Free SEO Report for your medical spa or laser clinic website.

Free SEO report for your medical spa or plastic surgery website from Frontdesk SEO.

A free SEO website report from Frontdesk SEO lets you know how your website is ranking on the search engines.

Frontdesk SEO offers do-it-yourself search engine marketing software for businesses who want to use their existing staff—hence the 'frontdesk' monkier—to build search engine rankings, increase visibility for their potential patient population, and drive traffic locally.

Frontdesk has a free SEO report that can give you a feel for how well you're doing in the cut-throat competition online.

And, if you really want to dominate your local market, Frontdesk offers outsource SEO packages that unique, combining monthly phone interviews, press releases, social media, blogging and article distribution to give you some serious marketing power.

Medical Spa MD: Compounding Pharmacy & SEO

Medical Spa MD will be announcing some new products and initiatives over the coming weeks that include a parntership with a compounding pharmacy, group buys and discounts, and some SEO (search engine optimization) and SEM (search engine marketing) services that will be available to Medical Spa MD Members.

I did want to drop a couple of key answers to what will be included with both services and ask that you comment with anything you want to be included so we can take a look.

Compunding Pharmacy ~

Our Medical Spa MD pharmacy partners will be offering services that will allow all of the physicians on Medicla Spa MD to buy at a discounted rate, either individually or as part of a group. (As soon as we get the contracts signed and a few more of the technolgy peices in place.) Individual plastic surgeons or laser clinics can choose to buy Botox or Restylane individually, or save even more by reserving a portion of a larger order that will ship once the entire order is filled.

Medical Spa Marketing ~

Med Spa MD is launching a comprehensive online marketing program for any plastic surgeon, dermatologist, laser clinic or med spa. In fact, it's the same SEO and SEM marketing that Medical Spa MD uses and delivered with the same team. There will be a directory site in addition but we won't be trying to keep all of the benefits and traffict to ourselves, but delivering it directly to your site.

Questions welcome but I'm actually more interested in what thoughts you might have about specific needs that we might be able to fill before launch.

Medical Spa Advertising & Operations ~

Members will be able to access the same resources that I've paid for myself. Operations manuals, treatment procedures, postcards, advertisements and the rest. This isn't consultant templates but the actualy proceedures that I wrote myself and are being used in successful medical spas and laser clinics right now. In addition, I'm making all of the advertising resources I've used available.

There are some other deals with laser and equipment companies in the works. If a company can add real value we're interested in talking and providing your (valuable) services to our community.

Anyway, it should be fantastic and I wanted to get some input from Members.

Smart Lipo ~ Young Medical Spa

Young Medical Spa offers smart lipo in Allentown.

Paula runs Young Medical Spas website marketing, SEO, Twitter and video marketing and she's obvioulsly getting to be pretty good at it since they're booked for smart lipo procedures into mid July.

How? Well, first she understands that it's needed and actually puts time and energy towards it. I'll let her answer but I know that writing for Medical Spa MD has raised her profile more than a little and actually turned into both patients and revenue.

Paula actually did something proactive and contacted Medical Spa MD rather than just sitting back. That lead to Medical Spa MD deciding to publish her upcomoing book on med spas and laser treatments for medical estheticians (coming soon) as well as Paula writing for Medical Spa MD.

The fact that this video is now on Medical Spa MD and in front of our close to 2million page views this year means that the competitors of Young Medical Spa just took a whoopin.

(If you'd like to write for Med Spa MD you can contact us here.)

Older Plastic Surgery & Laser Clinic Patients Are Online

It's no longer the case that teens are the ones flooding Facebook and Twitter. (You can follow Medical Spa MD on both Medspa MD on Facebook and Medical Spa MDs Twitter feed.)

The chat below shows the details of the Baby Boomers rush to embrace social networks. In the last week at least three people have told me of a parent that has 'discoverd Facebook'. It's no longer the case that you can just have a web site and sit back to be found. The web is maturing and big business. The rush of Baby Boomers to embrace Facbook, Twitter and social networking in general is indicative of this move.

