Are we “social scientists”? … I think so!

We study human behaviour. We know our market share and target specific demographics .. well, at least endeavour to! I think we deserve a new title of “social scientists”! Do you?

According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, a “social scientist” is defined as ::

“Social scientists study all aspects of society—from past events and achievements to human behavior and relationships among groups. Their research provides insights into the different ways individuals, groups, and institutions make decisions, exercise power, and respond to change. They look at data in detail, such as studying the data they’ve collected, reanalyzing already existing data, analyzing historical records and documents, and interpreting the effect of location on culture and other aspects of society. Through their studies and analyses, social scientists offer insight into the physical, social, and cultural development of humans, as well as the links between human activity and the environment. ”

30 Second SEO Tutorial

This is a short and simple guide to Search Engine Optomisation [SEO]. Follow these quick tips to get on the road to rank your website or blog. Good luck ..

[1] Find related keywords ::

Make a list of words relevant to your healthcare specialty or website theme.  Choose words that will attract people and carry out your business objective.

[2] Add the keywords to the page title ::

Your page title is the most important aspect of your website. Search engines evaluate your title to determine what is on a webpage. Add your keywords to the page title.

[3] Add the keywords to the URL ::

Choosing a URL is important. Search engines view the text in your URL to understand the web page. Use your keyword in your URL.

[4] Add the keywords into the meta data ::

Gather up your keywords and add them into the page description. The blurb should be easily read and short.

[5] Add the keywords into your H1 text ::

The H1 text is usually found at the top of your webpage. Search engines review this and add importance to the H1 text words.

[6] Use the keywords in your page content ::

Try to fit your keywords organically into the text of your page to notify search engines that the content is actually relevant to the theme.

[7] Monitor your results ::

Check Google and other search engines to test your rank and to see test if your SEO is working.

Change is coming … future forecasts by Pew Internet & Life project

Change is coming, whether through the spread of wireless devices or generational shifts.

Wireless connections are associated with deeper engagement in social media and an accelerated pace of information exchange. Indeed, those with mobile access to the internet are more likely than those who have tethered access to contribute their comments and reviews to the online conversation about health and health care. And mobile access is on the rise.

Second, adults between the ages of 18 to 49 are more likely than older adults to participate in social technologies related to health. As younger adults face more health care questions and challenges, they may turn to the tools they have sharpened in other contexts of their lives to gather and share health advice.

But in the end, experts remain vital to the health-search and decision-making process. Americans’ longstanding practices of asking a health professional, a trusted friend, or a wise family member persist as patients pursue good health. These are practices which, in the words of John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid “will not budge” and therefore require designers of any new health care application “to look not ahead, but to look around” in order to see the way forward.

* Data extracted directly from Pew Internet and Life Project Report

A majority of e-patients access user-generated health information but few are actively writing or creating new health content:

This is a great opportunity for us, as healthcare marketers to lead patients and provide quality health information …

*  only 6% of e-patients have tagged or categorized online content about health or medical issues.
* only 6% of e-patients report that they have posted comments, queries, or information about health or medical matters in an online discussion, listserv or other online group forum.
* only 5% of e-patients say they have posted comments about health on a blog.
* only 5% of e-patients have posted a review online of a doctor.
* only 4% of e-patients have posted a review online of a hospital.
* only 4% have shared photos, videos or audio files online about health or medical issues.

