Friday Five Roundup: Internet Privacy At Risk In America

This week, the U.S. Congress passed a bill allowing ISPs access to your personal information. By enforcing these regulations, sensitive data about internet users in America can be easily exposed.

Today's Friday Five articles focus on informing and educating you about the changes to U.S. browsing privacy and security.
1
Quartz

Should You Get A VPN?

Read the article on qz.com >


2
Value Walk

What Does This Bill Mean For Online Users?

Read the article on valuewalk.com >


Why Your Practice Should Be Mobile Friendly



By: Cheska Sia

Of the 7.5 billion people on earth, approximately 5 billion own a mobile device. With the vast majority of society owning at least one handheld device, smartphones are used as the primary method for communication and as a reliable means for finding information online. For adults between the ages of 18 and 44, smartphones are indispensable. Whether people are searching for local practices or want to find opening or closing times, a mobile friendly website can easily help patients discover and contact your practice.
Being mobile friendly requires more than just a responsive website. It means to enhance and promote a positive user experience. From organizing information to receiving real-time updates, people quite often rely on these devices to structure their daily routines. Having a mobile friendly site appeals and speaks to the seemingly continuous advancement of technology, and thus can leverage your practice.
If your practice is not yet mobile friendly, here are some reasons why interacting with mobile users should be prioritized.

  • Patients Rely on User Friendly Sites for Direct Information
  • Your practice's mobile display should provide a pleasing experience for your audience According to MarginMedia, 48% of mobile users assess a practice's level of concern by whether or not they have optimized their site for mobile devices. If your audience encounters challenges (for example: needing to zoom in to text, or panning your site from side to side) they can become easily frustrated and are unlikely to re-visit your practice's site in the future. If your mobile display does not perform well, 57% of your visitors are unlikely to recommend your practice.
    A solution is to create a mobile template that is easy to navigate through. Include Call To Actions (CTA) so that important information (such as: contact number, office hours, location, and requesting an appointment) can be found easily. A mobile site should provide people with what they need, immediately. Use your mobile site to enhance patient experience because this interaction will leave lasting impressions and is a reflection of how people view your practice. Your full/desktop website can serve as a supplementary resource in addition to your mobile site.

  • Mobile Sites Lead to Stronger SEO
  • According to Internet Retailer, 60% of people access the internet primarily through their mobile devices. Since 80% of internet users own a mobile device, it is not surprising that smartphones are used to search the web. Google recognizes and prioritizes sites that are optimized for mobile devices. In 2015, Google launched an algorithm called "Mobilegeddon" that gives preference to mobile sites (on mobile searches). This algorithm determines where your practice appears on Google's search results, thus, demonstrating the importance of mobile integration. By having a mobile friendly website, your practice is more likely to observe higher Google rankings than not having a mobile friendly site. In turn, this may lead to an increase in potential clients.

  • The Speed and Convenience of Your Mobile Site Determines Patient Loyalty
  • Mobile responsive sites should be effective and functional. As people are mostly browsing the web using their mobile devices, ensure that patients who want to access your site can also do so on their phones easily.9 Give them the ease of locating and contacting your office without needing a desktop computer. Efficiency can reinforce reliability and encourages better communication between your patients and your practice.
    In addition to ensuring that your site loads on a mobile device, it is imperative that you observe how quickly it loads too. On average, people will wait about 6-10 seconds for mobile sites to load before closing the page. A quicker loading time will keep your audience's attention and encourage them to navigate through your page.