According to the study referenced below, Baby Boomers...

  • Increased reading blogs and listening to podcasts by 67 percent year over year; nearly 80 times faster than Gen Y (1 percent)
  • Posted a 59 percent increase in using social networking sites—more than 30 times faster than Gen Y (2 percent)
  • Increased watching/posting videos on the Internet by 35 percent—while Gen Y usage decreased slightly (-2 percent)
  • Accelerated playing video games on the go via mobile devices by 52 percent— 20 times faster than Gen Y (2 percent)
  • Increased listening to music on an iPod or other portable music player by 49 percent—more than four times faster than Gen Y (12 percent)

Meanwhile, Gen Y...

  • Participation slipped in virtual worlds from 23 percent to 19 percent
  • Consumed no more video online than they did last year
  • Clogged and contributed to wikis less (it's down from 35 to 33 percent)

Additional data from the latest Accenture report is summarized here from TWICE.

For medical spas, plastic surgeons and dermatologist, this represents a change in the way you'll need search engine marketing in order to get in front of your potential patient population. Yellow pages, newspaper... gone. Search, blogs, social networks allow you to harness technology and get it in front of your potential patinets; woment 35-60.

Medical Spa MD on Facebook & Twitter

OK, Medical Spa MD is on Facebook and we've got a pretty active Medical Spa MD Twitter Feed.

If you're a quick learner and already have at least some online strategy for you clinic, please join the Medical Spa MD Facebook Group that we've created or follow us on our med spa twitter feed.

If you don't have your medical spa on Facebook or Twitter yet, put it up. Fortunately for you it's free and relatively easy.

(You may even want to post your before and after pictures on Flickr.)

Facebook not my favorite. I happen to like Twitter somewhat more but it's also more demanding since it requires some additional interaction to build up a following.

Med Spa Marketing: To Twitter or Not To Twitter

Medical spa and laser clinic marekting? You may want to be on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

It’s no secret that a creative way to market your medical spa or laser clinic is by participating in social media marketing (SMM) such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Digg, Craig’s List, etc. These types of sites give users a virtual voice on the internet. At our practice, we have a huge amount of referrals from friends or family members. In the same manner, these types of sites allow people to share information and recommend your practice to others. Let’s face it, most people like to check out your reputation before they schedule an appointment and SMM sites allow for an excellent forum to do so.

Just listing yourself on SMM sites with a link back to your URL won’t help your SEO ranking much unless you actively use them to build your brand recognition which, in turn, leads to improved linking to your website. The main problem is, keeping yourself current on SMM sites is time consuming and many physicians barely have time to answer their email let alone update all of these sites on a regular basis! In fact, I am extremely impressed at how many physicians are active on Medical Spa MD!

To get started, your best tactic is to investigate who your target audience is in demographics, then compare that data to different SMM sites that fit your target. Once established on these sites, you have to continually engage your audience with interesting content, perhaps chats, or mini blogs. It does take time and diligence, but the reward is building your brand awareness and uniqueness from other practices in your area.

Making your site mobile ready enables users to follow you on SMM sites easily (visit my mobile site from your handheld device at www.YoungMedicalSpa.mobi (if you try to visit from a PC you will be redirected to my dot-com site).

I truly believe SMM can help with your global link popularity which is essential to your SEO rankings. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to determine which venues are converting users to actual revenue. I monitor referring sites using Google Analytics - a very valuable tool!

I work hard at keeping up with all of these SMM sites and have to build a schedule to follow just so I don’t forget. Is it worth investing your time? I say absolutely! That, or hire a teenager to do it for you.

Follow Medical Spa MD on Twitter

Follow Paula; Young Medical Spa on Twitter

Author: Paula D. Young RN runs internal operations and training at Young Medical Spa and is the author of the Medical Spa Aesthetics Course, Study Guide, and Advanced IPL & Laser Training course for medical estheticians and laser technicians.

Submit a guest post and be heard.

