October 2012: Face Time

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Google’s Authorship program combines your image with social media for increased online visibility

Say cheese!

Google has launched a new program that allows you to get increased face time with prospective patients.

Through the search giant’s new “Authorship” program, website owners and the authors of articles can now have a photograph next to their listings in the search results. This includes you!

Since you own your practice website and likely were involved in the development of the content, you qualify for this amazing opportunity to increase your Internet visibility. Google Authorship provides you with a nearly unparalleled branding opportunity, placing your face in front of the thousands of people in your area who utilize Google to seek out the services of practitioners in your specialty.

If this is the first you’ve heard of Google Authorship, the good news is that the same is true for many of your competitors. If you’re lucky, you may even be the first doctor in your area to sign up. Currently, Google is making it easy to participate in Google Authorship, but there’s no telling how long this will last; Google has a habit of adding requirements to its programs as time goes on.

Why Participate? Authorship = Branding

Participating in Google Authorship is fairly straightforward. All you need to do is sign up for a Google+ account, create a simple profile, and follow a couple of other steps (see below). If you are a Ceatus client, we have already begun the process for you.

But why should you want to participate? Google’s position is that the placement of your photograph directly adjacent to your listings distinguishes and validates your content in the search results. If you already have a Google+ account, the program will also allow you to easily obtain more followers, says Google. In addition, Authorship helps readers to discover other articles you have written. And importantly, it also makes it easier for them to contact you.

Ultimately, it comes down to branding. What could possibly be more important to your brand than your own image? With Google Authorship, your image is front and center, for the entire search world to see.

Getting Started

Here’s how to get started:

  • Establish a Google+ account
  • Upload a high-quality photograph of yourself
  • Add other information to your profile (education, background, hometown, etc.)
  • Have your webmaster add the necessary code to your website so that Google knows to connect your website to your Google+ profile
  • Go to the Google Authorship page and enter your email address
  • Go to your email inbox and look for an email from Google
  • Click the verification link in the email

Your Google+ profile is now linked to your website content.

If you are a Ceatus client, we have already begun the process of signing you up for Google Authorship. For more information on Google Authorship, contact Ceatus today.

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Read about our Case Study of the Month

Ask the experts

Q I hear a lot of talk about Google penalties and algorithm changes. The words “Panda” and “Penguin” keep popping up. What does it mean?

A In February 2011, Google made its first algorithm change to affect the rankings of entire websites, not just individual pages. “Panda” refers to penalties Google has placed on websites that they have deemed to be “low quality,” which could be the result of any number of factors, including excessive duplicate content or highly similar content. “Penguin” refers to penalties Google has placed on websites that are “over-optimized.” This over-optimization penalty could occur when content on the site and external links pointing to the site include excessive amounts of key words.

Events: Maximize Your Internet Strategy

Come by the Ceatus booth for a FREE website evaluation!

Plastic Surgery The Meeting

New Orleans
Oct. 26-30
Booth: 1222

Plastic Surgery The Meeting is an annual event put on by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Representing a broad spectrum of medical professionals, from physicians to nurses and physician assistants to technicians, the meeting will be taking place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Ceatus CEO David Evans, PhD, will be giving a 15-minute presentation titled “Are You Maximizing Your Internet Strategy?” in the Exhibit Hall. Speak with a Ceatus Internet marketing expert in booth 1222 for a FREE website and SEO evaluation.

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)

Chicago
Dates: Nov. 10-13
Booth: 3102

This year’s American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting will take place November 10-13 at McCormick Place in Chicago. AAO is committed to providing the best possible eye care for patients by furthering the educational and professional interests of ophthalmologists. Ceatus Internet marketing experts will be available throughout the event at booth 3102 to assess the effectiveness of your website’s call to action and other important features that are critical to increasing your patient volume.

Come by booth 3102 for a free evaluation of your website’s Google potential from a Ceatus Internet marketing expert!

