Dog Star Media Blog

Benchmarks for Mobile Traffic

2012-02-28T11:25:00.005-06:00

There has been a lot of talk so far this year about mobile devices. With the iPad3 due out later this spring, everyone is expecting another seismic shift in use. Apple mobile product releases usually cause an immediate shift in use. For instance, with last Spring’s iPad2 release, iPad use skyrocketed so much that iPads began showing up as the #3 or even #2 used mobile device on many of our clients’ mobile stats. This caused a wave of interest in developing iPad sites. This was also accompanied by a huge swell in mobile use from other mobile devices as well.

Since we will take the next step in this headlong plunge into mobile use very soon, I’ll list out the benchmarks I’ve been discussing with clients and prospective clients every day this year. Google Analytics lists your mobile traffic under visitors. The interface does a great job and quantifying the mobile traffic and comparing it to your overall site use. Here are some easy benchmarks you should watch out for to know if you are providing the proper mobile experience.

5% -10% Mobile Traffic:
Develop a starter smartphone site (7 or so pages of key content)

10-15% Mobile Traffic:
Add more content (5-7 additional pages of the next most relevant content)

15-20% Mobile Traffic:
Begin watching for significant use of iPads. iPads will default to the iPhone version of your mobile starter site and not look right. If your iPad traffic reaches 40% of your mobile traffic or if it is the #1 source of mobile visits, it is suggested to develop an iPad site.

20-25% Mobile Traffic:
It’s time to build out the remaining relevant content on your site. If 1 in 4 or 5 visitors are coming in via mobile devices, that is significant enough to give them the full presentation.

25% -30% Mobile Traffic:
Check iPad traffic to make sure you are presenting enough info to iPad users. Also, it’s time to begin focusing on the user experience from your mobile users. If 1 in 3 visitors are coming via mobile devices, we need to know traditional metrics. At the 30% mark, add a separate tracking telephone number to the smartphone site and the Ipad site to track incoming calls.

30% - 35% Mobile Traffic:
We actually have some clients here already, so don’t think this is not coming. Assuming the sites are smartphone and iPad sites are completely built out and phone tracking is in, begin active analysis of use to determine how to improve benchmark use stats and responses in the mobile mediums.

40%+ Mobile Traffic:
Using the metrics, institute any redesign steps necessary to maximize the user experience to improve benchmarks and results, just like you would your standard web site. At this point, treat the development and improvement of your mobile sites just as you would your regular web site.

By this time next year, we could all very well be in the 25% mobile use range, looking toward that big 40% mark. Chances are, some will already be nearing the 40% mark. The iPad3 is coming and so is more mobile use than ever. It’s time to fully embrace the smartphone and iPad user and make sure they are making your best impression on mobile devices. If you are ready to develop a smartphone or an iPad site, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com

Targeted Keyword SEO

2012-02-21T11:02:00.002-06:00

When it comes to search engine optimization, we often get the question, “So how does Dr. So-and-So get his site ranked #1 on ___________? (a certain keyword). Of course, it is always a combination of unique factors. Now we have a way of telling you exactly. And, we are adding to our SEO offerings to allow clients to aggressively mirror and surpass the factors that the factors of the #1 site on their most desired keywords.

We call this process Targeted Keyword Optimization. In this program, you identify one keyword on which you want to be ranked #1 organically. Using a new reporting technology, we can determine the specifics of why that site is ranked #1, thus creating a road map to mirror or surpass to achieve greater relevance. This is a research and labor intensive program that requires a significant amount of monthly work. And, like all organic efforts, the only thing we can assure is that the work will be done and measured. No one can tell the search engines to change rankings and there are factors (such as site traffic) that are out of our control.

However, if you want to be #1 on a given keyword, our Targeted Keyword Optimization program provides a road map . So, if there is a term on which you want to be #1, why not give it a try? Here is how it works:

Targeted Keyword Optimization is Dog Star Media’s new Elite SEO Program, replacing our previous Elite Program where the focus was on Efficient Keyword Optimization. In our new Elite SEO Program, you select one keyword and our analytical report outlines how the #1 site on that keyword maintains that #1 position. That information creates a road map for us to work in an attempt to mirror or surpass those factors. This report will also show you what it takes to be #1 on a significant keyword term that is important to you so you will know exactly what it takes. The program cost $1000/month and the minimum amount of time spent on one keyword is four months.

Is there a term on which you want to be #1 or highly ranked... and that term seems out of reach? If you want to take a run at a certain keyword, our new Elite SEO program is a great way to do it with a road map. If you are interested in trying our new Elite SEO program, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Mobile: The Top-Down Push

2012-02-14T10:28:00.002-06:00

An article I saw over the weekend on Tech Crunch puts out some fine points on how the big advertisers are addressing the emergence of the mobile hardware as a primary means of connectivity.

A lot of the information in this article by David Hewitt, who is the VP and global mobile practice lead at SapientNitro, is about how large advertisers will address this emerging trend. However, if you have any questions about the importance of mobile strategies, you should read it. Why? Because it’s clear this is not cutting edge stuff any more. It’s not even leading edge. It is here and if the big boys are focusing there, it means that the broad market is there. And, wherever the broad market is, niche markets are hidden inside.