Data extracted from Pew Internet and Life Project Report

Review of US healthcare consumer landscape

60% of e-patients engage with social media

Review of our emerging e-patient landscape ::

• 61% of total population – 83% of online population
• 64% of women; 57% of men
• 65% of whites; 51% blacks; 44% Hispanics
• 72% of 18-29-year-olds
• 71% of 30-49-year-olds
• 59% of 50-64-year-olds
• 27% of those 65 and older are e-patients

Emerging e-patient activities ::

• 47% of adults have used the internet  to get information about doctors or other health professionals
• 41% have read someone else’s commentary or experience about health or medical issues on an online news group or blog
• 38% have gotten information about hospitals
• 33% have gotten information about how to lose or control their weight
• 27% have gotten information about health insurance
• 24% have consulted rankings or reviews online of hospitals
• 12% have gotten information about how to stay healthy on an overseas trip
• 24% have consulted rankings or reviews of doctors
• 19% have signed up to receive updates about health or medical issues
• 13% have listened to a podcast about health or medical issues
• 5% have reviewed a doctor
• 4% have reviewed a hospital

* Data is extracted from the Pew Internet and Life Project Report

How to :: build links through social media

If you have a new website or blog or are just interested in utilising new distribution platforms to gain additional traffic this blog post is for you …

Like me, if you work on a blog you will need to do something with your posts in order to deliver some links and traffic to your website. Many people dont realise that a blog can be significantly leveraged through a variety of communities, not just to deliver traffic but also build a loyal following. If your content is good and your audience is accurate blog posts will act like a fishing rod to bring in traffic.

Here are some tips which I will be sharing at the Strategic Social Media for Healthcare Conference next week in NYC.

Blog Commenting ::

First advise is not to worry about follow and no follow links. I have seen no follow links show up in Google webmaster tools blog. A link doesn’t have to just be looked at as “link building” but it should be viewed at as a bridge to your business or blog. If a link is there you are giving people an opportunity to find you.

By commenting on other related blogs you are endorsing the receiver and also creating an opportunity to market your own blog. Bloggers welcome feedback and comments and will usually return the favour – in time increasing visibility to you and your blog.

Social Media ::

Blog posts are one of the most visible ways you can get social media traffic over to your website. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are superb places to pull in highly targeted audience traffic from a strategic manner. Taking each blog post and distributing it through a variety of social channels you are connected with will bring a steady stream of interested inbound traffic. Someone sooner or later is going to also link to that blog post making it even more important to be in this space. I distribute my favourite posts on a series of marketing and health-related LinkedIn groups which I can track with my analytics package. It is worth the effort from a networking and data sharing perspective.

Share Buttons ::

You don’t need a share button for every social book marking website. Twitter, Facebook and Google Buzz are important to distribute your content into every single time you write. Consistency is key with internet marketing efforts. ShareThis is also a great tool for tracking and ease of use.

Social Bookmarking ::

Social bookmarking is not be as popular as it was but we should not avoid it. Sites like Digg and StumbleUpon can still bring sizable traffic to your website which is why it is still important to be visible on their platforms.

Social media marketing is a very powerful force that can really help a business become successful online. With that said it requires applying all the tools with a strategic approach aimed at delivering not just traffic but targeted traffic to your website. Good Luck!

Am I alone out here? Does anyone out there read my blog???

Sometimes I wonder why I do this? When I look at my analytics and dont see sizeable numbers reading my blogs … Are you in the same position?

Well, there are thousands of blogs in the search results leaving us to really have to think outside of the box – not only to get visitors to your site but also to have them create some sort of action once they get there.

This is my solution ::

Here are 6 basic blog marketing ideas that I think simply go hand in hand right now in making a blog successful in any niche.

Forget Free Blogs

If you are getting serious about turning your blog into something more than a hobby you are going to need to move beyond the free blogging platforms. Blogger, WordPress, etc. are not going to make the cut if you want to turn your blog into a business endeavour. Purchase a custom domain name and have a personal self hosted blog. Today you can get one for $10 – $15 per month.

Clean Design

As marketers we know that design is very subjective and you won’t please everyone but good design elements are always very important, things like the types of buttons that you use or if all your images are sized properly make a difference in the eyes of your audience. Keeping things clean and consistent without a great deal of clutter is important for good overall design.

Easy Calls to Action

If you want someone to do something on your blog, leave a comment, share, reply, etc. you have to give them the opportunity to do it. Don’t assume that your traffic is going to find what you want them to do. You have to display it all times regardless of what page they are on. If it is an online store or a newsletter sign up make sure it is clear and visible in the right location on every page of your blog.

