1. What kind of marketing would I prefer my agency do for me? 

There are almost as many types of marketing agencies as there are businesses. In your search for firms, you’ll come across ones that work with more traditional mediums — TV, print ads, billboards, etc. You’ll also find firms that work mainly on the Internet, specializing in SEO, PPC and Web design. Think about where you’d like to get your customers from, and tailor your search to that goal.

2. Do I want a marketing agency that is targeted to my niche, or would an agency with a broader scope be better for my needs?

Some agencies provide services to only one or two niches, such as agencies that only work with dentists, or agencies that only work with lawyers. Other agencies accept clients from all backgrounds. Firms that only provide services to one industry often boast knowing more about that industry than firms that serve many different types of clients, but they also may attract less experienced candidates.

3. How much can I afford to spend?

This will help narrow your choices, as well. Some agencies require huge retainers, while others will be willing to work with you on a per-project basis or be satisfied with a much smaller retainer. When making this decision, be sure to factor in how much a new customer is worth to your company.

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can start your search for the perfect marketing agency. If you have more questions about what a marketing firm can do for your business, contact Fahrenheit Marketing today.

The post Three Questions To Ask Yourself Before Hiring a Marketing Firm appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

To help you with this decision, we’ve broken down a few of the options available for who might blog for your company:

• You. Especially if you’ve got a way with words, you’re the ideal choice for your company’s main blogger. You know almost everything there is to know about your company, you know what your customers care about and you’ll be able to control the quality of every post. But… there’s a downside: Blogging takes time and energy. Do you have enough spare time to write your company’s blog?
• One of your employees. Okay, so if you’re too busy to blog, maybe one of your employees is the next best thing. Your employee probably knows a lot about your company and customers. But, is your employee a good writer? Does he/she have the spare time available to blog for you?
• A freelance writer. Hiring a professional blogger can be a great idea, especially if you’re in an industry that’s easy to research or you’re willing to answer a few questions for the writer from time to time. You’ll probably have less control over the content and it will feel less personal with this option, but the blogs may be better written and better at selling if written by a professional writer. If you decide to go this route, make sure the writer you work with speaks English as his or her first language and that you like his or her writing style.
• A full-service marketing agency. A full-service marketing agency can have its writers immerse themselves in the day-to-day operations of your business in order to learn what your customers want to know. While the writers from a full-service agency may not know as much about your company as you do, they’ll get close, and you’ll have a professional writer attracting readers to your blog.

At Fahrenheit Marketing, we write blog posts that drive traffic to our clients’ websites and turn those visitors into customers. If you’re interested in growing your business with online marketing, contact Fahrenheit Marketing today for a free consultation.

The post Who Should Blog for Your Company? appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

Here are the three most important changes you can make to your site to boost conversions:

1. Having photos of people on your website. Ever visited a website that doesn’t have any people in the pictures? It’s off putting and a little eerie. Have photos of people who look like your target patient, and have a picture of yourself in at least one place on your website. Your patients would feel more comfortable if they know what you look like before they meet you.
2. Prove your credentials. Choosing a doctor can be a nerve wracking process for many patients. Patients want to know if you really have the necessary skills to be their doctor, so provide them with that information. Make sure your website tells users where you went to medical school, what certifications you have, any additional training you’ve pursued, what associations you’re a member of and any other accomplishment that makes you proud.
3. Include a call to action in your website’s content. Sometimes visitors don’t convert into patients because they just don’t know what the next step is. Make it obvious what you want them to do next, and your conversions will increase. On that note, make your phone number easy to find — this means including a contact page and having your phone number at the top of every page.

At Fahrenheit Marketing, we know that all of the traffic in the world doesn’t mean anything if your website can’t convert those visitors into patients, so we provide conversion-oriented online marketing services to our clients. To learn how Fahrenheit Marketing can help you turn the visitors to your website into clients, contact us today.

The post Site Factors that Increase Conversions for Doctors appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

However, you might not realize which details of your website you should test. Here are a few off-the-wall conversion experiments to implement.