Want a few quick hits from this article that apply to your practice’s mobile strategy? Here are a few:

“2012 will be the year of getting websites and relevant marketing assets optimized for tablets, not just smartphones — especially as tablets continue to heat up for mobile commerce and chip away at market share for everyday PC tasks.”

And...

“Much of 2011′s mobile marketing budgets were still made up of slush fund ad budgets. Expect to see more purposeful campaigns and sizable budgets set aside for mobile.”

In other words, get serious about mobile strategies, both smartphone and tablet (iPad). 2011 was the year everyone got their feet wet with mobile strategies. And, just like everything else, the moment a certain medium becomes established with an audience, there is a “working it out” phase where early adopters figure out the best strategies. Once that period passes... like it did in 2011, then the landrush is on. And, pretty much, in 2012 if you are not ready to compete with mobile and iPad sites, you are going to be lagging behind.

If you are ready to start or upgrade your smartphone or iPad sites, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Remember when...?

2012-02-07T10:16:00.002-06:00

With all the conversations about mobile web sites (both for smart phones and for iPads), I think it is pretty clear that we are at a tipping point regarding accepting the need for mobile sites right now. It reminds me of two other big hurdles the market has had to leap over since marketing online really caught on so many years ago.

Remember when... in the days before high-speed Internet how everyone resisted the use of graphics because of downloading time? Of course now, that sounds silly but in the early days of web marketing, a vast majority resisted sites with graphics on the perception that they took too long to download. The ones that grabbed the advantage were the early adopters who recognized that attractive presentation counted and graphics made your site more attractive.

Remember when... in the early days of high speed Internet, how everyone resisted Flash animations on their web sites because Flash required the Flash browser plug-in? Again, this sounds ridiculous now because of the wide use (more than 99%) of the plug in browsers today. The ones that grabbed an advantage were the early adopters who recognized that added aesthetics portrayed a higher value and the smooth moving animations of Flash portrayed a higher aesthetic quality.

In both cases, we saw the tradition bell curve of adoption play out. The early adopters blazed ahead, gaining new advantages while the resisters or uninformed majority slowly adopted the changes, ultimately all climbing on the bandwagon at once. And, of course there is the lagging behind group who never gets it. In fact, every once in a while, I stumble on someone still resisting graphics... yes, they are still out there.

Now we are on the adoption bell curve for mobile sites. The early group jumped in the minute that Google started displaying mobile use stats on analytics. Many of them have had mobile sites for more than a year. Even as long as two years ago, it was a documented fact that more than 50% of Internet use was via mobile devices. So, for those paying attention, adding a mobile-friendly site only made sense.

Now we are climbing up the big middle of the bell curve. What is it that is causing the land rush now? The stats have been compelling for years now... so what has changed? Is it that the doctors have had enough experience as mobile users to understand the benefits? Is that that people offering advice like I am are finally getting through? Is it market peer pressure? I think it is all of the above but there is no doubt... it is here.

So, suffice it to say that a mass adoption is occurring. Business owners are beginning to realize that it is important to have a site version for smart phones and iPads. This late-arriving crowd is beginning to understand that when 20-25% of site users are viewing the site with mobile devices, that the market is changing and they need to change with it. Just like taking that risk that graphics will download... or that users will have that Flash plug-in... it’s time to jump in the pool on mobile sites. The market is there already.... so it’s time. I just saw a report that our first client breached the 30% mobile use mark. A big group just rounded 20% and is headed for 25%. There is no telling where the ceiling is on this.

If you are interested in adding or upgrading a smart phone site or an iPad site, please contact me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com. For years now, Dog Star Media has offered low-cost starter mobile sites with affordable upgrades for when your mobile traffic increases.

The Difference Between an iPad site and a smartphone site

2012-01-31T12:41:00.002-06:00

With all the discussion lately about mobile access, you might find this explanation of the difference between a smartphone and iPad site. Both tablets and smartphones are mobile devices and can display a web site on the Internet, which is where the confusion often begins.

Basically, smartphones are one kind of hardware and tablets are another. With smaller screens and memory, smartphone sites should be light on graphics with pages that are sized to eliminate sizing and as much scrolling as possible. When we design a smartphone site, the pages are sized so they display best on a smart phone screen.

In the case of an iPad, the larger and more graphical format allows us to design more visually appealing sites which are comparable to standard web sites. However, in being designed specifically for iPads, the formatting is perfect for presentation on that hardware. So, yes, these are two different kinds of sites and if you want all bases covered, you need a standard desktop site, a smartphone site and an iPad site.

With smart phones, the info on the site is translated to templates designed for the hardware being used. So, a smart phone site on your server will have templates for iPhone, Blackberry and Android. Each will present a little differently but the design and use on smartphones are the same. An issue occurs when you have a smartphone site without an iPad site. Calling up such a web site on iPad will display the iPhone site by default. This is why it is important to watch your iPad traffic and add an iPad site to the mix when you begin to get a lot of mobile traffic on iPads. All of these stats are available on Google Analytics and, yes, you should be watching them on a regular basis.

If you are ready to expand or begin a smartphone or iPad site as part of your Internet strategy, please contact me for more information at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Hottest topic: Mobile Sites

2012-01-24T15:03:00.002-06:00

Everyone is talking about mobile web sites these days. I think we have finally reached a tipping point on business owners recognizing the importance of mobile sites and, thus, how they are different from standard web sites. Maybe we are past the early adopter stage because so many people are seeing between 15-25% of their traffic coming in on mobile devices. If 1 in 4 people who view your site are doing so on mobile hardware, yes, you had better be meeting their browsing needs.

