It’s no secret that the mobile web is growing. It seems impossible to go out in public without spotting someone staring or plugging away at a smartphone. What many may not realize is just how powerful the mobile web is actually becoming. With more and more people accessing the Internet from their phones, websites that aren’t optimized for mobile may become lost in the fold. To bring to light just how big this phenomenon is, here are some of the most revealing facts about the mobile web.

5 Eye-Opening Facts about the Mobile Web

1. Most Facebook members visit the site with a mobile device. In a recent report from Facebook, it was revealed that there were 680 million mobile monthly active users as of the end of December 2012, signaling a 57% jump from the previous year. Additionally, the social media giant announced that mobile active users exceeded those visiting from computers for the first time in its history.
2. Two thirds of consumers are choosing smartphones. With an increasing number of people turning to smartphones, the mobile web is becoming more popular than ever. As more and more start using phones with Internet browsing capabilities, websites will need to adapt to stay current.
3. Mobile traffic accounts for nearly 13% of all web traffic. While 13% may not seem like a lot, this number was only 1% in 2009. It grew to 4% in 2010, and finally hit 13% in November of 2012. Those who haven’t optimized their sites for mobile use may be missing out on this key, growing audience.
4. Mobile searches have grown 400% since 2010. Smartphones and tablets allow users to have instant access to information. Instead of having to wait until they’re near a computer to do a web search, they can simply pull their phone out and get the information they need. Having a mobile site allows users to more easily explore your practice, without having to painstakingly navigate a site designed for much larger screens.
5. 57% of people won’t recommend a business with a bad mobile site. Websites are typically designed to fit onto a large computer screen, not a small smartphone. So what happens when users try to access these sites on their phones? They’re constantly zooming in and trying to navigate an unnecessarily clunky interface. A sleek mobile website helps users navigate your site with ease – and potentially recommend your services to someone else.

Ready to Go Mobile? Let MedNet Help!

We offer a number of services to help grow your mobile presence and target your mobile audience. From full mobile sites to social networking packages, we have something for your practice! Contact a MedNet representative today to get started.

When it comes to blogging, good information should always be your number-one priority. In essence, you are indirectly marketing your practice by offering your knowledge and experience. While the majority of a blog article should not focus on pushing your services directly, at some point, you do want to remind readers that you have something more to offer. The best way to incorporate this is with a “call to action.” You can think of a call to action as a logical “next step” in getting in touch with your practice. And, it’s the best kept secret in converting website visitors to patients.

Use Our Blog Writing Service

Posting regularly to your blog can be one of the best ways to increase visibility, market yourself cost-effectively and keep people coming back to your site. But, if you don’t have the time, or aren’t comfortable writing, MedNet will do it for you. Our Blog Article Writing service offers four article writing plans, allowing you to choose the level of service that best suits your needs. Contact a MedNet Representative today and find out what this service can do for you.

For those who maintain a presence on Facebook, you may have noticed that they have been rolling out some new features and updates in the past few weeks. Most notable is the News Feed’s redesign, but there are a number of other changes you should be aware of to help make the most of your social media efforts. Let’s take a look at some of the new features and how you can use them to your advantage.

Check out Facebook’s new features!

• Targeted ads in News Feed. Typically, Facebook’s targeted ads appear on the right side of the page, but they’re slowly unveiling a new feature which puts them right on your News Feed. They’ll appear amongst updates from friends, brands, and more, directly in the line of sight of anyone browsing their feed. While this feature is currently in test mode for a select group of users, be sure to be sure to keep this in mind as the News Feed is prime real estate for ads.
  

• Ability to reply to comments. Facilitating conversation is an important tool in keeping your Facebook fans active and engaged, but sometimes the comments section can get a little messy. Facebook has now added a ‘Reply’ button, allowing for organized, threaded comments that can help you create conversation or address any comments or concerns your fans may have.


Source: Facebook.com

• Graph search. Some have complained about Facebook’s search function, as the results can sometimes be less than stellar. They’re attempting to rectify this with Graph Search, a new function allowing you to search for people based on interests, location, and a number of other factors. This tool is great for medical practices, as people can easily search for a doctor based on their location and specialties — so make sure your Facebook is up to date!


