Communicate Often

 Web Marketing by Laura Hand 

Q. How do I pick a great Web designer for my Web site?

A. First, determine the designer's skill level. Review the designer's Web site and online portfolio. This will show his attention to detail and his design style. Look at the designer's experience with various design programs. Can he work on your site from beginning to end? Can he create online forms or would he have to contract it out?

Find out their HME experience

Experience with HME and healthcare is valuable. If the designer is new to HME, be prepared to invest additional time. You'll have to give detailed instructions on your primary viewers, products and services, and overall design. A designer who's familiar with the HME business, products and customer base will make your life easier.

make sure he sticks around

You and the designer will need to establish timelines and deadlines. Ask for final approval on each stage of the project. One of the complaints I hear most from business owners is that after completing a site, the designer disappears. This could be critical when you decide to make updates or move to a different hosting company. Make sure the designer will be accessible after completing the Web site. Remember, a Web site isn't just a project; it's an on-going process.

Check references

Ask for a list of the designer's former clients. Ask them questions about deadlines, communication skills and overall satisfaction. Would they work with them again?

Agree on costs

Does the designer bill by the hour or a flat fee? What will he charge for updates? Get an exact amount for how long the project will take and the total cost. Make sure the contract also includes what happens if these terms are not met.

Be prepared

Establish your goals ahead of time and know what you want. Look at other Web sites to find out what you do and don't like, then create a specific site plan for your site.

The best advice: Communicate with your designer often.

Laura Hand is the creative director/senior Web designer at VGM Forbin. 
Reach her at 319-274-4456 or lhand@forbin.com.

Using Facebook Traffic to Drive Brand Loyalty

The Big Brands Do it. Why Can't You?

By Chris Crum

WebProNews recently covered a study from Chitika, which found that Facebook was the most valuable social media tool for driving repeat readers to content sites. The study was based on 33 million unique users across Chitika's publisher network in September. It compared the number of visitors coming from major traffic sources Digg, Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Twitter, to the number of times those visitors came back to the referred site. Visitors that went to a site four or more times in one week were considered loyal users. By a wide margin, Facebook led the pack in providing loyal traffic. 20% of all visitors from Facebook visited the site four or more times per week.

Where does your most loyal traffic come from? Facebook or somewhere else? Comment here.

"We've received the most clients from Facebook than any other social media website," a reader commented on the article. "Although we've received slightly more visitors from Digg and Stumbleupon, the viewers have not converted into customers the same way they had through Facebook."

There has certainly been plenty of talk about how Facebook can drive traffic, but clearly there are still a lot of people struggling with just how to go about doing so.

"Why am I not getting this?" another reader asked. "Blogs I've done are boosting my Google, Yahoo, and Bing ratings and getting traffic to my web site, but I'm not getting how Facebok can do this."

Comments like these are not uncommon, and to be fair, this one was made prior to Microsoft's announcement of a deal with Facebook (Google has been rumored to be in talks with Facebook as well).

But not all traffic has to come from search, although Facebook exposure can certainly contribute to that as well, if nothing else, than simply through promotion leading to links.

When a Facebook user frequently checks for status updates, he/she is likely to see new posts made from Facebook Pages he/she is subscribed to. This means creating a Facebook page can have a great effect on page owners. Making readers aware of the page is key as well. Luckily Facebook has a widget called the Fan box, that you can put on your site, which can lead new visitors directly to your Facebook page.

Facebook has also just updated another important widget - the share button. Now it will provide a live count of shares, as well as analytical information. You can find out how people are sharing and engaging with your content, and gain further insight into how your stuff is doing with the Facebook community (and adjust your strategy accordingly).

Traffic is a common goal, but it is not the only one. Going back to the topic at the beginning of this article, brand loyalty is a big one.

A representative for Stuzo Group, one of Facebook's exclusive development partners, shared some interesting case studies with us, looking at how they created branded applications and fan pages for brands like Doritos, Budweiser, Smashbox, and Purina.