The Dog Star Media plan for mobile sites has been long-sighted. We recommend early adoption of smart phone mobile sites at 5% traffic. The recommended mobile site is a 7-page starter mobile site that can be expanded when there is more traffic. When traffic reaches 10%, we think this is a must have.

As traffic inches up to 20%, we recommend building out the site more, adding between 5-7 more pages to make sure all critical content is on the site. Now, for many of our clients, mobile traffic is on its way to 25%. This is the point where we recommend fully building out your mobile site with all the content of your current site. It will look vastly different on the smart phone site, but its vital that this content is presented properly for the hardware being used... especially when such a large percentage of site users are using mobile hardware.

So, when do you add in a iPad site? Just look at your Google Analytics for the answer. Apply the same criteria to the iPad users and you will have your answer. Probably, if you are a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic dentist, you need to have an smart phone, iPad and standard site if you are going to going to meet the browsing preferences of your site visitors.

So, are you ready to make improvements in this area? Chances are you need to do so. Start by looking at your Google Analytics which will detail your mobile device use. Don’t have that or need help figuring it out? Do you know it and know what you need to do? Ready for a smart phone and/or iPad site? Just email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We were ahead of the curve on this and have been doing mobile sites for more than two years now. We can help.

SEO - Don’t be confused

2012-01-17T15:10:00.002-06:00

Frequently, I am reminded how confusing search engine optimization (SEO) can be. It is a highly technical concept that is complicated with unrealistic expectations and assumptions about how things work. When there is this much confusion, people tend to sell on fear and insecurity. If you have doubts about logical processes being used for your SEO, you should know it can be very logical if you re realistic about what is possible.

Our SEO process begins with the selection of Efficient Keywords. These are keywords on which you can realistically be ranked more highly more quickly. They are also terms that are confirmed as those being searched. More than likely, a vastly popular term is not going to be an efficient keyword because of the amount of competition. So, Reality Check #1: get ranked where you can and build up your traffic. Traffic the one thing you cannot fake. If you have it, you are going to be considered more relevant.

Reality Check #2: Just because you think a keyword is valuable doesn’t mean that it is. If a keyword is not being searched, we cycle it out and replace it with a keyword that is being used. Many clients get enamored with certain words with which they identify. There are online tools that tell you if words are being searched. These are much more accurate in determining value of the keywords than opinion.

Reality Check #3: Just because you are not optimizing for a given term does not mean you cannot get relevant on it. Most people do not realize that their reports only detail the words that are being optimized. That is not all keywords.... just the ones being reported on. A good way to look at this is the words on your SEO reports are being worked and prioritized for effort. They are not your exhaustive list.

Reality Check #4: Sticking with a consistent organic strategy is the best way to go. A great deal of the strategy is selecting keywords. Any time you make changes, you open up the chance of going backward before going forward. If your SEO company can’t tell you why they are choosing certain words or employing certain strategies, you may have a problem in this area.

Reality Check #5: Focus on traffic. The goal of an SEO program is increased traffic. Don’t get sidetracked by a fixation about appearing ranked on certain terms. The effort to get there (which is often futile on the clearly most popular terms) will not be worth the cost in time and money and still no results are assured. Your SEO goal should be to increase traffic and by doing that your relevance as it relates to other, more hard to get terms. Sure higher placement on some terms should yield more traffic... in theory. What we know for sure is that sometimes taking the path of least resistance gets you what you want the most: more traffic. As far as the high value words... that is what paid search is for!

If you are looking for logical, methodical and sensible SEO strategy, try our Efficient Keyword strategy. Just email at donald@dogstarmedia.com for details.

What’s New on The Cosmetic Channel

2012-01-10T16:11:00.002-06:00

The Cosmetic Channel kicks off 2o12 with more than 300 doctors enrolled, many of whom are linking all sorts of video from YouTube. The Cosmetic Channel is becoming a great site to visit to learn about procedures and the doctors who do them. Subscription is free and the site continues to rise in the rankings. New doctors find us and join each month.

So, with new year, how about some new video. If you are a CosmeticChannel.com subscriber, here is a special offer. If you are not a CosmeticChannel.com subscriber, why not join for free so you can get this offer, too?

Here is our special offer:

Make a new 3-minute video for YouTube, use on your web site and to link to The Cosmetic Channel. Any format for $3600. Interview, facility tour, chromakey studio, shot on location or in our Dallas studio. Two 3-minute videos: $5400. Three 3-minute videos: $7200.

What story do you want to tell on video? What message can you use over and over in different ways online and on DVD? Marketing is becoming more and more about video, so how do you want to make your video this year?

If you are interested in learning more about making updated 2012 video for YouTube, The Cosmetic Channel and more, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. And, join TheCosmeticChannel.com to be part of the most varied cosmetic procedure video site on line.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-20T11:54:00.002-06:00

It’s holiday season and I want to offer everyone my wishes for a happy, healthy safe and fun-filled holiday season. I hope each of you takes some quiet time to be grateful for what you have, what you have done this year and for the potential in front of you. Here is a tip from a great book called Creative Visualization. It’s my gift to you this holiday season.

