New FTC Rules and Guidelines – Use Your Own Results for a Testimonial

Do the same rules about “typical results” that apply to customer testimonials also apply when stating your own results?

Here’s another highlight from the interview between Jim Edwards and FTC assistant deputy, Mr. Rich Cleveland that addresses this question.

First a quick recap.  If you have a client who gets phenomenal results with your program - results that are not typical - the new FTC guidelines limits your use of those results in testimonials.  I discuss this in more detail in a previous post: New FTC Rules and Guidelines - Using Typical Results in Testimonials

You may have seen several emails in the past couple of weeks from marketers that they are taking down their old case studies from the Internet in order to comply with the new FTC rules.  This is what I am talking about - phenomenal results that are not typical.

So how do you let your potential ideal client know the incredible results that are possible with your program or product if you don’t know what your client’s “typical results” are?

Solution: Simple. You tell them about your results. Read the rest of this entry »

Websites for Coaches - Easy Keyword Strategies to Attract Clients and Get High Ranking in Google

This is a great question from Sheri following our recent SEO for Coaches class. It’s about an easy, little known strategy you can use with keywords and keyword phrases to attract clients AND get high ranking in Google at the same time.

“I found the keyword “alkaline water health” and liked the search volume of 880. Do I need to have those exact words without any words in between in my copy? Or can I have something like “alkaline water is good for your health”?”

Answer:

The answer is you want BOTH.

Remember what I said in the tele-class about not reinventing the wheel.  Use the keywords exactly as you see them.  Here’s why.  “Alkaline water health” had a search volume of 880.  But “alkaline water” is a different keyword so its search volume will be different.

If you are targeting your webpage for “alkaline water health,” then be sure to Read the rest of this entry »

New FTC Rules and Guidelines – Using Typical Results in Testimonials

The FTC is very concerned about typical results used in testimonials.  Here’s another highlight from the interview between Jim Edwards and FTC assistant deputy, Mr. Rich Cleveland.

As a general guideline, the FTC recommends that you avoid using testimonials that are an extreme example instead of those that are closer to typical.

The great tip I got on the call is this.  Typical results can be for a sub-group of customers.

For instance, let’s say that you sell an eBook on how to stop smoking.  Most of the people who get the eBook never read the entire book and implement what you tell them to do.

As a result, only about 5% of the people who buy your eBook ever see any results.  But of those 5% who actually read the book and implement what you tell them, eight out of ten stop smoking. It is a typical result for that sub-group.  You know this because of customer feedback, surveys, or testimonials.

So according to the FTC guidelines you could use a customer testimonial something like this: Read the rest of this entry »

Websites for Coaches – Capitals, Underscores, and Dashes with Keywords for High Ranking in Google

Here are a couple more questions I received following our recent SEO for Coaches class.

It’s about using capital letters, dashes, and underscores in keywords.

It’s another great tip to help you get high ranking in Google.

“Are the Google word searches case sensitive? In other words does it matter if I use capital or lower case letters in my copy and meta tags?”

Answer:

I haven’t seen any evidence that it matters one way or another.  Just go to Google and type in a keyword with capital letters and without.  You will see that you get the same search results.

Follow up question:

“When naming my webpages is it better to put an underscore between key words or does it not matter.  For example, should I change www.theflowdoctor.com/ionizedwater.html to www.theflowdoctor.com/ionized_water.html?”

Answer:

Dashes “-” and underscores “_” don’t seem to affect Google’s scoring.  So for SEO purposes, either works.

However, I avoid using underscores and here is why.  Read the rest of this entry »

New FTC Rules and Guidelines – How Does This Apply to Advertising?

Here’s another highlight from the interview between Jim Edwards and FTC assistant deputy, Mr. Rich Cleveland.  It’s regarding advertising and affiliate disclosures.

FTC guidelines still apply to advertising just as they always have.  But from what I gathered during the interview, you don’t need to put an affiliate disclosure on advertising if it clearly looks like an ad.

Their reasoning is that consumers understand that paid advertising means that someone is making money from a sale. So graphic and text ads that look like an advertisement do not need to have affiliate disclosures attached to them.

The FTC is concerned about endorsements that look like personal recommendations or neutral reviews but are in fact advertisements.  They consider that misleading and want to put a stop to it.

Solution: If you want to avoid using disclosures in your promotion, Read the rest of this entry »

Websites for Coaches – Get High Ranking in Google for Keywords in Meta Tags

Sheri had 2 questions about web page meta tags following our recent SEO for Coaches class.  I know you will all benefit from these great Q & A’s on our websites for coaches series.

If I have specific words in the meta tags do I have to have those same exact words in my copy?

Answer:

If you want to get high ranking in Google, then the answer is, “Absolutely yes!”  The search engines, like Google, want you to be consistent and honest in what you say your web copy is about.

So if you have a keyword in your page title or meta description or meta keyword list and it is NOT on the webpage, Google probably won’t give you credit for that keyword.

I would aim to have those keywords repeated in 2-5% of the web copy.  Just make sure they sound natural and not forced when someone is reading the copy.

Follow up question:

Does it matter how many meta descriptions we use? Will we be penalized if we have too many?

Answer:

You only get one description meta tag per webpage.  Read the rest of this entry »

New FTC Rules and Guidelines – Affiliate Disclosures are More Strict than You Thought

Here’s another highlight from the interview between Jim Edwards and FTC assistant deputy, Mr. Rich Cleveland.  It’s regarding affiliate disclosures.

This issue applies to anyone who uses an affiliate link to promote a product.  And that includes almost everyone who reads my newsletter.

Jim Edwards asked if adding the words “Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate” near an affiliate link would satisfy the requirements of the FTC guidelines.

The FTC response was that in most cases it probably would.  However, he couldn’t give a blanket “Yes” for all possible situations.  He went on to say: Read the rest of this entry »

Websites for Coaches – How to Use Keywords in Titles to Attract Clients

Audrey sends this question following our recent SEO for Coaches class.

When you’re using your keywords in all your online materials, how do you get around every article you write and every webpage you have etc. etc. all having virtually the same title?

So for example, if my good keyword phrase is “natural nutrition” or “nutritionist Toronto” how am I going to effectively use those as titles for articles or even within my first paragraphs, as well as my webpages etc?  Everything’s going to end up having the same title and repetitive content.

Also, my niche is weight release. (And I hate using the term weight loss, but I guess for the purposes of getting found I’ll have to use it). So can I really use “weight loss” or “weight release” over and over?

Answer:

How do you get around the issue of repetitive keyword usage?  The answer is that you really don’t, and that it’s OK.

Let me give you a different perspective.  Think of your keyword as your brand or tag line that grabs the attention of your ideal prospect.  Most people who really desire something - more time, more clients, more sales, etc. - never get tired of reading those words.  And the more you use the word(s), the more of an expert on the subject you are perceived to be.

Remember, keywords are what people type in a search box when they are looking for your services.  So it should be a word that will grab their attention.

The other thing you’ll want to keep in mind  Read the rest of this entry »