Greater NY Dental Meeting (GNYDM)

New York
Dates: Nov. 23-28
Booth: 4810

The Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM) is the largest dental event in the United States. With over 53,789 attendees from all 50 states and 132 countries, this meeting attracts some of the most highly recognized educators in the dentistry field. This year’s meeting features an extraordinary and unparalleled educational program. Ceatus CEO David Evans, PhD, will be giving a 1-hour presentation titled “Perfect Your Online Presence” on November 27 at 12:45 pm in the Dental Tribune Pavilion, booth 523. Speak with one of our Internet marketing experts at booth 4810 and learn how you can increase conversion and bring new patients to your door!

The Cutting Edge Aesthetic Surgery Symposium

New York
Dates: Nov. 29, 30 and Dec. 1

Ceatus Media Group will be exhibiting at this year’s The Cutting Edge Aesthetic Surgery Symposium, which takes place in New York on November 29 and 30, and December 1, 2012, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The attendees at this symposium will include plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons and otolaryngologists from around the world. Ceatus Internet marketing experts will be available throughout the event to provide free SEO evaluations of your website’s Google potential.

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CEATUS Case Study of the Month

Robert Anderson, MD

Background: Dr. Robert Anderson is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has practiced in the Fort Worth area for more than 20 years. He has been a Ceatus client since 2007. Over the last five years, Dr. Anderson’s search engine rankings have gradually improved. His site now has top-three rankings in Google’s search results for virtually every search term related to “Fort Worth” and “plastic surgery,” and most of his rankings are #1. With such dominant rankings, increasing Dr. Anderson’s online visibility and branding would appear to be quite a challenge. Enter Ceatus and the Google Authorship program…

Solution: In the spring of 2012, Google introduced a new program that allows website owners and the authors of online articles to post pictures next to their listings in Google’s search results. (See main article about the Google Authorship program in this month’s newsletter.) When this program was introduced, the Ceatus SEO team immediately sprang into action, modifying Dr. Anderson’s website and creating his Google+ profile. Within several days, Dr. Anderson’s picture began appearing in the Google results, right next to his top-ranking website listing.

Results: Now, when consumers search “fort worth plastic surgeon” or “breast augmentation fort worth,” Dr. Anderson’s picture appears at the top of the search results (see graphic below). And, fortunately for Dr. Anderson, no other surgeon in the Fort Worth area has an Internet marketing company that has taken advantage of the Google Authorship program. As of the release of this newsletter, only one picture appears on Google for these plastic surgery search terms, and that is Ceatus client Robert Anderson, MD. Ceatus Media Group’s premier SEO team has catapulted Dr. Anderson to a new level of dominance in online visibility.

Search for “breast augmentation forth worth” and the only picture on the page is Dr. Anderson’s.

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Spooktacular Tours

Looking forward to celebrating Halloween? Take it to the next level with a spooky vacation! This Halloween, take your kids on a thrilling adventure to one of America’s most haunted houses!

The 13th Gate
Baton Rouge, LA

Deemed “One of America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions” by The Travel Channel, The 13th Gate is Baton Rouge’s ultimate haunted house! This 40,000 square foot spooky structure features 13 different indoor and outdoor themes, and each will have you screaming at the top of your lungs! Crawl through a burning crematory or run through a dark underground cavern, and you’ll find yourself standing on a bridge above hundreds of live snakes slithering below your feet. Yikes!

Whether you’re a fan of horror movies, love to be terrified out of your wits, or just enjoy the detail of a highly interactive, one-of-a-kind haunted house, The 13th Gate is sure to keep you entertained. General admission tickets are $25 for all ages.

The Winchester Mystery House
San Jose, CA

Beware: Do not stray away from the tour, otherwise you could be lost for hours. This maze-like Victorian mansion is full of twists and turns – literally. With staircases leading to dead ends, doors that open to walls, windows that lead to rooms, and upside-down columns, The Winchester Mystery House was designed to ward off and confuse evil spirits. What was Mrs. Winchester thinking when she had over 500 rooms built, closed off and rebuilt? Find out this Halloween in a 65-minute guided tour of the mansion. Children under 5 can tour for free when accompanied by an adult.

