What Happens When Google Calls Every Therapist in Town.

OK folks, if you've been following my blog or tweets, you've heard me go off on Adwords "helpful" staff. They've been calling more and more people to "help" them with their Adwords account.

A few things to remember:
1) their agenda is more on Google's side than yours
2) many of them have little real-life experience (they have never done this on THEIR own dime, like I have)
3) they don't know boo about therapy or counseling

Today's rant is courtesy of a call I had yesterday with a wonderful colleague in Portland, OR. I did a quick search of "Portland child therapist", and the top three ads were IDENTICAL! And basically, they were mostly made up of saying "Call us today at (xxx) 555-1212!". Take a peek at today's search. Two of the top three, plus two on the right (only one of which you can see):

Now, I have more than a few criticisms of this approach.

First, what you've just created a page of identical ads! What is there to differentiate anyone?

Secondly, I believe that most people will NOT call for therapy from a 2-line Adwords ad. If it was midnight and I needed a plumber, sure. If I locked the keys in my car, sure I'll call a locksmith right off. But seriously folks, can you imagine bypassing all the information there is on the websites for THERAPY AND COUNSELING?

Finally, the exclamation point drives me nuts. Call Today!!! Because when your child needs a therapist, it's exciting! Drink Pepsi! Buy a Ford! Call for Therapy!

Just dumb.

If you want someone who takes an approach that appreciates marketing therapy, and who will work hard to create something that reflects YOU, call me. If you want crappy ads from "Advertising for Dummies" let Google do it for you.



Best, Peter
Custom Google Adwords, For Therapists, By a Therapist

TherapySites deal (good til 8/3/12)

Hey folks,

Just passing on a good deal from the folks at TherapySites.com (they are one of the web folks that I refer to).

They are offering a deal - $39/month for a year (vs $59/month which is their usual).

The deal is only good til 8/3/12.

The link is http://goo.gl/Lw8D2, and the promo code you'll need is GGSS.

I *do* actually get a toaster or something if you sign up, for full disclosure. No pressure, I refer to them as one of my therapy website designers when they don't give me toasters, too. :-)

best, Peter

Facebook Won't Die, But We've Hit a BIG Plateau

It struck me last night as I scanned through my Facebook feed....I was SCANNING it. Not reading it. Not anymore. It didn't need reading anymore. And that's the problem with Facebook (and especially, for it's business plan, for Facebook advertising).

Let me dig in a little deeper. I realized that after a while on Facebook, most everyone I know (and I'm your average FBer, with 400+ friends) has solidifed their Facebook persona to the point that I no longer need to read their posts. Their posts are what I would expect from them, for example:

"Look at what my baby did today" (with a 3-year old, I understand this one)
"Grrr, those Republicans/Democrats make me angry"
"This is what I am cooking/ate"
"Look at the fun I am having today!"
"This is what I am complaining about today..."
"The world is coming to an end and it is Monsanto/Big Oil/Big Healthcare's fault"

I think this is a two-fold problem. One is, just like in marriage or knowing someone for a long time, on FB they have become predictable. We no longer pay that close of attention to what they say most of the time. We can predict how they will react to current events.

Also, I believe the public has gotten tired (and thus tuned out) the growth of people trying to *use* social media to *make* something happen. Social media was meant to enable friendship and relationship. The use of it as a mechanism for movements became apparent soon thereafter. But the overuse of ham-fisted attempts at it have resulted in a form of fatigue.

For me, if I see one more "change your status to this" I will throw up.

These personal results are also being reflected in two very important groups: advertisers and young teens.

Just last month, General Motors publicly declared they were abandoning Facebook advertising. Just as people are scanning and ignoring posts, they are REALLY scanning and ignoring the ads they are seeing. This is a problem for Facebook. Remember, Google Adwords ads are actually an attempt to answer a need or question you have. Facebook, they are the annoying "third wheel" person trying to insinuate themselves into your conversation so they can remind you you need life insurance (from them).

The other omen is a demographic one. Turns out, younger teens, ones who are coming of age with Facebook already established, are often turning to other ways to connect with their friends - like texting, Instagram, or video-chat. The public-ness of Facebook posts (their parents are usually watching - as are ALL their peers) makes it less than ideal for dealing with life in that forum.

As I draw this post to a conclusion, my crystal ball is emphatically NOT saying Facebook is going anywhere. It won't disappear soon. But it, and our use of it, has matured and plateaued. It's no longer the next big thing. And in the world of the Internet, that's not a great place to be.

Best, Peter
Your Guy for Therapy Web Marketing Since 2005

My new Customer Service Rep

He's sorta cute. Though I may be biased. He's the junior Google Guy.

Google+ is like your Great Aunt Ethel

I've got analogy for how I see Google+ these days. It's something most of you will remember from childhood.

In it, you're the kid. Google is your Mom. Google+ is your Great Aunt Ethel.

You're a kid. You want to play with your good friends, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

But your Mom (Google), says you'd better come and visit your Great Aunt Ethel (Google+). Come, she says, you'll have a good time, and she'll buy you a toy and some ice cream. And who knows what trouble you'll get in if you don't come? Mom is *very* attached to you coming on these visits.

And that's pretty much how it is these days. Google is rewarding sites more and more for Google+ activity, and the bribery will continue. But just like kids not really excited about visiting Great Aunt Ethel, I haven't run into anyone lately who is excited about Google+. People come because they feel obligated.

And that is no way to run a "social network".

Sorry, Google. Drop the bribery. Make a reason we actually WANT to visit. Buy Pinterest. Buy & integrate Twitter. In this kid analogy, buy a bouncy castle, or a Playstation 3, or a pool table. Give us something to do instead of just having Great Aunt Ethel pinch our cheeks and tell us how big we've gotten.