Search Engine Optimisation

SEO is very important because the search engines need to be able to ping your blog and pull in your posts for others to find in search queries. Most blogging platforms have many plugins you can use to make this process very easy. Key to a success SEO strategy is understanding your industry keywords and introducing them into your writing as you go. Be patient, this will help you out over time. If you want your blog to rank in search results eventually you will have to perform some sort of link building activities. Be careful not to get in trouble with this one!

Social Media Marketing

Social media and blogging go hand in hand so if you want to build up an audience and start getting followers coming to your site you will have to push out your blog posts a little further. This means using LinkedIN, Twitter and Facebook along with other social bookmarking websites out there designed to help you market your blog.

Engaging Content

Content is the key driving force to a blog so you have to make sure it is engaging. If you don’t enjoy writing and you are forcing it quite a bit you might want to rethink starting your own blog because you have to really enjoy the writing part … a lot!

Approach your blog like a business rather than a hobby and over time you will see it shift gears quite a bit. Nothing in life is easy and owning a successful blog takes time, patience and passion to make it successful. Don’t get frustrated just keep putting out good content and over time things will pan out. Good luck!

Bi’ curamach, and remember what we are!

Today’s marketing sits in an entirely different sector of blog posts, tweets & status updates. We are now “content marketers”

Content marketing is the idea of distributing relevant and beneficial content to engage potential patients and provide them with something of value. Yes, you read that correctly! Nowhere does it say anything about pitching your services or promoting your hospital. Instead, content marketing focuses on delivering information and services that inform your target markets and enables them to become more intelligent buyers.

Google’s advise on link building efforts

Last month the Google Webmaster blog had an informative post  on what constitutes a “valuable” link and what you can do to get those links.

Read this post to learn the best and worst ways to build your links, directly from the horses mouth ::

Best Strategies ::
• Become an expert in your field and get involved in online communities. Contribute to blogs  but don’t spam with shameless self  promotion for your blog. Quality links come through the relationships formed in the communities, not the comments themselves.
• Publish helpful, interesting content. This could range from a tutorial to a video or tool. Original research or polls attract quality links.
• For an immediate traffic bump, try out some humour. Funny content gets picked up by social media and can attract hundreds of links in a short time. According to Google, this is a quick pick-up rather than a long-term strategy.

Worst Strategies ::
• Buying links – While paid links may provide a small bump, Google states that they are not a positive impact on your site’s performance over time.
• Exchanging links – When addressing this link-building technique, Google’s Webmaster blog uses this serious warning: “If your site’s visibility in the Google index is important to you it’s best to avoid [exchanging links].”
• Google tells Webmasters to submit their site to relevant, topical directories instead of mass-submissions to SEO link directories.

5 twitter tips for hospital marketers

[1] HIPPA compliance :: Dont mention information which can identify patients. Dont write anything where a patient could identify themselves.

[2] Share information :: If you find a good article share it! ReTweet blogs or relevant information. Respond and acknowledge mentions … you have earned them!

[3] Think easy & simple :: Try not to use medical jargon. Patients dont always understand. Dont use a big complicated word when a shorter and simpler one will do. If you need to clarify a complex procedure link to your blog or healthcare website.

[4] Know your patient base :: Determine who your follower will be before you start your blog or website. Aim your posts or articles to align to what they would like to hear. Your twitter account may rank high in search engine results so you want to ensure your messages are appropriate and relevant.

[5] Be engaging :: Work with the superstars in your hospital, your doctors, nurses, researchers, to get more evidence based positive health messages out. Follow, retweet posts and engage them in conversations by replying to their posts.

Social media is competitive so follow the tips above to stay on your game and in front of your patient base. If you dont already have one, create your Twitter account and follow @nicolaziady for updates, tips and health related news.