Source: Facebook.com

• Redesigned News Feed. With a number of redesigns under their belt, Facebook is preparing to release the newest look for your feed. Boasting a sleek, image-based display, it’s described as a “personal newspaper” in which people will have greater control over the content that appears in their feed. To make sure you continue showing up in the News Feeds of your fans, make sure you’re consistently posting interesting content!

Need Help Managing Your Social Media Presence? We Can Help!

If you’re unsure how to properly manage your presence on Facebook or other social media platforms, let MedNet help! We will plan an execute a social media strategy catered to your individual wants and needs. Contact a MedNet representative today to learn more.

Despite what some folks are saying, email is NOT dead—nor is social media replacing email. In fact, email is still considered one of the most powerful—and cost efficient—online marketing strategies today. And, if used together, email and social media marketing can work to build a loyal and interactive network that will foster patient communication, establish trusting relationships and build a vast referral network. Sounds great, right? First, you must know that there is a reasonable amount of effort involved!

Here are 3 ways to get started:

1. Reach out to your network: Having trouble establishing a social media following? Send out an email to your network. Who better to turn to than those who already know and support your practice? Colleagues, patients, family and friends are a great start! But, make sure you add value. Instead of asking them to Like your Facebook Page and follow your Twitter account, share what’s in it for them! What will your status updates provide them? What can they get from your Page that they can’t get anywhere else?

   Perhaps you plan to provide exclusives offers and news to your social networks. Tell them they’ll be the first to know!

2. Add social icons to your subscription form: Make it easy to find your social media links by putting them on your email subscription page. If patients are interested enough to opt-in to your email blasts, chances are they’d be glad to follow your social networks!
3. Add social icons to your email signature as an additional call to action: Use every email you send as marketing opportunity! Add social icons to your personal accounts as an additional call–to-action under your email signature. Also, be sure to integrate icons into any email marketing blasts you send.

Social Media and Email Marketing for Doctors

Social media and email marketing complement each other well. These are just three easy ways to get you started! Don’t have time to plan? Let MedNet help—from email and social media marketing, to search engine optimization and search engine marketing, we specialize in marketing healthcare practices online! Contact us for more information.

Recently, Forbes.com published a fantastic article on the topic of Social Media Marketing. Offering advice for turning clients into “Brand Advocates,” the article reminds us that, “Highly-satisfied customers are a secret marketing weapon for companies, whether they are retailers, manufacturers or in the service industry.”

• “Turn advocates into content creating machines.” When patients are happy, they are more than willing to share their experiences with others – if they’re pointed in the right direction. Make sure you’re giving your satisfied patients opportunities to talk about your practice. For instance, you can ask them to review your practice online or you can ask them for a testimonial for your website.
• “Leverage content.” As Forbes explains, “Advocate-generated content is digital gold. Don’t keep this treasure buried in your backyard.” Be sure you’re syndicating content to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and your practice website! It doesn’t cost you anything, and it increases your reach and amplitude.
• “Keep advocacy authentic.” “…Studies show prospects are actually less likely to buy the recommended product if they learn that the recommender was given an incentive.” Be sure your reviews and recommendations are being generated organically. It will help your credibility and make the content more impactful.

Medical Social Media Management

Don’t have time to manage your social media efforts? Let MedNet help! We’ll plan and execute a cohesive social media strategy for your practice and get potential patients talking! Contact a MedNet Representative to learn more.

If there’s one thing that matters in Social Media Marketing, it’s momentum – that is, posting quality content on a consistent basis. So, why is this important? Unlike other marketing channels, you can think of Social Media as essentially a conversation. It’s a dialogue between you and your patients and an opportunity to engage potential clients before they ever set foot in your office.

The problem is, today’s Social Media users have become inundated with choice. If they’re not getting the information and experience they’re looking for in one place, they’ll simply move on and seek it out somewhere else. So, to help ensure that your Social Pages don’t lose steam, we thought we would offer a few of our favorite tips!

Here are 3 Tips to Maintain Your Social Media Momentum:

1. Don’t Treat Social Network Pages as Billboards. If you’re posting advertisement after advertisement to your Facebook and Twitter pages, you can’t expect any meaningful response from your fans and followers. Instead, try to post conversation starters, questions, “behind the scenes” photos and other useful medical information. This is a great way to get patients involved and keep them coming back to your Social Networks.