“Where’s that Phone Number, Again?”

Try increasing (or decreasing) your telephone number’s font size. Some sites make their phone numbers downright illegible. Others take up the entire header with their digits. Run a few tests to make sure your phone number is optimized for your users’ expectations.

Test Your 404 Page

404 pages happen. Don’t be ashamed by them. If a visitor has clicked to a page that doesn’t really exist, use the opportunity to experiment with the location of a search box or offering your social media profiles as a resource. Your new 404 page could be just the shot in the arm your twitter profile needed.

“What do my Highest Bouncing Pages have in Common?”

Use your Web analytics package to identify the 5 pages on your site with the highest bounce rates. Then, make some hypotheses about why the pages are similar. Perhaps the content on the pages wasn’t written with the correct reader in mind. Perhaps you have a broken widget that only appears on a few pages. Use A/B testing to check your guesses and make a better user experience for your visitors.

These are just a few off-the-beaten-path A/B tests to run. Let us know of any other unique conversion experiments you like in the comments. We’d love to hear them.

Need help optimizing your website for conversions, contact Fahrenheit Marketing today to schedule a consultation with one of our talented team members.

The post Three Off-the-Wall Things to A/B Test on Your Web Site appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

Here are the top four books we recommend:

Writing for the Web: Creating Compelling Web Content Using Words, Pictures and Sound by Lynda Felder

As any content creator will tell you, you’ll need more than just words to make a big impact on the Web. Lynda Felder devotes 192 pages to discussing how words, images and sounds can work together to make a website great and earn traffic. The book even comes with writing exercises to sharpen readers’ writing skills.

Letting Go of the Words, Second Edition: Writing Web Content that Works by Janice Redish

The second edition of Letting Go of the Words does an excellent job of discussing content strategy, writing to bolster SEO campaigns and boosting a social media audience. It’s thorough and gives excellent tips for writers of all skill levels.

Content Strategy for the Web, 2nd Edition by Kristina Halvorson and Melissa Rach

This book helps readers turn so-so content into terrific content that will convert visitors into customers. It makes an excellent argument for the business value of content marketing and lays out a process for a successful content marketing campaign.

Hot Text: Web Writing that Works by Lisa Price and Jonathan Price

Wish your writing could get the attention of more readers? Check out this book. It shows how to make writing scannable and teaches you how to grab your visitors’ attention so they’ll act on your advice. And, with its array of case studies, you’ll be able to see these principles play out in the business world.

At Fahrenheit Marketing, our content writers stay up-to-date on current Web trends to help clients turn clicks into customers. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a talented member of our staff.

The post Four Books to Read if You Want To Know More about Writing for the Web appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

Your new website will probably need images or videos to tell the story of your organization. Oftentimes, web design projects get bogged down when an organization realizes half-way through that they haven’t taken staff photos since the 1990′s. Even if frosted tips were a good look for you, take a moment to make sure you have all the visual collateral you’ll need before beginning a design project.

4. “Should I Hire a Web Design Company or do the Redesign In-House?”

Obviously, at Fahrenheit Marketing, we’re a bit biased toward which you should pick. That being said, with the prevalence of DIY website creators, small businesses and individuals have the ability to create somewhat functional and attractive websites.
However, keep in mind that not investing in a professionally designed web site in the short run can trigger larger investments in the long run. It’s often more expensive to market or develop applications on proprietary or “cookie-cutter” web platforms.

3. “How Will My Site Look on Mobile Devices?”

Never forget the plight of smart phone and tablet users. Every year, the proportion of mobile traffic is growing and the visitors to your new site will be no exception.
When it comes to delivering content to mobile devices, you have two options: redirecting mobile traffic to a mobile site or developing a website with a responsive design which will change its layout based on how the user is browsing the site. Both options have their advantages: Either will present a better experience for your mobile visitors.

2. “Why do I Need a Website?”

‘Everyone else has one’ is not an acceptable answer. Web sites can generate leads, sell products, tell stories, or solve problems. Make sure that that the goal of your new site is clearly defined before embarking on a redesign.

