What makes a great web site?

Last week, when I debuted WowSmileNow.com in my blog there was a pretty consistent response. Lots of people emailed and commented that they loved it. Yes, it is a great design, we agree.

And, wait until you see what we will be rolling out next. A new gold standard is about to be set for using a web site to introduce the doctor to the Internet user. Stay tuned for that but it does raise the question about the important of a great web site right now.

One of the side-effects of a tightening market is that swords get sharpened. There has been a high concentration of inquiries from clients and new prospects about increasing the strength of their Internet strategy. Something I have preached about in this blog and in my seminar presentations is becoming apparent to a lot of people. You can have a web site that just sits out there in cyberspace looking pretty or you can have an active Internet strategy. Surprisingly many over the years have been happy just to hang a site. Now, the emphasis is clearly on making it work. Why?

It is apparent that nearly all new prospects flow through the web site at some point. Either they find you on the web and it is your first impression or your web site is a validating tool. In both cases, you stand only to lose if your site is not competitive. And,the fact is that Flash is just a more rich presentation that you can make work for you. And, of course you can optimize Flash for search engines a number of ways. With more tire-kicking going on, I think a lot of people are realizing that this is an edge they need to have.

One of the most requested changes people are making now is to add video of themselves to the important part of the web site. Another is the full-scope redesign of web sites. For others who are starting practices, there is no blinking in investing in Flash web site. Anything to get that edge on the web.

This is a good sign all around. But the message is the battle on the web has shifted again, with an uptick in quality. To answer the most common questions, you can have video added to your web site in less than 5 weeks if you can prioritize your shooting. It is the quickest upgrade possible. The longest lasting, the Flash web site. It is what you see in WowSmileNow.com. And it is what doctors are doing to make sure they are properly represented on the web. If you want to make this move, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Great new web site by Dog Star Media

My favorite domain name among Dog Star Media clients now has a great Flash web site to go it. Congratulations to LVI instructor John Pawlowicz and his team on today’s launch of WowSmileNow.com.

This is a fantastic design for a Flash web site and is a reminder that the best web designs are custom designs. In the case of WowSmileNow.com, we designed a site that is clearly high end enough to represent high end dental services. But it is also accessible and full of information that a full range of family dental services are offered as well. Overall, just a really great presentation.

There has been a lot of chatter about what to do in this economy but I can tell you that for the last several weeks, we have had a lot of orders for web sites. Maybe it is our affordable pricing, hopefully it is our design and experience in cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery, but one thing is for certain: cosmetic dentists and surgeons are evaluating their place on the web and making a move right now. We have some dramatic examples of high end sites that will be wrapping up in the next few weeks. Some of these will set the bar in their local communities and regionally. Our clients are realizing that they have a lot to gain in this temporary slowdown. When we come out of it, those who are investing in their online image and strategy now are going to be reaping the rewards for the bold move now.

If you are thinking you need to make this sort of move, email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com. We have economy-friendly payment plans for big projects. This means you can have what you need as soon as possible. It’s a good offer. Why not email me and inquire?

The Cosmetic Channel - Season 2

Season 2 of The Cosmetic Channel™ just became more exciting. Our first Spanish language shows are just now wrapping and our we project they will be available before the end of the year. These shows feature Spanish language talent and a native Spanish speaking surgeon talking about facial surgeries. This is the beginning of a new Spanish-language initiative we are putting in at Dog Star Media and The Cosmetic Channel™ to help you expand into a new part of the market.

You can click here to see our new player and samples of all the videos we have online for both surgeons and dentists. Season 2 features a much more active set of strategies to use your video from The Cosmetic Channel™. Yes, it plays on your web site as video on demand but we also deliver the video on DVD for your reception room.

Now for the active part. Most of our clients are finally getting it about email marketing. Some are blogging and others are using The Cosmetic Channel™ as the target of their email. One of the best and most active features of Season 2 is that we will email landing pages each month with the video from The Cosmetic Channel™ for you as part of an active email marketing strategy.

The bottom line is that you are offering new content to the contacts in your Circle of Influence. It is the best value we have going right now. Season 2 subscriptions to The Cosmetic Channel are only $240/month for a year. If you have any questions, please email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Patience and SEO

I had planned on writing a blog this week on web design, but after seeing our October Keyword SEO reports on Monday, I wanted to add one more comment to the series I have been writing on Keyword SEO.

I was compelled to do so based on the gains I saw on every report. The longer the client had been in the program, the more broad and significant the gains. The lesson is patience. Charlie pointed out to me that the clients who had been in the program for 6 months showed the most significant breakthroughs on terms... and I mean search terms with significantly dense competition and lots of traffic.

Of course, getting listed is only one part of the battle. Click throughs must be measured, the web site needs to be effectively designed with a strong call to action and these stats must be measured. But, it all starts with getting listed. As our program is so affordable and the objectives are so easy to understand given the Keyword Effectiveness Indicator, it has been easy for our clients to be as patient as they should be.

This just goes to show that simplicity, consistency and patience are working. If you are confused by your SEO service, don’t understand it or think it is too expensive for what you are getting, you should try our Keyword SEO program. If you are interested, just email me at donald@dogstarmedia.com.