Our 2 Cents: How to Boost Your Web Presence Without Breaking the Bank

It's no secret that having a strong web presence for your business is essential in today's internet-driven world. 

Marketers frequently throw around terms like, “ search engine optimization ” ( SEO ) and act as though there's some magic formula that only they know to move your company up in Google's search rankings. 

The good news is that increasing your company's web presence and visibility isn't rocket science. 

With a little effort and common sense advice from those with experience, you can implement practical strategies like these for making your business visible to current and potential customers alike:

1. Have compelling content.
It's pretty simple if you think about it. How likely are you to share someone else's sales pitch with all of your Facebook friends or Twitter followers? It's probably not going to happen. 

When you are creating website content, writing blog posts, sharing information on social media and participating in online discussions, it's so important to think in terms of who your audience is and what they will find interesting and worthy of passing on. 

It may initially be hard to break out of the "hard sell" mode, but giving your current and potential customers information they can use and offering to help them find solutions that work for them will go much further. Stumped about how to create compelling content that's relevant to your brand? Ragan Communicationsoffers these tips.

2. Keywords = Traffic.
Keywords hugely influence the amount of traffic websites that blogs get because they allow search engines to determine how well a page matches a user's search term. 

Make sure your website pages have popular keyword tags and that you include keyword labels when posting blog entries in sites such as Blogger and WordPress. 

3. Use review sites to your advantage.
When deciding between you and your competitors, a majority of adults turn to online reviews. The popular site, Yelp, has 18 million unique visitors each month, and 85% of users say they give as much weight to an online review as they would a personal recommendation. 

Seek out your best customers and ask if they would be willing to write reviews for you, and make sure you monitor new reviews and respond when needed. Here are some basics for making Yelp work for you.

4. Get social. Get involved.
We've discussed the importance of social media for businesses in this blog, but it bears repeating. Most people who are online are on at least one social network. 

Depending on your type of business, it's most likely beneficial to have a presence on popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or LinkedIn. In addition to that, become involved in online forums, newsgroups and discussions to increase your visibility.

Escaype Enterprises can help your company develop a customized strategy to increase your web presence and allow you to stand out and get noticed. 

Visit our website TODAY for more information!

3 Reasons to Social-Eyes with a Purpose for Your Business

In the last decade, social media and blogging have moved from the realm of teenagers on MySpace to being widely-used business tools. 

When done correctly, social media and blogging can be part of a very effective marketing strategy. If you’re not already using social media and blogging to tell your story and interact with current and potential customers, here are three reasons you should:

1. You position yourself as an expert.
By sharing useful content (usually called inbound marketing) about your industry and company, you show your current and future customers that you have knowledge and expertise and can be trusted. Also, your existing customers need content to share if they’re going to be online ambassadors for your company and tell others about the great job you’re doing. A recent Harvard Business Review article shows approximately 43% of social media users have purchased a product or service as a result of seeing it shared or favorited on social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

2. You get instant feedback from the people who matter the most. Social media and blogging allow for interaction with your current and future customers. The public nature of this interaction has made some companies hesitate to jump into the conversation, but there’s great value in the feedback you can get via social media and blogs. By using old-fashioned customer service strategies in new media, you can quickly resolve potential issues and keep loyal customers. Companies such as Comcast have developed reputations as social media stars because of their responses to customers experiencing difficulties.

3. It’s inexpensive and effective.
Before social media and blogging, companies were more limited in their options for reaching out to current and potential customers. While options such as direct mail and advertising are effective, they also can be expensive and are one shot deals. Social media tools and blogging allow you to inexpensively target customers and provide multiple opportunities for interaction. Researchers estimate 90% of internet-savvy adults use some form of social media--if your customers are using these tools, shouldn’t you?

Escaype Enterprises can help your company develop and execute a social media strategy that will make you stand out and get noticed. Visit our website TODAY for more information.

 

4 Ways to Boost Your Web Presence Without Breaking the Bank

It's no secret that having a strong web presence for your business is essential in today's internet-driven world. 

Marketers frequently throw around terms like, “search engine optimization” (SEO) and act as though there's some magic formula that only they know to move your company up in Google's search rankings. 

The good news is that increasing your company's web presence and visibility isn't rocket science. With a little effort and common sense The good The good news is that increasing your company's web presence and visibility isn't rocket science. 

