by tom osypian on November 17, 2009
I have decided to join a global movement that is bringing much needed attention to cancers that affect men. I’m doing this by growing a Moustache this Movember, the month formerly known as November. My commitment is to grow a moustache all November and I am hoping that you will support my efforts by making a donation. The funds raised go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LIVESTRONG).
What many people don’t know is that 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 18-35. Facts like these have convinced me I should get involved.
To make a donation, you can either:
• Click this link http://us.movember.com/mospace/478733/ and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account , or
• Write a check payable to ‘Movember Foundation’, referencing my Registration Number 478733 and mailing it to: Movember Foundation, PO Box 2726, Venice, CA 90294-2726.
All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation will use the money raised by Movember to fund:
• The LIVESTRONG Young Adult Alliance program which has the goal of improving survival rates and quality of life for young adults with cancer between the ages of 15 and 40.
• Research initiatives to further understand the biology of adolescent and young adult cancers.
For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been used and the impact Movember is having please go to http://us.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs.
Thank you!
by tom osypian on November 13, 2009
I recently made some adjustments to a clients Google Local Business Listing and I was astounded by the resulting improvement. I saw a 540% increase in the number of Impressions their listing received, and a 1200% increase in the number of Actions taken. Check this out:
Before Making the Tweaks
After Making the Tweaks
One of the biggest changes was that their listing was coming up for a number of keywords directly related to their business that they were not coming up for at all. In fact, they are now #1 for their main keyword in their city. Not bad, if I might say so myself!
Here are the changes that I made:
1. Claimed the Listing for the Business Owner
The listing was unverified and had generic information that Google had indexed from another site. This really should be step one for any local business, as it establishes trust in the information that Google has about the business.
2. Placed the Main Keyword/Service and City in the Company/Organization Title
This is one of the most important change I made, as they just had their company name listed before. I belive that adding in the city further pushed their listing up when people used their city as a keyword.
3. Added in their Main Keywords to the Description, as well as the Cities that They Service.
Their description was pretty good before I made some adjustments. In describing what their service offered, I was able to use several of their main keywords, as well as the main city they do business in.
4. Choosing Proper Categories
Because their service was not an official category, I chose several that were very similar to what my client offers. However, I also created several custom categories of their keywords. You can only have 5 categories, so choose wisely!
5. Updated Contact Information, Photos, and Video
I made sure their information was correct, and then added in their website and main email address. I also uploaded their logo and linked to a brief marketing video of the companies on YouTube.
6. Added in Additional Service Information in Custom Fields
I created 3 custom fields and filled them with information about the service my client provides that would give their potential clients just the right amount of information that would entice them to either visit the website or pick up their phone to call.
While this might look like a lot of work, it actually did not take that long to implement. I’m looking forward to seeing the Impressions, Actions, and Top Search Queries in a month, as well as the ROI for my client!