The more thoroughly you can visualize what you want, in detail, the more you can manifest it. So, in terms of your business, take a few minutes each day over the holiday break and start doing this. Set a goal and begin to think about it. Visualize the details of what things will be like and how things will work and be once your goal has been achieved. Focus on the details. What do you see? How does it look? What details are present? The more time you can spend visualizing in this space, the more detail you will bring to making it happen.

So, what are your goals for 2012? Are they just on-paper goals or have you visualized the final manifestation of your goals? Start 5-10 minutes at a time per goal while things are quiet and work up to putting some real time into this. And, if you need help with some details on what you want, please feel free to email me for any advice you need at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Content Managed Web Sites

2011-12-06T11:02:00.002-06:00

I’ve had several discussion with clients over the past few weeks about the advantages of having a content managed web site. In the most general terms, this is a site designed in a program that has a content manager. Wordpress is a low end solution. Dog Star Media uses Joomla for its robust capabilities and wide number of free and paid plug-ins to extend capability. There are other content managers out there, too.

The first thing I should mention about content managers is to watch out for the “Golden Handcuff.” There are companies out there that will design you a site with a content manager makes it impossible to move the site from their server. This “Golden Handcuff” keeps you obligated to them until you decide to move somewhere else, causing you to build a whole new site. Dog Star Media does not believe in the Golden Handcuff so when we design a Joomla-based site, you can take it anywhere you want or work with anyone you want.

Secondly, most clients are enamored with the idea of being able to make changes themselves. Content managers make it an easy process to change text, pictures and even add pages. For more advanced users, you can completely manipulate the site if you want. However, our experience is most clients do not do this. They want it but they never use it.

This brings me to the most important point: If you have a content managed site, you should be making regular updates. Adding relevant content helps with your optimization and relevance for certain terms. If you add pages and text and other content related to these words you help. With a content manager you can extend the size and scope of your site.

If you are interested in a content managed web site for your practice, please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We will get you one that comes without the golden handcuff.

Enhanced Statistics for Mobile Use on Google.

2011-11-29T11:08:00.002-06:00

If there was even a question about the importance of understanding mobile traffic statistics, Google announced last week that and enhanced version of their Analytics program was on the way. One of the features is upgraded and more thorough reporting on mobile use.

This is sure to help anyone who is paying attention to fine tune their web strategies to maximize visits that come in via mobile devices. Before I wrote this, I took a quick look at a few of our clients’ Analytics dashboards. All were up over 20% mobile traffic. This time last year, 12-15% was high. Now, almost everyone is near 20% with many over and on their way to the next benchmark of 25%.

Anyone following this blog knows we are offering a mobile site special until the end of the year: a 15-page smart phone site for only $1000 (an $800 savings). The reason for this special is to draw attention to the importance of having a mobile site specialized for smart phones AT THE LEAST. For years, the focus has been on driving more traffic to web sites, then the expectation of refined traffic (or better traffic) made its way into the equation. Now, just about everyone with some experience as a web site owner knows the value of more and better traffic. However, the market seems very slow to adopt the idea that there is a huge difference in site presentation based on the hardware used to view the site. On a smart phone, standard sites are more difficult to use, read and navigate. Some elements don’t even show up.

All the work you have done to make sure you are getting more, better traffic is undermined if you do not have a mobile site. One in five viewers is likely on a mobile device. And, that is today’s norm. Next year, if the trends hold, we will be talking about almost one in three coming to your site via a mobile device. The tipping point is here. 20% is a very significant statistic. And, we want you to be prepared. If you need a mobile site or have questions about how this works, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Everyone should use tracking phone numbers

2011-11-22T13:20:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving is this week so I thought I would focus on what most of my clients are thankful for: accurate measurements. Yes, this is the gift that keeps on giving.

Marketing is both an art and a science. The science part, just like any other science, begins with measurements. And, it does not matter how much time and resources you spend on marketing, if you do not know what the results are, then you are spinning your wheels. And, I mean real results... the results you want to know... how much of the results turned into business.

There are a lot of ways to measure marketing. On the web it is impressions, site visits, pages visited, time on site, bounce rate, etc. There are a lot of stats. But the primary stat you want to know is: How many calls were generated? The only way to know that for sure in ANY medium is to measure incoming calls with technology. This can only be done with tracking telephone numbers.

Tracking telephone numbers are the least expensive service we offer but they are by far the most valuable tool we have at our disposal. A tracking number is a unique number placed in one location, for instance on your web site. Calls on that number route electronically and immediately to your real phone number and in the process all details of the call are recorded. You learn who called (Caller ID), how long the call lasted, was it answered or not, time of day the call was made and you can even record the call to hear how it went. This is a MAJOR advantage that allows you to make adjustments and refinements to your big picture marketing plan and evaluate how your selling is going over the phone.

In my world, tracking numbers are must! At only $480/year or $40/month, if you are not using tracking numbers at least on your main sources of incoming calls, you must not want to know the real numbers. I am so committed to the use of these numbers, I have the following offer to make.

All of our tracking numbers come up for renewal on Feb. 1 of each year. If you order one mid-year, the price is pro-rated. So, since we are near the renewal date, I will pay the December and January fees for any new tracking numbers that are ordered before the Feb. 1 renewal date. So, in essence I will give you two months on me to test out how this service can be a major eye-opener.