  • To Elevate Your Practice Alongside the Progression of Technology
  • As of 2014, the number of mobile devices exceeds the number of people in the world. With the rapid increase of smartphones, mobile activity and usage are normalized. Therefore, in the best interest of all healthcare practices, keeping up to speed with the constant progression of the mobile industry is vital.
    One way to advance your practice is through accelerated mobile pages (AMP): a script, introduced by Google in 2015, that accelerates the loading time of your practice's HTML markup on mobile devices.11 AMPs rely on basic HTML coding, and need to be validated before being optimized to load instantaneously. Although AMPs were initially formatted for news publishers, a number of companies have contributed to ensure that AMPs can be supported across multiple platforms to target different clientele. From WordPress to YouTube, AMP plugins can be enabled to help load your content faster while boosting your practice's organic SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SERP (Search Engine Results Page) rankings.
    With high performance levels, AMPs appeal to the 40% of visitors that do not wait more than 3 seconds for a mobile site to load. Shorter loading times are beneficial because your practice may find an increase in patients, a decrease in bounce rates, and an increase in Google recognition. As Google continues to develop the design of AMPs, utilizing and integrating AMP resources in its earlier stages may give your practice leverage in the digital world.
With the regular usage of smartphones, having a mobile friendly website is now a necessity. Offer your patients the ease and comfort of navigating through your site at any place and at any time. By doing so, you can promote a positive user experience. Mobile sites should allow for quick and convenient access to important information that your patients seek. Consider investing in a mobile friendly website, as it may optimize your site when searched in Google. If your practice is interested in launching a mobile site, UpOnline can help design and develop a customized solution. Contact us today for more information!

Friday Five Roundup: From Tax on Healthcare Benefits to Digital marketing Tips for Your Practice

1
Canadian Dental Association

Health Care Providers Urge Federal Government to Not Tax Health Benefit Plans

A coalition of health care service providers warned of the potential negative implications of taxing the premiums paid on employer-provided health and dental benefits.
Read the article on cda-adc.ca >


2
Globe and Mail


Google Showcases How Shorter is Sometimes Better in Digital Advertising

The rise in the use of ad-blockers, in general, has signalled to the industry that many people feel advertisers have gone too far – overloading content with ads that are disruptive and slow Web page load times, among other issues.

Where digital video is concerned, ads raise the ire of Web users by forcing them to sit through long prerolls, even when the video they are trying to watch is relatively short.
Read the article on globeandmail.com >


3
Entrepreneur


Appealing to Potential Patients in the Digital Realm

The accessibility of your practice's website is crucial. In his article, Andrew Medal explains the fundamentals behind what factors can keep visitors on your practice's page and, potentially, turn them into patients.
Read the article on entrepreneur.com >


4

Hootsuite


LinkedIn Analytics: A Guide for Marketers

LinkedIn is an overlooked social media platform and often used without a good marketing strategy. Learn how to engage with your audience better by getting to know their demographics and behaviour with LinkedIn's Analytics tools.
Read the article on hootsuite.com >


5

Dentistry IQ


How Digital Marketing can Benefit Your Practice

If your dental practice wants to reach out to a wider audience, you may need to make adjustments with prospective patients in mind. In this article, Joy Gendusa highlights additional marketing techniques that can help increase the number of patients that visit your practice.
Read the article on dentistryiq.com >

Friday Five Roundup: From Root Canal Research to Healthcare Social Media Tips

1

CBS News

Stem Cell Research Aims to Put an End to Root Canals

Could root canal procedures go by the wayside in the not-too-distant future?
Scientists from the University of Nottingham and Harvard University's Wyss Institute hope so. They're developing a new treatment strategy that could someday help heal a damaged tooth using the patient's own stem cells.
Read the article on cbsnews.com >


2

Social Media Today

5 Ways to Improve Your Instagram Marketing

How are you using your Instagram to engage and market your company? Are you using Instagram Stories effectively? Here are some tips on how to improve your Instagram marketing.
Read the article on socialmediatoday.com >


3

Dentistry IQ

Dental SEO Dangers You Never Even Knew Existed and How to Avoid Them

Google analytics keep people guessing when it comes to their websites. It's hard to work on a website, only to see it disappear because Google rewrote the rules. Here is what dentists can do to avoid any surprises with their Google SEO.
Read the article on dentistryiq.com >


