Wow! A Dozen More Reviews to Come!

It's Saturday, and I'm about to get snowed in here in Seattle (again). And, I'm not really in a work mood, so no reviews tonight, but my call for websites to review (on the Forums at PsychologyToday.com) garnered over 10 sites to reviews. They'll be coming up in next 2-3 weeks.

Happy holidays everyone! Drive (and fly) safely!

Peter

Website Review #2 (by Request)

Today, for your viewing pleasure, I present the website of Samuel Rainey, MA.

(click on the image to visit his site)


I think I'll go in reverse order of how I did the last review - starting with overall impressions and what I like and then "what I'd change".

OVERALL, a pleasant, relaxing site to look at. This is partly due to the clean and sparse design (note how crisp every element is, how nicely laid out and spaced it all is). I love the matching of the shirt color to the overall color! The photo is direct and yet relaxed. It's not busy, and is pretty clear to see how to navigate around it.

HOW I'D IMPROVE IT: If this were my site I would....

• Eliminate the horizontal scrolling on the home page
  
• Not use italics for the word "Therapist" on the home page
  
• Mention my city/area somewhere on the home page
  
• Have my phone number & email address more visible and persistent
  
• Fix weird font-style shift in first paragraph of "About Me" page
  
• Beef up content about the therapy services offered.
  
• Consider whether all clip-art makes sense for my geographic area (I am looking at the FAQ page). I have a pet peeve about clip art that seems from a different geography (like an ocean beach on a site in Nebraska).

That's it! Good job Samuel!

Best, Peter
Your Google Guy - Always Ready With An Opinion :-)

First Website Review (That's By Request)

Hi Googlers,

Well, two people have requested reviews, and tonight I am getting to the first one. So, without further ado, here are my thoughts on mckinziecounseling.com.

I'll take this on in my new-found way, which is by saying is this were my website I would...

• Not have the headshot fade out - I'd have it all strong
  
• Not have the "search the web" box on top - why send people off your site?
  
• Have something about my geographic location visible (maybe in the top banner, like adding "in Frisco and Plano, TX")
  
• Have contact info (phone & email) on every page (at the bottom is a great way to do it, or under the menu system on the left).
  
• Clean up the pronoun usage in "About Cheryl" (it says "I" and "my" and then "she" in the next sentence).
  

Those are my quick to-dos. Overall, I like the site. It's got a nice feel to it. My reaction is it's professional, I get a feel for who this person is, it's easy to navigate, the menu is laid out clearly, the colors soothing (and they do together - this has been designed not just thrown together). It looks to be a Microsoft product (so much nicer than the old FrontPage crap).

I could find things to critique in the text but these would be nits (other than the pronoun consistancy, as noted).

Good job Cheryl!

Best, Peter
YourGoogleGuy - All the Web Marketing a Good Therapist Needs

My Thoughts on TherapyTribe

So I bet some of you have also gotten an email for TherapyTribe.com. It's a new Therapist Directory, costing $20/month or $199/year. It touts itself as being different as traffic is driven by its large social networks.

Those social networks are ones such as AnxietyTribe.com
and DepressionTribe.com, as well as a few others.

I feel like a big wet blanket sometimes, because I find lots of web marketing to be full of holes. And, I am raining on this parade as well.

In going through some of the other Tribe websites, I find social networks built around the symptoms and conditions listed. The people who are there seem to be invested in their symptomology - and they seem to be pretty chronic. This is not my ideal client. I'm also not certain that this population is really going to be seeking new therapists - they have likely been down that road a few times before.

Thus, I am going to give my thumbs down. If this population seems like your ideal client, it may be for you.

Best, Peter

The Best Websites to Publish Your Articles

Hi Friends,

It's Saturday, I am busy catching up on gobs and gobs of emails and to-dos. My Biznik newsletter had a good story I will share with you (cuz heck, I don't have to think of all this stuff myself!).

One search engine strategy is to publish articles - ones filled with pertinent keywords and with a link back to yourself. This article goes over the best places to post them

Happy Saturdaying! Peter