If you are interested in ordering a tracking number with no payment until February, essentially two months at no cost to you, please email me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com. I will be happy to get you set up with the most effective marketing tool out there... the simple tracking telephone number.

So, what is your holiday gift to your business?

2011-11-14T23:37:00.002-06:00

Just like so many people trying to use the remains of their Health Savings Accounts, many of our clients each year look to make a late-year purchase to get next year’s marketing help on this year’s budget. Dog Star Media has a holiday history of absorbing those last minute tax-inspired purchases.

In the past several years, clients have made the following holiday purchases for their businesses and they were gifts that keep on giving:

- A year of SEO
- A new web site... on Holiday special (just ask)
- A mobile web site to address their mobile traffic
- Video for their web site... on Holiday special (again, just ask).

So, if you are finding yourself at the intersection of needing to make a key business expense for tax reasons and making a needed move that can improve your marketing for all of 2012, why not act now? What is your biggest marketing need right now? As the year ticks down, let’s talk about how we can help you get both a short-term benefit and a long-term benefit with your next purchase. Please contact me at donald@dogstarmedia.com and let me know how we can help.

Google Analytics and Mobile Stats

2011-11-08T14:46:00.002-06:00

I was at the Tulsa Surgical Arts course last weekend and one of the questions that got a lot of discussion was mobile web sites. So, I thought I would reiterate how to determine your needs regarding mobile sites.

First off, there are three kinds of sites these days in general... standard web sites, smart phone sites and tablet sites. Standard web sites are sites designed for best use on computers and laptops. Smart phone sites show best on smart phones and tablet sites show best on tablets like iPads. And, yes, it is possible for a standard site in HTML to be seen on all three kinds of hardware. But, statistics show that when the site is not built for the hardware, the experience diminishes.

This is why we have established a few benchmarks that are easy to follow. Log into your Google Analtyics and click on the Visitors menu button. Click on Mobile and it will show you your mobile use.

If you 5% of your traffic is via mobile or iPad devices, it’s time to get a starter mobile site. When that number reaches 10%, you should have the site in place. A vast majority of our clients are reaching up to and beyond 20% mobile traffic, so much so that they are requiring both mobile and iPad sites because the percentage of iPad users is so significant.

One thing to consider is the number of users that make up those percentages. If you are a high traffic site, even a low percentage of mobile or iPad users can make up several hundred visits. So, use the percentages as a guideline and use common sense to guide you when deciding to accommodate visitors using these mobile hardwares.

The bottom line is this: you should be most appealing to all users regardless of the hardware they are using. With more and more users going mobile and user trends following right along, it‘s important to not appear outdated because you don’t have a mobile or iPad site that makes the experience as good as possible for the mobile or iPad user.

If you have any questions on mobile or iPad sites or if you want to add these to your Internet strategy, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Web Site Design Special

2011-11-01T14:25:00.002-06:00

Each year at this time, we go to Tulsa Surgical Arts for the best cosmetic breast surgery course going, hosted by Dr. Angelo Cuzalina. When attending the course, we always offer a $1500 course special for HTML/Flash web sites that are ordered during the course.

Here are a couple reasons why, if you are looking for a boost to your Internet strategy that a new web site is a good idea. First off, a good web site redesign takes into consideration what your current traffic finds interesting about your business or practice. We do this by reviewing your analytics before designing your site map. If we have objective knowledge that your site users are interested in certain subject matter on your site, we make it prominent so it is easy to find.

Second, a fresh revision on content can make a big difference in your SEO. New, fresh content can impact your relevance on search terms. It usually is accompanied by a bounce in traffic because clients will tell all their friends and create a wave of interest. That helps your rankings, too.

And, most people are motivated by aesthetics so getting a fresh new look can be a great reason to revise your web site. What starts with updating your look can also include improving your calls to action and your site functions.

If you are thinking about updating your site, getting a new web site or improving your Internet strategy, this $1500 special is the best special we offer each year on our most popular kind of web site for cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists. If you are interested in ordering a site during this special offer (which expires on Saturday at the end of the course at 5PM), please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Special Offer on iPad sites... for a good reason!

2011-10-25T14:09:00.002-06:00

New iPhone... new interest in mobile browsing. With more and more emphasis being placed on capabilities among mobile devices, it has become increasingly important to make sure your mobile web site presence is up to snuff.

iPhones and iPads are leading the way as usual and we are seeing new highs crest up for mobile use. Many of our clients are within or exceeding 20% mobile users among their web visitors. That number got here fast and it continues to grow. Sure, sales of these devices is driving this wave but what is really behind this surge in use?

1) Convenience. The more socialized you are to using your smart phone, iPad or tablet, the more ways you adapt to using it. An increasing number of people are using their mobile devices for their casual use and leaving the bulkier laptops and desktop computers behind on desks for the heavy use.

2) Streamlined use. Smartphones, iPads and tablets all have one thing in common: you can’t do a lot of “heavy lifting” on them. You can write, do some basic excel and use apps for some program-specific functions, but any really sturdy work has been delegated to laptops and desktop computers. This has created streamlined use of mobile devices, which of course includes quickly jumping on the web.

3) Better mobile sites. The early adopters are setting the bar, especially on iPad sites. This is a place where one can make a major image of difference because of the extreme visual nature of the iPad presentation.