"When Stuzo works with these brands, the goals that they have most often in creating these promotions is to increase brand loyalty and recognition, boost traffic to their website, and drive sales," the representative said. "These goals all go hand in hand, and explain why Chitika's study was so valuable; hits to a website are great, but they don't mean much unless they contribute to brand loyalty and positive recognition of the brand." (emphasis added)

A common theme among the case studies provided by Stuzo is that they all present clear objectives for what they want to accomplish with Facebook. For example, Budweiser's were:

1. Create brand awareness through a strong fan base and social channel opt-ins

2. Incentivize users to engage with the brand on a regular basis

3. Convert new customers and drive increase in sales

Budweiser went the route of contests and competitions (which are viral by nature). According to the case study, this has resulted in:

- Hundreds of thousands of Unique Pageviews

- Sustained high level of brand engagement by all measurements

- Significant, continued growth in Budweiser’s Social CRM and social channel opt-ins

Budweiser is just one example of a big brand finding success through social media, and through the use of Facebook in particular. As I recently discussed, you can find new and interesting ways to integrate social media into your own plans by looking at some of the brands you use yourself and how they employ different tools. This helps you to put yourself in the customer's shoes and determine the things that work and the things that don't.

What brands have you seen using social media in interesting ways? Discuss here.

Related Articles:

> The Most Loyal Traffic Comes from Facebook

> Facebook/Twitter Use May Now Mean More for Google/Bing Rankings

> Some Brands Have Good Ideas For Social Media. Do You?

Web Pro News: Balancing Blogger and Twitter

 

Click here to view video.

Sites like Facebook and Twitter may receive more attention in some circles, but blogs aren’t going anywhere. At BlogWorld, Blogger Product Manager Rick Klau talked to WebProNews about the state of Google’s blog publishing system, along with blogging in general and how newer communications options come into the equation.

One big thing worth noting is that Blogger recently celebrated its tenth birthday. A host of fresh features were introduced at that time to both expand how people regard the service and thank individuals for continuing to use it. And use it is precisely what they’re doing.

Klau stressed that, with regards to blogs and Blogger, we’re not talking about a static or declining environment. In fact, he stated that 290,000 words are written on Blogger per minute worldwide, which represents an increase of 10 percent versus six months ago.

Klau said that Twitter and blogs “each have their place,” too, as blogging and microblogging aren’t part of a zero-sum game. If conversations are fragmented, that’s fine. That can even be good. Twitter became the second-largest source of traffic (after Google) to Klau’s blog when he implemented software that tweeted about his latest posts. He recommended this sort of service.

Another good idea to explore is using the new “share to Twitter” feature on Blogger.

As for what, precisely, to do with a blog (if you’re new to them or just looking for some expert advice), Klau’s advice was solid: “focus on the content.” Also, don’t imitate what other people have done . . . instead find what you’re passionate about and stick with it.

Time for Blogging

 Time for Customers:  Time to Blog.

If you have time to write one extra email, you have time to write one extra blog.  Just as simple- a title and body.  If you have a blog to help your site, you should be blogging at the very least 1-2 per week.  

Write about:  things you are passionate about, education to your readers, topics that humanize you and your company and try to be entertaining.


Google LOVES blogs.  Make sure you aren't missing out.Use your keywords and tags!

What “Up” can teach Washington about health care reform

NOTE: This article was recently submitted to the Des Moines Register. It also appeared in the July 5 edition of the Waterloo Courier and will appear in an upcoming issue of HME News.

There is scene in the latest Pixar film, “Up,” where two men arrive at Carl Fredrickson’s door intent on moving him from his home to Shady Oaks nursing home. Carl promises he will be along momentarily if the men will wait outside in their van. But instead of surrendering his home, he releases thousands of helium filled balloons tethered to his house, lifting it into the air and thereby escaping society’s push to institutionalize this proud man. It’s a triumphant scene, and one our legislators should see as they debate health care reform.

Our hospitals and nursing homes are filled with people of every shape, size, creed and color. But these people all share a common dream – they all dream of going home. No one wants to be in a hospital, nursing home or any institutional setting; they want to be in their own homes. But rather than recognize this universal desire, our federal health policies discourage home care. While Medicare will pay for hospitalization and physician visits for virtually any reason and Medicaid pays budget-busting sums for nursing homes, home care comprises less than 2 percent of all health care expenditures.   