4

Entrepreneur

5 Questions to Improve Your Digital Marketing

If you've ever wondered why your digital marketing approach is not yielding the results that you want, there is plenty of time and room for growth. From focusing on potential clients to highlighting the services that you offer, Yatin Khulbe answers 5 important questions that can help push your practice towards success in the digital world.
Read the article on entrepreneur.com >


5

Marketing Land

A Healthier, Happier Social Presence: Tips for Health Care Marketers in 2017

The health care industry has been slow to embrace social media, but contributor Rob Begg explains how that's shifting and what hospitals and pharmaceutical companies can do to improve their social listening.
Read the article on marketingland.com >

Why Your Practice Should Prioritize Consistency



By: Cheska Sia

In the digital world, you want your practice to hold a reputable standing. However, good reviews and high performance levels are not always easily achieved. Fortunately, there is a strategy that could help your practice set and meet goals: consistency.

Consistency involves effort from your practice for the benefit of your patients. Consistency communicates that your practice prioritizes its patients.
From regularly monitoring your website and/or social platform(s) to distributing monthly newsletters, communication aimed towards your patients should be a necessity. Keep your patients knowledgeable about the changes or developments that your practice undergoes. Frequent engagement can help your patients feel comfortable both in and out of the office. Consistency emphasizes how much your practice cares about its patients, which could result in recognition and reliability in the digital realm.

Do you want your practice to stay consistent? Do you want to know how consistency can benefit, not just your patients but, your practice too? Read the following points below to find out.

  • Show Appreciation to Enhance User Experience
  • Whether you post testimonials or hold contests for your patients, let your patients know that you value them. Share their experiences and reward them for choosing your practice. Your practice should create a fun, safe environment that patients want to engage with. Keep them involved by offering incentives and praise in return for their loyalty.

  • Let Your Patients Know You are Listening
  • Patients appreciate an open, direct line of communication with practices. Maintain an active online profile to nurture their needs. Whether through live-web chats or social platforms (like: Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter), regularly respond to your patient's questions and/or concerns, which could lead to trusting relationships. Since the basis of building a loyal audience is user satisfaction, always aim to give your patients a comfortable and welcoming experience.

  • Help Your Patients Learn About Your Practice Through Interesting Posts/Articles
  • Establish yourself as a figure of authority. Create content that demonstrates your expertise in your field of practice. Share knowledge that your audience will find useful. If your audience finds the content that you produce to be valuable, it is likely that they will share your content across one or more of their social media accounts.

    As more people click your links, there are several ways that your practice may benefit: increased online visibility and improved SEO rankings, resulting in greater potential for new clients. This exposure can appeal to new clients and, in turn, build your practice's following. By gaining high credibility, your audience is more likely to search for and share your practice.

  • Send E-blasts to Your Patients to Stay Involved
  • In order for your practice to achieve and maintain a good reputation, try sending monthly newsletters or conducting surveys. If your patient does not have any social media accounts, chances are high that they have an email address. From introducing new team members to discussing issues that your practice can help mitigate, newsletters allow your patients to keep up to date with your practice.

    People want to be updated with the most current news, so create content that your customers are interested in. Include sections that invite your patients to interact with your practice. Discuss community events or interesting topics that encourage your patients to visit your website and social media for more information. Add Call to Action (CTA) buttons in your e-blasts because they can give your patients the opportunity to actively engage in online discussions.

    Online surveys also allow patients to express their thoughts and/or concerns. However, this approach is more focused towards your office and the services that your practice offers. Feedback from patients can make your practice aware of areas that may need to be adjusted. Implementing these suggestions could potentially build trust with customers. Making these improvements also demonstrates that you work with your patients in mind. If your practice needs help applying these methods of consistency, UpOnline offers great eNewsletter and online survey services to help with your digital marketing needs.