So, for the last two months of the year, Dog Star Media wants to give you a chance to join that early adopter group. In November and December, we are offering 15-page iPad web sites for only $1000 (a savings of $500). If you are interested in this special offer, please email me for more information at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Understanding Modes Online

2011-10-10T20:39:00.002-06:00

This year, we noticed an interesting trend that has re-ignited new discussions about establishing brands and making first impressions vs. putting yourself directly in front of apparently ready shoppers.

Several clients tried advertising on Facebook. I already documented how all of them received an unexpectedly high amount of traffic for what they were spending. However, when we measured the actual conversions from those clicks, hardly any resulted in calls or contacts. As this was widespread, we reached the conclusion the clicks from Facebook were kicking tires. Meanwhile paid search clicks recorded consistent results in terms of clicks, calls and emails. The conclusion there: people using search engines were in a more active shopping/buying mode.

So, what about all those clicks from Facebook? Are they worth it since they come at such a low expense. And, what about the exposure, as people are spending so much time on Facebook? It raises the old question about the value of exposure.

We all just came out of a time when economy in marketing meant we got to survive another day. And, in some places around the country, times are still lean. The days of spending just for exposure and awareness seem like a distant memory but Facebook has brought the conversation back with a digital twist. In many cases. $300 means 200-300 clicks. Those are site visits, not just logo views.

Most of our clients have elected to keep the Facebook ads, paying for cheap exposure. And, then one of my oldest and wisest clients reminded me of an old axiom she was taught years ago. It is thought that it takes 11 exposures before most people are moved enough to make first contact. And, these 11 exposures can take place over a short or long period of time. Although I have always questioned that theory, I can’t ignore the importance of being “out there” and visible. The recommendation that I would make is: If you are going to spent simply for branding, do it on the web where you stand a chance to make the best impression. The key to this, of course, is having a great web site. But that is another conversation...

Email Marketing and Blogging

2011-10-04T13:00:00.000-06:00

All I had to do was miss a few blog posts and I was quickly reminded of the importance of email marketing. For more than five years now, I have consistently posted good marketing info into my blog, only missing the odd date here or there over holidays and vacations. Over the past few months, we have had some transitions in the email marketing department. We changed email marketing programs, which has caused us to be unable to email to some addresses and I have simply missed a few weeks as I have been working on a very time-consuming project.

And every day, someone has asked me why they had not received my blog recently.

This reminds me of the first thing I tell clients about email marketing. Offer good information and be consistent. This is how you build a following. You don’t have to offer a lot but, if it is good, people will follow you, expect your contact, anticipate receiving it and miss it if it does not come to them. This is exactly what I experienced.

So, here is my recommitment. Every Tuesday, you will see my marketing blog. We will complete our transition to our new email program and give our email data a good scrub. In a few weeks, the Dog Star Media blog will be back full strength, going out via email but also from Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. As we work on this, let me know from which medium you prefer to receive your blog notifications.

Why not join me? Let’s all be regular in building a good audience for our blog and social network communications.

Lifetime Value

2011-09-20T13:43:00.003-06:00

For my 250th blog, I thought I would write about one of the more accessible 1:1 Marketing strategies, that being Lifetime Value modeling. Under the right conditions for a large organization, Lifetime Value Models can be extremely valuable. And, if you understand the principles, you can simplify this method of evaluating your clients/patients so you can grow and refine your business all at the same time.

The basic principle here is the recognition that each customer is more than a transactional value. So many times we get caught up in cash flow that we don’t take time to look at the big picture, where we can begin to see a customer for the total value they are worth to your business in a lifetime. This includes the transactions they make with you and the referrals they bring to you. If you set up your data management properly and take the time to sort and examine your data, then you can determine who has been of the most value. From there, you can look for similar characteristics and use that profile to seek out customers who are of higher value.

That is a basic application of Lifetime Value. A more sophisticated way of using this strategy that can affect the entire trajectory of your business is to use this method to eliminate the low value customers from taking up your time and resources. In a great book on 1:1 Marketing, Enterprise: One-to-One, they make reference to the Below Zero customer (BZs) who actually cost you money. The following method of marketing helps you identify and eliminate the BZs as well as stabilizes your business for long-term success.

Say you have 100 customers. You divide them into 5 groups of 20, ranking them 1-100 in terms of how much they have spent with you for as long as you have been in business. Then, if you can quantify who referred who, add the value of that referral to the the referring party’s value. This will give you five groups (quintiles) that list all 100 customers in order of the value they have yielded with a gross value, grouped into 5 groups of 20. Now graph the quintiles according to the percentage of the total value of all the customers combined..

The first quintile will have the greatest percentage of the total value and will therefore be the highest on the graph. The second will likely be the next highest but will likely be a significant step lower than the first. Same with the third. The fourth and the fifth will likely be much lower. Now, here is where the business stabilizing effect comes in: Our goal is to equalize the percentage of value in each quintile.

Think about what this means. If you have more customers with higher value, the total value will be distributed more evenly across your quintiles. Seeing your customer value like this has the tendency to make you realize how much you rely on a core few for your business’ survival. It is great motivator to broaden your base of higher value relationships.