“Up’s”  Carl Fredrickson walks with the aid of a cane, and gets up and down his stairs with the benefit of a stair lift. A stair lift is both an assistive device and safety aid. It can be purchased and installed in most homes for less than $2,500. Medicare won’t pay for the cost of a stair lift in the home of a frail senior. 

Nor will it pay for any portion of a bath lift, a tub bench, a grab bar or any of a bevy of other assistive devices or companion care that help seniors stay in their home, safely. This is short-sighted health policy. One in three senior will suffer a serious fall, and those falls often lead to a cascading descent in quality of life, not to mention extraordinary health care costs. Medicare will spend tens of thousands to treat a hip fracture caused by a fall in the bathtub, but won’t spend a few hundred dollars on bath safety devices. It willingly spends $2,000 a day on hospitalization for seniors with serious breathing problems, but balks at the $7.50 a day for oxygen equipment and supporting service when the senior stays in the home.

When it comes to health care, Congress and federal bureaucrats often think only in a transactional perspective, not strategically.   In refusing coverage for an item like Carl Fredrickson’s stair lift, they see their decision as “saving” $2,500 in health care costs. What they fail to see is that a stair lift costs less than 15 days in a nursing home, or that Medicare could put bath lifts in homes of hundreds of seniors for the price of a slip-and-fall by one frail senior getting out of a bathtub, or that companion care in the home costs less and results in better outcomes than institutionalization in a nursing home.   Our “sickcare” system is transactional; homecare is strategic. 

Carl, the hero of “Up,” not only avoided the nursing home, he went on to carry out a great adventure while still living in his home. Our seniors deserve the respect and dignity that comes with staying in their home as long as they can. I can only hope our elected officials in Washington see “Up.”  It is a delightful movie, and if they pay attention they just might learn a thing or two that helps improve our health care system.

Mike Mallaro is CFO and CIO of VGM Group, Inc., and a regular speaker and writer on national home health care issues.

Click here to download a copy of this piece.

HME News: Keep it simple, not plain

Laura Hand, VGM Forbin speaking about design for your HME site. 

Q. I want my Web site to look nice and professional. What makes a good design for HME?

A. A great Web site design for HME should draw a visitor in and make a warm first impression. Think of your homepage as the front door to your business. Is it professional, clean, warm and welcoming? Is the page easy to navigate and can visitors find the answers they need easily? Your company logo and colors, menu bar, contact information and the text describing your business are all vital. You may wish to show pictures of your store, staff members, products and clientele.

To have a good design, you need to know your audience. Most of your viewers are female and over the age of 40, either looking for products for themselves or loved ones. It is important to have an inviting design that depicts you as a trustworthy source. Use your company colors but incorporate a palette of softer pleasing colors. Use images of happy, active individuals using the equipment you provide. For easy viewing, all text, menu buttons and graphics should be in large and legible fonts.

What sets you apart from your competition? Is it your friendly and knowledgeable staff, the number of years you have been in business or having the latest home medical equipment? Make that the focus of your Web site.

Keep it simple, but not plain. Make it easy for customers to contact you by showing phone and fax numbers and addresses in a prominent spot, preferably next to your logo. Do you want them to purchase or request information about a piece of equipment? Have a graphic that directs them to your online catalog or store. Show the customer that you are an expert on HME by creating a patient resource center where customers can share information with loved ones.

A tired Web site means a tired business, so your site should be constantly evolving. Review the design elements every couple of months to keep it fresh and current.
Following these tips will ensure that your online customers will be your customers for years to come. hme

Laura Hand is the creative director/senior Web designer at VGM Forbin. Reach her at 319-274-4456 or lhand@forbin.com.


Click here to view at HME News.

Facebook User Names

Facebook gave profiles and pages the opportunity to have a customized URL to direct traffic to their page/profile by setting up a user name. Example: www.Facebook.com/Forbin. However, what you didn't find out until the time of registry on Friday night at 11 pm was that if it was a page that you were setting up a user name for you had to have a minimum of 1k fans. I found this very deceiving and disappointing, especially because this is something that could be very valuable for the business pages, yet not all business pages could take advantage of this without having the full criteria of 1k fans.

Hopefully Facebook will make a revision to this requirement soon. If you do have a profile/page that you would like to assign a user name visit www.Facebook.com/Username. You can select one of their suggestions or select a custom user name.