Update

on 2009-04-01 20:04 by Paula D. Young RN: Medical Spa

Twittering and social media marketing is the key focus in April's digital edition of Cosmetic Surgery Times!

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/cst_200904/#/2


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Medical Spa MD: The 6 best ways to earn and use patient testimonials, associations, and third party endorsements.

Patient testimonials, third-party reviews and endorsements, media coverage... these can all differentiate your medical spa, plastic surgery, or cosmetic dermatology practice and convince potential patients to give your clinic a shot.

While search engine marketing (SEO), pay per click (ppc) and direct mail can put your practice in front of potential patients, third party patient testimonials can provide the needed level of ‘trust building’ to initiate a first contact.

The three types of third party validation for medical spas, plastic surgeons, and cosmetic dermatologists:

Direct Patient Testimonials: You’ve seen this if you’re not already doing it. Prominent display of your patients saying nice things about you.

Trust Through Association: The reason that you’ll put your FACS, ASAPS, AAD, or ASDS logo on your site is to build patient trust. It works. Of course, theses associations are completely restricted and very protective of their turf, leading to less restrictive medical associations who want to gain credibility. The reason MAPA was formed was to add some legitimacy to a group of non-core physicians. These associations are always pay to play.

Third Party Endorsements and Validations: Botox ‘premier providers’ is an example of third party endorsement as are others that are run by medical service companies. (If Medical Spa MD links to your medical spa it’s a third party endorsement.) Interestingly, third party endorsements actually have a more favorable impact than association endorsements since the third party is often more ‘relevant’ to the initiation of a financial transaction.

When you receive these kinds of accolades or promotions from prominent third-party players, if validates what you’re doing and provides the potential patient you’re marketing to a level of instant comfort that you’ve already been checked out and are the ‘real deal’.

Subtle changes to the way you’re handling your patient testimonials and third party endorsements can produce dramatic effects, especially online, where the majority of patients are now searching for information.

Medical Spa MD: Quick strategies for piling up and using patient endorsements

Target the places your patients already are: First and most importantly is your existing medical spa or cosmetic practice but you’ll be able to reach far out into the community and gain the endorsements of other prominent businesses and individuals

Identify third-party recognition programs: These are most often paid inclusion but there are ways to get these types of third party endorsements for free, or at reduced cost.

Prepare legal and media write-ups: The media only runs two types of story; we found something good and, we found out something we thought was good, was really bad. Uncover the ways to build this kind of content that you can use on your own site, and share with you local media outlets.

Provide ready-made strong human interest and strong visuals: Patients and the media love photos. If your fractional laser resurfacing before and after pictures suck, you’re losing traffic and paying patients. Learn how to manage your photos and make them more than just snapshots.

Give patient testimonials prominent placement: If you don’t have your patients smiling photo, full name, and a stellar testimonial, you’re less effective that you could be. Learn how to get patient testimonials that are truthful, candid, and really work. Read these testimonials from Medical Spa MD Members touting the benfits of belonging to the best cosmetic medicla commuity on the web.

Look for latent patient traffic, not spikes, from these techniques: The effective use of third party endorsements and patient testimonials work and drive patient flow, but it’s not a technique that provides an instant boost. It’s begins a trend and compounds over time.

If you’re not using patient testimonials and third party endorsements to drive patient flow, start now, your medial spa, cosmetic dermatology clinic, or plastic surgery practice will benefit far into the future.

And of course Medical Spa MD uses testimonials too. Read these testimonials from Medical Spa MD Members:

 

Mitchell Chasin, MD: Reflections Center for Skin & Body, Livingston NJ

Mitchell Chasin MD, Refelections Center for Skin & Body Medical Spa MD helps us to stay focused on the details that make the difference between a thriving practice and one that is languishing in this sagging economy.

Medical Spa MD is an important resource that I recommend to anyone who wants to understand the trends and stay connected to the ever changing aesthetic community.