Think of the strategies needed to do this. If you identified people in Quintile 2 and 3 that are good customers but could be better if you were able to sell them more value, focusing on improving their value would redistribute the percentages across the model. In doing this, you are not devaluing your leading value customers, you are just focusing on an area of improvement that stregthens your entire model. By simultaneously doing this and identifying your BZs and eliminating them from your customer base, you can achieve a more evenly distributed value model.

This is not a strategy that can occur over night. It is a long-term process but working the process keeps you focused in many ways on things that can make your business healthy. If you have any questions about Lifetime Value Modeling or 1:1 Marketing, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

So now... video

2011-09-13T14:52:00.002-06:00

Just reporting in on a trend we are seeing rising up. It seems every September there is a consistent item that is requested from us and this year... it’s video. We have had more video requests come in over the past few weeks than we have in the last six months.

For cosmetic surgery and dentistry sites, video can be the best way to create an image of difference. I was explaining to a prospective client just yesterday that elective medicine comes down to trust. Does the patient trust the doctor to perform the procedure? A lot of factors go into trust, ranging from first impression to the subjective evaluation of your mannerisms. Traditionally, the patient does not meet the doctor until the end of the process, in the consult room. Thanks to video and the web, cosmetic doctors and dentist can get a jump on this process by speaking to prospective patients directly with video on their web site. Most doctors who have this “web drop” style of video (a Dog Star Media specialty), report that patients say they feel like they know them already when they meet in a consult. This is because they have seen video that was prepared just for a first greeting and web site welcome. All in all, the web drop gives you advantages over competitors who just have flat pictures.

Here are some great examples of web drop video:

http://www.goodsleepseattle.com
http://www.instituto-orbitofacial.com
http://drjackpeterson.com
http://www.dreamsmile.com

If you are interested in learning about how to add web drop video to your web site to begin building trust as early as possible with prospective patients, please email me today at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Finding a balance among marketing tools

2011-08-30T15:06:00.002-06:00

As most of you know, Dog Star Media loves measurable strategies. You can take for example our insistence on using tracking telephone numbers to measure where calls specifically originate. And, although nothing is better than the certainty of knowing facts like that, the truth is that it is a cocktail of efforts that create a critical mass of exposure and call to action that ultimately results in contacts being generated. And, with that, it is important to understand the value of each part of the cocktail.

A common situation that has arisen over the summer is good evidence of this. A large handful of clients (both cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists) decided to run ads on Facebook this summer. The cost was low at $10/day and the click rates were very high. Some clients experienced more than 300 web site visits in a month from those ads. After seeing this, we redirected the Facebook ads to proxy web sites with tracking telephone numbers to isolate the calls that were originating from the Facebook ads. (A proxy site is a replica of a web site hosted at a unique URL so you can track responses specifically). And, the same result showed up across the board.... almost no calls came from those clicks.

However, all but one client has opted to keep their Facebook ads running. The reason is that the low cost of the traffic had other benefits. In some cases, the added traffic greatly improved the organic rankings and improved our ability to optimize their site. In other cases, the added traffic correlated with sustained increases in emails and calls that did not come from the proxy site, but rather from their regular web site. In other cases, they just liked the additional low-cost exposure.

This reinforces the idea of the marketing cocktail: a blend of strategies that create a critical mass. Every case is different but one thing is consistent. By knowing your benchmarks for web stats, for incoming calls, for conversions, etc. you can better see where you productivity is improved by making changes to the elements in your marketing cocktail. This opens you up to the possibilities of buying exposure simply for awareness like these clients did. And, when you experiment responsibly, every now and then you find a real gem that pays off directly (which we know from the metrics we put on it.) If you are interested in tracking numbers, Facebook ads, or coaching to help you develop a better understanding of the marketing cocktail that is right for you, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Three things to look for in a great web site design

2011-08-24T13:03:00.002-06:00

This year, a lot of doctors and dentists have come to us looking for a new, fresh look for their web site. These days, there is not a lot of variety in the format of the sort of sites preferred by cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic dentists. Nearly all want the same thing: searchable, code-based sites that are highly functional that can also be designed for a high level of aesthetic. Some Flash for aesthetic effect and to show video but otherwise, a coded site.

And, there lies the problem. What is aesthetically pleasing to one person may not be for the next. As custom designers, we tailor our work to our client’s preferences. Our designs are based on fine arts standards. However, some clients play a heavy role in art directing their projects so they turn out for their vision. We offer input when this happens and hope that the client takes into consideration a few of these basic standards that make design work.

1) Good, effective design has a hierarchy. Elements should be placed in an order which guides the eye and does not confuse flow. This has as much to do with the size and placement of elements as it does which elements to use and how they are shaped and positioned.

2) Eye Contact - In advertising (and your web site is a de facto ad) photos of people making eye contact with you draw you in. Sure, an attractive picture works and often works very well but if the model or models in the photo are looking at you, you are more likely to connect with their eyes and stay on the ad longer. Try it yourself next time you look at a magazine full of ads. Find one with a great model shot and one with a great face shot with the eyes looking outward. Which connects with you?

3) Pleasing color palettes are a must. Certain color palettes connote certain feelings. Just because you like a certain color does not mean that it is the best color to promote your business. If you are trying to project a soothing, relaxing, safe image, maybe using alert colors such as red, yellow and orange is not a good idea. The lesson here, choose a look and feel that projects the right image, not necessarily your personal set of preferences.

