Website Promotion is not Voodoo

In I got this link by email from one of our clients (for Botox, San Francisco folks can’t go wrong with Dr. Roy Kim - yes, it’s a blatant link-drop) and it got me going on a pet peeve of mine:

Small Business owners giving up control over their own online destiny.

Internet marketing for plastic surgeons presents some interesting challenges. Surgical practices make a lot of money and are attractive targets. Unfortunately, more often than not, the results haven’t matched the promises.

Right when it came out I pointed to a recent article in the NY Times. This post is intended to clarify my thoughts in response.

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In this morning’s session at Small Business Marketing Unleashed Jennifer Laycock was talking about the value of ratings and reviews as a component of social media.

For those of you who don’t know, Search Engine Guide is putting on a show this week focused on small businesses: Small Business Marketing Unleashed.

The New York times is out with and interesting piece on Plastic Surgery Internet Marketing and how effective it can be.

Update: I’ve expanded on this post greatly in: Internet Marketing for Plastic Surgeons - Less Scary than You Think.

You may also be interested in: Convert Offline - Everybody’s Doing It

At the risk of repeating myself, Miriam of Solas Web Design in her SEO Igloo blog has been engaged for a few weeks in an investigation of Local SEO culminating with a series of interviews. Miriam was nice to include me and most recently asked me to respond to some questions from the comments on one of her recent posts.

My friends at Solas Web Design are doing a great interview series on “Local SEO”.

These interviews are a little technical in some cases but still make a great read regardless of your level of knowledge. How do I know so much? One of them is with me

Among the other usual suspects so far are:

Andrew Shotland at Local SEO Guide has kicked off a great concept: Giving A Little SEO for Christmas.

To that end, I’m going to work a theme close to home:

• Rebuilding New Orleans
• Support Green Building
• Rebuild The 9th Ward
• New Orleans Business Directory

Nice idea Andrew.

Image at About.com.

A Case Study of Trusted Reviewers’ Impact on Google Maps Placement

David Mihm, a local SEO in Oakland CA recently pointed me to a post by Tim Coleman of Convert Offline who offers Search Engine Marketing help for small business entitled “Is Google Filtering Reviews or Reviewers”.

I live in New Orleans where people do occasionally rent a television for the big game.

It’s an event. No need to call consumer credit counseling.

If I’m renting my 17″ Sylvania that may be a problem.

Website promotion is the same. Rent or Own.

Ultimately you want to own.

Renting VS Owning