Staffing Robot - Healthcare Staffing Technology, Design & Marketing Blog

Is Facebook Optimization the New SEO?

Last week I blogged about the Facebook Like button. Now that people have been using it for a couple of weeks some interesting findings have been uncovered.

Today, CNN had a great article discussing the implication of this new social sharing/linking feature. In the article they explain that Facebook 'Likes' as a form of social links. These links potentially carry more value because they are related to a specific user. In contrast, Google gives value to links based on their connection to sites. Further, Google doesn't have full access to search Facebook and index these links.

Ru oh raggy.  

If Facebook's 'Like' linking system takes off it could mean that Facebook becomes the new keeper of the gates, so to speak, when it comes to ranking and indexing the web. For people doing SEO this could mean that Facebook Optimization is just as, if not more, important than Search Engine Optimization. 

The Facebook Like button is already spreading quickly. Almost every site I've gone to in the last 2 weeks has a shiny new Facebook Like button on it and many people are already figuring out new plugins to optimize its use and data.

Although this is good for Facebook, there are many open web advocates who think this is a bad thing.

With this and some of Apple's recent announcements and products like their IPad, it does spark some cause for concern. Allowing single companies to control the web, set standards for it and collect all of our personal preferences will lead us right back to 1998 when Microsoft controlled everything and the web was not so interesting.

Here's to hoping we don't fall back into that trap.

The New Facebook Like Button

Yesterday, Facebook announced a change to how users promote the companies, news stories and other information around the web that they "Like." Previously, companies could make Facebook Fan Pages to promote their business and users could become "Fans" of those pages. Now, users can simply "Like" your business page.

The change is seamless inside of Facebook. Your Fans have been conveniently converted to "Liking" your page. Outside of Facebook, however, additional functionality has been introduced to allow Facebook users to indicate their Likes all over the web. You can now place a Like button on any website and visitors can click it, indicating they Like your site, blog post, news story, etc. Once a visitor Likes your page their Facebook Icon will appear next to it, creating a social presence on your site.

This data will also be sent back to Facebook and displayed on the visitor's page for their friends and connections to see. Facebook has given some indications that this user data will be made available to you as well.

You can get the code for the Facebook Like Button here. Simply customize the widget at the bottom, click get code and apply that code to the appropriate place on your website. Or, just point your webmaster to this link and s/he will know what to do from there.

This new sharing feature presents great marketing opportunities for hospitals and healthcare staffing agencies by allowing clients, patients and employees that interact with your company to help promote your brand more easily. It also introduces several new social networking opportunities.

So, if you follow this blog and you use Facebook - please "Like" this blog by clicking the Like button toward the top of the page!

Medical Solutions Nurse's Week T-Shirt Design Contest

A few weeks back I blogged about Favorite Healthcare's video contest for Nurse's Week. I thought you should be aware of another staffing agency that is sponsoring another great contest for Nurses's Week.

Medical Solutions and Fibers.com are putting on a contest titled "Give it a Shot!" The contests asks "Nurses and Nurse-aficionados" to create t-shirt designs showing their appreciation of the Nursing profession.

Nurse's Week is May 6-12 and this contest ends on May 12th. Here is the link to learn more about and participate in the Medical Solutions Nurse's Week contest.

They've also created a YouTube video to promote the contest:

 

Shortage of Physicians in the U.S. Only Getting Worse

This article from the Wall Street Journal talks about the increasing shortage of physicians in the U.S. and how it looks as though it will only get worse. To make matters worse, many people believe that the new healthcare reform act will cause more people to consume healthcare resources, thereby increasing the need for healthcare professionals even more.

"It will probably take 10 years to even make a dent into the number of doctors that we need out there," said Atul Grover, the AAMC's chief advocacy officer.

Obviously an increased need for healthcare professionals will benefit the healthcare staffing industry. However, many measures need to be taken to ensure the shortage doesn't grow to severe. Even though healthcare reform will positively affect the healthcare staffing industry, too severe of a shortage will hurt us all as a country. Unfortunately, the healthcare reform bill did not go far enough in addressing the growing need for healthcare professionals.

Proponents of the new health-care law say it does attempt to address the physician shortage. The law offers sweeteners to encourage more people to enter medical professions, and a 10% Medicare pay boost for primary-care doctors.

This map is a great visualization of the shortage of physicians across the country.