Month: July 2011

Honey, Don’t You Notice Anything Different About Me Today?!

Has MDPM lost weight? New haircut? Nope. We’ve added the Google +1 widget to our sidebar!

Everyone seems interested in Google+ since its launch a few weeks ago. In fact, just yesterday, MedMonthly asked me to write an article on the new social network. (Stay tuned for the article with all the juicy details.)

Just this morning, I read a Google Webmaster News blog post that reminded me, it’s time to add the +1 widget to the website. So, over in the right sidebar, you’ll see a little white box with the Google colors. If you’re already on +1 (you have to be invited, can’t just sign up), click the +1 icon as a special favor to me, your marketing diva. If you’ve not signed up for Google+, but you want to stick  your head in the room and look around a bit, email me, and I’ll add you to my MDPM circle.

Don’t know what a circle is? Circles, IMHO, are what set Google+ apart from Facebook. I’m not insinuating that one is better than the other (we don’t want FB to start pulling G1’s hair), but there differences that make them each special in their own way. Circles are groups that allow you to organize your G+ friends. I have a family circle, MDPM pals circle, friends circle, and an oft untapped circle of cheerleader moms (yikes). These circles let me show certain people what goes on inside my G+ page. If I don’t want my parents to know I’m headed to the lake after work to have a few beers with my old high school friends, I simply don’t let the family circle see that post.

That’s all for today, folks. More to come, I ‘m sure. If you like the tips we share here, subscribe to the blog in the right sidebar. Then you’ll get emails every time this digital diva pens a post. Until next time, peace, love, and good ROI to all of you. Tata.

Top 10 Blog Ideas for Dentists

This morning, Hubspot sent me an email with a guide to spotting bad SEO. In it, buyers were told to beware of ten specific tactics, three of which relate to writing. I strongly agree with all three. So, to blogging dentists, I want to reiterate these points before going into blog topics.

Now, as for blog fodder, blogs should be kept short and sweet. Along that vein, here are 10 effective concepts magazine and blog writers often use for creating great content. You can incorporate these same ideas into your dental blogs.

  1. Top Ten – Everyone wants a quick, worthwhile read. The Top Ten format makes life easier for both blogger and reader. Coming up with 10 reasons, tricks, or tips on the same topic is not difficult. The list you’re reading is a prime example. Listing is also quick for the writer. To the reader, a list can be scanned quickly, digested easily, and lists appeal to busy people. Here are a few Top Tens to get you started: Top Ten Whitening Systems; Top Ten Reasons People Choose Veneers; Top Ten Ways to Improve Heart Health.
  2. The Secret – Want to know a secret? Everyone does! Leverage that to your benefit when blogging. For example: The Secret to Lifelong Teeth Whitening; The Secret to Fresh Breath; The Secret to Keeping Teeth for Life.
  3. Real Stories – People love real stories — it’s like gossip, but without the guilt. Whether you use your own little anecdotes or patient testimonials, real stories are awesome. I remember reading one by a dental hygienist who talked about a little boy she treated and how he loved baseball. I remember that! In writing, we call this resonance. So, try to create blogs that resonate.
  4. Simple Information – What may seem obvious to you isn’t so clear to your potential readers. For instance, you know that crowns can be ceramic — and that porcelain and ceramic are synonyms. Your potential patients may not! Likewise, you know that mall kiosks that offer instant teeth whitening are not run by a dentist. Your potential patients may not! As you see patients today, ask if they knew these things. Read More