Yours,
Peter Hannah
Pragmatic web marketing for therapists

Behind the Scenes of Shooting New Videos

Hey all,

If you read my posts, you know I am always harping VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO!

Today, I filmed a bunch of new videos for my counseling website, for YourGoogleGuy, as well as a couple of other new website/ventures.

I took out my own Flip HD cam to shoot 3 minutes of behind the scenes, so you can see what you might expect if you hire a videographer.

The video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig4pjXFC-Ws

Some other notes I'd put in, based on today's session:

* for professional video, noise is a BIG no-no! My officemate had a very loud client, so we took our lunch break. We had to take multiple takes because of seaplanes taking off (I'm on Lake Union), the suite door opening, a phone ringing, and more. Be sure the place you're filming can have some quiet, or else it just might not work.
* I brought multiple shirts to the taping (especially in case I dripped at lunch)
* I averaged about 6 takes on each of the 7 videos. On one, I did 14 takes.
* to me, sincerity and authenticity are more important then reading lines perfectly. I had a few imperfections, but kept the takes because I felt more present.

The more you do this, the easier it gets. You might want to buy a camera like a Flip HD cam (I got one on eBay for $50) and practice.

OK, off to sleep! Take care, Peter
Website Marketing for Private Practice Therapists

Just some fun on a Friday night.

Sometimes surfing on a Friday night just gets plain silly.

Made using the site quickmeme.com :-)

TGIF, Peter

If You Want to Make Google Laugh, Tell It Your Plans

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." - Woody Allen

So, dear readers, if you were reading this blog about 24 hours ago, the ever-silly Google Guy put out his ideas on what would happen with Google in 2012. HA! In the course of under a day, I was proved both right and wrong and perhaps wronger at the same time. But I digress.

Today, Google unveiled (without even consulting me) a very large change to how, and they process search engine results. It's called Google Search plus Your World, and to net it out, they integrated social network results with their old search results to create a totally personalized set of results for each searcher.


Oy vey! Throughout the planet right now, SEO consultants are losing sleep figuring out how this will impact their current Page 1 rankings, and how they will measure success for their clients, now that everyone in the world will see different %*@#$ results. UGH! This does make one of my predictions come true, though!

I still don't know if this will drive people to really *use* Google+, but darn, it will make every web marketer and SEO consultant to include it in their implementations.

OK, I am off to study this a bit more. Let's see how this will all shake out.

Best, Peter
Getting Therapists on Google

Web Marketing for Therapists – Predictions for 2012

 So it’s that time of year – predictions time! What does Your Google Guy see in his crystal ball? Besides a lot of political ads on TV? OK, here we go…

Many Trends Continue – Video, WordPress and Twitter will continue to all grow and become a normal part of web marketing this year. The bleeding-edge and leading-edge marketers have blazed a trail, and the middle of the pack will follow. #JustDoIt

Google+ Straggles Along – Remember all that noise in the middle of 2011, when everyone was SO excited about Google+? Yeah, now it’s crickets. I believe Google+ will be one of those things you do solely for SEO purposes (a +1 page for your business, a +1 button on your website) but don’t spend a lot of time on. But I would spend the time to do those two things, folks.

Facebook – Ch-ch-ch-changes! Facebook continues to change, and the question is whether they will manage it well (and continue to be the “stickiest” site on the Internet) or whether some combination of privacy issues, “spooky” or invasive advertisements, Timeline-backlash, or the depressing impacts of its use will cause the kingdom to start to crumble. I’m not saying it’s going anywhere, folks, just that the win-streak will end at some point.

Facebook Ads – will come of age, as marketers really learn how to take advantage of the treasure trove of demographic data they are sitting on. First adopters will learn lessons, and others will build on them. (Oh yes, keep an eye on YourGoogleGuy.com – you might see something on this soon).

Google – three solid, non-glamorous predictions. First, Google’s classic search engine (the core that most people think of as Google) will only change incrementally. They are too smart to mess with success too much, especially with no one currently nipping at their heels. Second, I predict the same for Google Adwords. Adwords is the “Golden Egg” for Google – it’s where the money is made. They won’t mess with it. What you created in 2008 should still work (with some increased bids). But prediction #3 is – ORGANIC results will continue to change rapidly. They’ll become more personalized. SEO will continue to become more difficult to predict & control. It will be harder to hold onto ranking, and you’ll need more attention on it, if organic rankings are what drive your web traffic.

Smart Phones – since they have become a center of human activity, it will be interesting how it will impact their use. I personally use mine to find things like restaurants, movie theaters, stores, etc. I still use the trusty computer when I am doing more in-depth research. In 2012, I would start making sure your website shows up to some degree on smart-phone browsers.

Siri – Danger, Google, Danger! What some wise people have noticed is that Siri now jumps in where a search engine might have been before. And chooses the results, editing them down for you. This might be the year we start seeing S.R.O. – Siri Results Optimization.

All the best, Peter

P.S. – Superbowl XLVI – Saints over Texans (since my Seahawks are out)

P.P.S. – 2012 Election – Obama over Romney (not politicking, just predicting, folks)

So You Think Adwords Clicks Cost a Lot for You?

Ran into this amazing graphic today. I often hear from therapists how they think paying $1, $2 or $3 for a hot lead.

Well hold on to your hats. You could be in the insurance, loans, or mortage businesses, who pay OVER FORTY DOLLARS PER CLICK. Sorry for the all-caps yelling. But GEEZ, $40 a click! Whoa!

There is a local private practice business that has it just as bad. Attorneys come in at over $47/click. Yowch.

Anyway, here's the info:
http://ppbh.com/how-much-do-ads-on-google-cost

Best, Peter