1. “Do I Really Need to Redesign My Website?”

Just because your website isn’t working, doesn’t mean it’s broken. If calls aren’t coming in or forms aren’t being submitted, your site might not be the victim of a poor design. A good Internet marketing company will be able to drive relevant traffic to your existing site and make small changes to optimize your site for conversions. This tactic usually has a better return on investment than a site redesign.
Regardless of which you choose, Fahrenheit Marketing is always there to give you a point in the right direction. Contact us today with any redesign questions you might have.

The post Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Redesigning Your Website appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

Where are you from?

I hail from Houston, the city Austin loves to hate (second to Dallas, of course!).

Where did you go to college? What did you study?

I spent my freshman year at Texas A&M only to discover that I just didn’t connect with any aspect of the school, so I ended up at Texas State University in San Marcos and absolutely loved it.

After changing my major for the someteenth time (in my head at least), I finally came home to the English department, where I majored in creative writing with an emphasis on poetry. That fact still evokes looks of earnest confusion or “Really?” followed by rude snickering. Haters. But as it turns out, my real academic passion was my minor, History, which I still nerd out to.

What did you do after you graduated?

After I graduated I participated in a six-month Christian missions program in Hawaii and Cambodia that was supposed to be a mini “gap year” for me before I got a ‘real job.’ I ended up going on staff full-time with YWAM (Youth With a Mission) and living on the island of Maui for about five years.

During that time, my responsibilities shifted almost every six months. I would go from serving in the kitchen, to leading a team on a three-month trip to Nepal, to being the accountant, to going back to team leading again. On the weekends, we would hitchhike across the island to go cliff jumping or exploring.

How did you first become interested in content development?

I always enjoyed writing growing up. I even tried to write a book when I was in fourth grade called The Long Walk Home, and it was thrilling stuff — at least according to my dad. I just enjoyed the challenge of fitting the right words together for whatever task was at hand, whether that was a poem or a term paper.

Before coming to Fahrenheit, I was teaching reading and writing to sixth and eighth graders here in Austin. Teaching enabled me to reconnect with what I loved about writing in the first place: the tough but joyful work of crafting sentences and the feeling of delight after finishing a piece, even if no one else was going to read it. It also allowed me to gain a clearer understanding of what makes good writing tick and how to get there. It really was a fascinating job, and I should know, I’m still reaping benefits from it as a content writer!

What do you enjoy most about content writing?

Aside from the fun of just getting to write, I think I most enjoy learning about the myriad subjects related to our clients’ businesses. The only downside is that I frequently annoy my husband and friends with all the new facts I learn.

What is your favorite thing to do in Austin?

I can’t decide between going coffee-shop hunting, watching English Premier League soccer at Cuatros or complaining about Austin drivers to whoever will listen.

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

That I am scared of practically all bugs and hate them with the passion of a thousand suns.

If you would like to learn more about our Fahrenheit Marketing team and how we can help increase your conversions, contact us today and set up your consultation.

The post Fahrenheit Employee Profile: Esther Bednar appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

• Post a picture of the dentist on the front page: Many people fear going to the dentist, so you need to show on your dental website that your dentist is professional and caring — not scary. Through posting a friendly photo of the dentist on the front page, the patient can immediately feel like they’ve met the dentist and feel at ease about calling for an appointment.

• Sharing videos or other testimonials on the dental website: Another way to dispel dental fear is to show a video of the dentist, or of patients who have had a great experience with the dentist. Most people chose dentists based on recommendations from friends, family or online reviewers. A testimonial page is the perfect way to show patients that they can trust your dentist to give them quality care.

• Badges of the dentist’s certifications: To show your dentist’s credibility, it’s important to highlight your dentist’s variety of certifications and dental association memberships. When potential patients look at their badges, they will immediately see that your office is backed by organizations that prove you are trustworthy.