Scheduling a post is simple. Simply write your content, click the small clock icon in the lower left-hand corner and input a date. Click the blue Schedule button and you’re done!

2. Stay Consistent with Scheduled Posts. Users like to know that every time they visit your Facebook and Twitter, there will be new, interesting content waiting for them. So, if you’re someone who posts once or twice a month, don’t be surprised if your Social Media numbers don’t pick up! Thankfully, Facebook’s Schedule Posts feature allows you to post consistently, even if you’re strapped for time. Take a day to write several posts in advance and schedule them to go live on a day and time of your choosing.
3. Be Diligent in Responding to Comments. If a user posts a comment or question to your page, be sure to respond diligently. This tells your followers that you are accessible and that you have a personal stake in their well-being. If a patient asks a sensitive or personal question, advise them to send you a private message for more information. Remember that anything you post to your page should be considered public!

Medical Social Media Management

Don’t have time to manage your social media efforts? Let MedNet help! We’ll plan and execute a cohesive social media strategy for your practice and get potential patients talking! Contact a MedNet Representative to learn more.

One of the most important ways to stay on top of your social media presence is to explore and adapt to new, emerging platforms. One such platform is Vine, a new mobile app brought to you by the creators of Twitter, the wildly popular microblogging website. However, instead of the 140-character updates you can send on Twitter, Vine allows you to post and view 6-second videos with sound, that continually play on a loop. Much like Twitter or Instagram, you can follow people you find interesting, and search for new people by name or hashtag. Vine videos also don’t have to be done in one shot — you can stop and start until the 6 seconds have been reached, allowing users to stretch their creative muscles. So how can you use this app to benefit your medical practice? There are actually a number of ways!

Here are the 5 ways you can use Vine to help your medical practice:

1. Show off your office or location. By making a quick video tour of your office, you allow potential patients to familiarize themselves with the practice before they even visit. Additionally, if your practice is tough to find, a Vine video can help patients to know what to look for!
2. Introduce your staff. You can use Vine to introduce your followers to the doctors and other staff members in your practice. This will help to humanize your practice, bridging the gap between patient and doctor.
3. Record patient testimonials. Vine is a great way for patients to give video testimonials about your practice — which can be more effective than standard text reviews. Potential patients will be much more inclined to visit you if they see real people speaking positively about their experience. Ask patients if they’d be willing to record a testimonial — at only 6 seconds, it likely won’t cut into their schedule.
4. Provide health tips. Posting a daily or weekly health tip is a great way to keep your followers interested and coming back for more. It only takes a few seconds, and it benefits not only your patients but your practice as well.
5. Promote upcoming events and offers. If your practice holds any sort of events or offers any promotions, Vine is a great tool for creating promotional videos. Make video teasers to stir up interest in what you have to offer!




Medical Social Media Management

Don’t have time to manage your social media efforts? Let MedNet help! We’ll plan and execute a cohesive social media strategy for your practice and get potential patients talking! Contact a MedNet Representative to learn more.

So, it seems like you’re doing everything right. You’re tweeting and posting Facebook updates, but they never seem to gain any traction. You have fans, but none of them are commenting on the page. Wondering why you’re not seeing people talking? Well, it’s possible you’re not encouraging them to!

It’s easy to think of social media simply as a marketing campaign. You post relevant content on a timely basis, and that should be enough. However, it’s much more than just that. Instead of thinking of social media as a campaign, think of it as a conversation, or relationship you have with the people interested in what you’re offering. Consumers want to engage and and they want their voices heard! If your social media updates paint you in the wrong light, no one will be encouraged to join the conversation. Here are some tips on how you can create a community with your social media presence.

Tips on How to Encourage Conversation in Social Media

• Give your audience prompts. You should be asking your audience questions, whether they are about matters regarding your practice or just fun, simple ideas that can grow a conversation. Fill-in-the-blank prompts are great ways to get people talking, as well as asking open-ended questions that allow for creative responses. Asking for their opinions will let them know you value what they have to say, and that’s important in maintaining an active and engaging social media presence.

