curating a monthly list of debunked medical myths or posting an article detailing easy lifestyle changes that result in major prevention benefits.

3. Show Me the Money!

With subsequent Facebook algorithm updates, overly promotional posts are receiving less and less organic distribution on the platform. Thus, it has become increasingly important to put some spend behind your posts in order to engage specific audiences, especially since gaining fans doesn’t necessarily mean your content will reach those fans. Appealing to your growing fan base and encouraging engagement and familiarity with your products, services, and industry through post promotion is an extremely cost-effective way to combat these updates.

4. Practice Events

Facebook events are a great way to get your business and services in front of the community. Create your own events around prevention, fundraisers, and community outreach. Is your practice offering free flu shots? Create an event and allow people to invite their friends. Watch your RSVP list grow!

5. Community Events

Events can also be a great way to express your involvement in your community. Do you have a team participating in Relay for Life or a March of Dimes event? Show your solidarity, and encourage your fan base to support your favorite cause by creating your own Facebook event or attending one!

6. Know Your Audience

Being familiar with your fan base can help you provide content and services tailored to your fans’ interests. The Audience Insights tool can provide you with an invaluable cache of information. You can analyze the times of day your fans are most active on Facebook, the makeup of the Reactions your posts receive, and even the demographic makeup of Facebook users near your place of business.

7. Analyze Your Reactions

Also available through the Audience Insights tool, or by viewing individual posts on your page, are the myriad of Facebook Reactions users can now express. Taking a look at the various responses like Love, Haha, Yay, Wow, Sad or Angry can give your practice a good feel for the type of content your Facebook fans are interested in seeing more of as well as the content they’re definitely not interested in.

8. Make Posting Easier with Scheduling

Don’t have a dedicated social media team for your practice? If you rely on a few helpful individuals, and especially if you’re taking on the task of social media management yourself, you will definitely want to familiarize yourself with Facebook’s post scheduling tool. If you want your page and its content to be consistently at the forefront of your fans’ newsfeeds, and trust us, you do, the ability to “set it and forget it” is priceless.

Check out this post for a step by step on how to get started with this feature.

9. Update Your Page!

Just as you stay up-to-date on the latest medical innovations and techniques, you must maintain currency in your social media efforts! Keep your contact information current and accurate, and post content with an eye towards the future (i.e. new developments in the field and what this means for the patient). This up-to-date and active approach will help make your practice’s page more likeable.

10. Consistency Is Key

In addition to keeping your post content current, maintaining branding consistency across different channels, such as your website, blog, and social media profiles, is a must for any practice wanting to build authority in the community. A user should be able to seamlessly navigate between your multiple online presences without a jarring change in the consistency of color and imagery, helping your brand to project a pervasive, qualified influence.

As they say, practice makes perfect. So go, implement these tips and tricks to see what works for you and your practice, and keep checking back with us for the latest updates!

May 18, 2016
The Rise of the Silver Surfers: Engaging Older Americans Online

In honor of Older American’s Month, let’s take a look at the latest trends and talk about engaging this audience!

“So, who exactly is considered an older American?” you might ask yourself. Well, based on the Older Americans Act of 1965, you could say anyone over 60, basically Baby Boomers and older. These are the people who were working in businesses and actively using technologies like PalmPilots and beepers/pagers during the early stages of the rapid technology growth in the 20th and 21st centuries. You may have also previously heard the term “silver surfer” used to refer to anyone over the age of 50 who is an avid internet user.

According to 97 surveys conducted by Pew Research over the past 15 years (2000-2015), internet usage gaps between older and younger Americans still persist, though they’re lessening. Now about six in ten seniors go online. While adults 65 and older rank the lowest in internet usage between age groups, the number of older Americans online has grown in the past 15 years and will continue to grow in the coming years.

Another report from Pew Research digs deeper into technology usage trends by analyzing seniors within their age group. Among the older Americans who currently go online, about three-quarters of them go online every day. Just over a quarter of seniors use online social networks.

The Stat:

“Older adults have lagged behind younger adults in their adoption, but now a clear majority (58%) of senior citizens use the internet.” — Pew Research Center

What It Means for Marketers:

While the previous usage numbers and perceptions would’ve indicated to online marketers that the older age groups aren’t very active online, that is definitely no longer the case. As of 2012, more than half of the senior population is online, and you can bet that number will continue to grow. The silver surfers are now an important and very present audience to consider when marketing online.

The Stat:

Seniors have the largest adoption rate change from 2000 to 2015 of any age group (14% to 58% respectively). — Pew Research Center

What It Means for Marketers:

This rapid increase in adoption rates shows an increase in technological intelligence among this age group. The previous parallels between chronological age and cognitive age are shifting and advertisers would do well to adjust accordingly. While practicing “ageless” marketing is all well and good, when trying to target this specific audience, be authentic and thoughtful of “the new 65,” a more-tech savvy and a now younger cognitive age group.

The Stat:

77% of older adults have a cell phone, but just 18% are smartphone owners. — Pew Research Center

What It Means for Marketers:

As many of you reading this know, mobile marketing is quite the focus of today. While a little less than a quarter of older adults have smartphones, over a quarter own tablets or e-book readers. This means that mobile searching and browsing is highly likely for this audience. Consider your potential to reach these seniors when optimizing your website and its content.

The Stat:

“Today 46% of online seniors (representing 27% of the total older adult population) use social networking sites such as Facebook.” — Pew Research Center

What It Means for Marketers:

These silver surfers aren’t just surfing the web; they’re socializing, too! About one in five Twitter users are 50 years old or older, and almost half of online seniors have a Facebook account. Engage with the older American audience to help grow your brand online.

Biggest Takeaway:

When you think older Americans, you shouldn’t think, “my grandma who makes me fix her Wi-Fi router and doesn’t understand smartphones.” Instead, think of the generations before you who were in their prime for the technological boom that gave us the first cellphones, computers, and video games. These generations were the first to experience technology and were fortunate enough to grow and adapt with it. So, in reality, they’re part of your market and audience whether or not you realize it. The silver surfers are here and growing, so don’t discount them when you’re planning your marketing campaigns!

All data and stats came from the following sources:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/04/03/older-adults-and-technology-use/
http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/06/26/americans-internet-access-2000-2015/
http://blogs.forrester.com/gina_sverdlov/12-06-08-the_data_digest_digital_seniors

May 17, 2016