 

 

Paula D. Young RN: Young Medical Spa, Allentown - Lehigh Valley, PA

Paula D. Young RNTo really know what's going on in the aesthetic business you MUST join Medical Spa MD! Nowhere else can you find the information crucial to your success in this ever changing arena. From the classified ads section, to the professional community forum discussion threads, to real equipment reviews by aesthetic professionals. I especially value the articles on marketing and the community forum discussions on therapy management like melasma, fillers, laser lipolysis, and skin resurfacing. Medical Spa MD keeps me on my toes as a medical spa owner, marketer, and nurse!

 

Susan J. DeGuide, MD: Inovamed, Rockford IL

Susan J. DeGuide MD,InnovaMedI found Medical Spa MD several months ago and immediately added it to my “Favorites” list. I check the site several times a week to look through the new posts. I enjoy learning about new technology, expanding my knowledge of the technology I already own, and knowing that I’m giving the best available care. I would not buy a new piece of equipment now without first consulting Medical Spa MD.

 

Ronald Berglund, Former Medical Spa Franchisee. Sybaritic, Inc.

Ron Burgland, Sybaeritic...we no longer feel like we are "all by ourselves" out there. There are a myriad of challenges involved with operating a successful and profitable medical spa, including marketing, sales, operations and procedures, clinical, human resources, regulatory and legal. Another huge issue for everyone is choosing the best equipment for the price. With the help of the "medical spa equipment for sale" feature I have been able to sell several pieces of used equipment. Trying to use E-Bay and other Internet-based options was a nightmare.

 

Jeffery E. Epstein MD: Founder Medical Aesthetic Practice Association
& Cherry Hill Laser & Skin Care Center

Jeffery Epstein MD, Cherry Hill Laser & Skin

When we look back on the early 21st century with regards to Cosmetic Medicine, we will think of R. Rox Anderson, The Carruthers and we will think of Medical Spa MD. By providing this platform (Medical Spa MD), Jeff Barson has done more to advance Cosmetic Medicine than Anderson and the Carruthers combined. There has been a paradigm change in the cosmetic medical world and it can be directly attributed to Medical Spa MD!

Plastic Surgery & Dermatology SEO Networking

There have been a tremendous number of changes to Medical Spa MD over the last years. Certainly there will be more. In fact, there are some rather large changes coming.

When I started Medspa MD it was to build a platform from which to recruit physicians as I grew the number of clinics I was running. Almost immediately the site became a platfrom on which doctors started to exchange infomation with each other. As thos of you who have been part of our community can attest, this didn't fare well for a number of IPL and laser companies as well as certain medical spa franchises. (I'm still waiting for the medical spa franchise model I like.)

But I digress.

Medical Spa MD has gone through a number of changes; from a blog to a community, and now there are some additional changes in the works that will grow this site into what is effectively a portal.

In the past week I've had telephone calls with; three plastic surgery and dermatology 'patient community' web sites, a medical association, a medical services company, and I've got a phone call this week with a large asthetic medical trade show and event organizer. There seems to be more than a little interest in what's gong on.

There are a number of capabilities of this site that have been introduced and will shortly be turned on including:

  • Membership Login that will give you access to specific, non-public areas.
  • You'll be able to subscribe to individual pages and have updates delivered to your email whenever there's new content.
  • The Select Partner will launch and Members will be able to see discounted products and services that aren't available to the general physician population.
  • A Medical Spa Directory is being built that will allow patients to find Members that are closest to the.
  • Listings will be enabled that will allow individual physicians to answer questions, link to their site, have a medial spa specific blog, before and after galleries, email contatacts and form building and submission.
  • Before and after treatment galleries for individual technologies like Thermage, Fraxel, Portrait, IPL, CO2 Laser Ablation, etc. (Perhaps we'll break that down into technology companies like Palomar, Cutera, and Alma.)
  • Patient Memberships will be enabled that provide patient-centric content. (Perhaps they'll be able to recieve treatment informaton from local medspas.)

We'll that's a top-of-the-head list. I'm sure I've missed something but it's late.