You're Invited to a Webinar - Coming Tuesday 11/18 - Here's More

Hey everyone,

I've been emailing and Tweeting and such about this, so you may have heard - I am making a guest appearance on a free webinar coming this Tuesday, November 18th @ 9am Pacific Time.

It's entitled "What You Need to Know To Market Your Private Practice in 2015" and will be hosted by my good friend Becky DeGrossa of counselingwise.com.

I spoke with Becky earlier today to get ready to give you guys a good call, and some of the things we'll be discussing will include:

• How website content is impacting your Google ranking
• How social media is impacting your Google ranking
• How mobile is a reality you cannot avoid anymore
• Changes to Google Adwords

And I am sure a whole bunch of other stuff, with a Q & A afterwards. Becky really knows her stuff and it is a pleasure working with her.

Have a great weekend! Peter

We've Moved!

Hi Folks,

Exciting news! My consultancy, formerly YourGoogleGuy, is now PrivatePracticeSEO, with the self-explaining URL www.privatepracticeseo.com.

There are lots of new services, more Google Adwords packages, more SEO services, a free white paper, and the home (from now on) of this blog.

I hope you'll move your subscriptions and RSS feeds over to the new blog - http://www.privatepracticeseo.com/blog/

OK, look for more announcements over there. I'll also be combining posts (both old and new) from my Spiritual Tools for Private Practice blog over there, too. It's all about building your practice, and enjoying being a therapist more!

OK, come on by!

Best, Peter

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