These elements may seem semi-serious but the fact is that many great designs die on the drawing board because clients don’t embrace some of the very basics. Are you interested in redesigning your web site or designing a new one? We can walk you through these steps and others to help you design a unique look and feel for your site. In September, we are offering a special price on web site design for a limit of four HTML/Flash web sites... first come first served. Please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com for more information.

Mobile Use Tipping Point

2011-08-16T13:35:00.003-06:00

It’s a familiar headline by now that use of mobile devices for Internet use has boomed in the last year. Since November 2009 when Google began tracking mobile device use on its Analytics, we have seen a steady increase in the use of mobile devices to access our clients’ web sites Steady, we have watched statistical ceilings being broken as clients passed the 5%, 10% and even 20% mark. By the end of the year, we expect some clients to be at nearly 25% or more in mobile site visitors.

We don’t have any clients that are less than 5% mobile use and I would expect that this is the case for everyone at this point. So, if you do not have a mobile web site for smart phones (at least), this should be your next purchase. Why? Because with increased adoption, we move closer to a tipping point, not of all-out use but of expectations.

If we are not there already, we will be soon. With this much market saturation, users begin to expect a certain norm for their web surfing experience. With more and more users and rising use statistics, that tells us a growing amount of surfing opportunities are being conducted on mobile devices. Along with this grows the expectation that what is seen on the mobile device will perform as it should on a mobile device. In other words, it will present for the best use on the smart phone or mobile device being used. After the tipping point, if your site does not meet expectations on mobile devices, you will be seen as a dinosaur and your online effort will be dismissed by a growing percentage of mobile users.

Here is an example. If any of us expect to find something, we go to a search engine. Prior to the tipping point on search engine use, it wasn’t that big if you were not listed. Now, if you are not listed it is an absolute crisis. Why? Because everyone expects to find what they need by searching.

We may look back soon and say the tipping point on mobile site expectations happened in 2011. Use is up, percentages of users is up and the devices keep getting more web friendly. People on smart phones expect to be able to push to call. This fact alone is compelling enough to make sure your Internet presence is up to date with a mobile site that will appeal to mobile users.

If you want to stay ahead of the tipping point, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com today to get a mobile web site started soon.

The Cosmetic Channel™ passes 300 members

2011-08-03T10:35:00.002-06:00

Every week, more cosmetic surgeons and dentists are creating profiles on TheCosmeticChannel.com. This week, this unique web site enrolled its 300th member, making it one of the largest video directories for cosmetic procedures on the web.

TheCosmeticChannel.com has a simple concept. Cosmetic surgeons and dentists can open a profile at no cost and link video from YouTube to their profiles or make new video using The Cosmetic Channel. In essence, this becomes a filter for YouTube, allowing site visitors to navigate among many doctors and dentists and see all kinds of video all in one place.

Subscriptions are free and the more you add to your profile, the more detailed and competitive your presentation will be. There are very inexpensive options for creating your own video as well. As membership increases, we will be introducing some new and highly beneficial elements to The Cosmetic Channel that will help you take advantage of the power of video in marketing your elective services. For now, though, if you have not signed up for TheCosmeticChannel.com please do. And, if you have and have not completed your profile, log-in to do that soon.

If you have any questions about video production or TheCosmeticChannel.com, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Mobile Stats Way Up

2011-07-26T09:40:00.002-06:00

Mobile sites are on my mind this week as we are launching two new smart phone sites and two new iPad sites this week. As expected, the use of mobile devices for surfing the Internet has increased greatly this year. Most of our clients are well over the 10% traffic mark and the ones with the strongest mobile traffic are up over 20%. When we started to measure this trend, I anticipated that the trend might top out at 25%. But it did not take long for some to get over 20% so the subject needs a little re-examination now and then until it settles.

Clearly the iPhone is the leading source of mobile visits among our clients. In nearly every case, the iPhone is the #1 source of mobile visits. In general, the degree to which the iPhone is #1 is shrinking however. In many cases, the iPad has risen to a strong #2 ranking. This trend began in the spring with the release of the iPad2. However, in general specific terms, the increased use of the iPad does not account for the volume increase mobile use. Across the board, mobile use is up on our clients’ Analytics.

For the first time there are conversations about full site design for smart phones and iPads. When we were at the 5% mark and clients began adding small versions of their sites for smart phones, most of those sites were 7 pages. The most important 7 pages of content were chosen for these starter sites. When clients passed the 10% mark, most added another 5 pages of content. With the emergence of the iPad sites, with their more graphical look, the 12-pages mobile site became the standard. Now as 25% nears, especially with the full graphics capability of the iPad designs, the talk has turned to the design of full web sites for mobile users.

I think 25% is the jumping-in point for this. You are definitely taking a risk in presentation when you are not making a full presentation to 1 of every 4 web visitors. And, another reason why 25% seems like a good buy-in for a full mobile and iPad site is that now it seems like that will be another milestone on the way to the ultimate plateau for mobile use.

Given the forecasts on mobile use for the next 3-4 years by the big tech companies, it now does not seem out of the question for mobile use of your site to be in the 30% range or even more in the next year. If you want to get out ahead of this and are ready to put up a full site for your smart phone or iPad visitors, please let me know at donald@dogstarmedia.com.