With a little effort and common sense advice from those with experience, you can implement practical strategies like these for making your business visible to current and potential customers alike:

1. Have compelling content. 
It's pretty simple if you think about it. How likely are you to share someone else's sales pitch with all of your Facebook friends or Twitter followers? It's probably not going to happen. When you are creating website content, writing blog posts, sharing information on social media and participating in online discussions, it's so important to think in terms of who your audience is and what they will find interesting and worthy of passing on. It may initially be hard to break out of the "hard sell" mode, but giving your current and potential customers information they can use and offering to help them find solutions that work for them will go much further. Stumped about how to create compelling content that's relevant to your brand? Ragan Communicationsoffers these tips.

2. Keywords = Traffic. 
Keywords hugely influence the amount of traffic websites that blogs get because they allow search engines to determine how well a page matches a user's search term. Make sure your website pages have popular keyword tags and that you include keyword labels when posting blog entries in sites such as Blogger and WordPress. 

3. Use review sites to your advantage. 
When deciding between you and your competitors, a majority of adults turn to online reviews. The popular site, Yelp, has 18 million unique visitors each month, and 85% of users say they give as much weight to an online review as they would a personal recommendation. Seek out your best customers and ask if they would be willing to write reviews for you, and make sure you monitor new reviews and respond when needed. Here are some basics for making Yelp work for you.

4. Get social. Get involved. 
We've discussed the importance of social media for businesses in this blog, but it bears repeating. Most people who are online are on at least one social network. Depending on your type of business, it's most likely beneficial to have a presence on popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or LinkedIn. In addition to that, become involved in online forums, newsgroups and discussions to increase your visibility.

Escaype Enterprises can help your company develop a customized strategy to increase your web presence and allow you to stand out and get noticed. 

Visit our website TODAY for more information.

The Periodic Table of Success: 4 Elements to Include Every Healthcare Marketing Strategy

Running a marketing campaign (especially for a medical practice) without a concrete and well–researched content marketing strategy is like driving through a dark forest without headlights... 

That's because you're bound to hit a few obstacles (like trees!) and get lost along the way. 

As content strategists we constantly strive to generate content that's

- captivating
- understandable
- informative

... in all its various forms. When healthcare organizations are planning their content marketing efforts, there are a few basic guidelines that can definitely keep a campaign on the ultimate path to success. 

Here are 4 important elements we recommend you include in your healthcare content marketing strategy:

1) Narrow your focus.
To market content more effectively, you need to know WHO the people are you are targeting. Try to reach smaller audiences one at a time that you can categorize by segments (heart patients, mothers seeking pediatric care, internet surfers searching for a plastic surgeon, etc). This will allow you to truly impact each group of people according to the specific medical products or services they need from your business. 

2) Know the "who," "what" & "why" about your audience.
Part of knowing your current audience as well as your current patients is to fully understand the context behind their situations. Know what their specific concerns, common questions and precise interests are when they visit your company website. What motivates them to seek your care? What solutions to you currently have to offer? What made them choose your healthcare organization over your competition? 

3) Set clear-cut goals.
Before starting any healthcare marketing campaign, be sure you have an accurate understanding of what your company hopes to gain from your audience. Are you aiming to acquire new patients, or simply engage your existing social followers? Are you promoting a new product or offering a special discount on a specific service/treatment at your facility?

4) Make plans to contact your target market through another medium of communication. 
Along with building your brand and growing your social following, you may also want to continue contacting them to keep 'em around long term! Larger, more established healthcare organizations typically do this with an email blast or an SMS (text message) campaign, but smaller businesses can simply start by calling patients and prospects directly. Not everyone will have time to revisit your site for new update about your company or to check out your seasonal promotions, so why not keep your audience informed through other means, like email or text?!
When it comes to raising awareness for your brand, informing audiences about what it is you offer and convincing prospective patients why they should choose YOU... implementing an effective plan of action and spending more time preparing up front can save you a handful (or more) of nagging headaches down the road. 

For information about healthcare marketing or medical content writing services for your business, click here to visit our web site or contact Escaype Enterprises directly TODAY: (770) 676-1802.

Here's to powerful healthcare marketing for your practice!
--The Escaype Enterprises Marketing Team

The Escaype Route: 5 Things I'll Never Miss About Corporate America

It's been almost one year since I bid farewell to the Sisyphus-like routine of a 9 to 5 office job and I must admit: I don't seem to have any regrets about jilting Corporate America.