• Offer them something. A study conducted in 2010 revealed that almost 40% of Facebook users become fans of a page for special offers and discounts. By offering some sort of incentives for your audience, you encourage them to stay active in the community and spread the word to their friends, family, and colleagues.
• Know who you’re talking to. Understanding your demographic is key if you want to engage with your audience. If you don’t know who your fans or followers are, how can you know who to cater your posts to? If you’re using Facebook, you can use their insights tool to see the types of people your posts are reaching, and with other forms of social media you can refer to the demographic studies that have been conducted. Target your posts towards the people that are reading your page!
• Join the conversation. It’s not enough to simply make a post and then leave it alone when people start commenting. You have to stay involved in the conversation in order for there to be any sort of community centered around your brand or practice. It’s important to respond to all your comments (yes, even the negative ones) so consumers will be more encouraged to write back in the future. They’ll know that they’re not simply talking to a faceless company, and it will prompt them to be much more involved.

Medical Social Media Management

If you don’t feel as if you’re able to foster a community with your social media channels, let MedNet help! We’ll plan and execute a comprehensive social media strategy to get people talking about your practice. Contact a MedNet representative today to learn more.

When folks visit a practice, where do they spend most of their time? More often than not, it’s the waiting room. In fact, according to a recent article from the Huffington Post, “Nationwide, patients spend an average of 21 minutes tapping their toes and flipping through old magazines as they wait to see their docs, according to a recent analysis of data from over 700,000 physicians’ offices.” An oft-missed opportunity to connect with patients and their loved ones, take a moment to ask yourself this important question: “What am I doing to engage patients while they wait?”

1. Add a social media kiosk. While you should always encourage patients to check out your social networks at home, adding a social media station to your waiting room can make a world of difference. No need for anything fancy – a basic laptop or iPad will certainly do the trick. When patients arrive, encourage them to “like” your page on Facebook or “follow” you on Twitter. Not only does this grow your base, but likes and follows serve as instant word-of-mouth advertising. So, don’t be surprised if you see a few of your patients’ friends walking through your doors!
2. Display an email opt-in list. Email marketing is still a great way to keep your patients thinking about – and talking about – your practice. And, the easiest way to build your list of contacts is to keep a simple opt-in form on your reception desk. When patients arrive, encourage them to join your online mailing list, leaving their name and email addresses. And, when you send out your monthly or weekly email, make sure to include links to your website and social networks.
3. Give them something to look at. Whether you’re advertising your website, promoting your blog or encouraging patients to check out your social network pages, waiting room literature is a great way to make sure your patients are thinking about your practice long after they leave your office. Think about printing up some inexpensive postcards, flyers or brochures.

Let Us Help You Connect With More Patients!

MedNet Technologies offers solutions across the board to help boost your online presence. Contact a MedNet Representative, to find out which types of online and social advertising will best suit your practice.

In the past, blogs were a relatively unknown concept, popular only among a select group of Internet users. Today, they’re a major part of how we consume information, interact online and make decisions about healthcare and other service providers. An invaluable social media and Internet marketing tool, keeping up with a blog can also become a burden. Thankfully, doctors today have a simple, cost-effective solution: blog writing services. Want to find out what it’s all about?

Here are 4 Reasons to Invest in a Blog Writing Service Today:

1. Convenience. Posting regularly to your blog can have important benefits for your practice’s online visibility – but, it can also be time-consuming. Subscribing to a blog writing service can save you time, allowing you to devote more attention to other aspects of your practice.
2. Experience. Blog writing is a skill. And, like any skill, it takes time to master. As experienced blog writers produce content for the web on a daily basis, choosing a blog writing service ensures that you’re publishing good content from day one.
3. SEO-Friendly. Professional blog writers don’t just write with patients in mind, but search engines as well! Using a host of tactics – such as keyword research, internal linking and targeted content – blog writers work to boost your visibility in search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.
4. You’re Still in the Driver’s Seat. Just because someone else is writing your blog posts doesn’t mean you’ve given up control of your Internet presence. Good ghostwriters give you complete editorial review over your posts.

Medical Blog Writing Service

Posting regularly to your blog can be one of the best ways to increase visibility, market yourself cost-effectively and keep people coming back to your site. But, if you don’t have the time, or aren’t comfortable writing, MedNet will do it for you. Our Blog Article Writing service offers four article writing plans, allowing you to choose the level of service that best suits your needs. Contact a MedNet Representative today and find out what this service can do for you.