  • Monthly Reports to Measure, Track, and Improve Performance
  • Collect and analyze your website and/or social media platforms' statistics on a regular basis. Record both quantitative and qualitative observations. Organize your data by creating monthly reports. These results will give you an idea of where you stand in terms of your practice's goals and, more importantly, is an indication of how your marketing strategies are doing.

Evidently, consistency plays an influential role in your practice's success. Being consistent can strengthen your practice's relationships with its patients. Allow your audience to contact your practice and keep up to date with the ongoing events at your office. Consistency shows your patients that you value their input and that their well-being is a priority. Consistent activity in the virtual world promotes your concern for hospitality and is an effective way of connecting you to your audience. Through consistency, your practice builds an online presence, asserts reliability in your field of practice, and may observe an increase in patient referrals!

Friday Five Roundup: From Medical Marketing to Digital Imaging Market Trends

1

Marketing Profs.


Medical Marketing in a Digital World: Content, Social Media, and Mobile

When people observe concerning symptoms, it is likely for them to search the internet for explanations or services that mitigate the issues. Karolyn Raphael explains social media and content marketing techniques that can help your practice gain a commendable reputation online.
Read the article on marketingprofs.com >

2

Forbes

How LinkedIn Uses LinkedIn for Marketing

While Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are the go-to social media, LinkedIn is becoming a top-quality content marketing powerhouse. LinkedIn is different from other social media in that it offers quality publishing and access to professional influencers and decision-makers.
Read the article on forbes.com >

3

HubSpot

Physician-rating Sites Get Low Marks

Few websites allow users to search by clinical condition, gender of physician, hospital affiliation, languages spoken, or insurance accepted, researchers find.
Read the article on healthleadersmedia.com >


4

Business Wire

Top 5 Vendors in the Dental Imaging Market from 2017 to 2021: Technavio

The global dental imaging market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.28%. The high demand for diagnosing dental disorders such as periodontal diseases, dental caries, and jaw tumors, and oral cancer increases the demand for dental imaging techniques.
Read the article on businesswire.com >


5

Quicksprout

How to Increase the Revenue Value of Your Homepage by 851%

Once a visitor lands on your homepage, you need to impress them in a hurry. Failure to do this typically results in a lost conversion with the vast majority of visitors never returning. How can you ensure you make a good first impression? And, more importantly, how do you boost conversions and increase the revenue value of your homepage?
Read the article on quicksprout.com >

Friday Five Roundup: From ROI on Digital Marketing Strategies to Ad Tech, and Social Media Analytics

1

Strategy

Scotiabank Takes its Tech Message Mass

Scotiabank has launched a new marketing campaign centred on its technological innovations, hoping to further establish itself as a digital banking contender and maintain a customer-focused image.
Read the article on strategyonline.com >


2

Entrepreneur

5 Industries Getting the Most ROI From Digital Marketing

Every company needs a digital plan, but some sectors are more suited than others for this type of marketing.
Read the article on entrepreneur.com >

3

HubSpot

What is Ad Tech and Why Should Agencies Care?

74% of marketers want to work with ad agencies who know how to make use of ad tech. But there's still one issue: many young ad agencies are still trying to figure out what exactly ad tech is -- and how they can best use it to their advantage.
Read the article on hubspot.com >


4

Entrepreneur

3 Ways to Grow Your Business With Free Social Media Analytics

Social media is a tool that your business should be taking advantage of. From Facebook to Twitter, Natalie O'Grady explains the benefits of utilizing social media and how these analytics can help your business' ROI.
Read the article on entrepreneur.com >


5

Forbes

How To Make Phone Conversations With Customers Better

Despite the introduction of all sorts of new technology, a myriad of new channels and a host of self-service options, when things go wrong, get complicated or become difficult for customers most of them will want to pick up the phone and talk to another human being.

That behaviour makes phone conversations an integral and hugely important part of the whole customer experience, whether the conversations take place at the beginning (sales), middle (service) or the end (renewal) of the customer's journey.
Read the article on forbes.com >