As a team member of Escaype Enterprises LLC I thought I'd take a jog down Memory Lane (this counts as my cardio for the day, right?) to share the top 5 things I will truly never miss about that way of life. So here goes:

1) Waking up at the crack of dawn.
Sure, the early bird may catch the worm... but let's face it. Some of us are NOT morning people. I just happen to be in that category, so the idea of being jolted out of my last REM stage by the blaring sounds of my cell phone alarm 5 (and sometimes 6) days a week is and always will be AWFUL.

2) That dreadful morning commute.
I always found it odd that millions of Americans shared the misfortune of rolling out of bed in a frenzy and scrambling frantically to get out the door, only to find ourselves sitting idle among a sea of cars occupied by other impatient business professionals who, by the looks on their faces, were running just as late as I was. I always chalked it up to "That's just Atlanta traffic for ya..." which brings me to Number 3--

3) The Walk of Shame.
Anyone who knows me will agree that while punctuality is definitely NOT my strong suit, my inadvertent tardiness has ZERO impact on my work ethic and my productivity. I think about the nasty glares I used to receive from my coworkers each time I entered the office half an hour past "9am-on-the-dot" and strolled into my cubicle. Come on, we were salaried. We weren't required to clock in, we just got paid to get the job done within our employer's parameters of a 40-hour work week. 

Did I show up for work later than others? Yes. Did I complete all my responsibilities within my given time frames? Yes. Did I ever give anyone the If-Looks-Could-Kill stare as they bolted for the parking lot at 4:59:59 pm while I stayed at the office almost 3 hours later than everyone else (including the janitors)? No. I rest my case.

4) Water Cooler Talk.
It's hard to believe that those of us with extroverted personalities wouldn't want to engage in small talk at any given opportunity, right? Especially since we're confined to 5' x 5' work spaces made of carpeted walls which typically don't have windows or any type of attractive view. For me personally though, I was never a fan of discussing the weather or disclosing elaborate details about my weekend with someone who just happened to be in the break room at the same time I was pouring my 6th cup of Maxwell House before lunchtime. A simple "Hi" would actually suffice, and I promise I wouldn't think you were being rude. After all it's just business... NOT a social networking mixer.

5) Doing the same thing over and over again.
It's true-- Many of us are creatures of habit... which means you have absolutely no problem with a predictable daily routine, a structured lunch break and a monotonous regimen like pushing papers or crunching numbers. As someone who is easily bored by consistency, I had an extremely difficult time performing the same tasks. Over and over again. To produce the same result. Hey, isn't that the unofficial definition of INSANITY?

These last 11 months as a freelancing professional for Escaype Enterprises have been the exact opposite of a typical Corporate America position: There are NO standard hours of operation. We don't implement the same projects each month, much less from day-to-day. You're not required to be in "business casual" attire to perform your duties. There are no office politics. You don't have to put in 52 straight weeks of employment so you can be granted permission to be sick or enjoy the afternoon off when it's a sunny Wednesday before the clock officially strikes "Close-of-Business o'clock."

As if that's not enough to gloat about... Here's the BEST thing: I can honestly say I love what I do for a living. How many of us can say that? My guess is not many.

Bottom line is this: Don't allow several years or even decades to pass before you realize your occupation/livelihood "really wasn't all that great." Whatever it is you do for a living in order to pay your bills, feed your family or support that impulsive shoe habit... Make certain it's something you're passionate enough about that you truly have no regrets. 

So what are you waiting for?! Create your own Escaype Route starting NOW.

To Market, To Market: 6 Social Media Tips for Powerful Healthcare Marketing

More than ever, it is become essential for hospitals and healthcare providers to restructure their healthcare marketing strategies to include social media. 

Globally both healthcare organizations and medical professionals are using social media today as an important tool to:

- increase brand awareness both online and offline
- connect with current and/or prospective patients
- encourage engagement among current social followers
- disseminate relevant/helpful information relevant to the healthcare industry
- boost organic web presence for maximum results on page 1 of a Google search inquiry
- drive more traffic to each company's official web site

When it comes to successful healthcare marketing ...a well-planned social media strategy can be used to accomplish your goals (such as those mentioned above) effectively. It's also:

- more affordable than traditional methods of marketing (billboards, TV ads, radio commercials, etc.)
- easier to track your ROI, thanks to today's web analytics tools
- longer lasting than a newspaper ad published one time only, or a radio spot that airs only a few times per week/month

Here are 6 useful social media tips companies in the medical industry can implement to maximize your healthcare marketing efforts:

1. Don’t take a “wait-and-see" approach.

Many businesses may believe that social media is nothing but a passing fad, but based on statistics over just the past five years... we know now it's here to stay. 