• Listing press mentions: Another way to show that your dentist can be trusted is to create a press page to highlight when your dentist has been mentioned in the press. Patients can see others share about how the dentist helps the community, attended a recent seminar, expanded their facility and more.

We have helped many of our dental clients convert clicks into solid clients. If you would like to learn more about our online marketing services, contact us today and set up your consultation.

The post 4 Dental Website Factors that Increase Conversions appeared first on Fahrenheit Marketing.

On Tuesday, the Associated Press’ Twitter account was hacked into, and a tweet was sent that said, “Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured.”

After the tweet was sent out, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged. The Dow was at 14,698 when the fake tweet was shared. Within two minutes, the Dow had dropped 127 points and fallen into the red, WSJ.com said. Bloomberg added Twitter to its stock dashboards for stock traders months ago, and market experts say close tracking of social media has become the norm in trading.

The Syrian Electronic Army has taken credit for the incident, announcing its ties via Twitter, along with the hashtag #ByeByeObama. FBI spokeswoman Jenny Shearer said the bureau was investigating how hackers were able to send out the bogus tweets.

On Saturday, social media accounts maintained by CBS News programs “60 Minutes” and “48 Hours” were compromised. The Syrian Electronic Army also claimed responsibility for some of these hacks on their own Twitter account.

Twitter says they will be adding two-factor authentication to make these hack attempts almost impossible.

This reminds us that whatever you share on Twitter can spread like wildfire and impact the world, for better or for worse. At Fahrenheit Marketing, we help our clients use the power of social media to convert clicks into customers. If you would like to learn more about our social media services, contact Fahrenheit Marketing today.

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The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization

by Eric Enge, Stephen Spencer, Rand Fishkin and Jessica Stricchiolia

This is one of the most talked about and detailed books on SEO right now. The authors are all industry experts, so you know its 500 pages are full of solid and tested SEO theories and tactics.

SEO Fitness Workbook

by Jason McDonald

If you want to take an SEO class from home, this is one of your best options. McDonald is a great SEO teacher, and this workbook is full of worksheets and SEO tools that will help you guide your company to the top of Google.

Search Engine Optimization Secrets

by Danny Dover and Erik Dafforn

This book is written by the former head of SEO at SEOmoz, so it’s packed with more advanced SEO tactics that are used by some of the best SEO professionals in the industry.

The Link Building Book

by Paddy Moogan

For everyone from SEO beginners to advanced SEO gurus, this book has link building ideas for everyone. It has great tips for how to build a strong link-building campaign for your company and how to maintain it.

Conversation Marketing: Internet Marketing Strategies

by Ian Lurie

As you read this book, you feel like you are having an entertaining chat with a helpful friend who knows everything about SEO. Through his short and sweet book, Lurie helps you see Internet marketing in a new way and find SEO strategies that really work.

Own Your Own Niche

by Stephanie Chandler

If you are in a niche industry, this book will help you make the most of it. You will learn not only SEO secrets for your inbound marketing campaign, but also how to tie in all the other facets of online marketing.

Marketing in the Age of Google

by Vanessa Fox

This book is by Vanessa Fox, who created Google Webmaster Central. She explains through her Google perspective about how search rankings work and how to use search to better understand your customers, so you can have more conversions.

50 SEO Ideas: Free Tips, Secrets and Ideas for Search Engine Optimization

by Jason McDonald

Instead of filling your head with technical SEO jargon, this book gives you 50 practical ways of applying SEO to attract new customers to your business.

SEO for Content Writers and PR Pros

by Phil Bryne

The best online marketing strategies are now content-based, but content writers can’t leave SEO behind. This author has been in the marketing game for more than 15 years and shows how search engine rankings now favor good writing and how to use that to your advantage.

SEO Made Simple

by Michael Fleischner

This is one of the leading SEO books of the day and helps you get ahead of any of Google’s updates, so you can keep moving to the top of search engine results.

Fahrenheit Marketing keeps up with SEO trends so we can help our clients convert more clicks into customers. To learn more about our SEO strategies, contact us today and set up your consultation.

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