The Whaley House
San Diego, CA

The Whaley House was designated an “official” haunted house by the U.S. Department of Commerce in the 1960s. This creepy dwelling is home to the notorious ghost “Yankee Jim,” who was hanged where the house now stands. Other ghostly sightings include Thomas and Anna Whaley, who have reportedly been seen by many visitors, including television talk show host Regis Philbin. With the suicide of Violet Whaley and other terrifying events having taken place at the Whaley House, it’s easy to understand why it was named “America’s Most Haunted” house by the Travel Channel. All tickets are sold at the Whaley House Museum Shop. Daytime admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $4 for children ages 3-12.

The White House
Washington, D.C

Is the most famous house in America also the country’s most haunted? For years there have been strange sightings and noises heard from visitors, staff, and even the latest residents, First Lady Michelle and President Barack Obama. There have been numerous reported sightings of Abigail Adams and Andrew Jackson walking around the halls. Take a tour this Halloween to see if you can feel the presence of Abraham Lincoln, who reportedly lurks around both day and night. All White House tours are free of charge. (Please note that White House tours may be subject to last-minute cancellation.)

Cutting Edge Haunted House
Dallas Fort Worth, TX

Searching for a thrilling adventure that’s worth your time and money? Look no further. Cutting Edge Haunted House is the perfect setting for a hair-raising haunting that will leave you breathless. Filled with live sets, digital animations, and hundreds of live actors inside and outside the building, Cutting Edge is featured in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest haunted house in the world! One of the best features of this attraction is the real meat-packing equipment that was left behind and incorporated into the design of the setting. Come to Dallas Fort Worth, Texas to see one of the most authentic haunted houses ever created! General admission tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for children under 10.

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Read about our Case Study of the Month

Product Highlight

Mirror, mirror

Website redundancy helps protect your most valuable asset – your website

Ceatus, through its beautiful website designs and dominant SEO strategies, has tripled or quadrupled the number of visitors to many of its clients’ websites. This boost in Internet leads has helped our clients maintain and even grow their practices during this difficult economic time. For many of these practices, Internet marketing is now the primary source of new patients, and in a surprising number of cases, is surpassing word-of-mouth referrals.

These results suggest that, currently, our clients’ websites may be the most important component of their success. This, in turn, places a lot of responsibility on website hosting companies. If a practice website goes down for even a few hours revenue can be greatly affected. Last month we discussed the importance of premium hosting and its relationship to the success of SEO and website marketing. This month we will describe your website (and practice revenue) insurance policy: REDUNDANCY.

Why Redundancy Is So Important

Because the Internet is so critical to the growth of many of our clients’ practices, Ceatus goes to great lengths to provide website redundancy. This ensures that our clients maintain their online marketing presence 24/7, 365 days a week, even when their competitors’ sites are going down. If you think your practice may be hurt by your site being unavailable, then a redundancy program is a must.

When your website is hosted through only one company, there is no way to guarantee that your site will be online 100% of the time. Software glitches, personnel errors, equipment failures and “acts of God” (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes, power outages, and floods) are inevitable. Redundancy is the only way to fully and completely protect your practice’s most valuable marketing asset: your website.

Why is redundancy so important? We are living in the information age, an age largely defined by immediacy. These days, consumers have very short attention spans; when they are ready to make a decision about a cosmetic procedure and select a doctor, their need is immediate and there are many sites to choose from. Your site needs to be live, or you lose. Statistics show that you probably won’t get another chance to have that patient contact you.

How Redundancy Works

To create redundancy, we host your website on servers from at least two different hosting companies located in different parts of the country. State-of-the-art, automated software then monitors both servers to make sure both sites are always live. If one site goes down, additional automated software ensures consumers find the version of your site that is still live. And, to be absolutely certain that our clients are protected, we include one final piece. Synchronization software is added to the Ceatus insurance package to make sure that both versions of your website are up to date; the sites are synched once a day, so that the copy of your website (sometimes called the “hot standby”) is never more than 24 hours old.

The Ceatus redundancy program contains all of these important pieces to help ensure consumers can always find your website online!

If you have questions about Ceatus’ premium hosting and redundancy programs, please contact us today.