The sooner your organization can develop an active presence and social media strategy, the less distance you will have to make it up later.

2. Establish a social media policy.

As a rule, your employees and customers will have a protection against security, privacy or ethics breaches when it happens. Staff education and training plus an outreach are necessary to ensure your team will fully comprehend your company's social media purpose and have the ability to therefore carry out your policy with compliance.

3. Follow your patients.

It's important to listen to what others are saying about your practice/facility, your medical products/services and your reputation as a healthcare provider. Whether it's a Tweet from someone inquiring about a particular medical condition or a Facebook comment regarding their recent experience as a patient, be sure you use your social media platforms to 'listen' to what others are saying about you (and even your competition).

4. Consider starting by going 'back to basics.'

Social media can be used to enhance marketing, branding, recruitment, reputation, management, customer relations and customer service. You must, however, educate yourself first on what is allowable
- under HIPAA privacy rules
- legalities surrounding the disclosure of your patients' personal information
- publication of any details regarding a patient's medical history or photographs

5. Begin small and monitor your outcomes.

We understand company marketing budgets can be tight at times. The good news is, you don’t have to develop a full-blown social media strategy right from the start (although eventually you should probably have one). Start small, with regular social media posting and publication of at least one blog a week. After monitoring which of your posts receive the most traction or engagement, you'll have a better idea of how to expand your marketing efforts (such as generating more blogs per week, implementing small-scale videos or even creating new micro sites).

6. Recruit social media managers & content writers who know your industry.

You may know your organization and products/services like the back of your hand, but beware: simply hiring a green, just-out-of-college social media manager who claims to be internet savvy or proficient with Facebook posting does NOT. As a company in the medical arena it's imperative that all your social media content/blogs are strongly written, strategically posted during high-traffic hours during the week and most importantly... accurate. 

For information about healthcare marketing or medical content writing services for your business contact Escaype Enterprises at: (770) 676-1802 or click here to visit our web site TODAY.

Here's to powerful healthcare marketing for your practice!
--The Escaype Enterprises Marketing Team

Easier Than the MCAT: 5 Simple Strategies for Effective Healthcare Marketing

Healthcare reform has given traction to the idea of consumer-driven healthcare. 
As high deductible health insurance plans gain in popularity, the idea is that consumers, who are spending more of their own money up front on routine and preventive care, will make wise choices to stay healthy.  

As consumers take more control as to which physicians they see, practices have to consider how to market themselves directly to consumers. And with everything else you have to worry about, getting a handle on your marketing efforts can feel really overwhelming. 

The good news? It's totally manageable. Below are some tips to make you stand out as a healthcare marketing warrior: 

1. Do some recon. 
It's easy to get locked into your daily routines and not think much about your competition. But to develop a strong marketing plan, you need to know what makes you different and how you stand out from your competitors. If you don't know why you're better, it's going to be a hard sell to convince others.

2. Be strategic.
Now that you know your competitive advantages, think about where you want your practice to be in three to five years? What are tools you have available to make that happen? What makes the most sense for your practice and the patients you want to reach? Answering these questions will give you a sense of what you need to do.

3. Get with the plan. 
After you've answered the hard questions, you need to formulate a plan for how to make the strategy a reality. Determine a realistic budget and draft a schedule of when it makes sense to reach out to potential and current patients through direct mail, advertising, social media and your blog. 

4. Rally the troops. 
Good, old-fashioned word of mouth is still one of your strongest weapons. Engage staff members, loyal patients, family and friends to spread the word--digitally. Consider asking patients with great success stories to share a testimonial for your website. You could also film the testimonial and share via social media. 

5. Call for reinforcements.
If you're wondering where to start or how your staff can handle marketing on top of their additional duties, Escaype Enterprises has years of experience in healthcare marketing and can help with customized solutions for your practice and budget. Click here to learn more about us TODAY!

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