This week I spoke with Brooklyn Tizzano, our Extend Web Services Digital Marketing Specialist, about Pregnancy Help Centers having a social media presence. Here is what she had to say in response to my questions.

Is it important for pregnancy centers to have both a client-focused and supporter-focused social media presence and why?

Absolutely. A social media presence dedicated to regularly updating your supporters on your prayer requests, praise reports, and current needs helps them to feel intimately involved in the work you’re doing. But just like with our separate websites, that kind of content won’t attract a potential client!

Which social media platforms do you find have the highest traffic for supporters?

Facebook. However, if you’re already posting on Facebook for clients and are concerned about confusion or a potential client finding the wrong page, I encourage you to try out a private Facebook group!

Which social media platforms have the highest traffic with clients?

Instagram. While posting on Facebook won’t hurt you necessarily, you’ll see higher traffic on Instagram.

What types of social media posts are working best for drawing clients right now?

Inspirational posts tend to receive the most traffic. Oftentimes, centers think that they should only post about the services they offer. But social media isn’t a search engine. Your goal should be to establish trust and build a relationship before she needs your services. By sharing inspirational or relatable content, you reach a broader audience, and if/when she needs your services in the future, you already have a foundation for a relationship.

Can you explain the benefits of using hashtags with a social media post?

• Categorization and Organization: Hashtags make it easier to categorize and organize content on social media platforms. By using relevant hashtags, users can quickly find and connect with other users who are interested in the same topics.
• Increase Visibility: Hashtags can help increase the visibility of your posts. When you use popular or trending hashtags, your posts are more likely to be seen by a wider audience, including people who are not following you yet.
• Branding: Hashtags can be used to promote your brand and create a brand identity. By using a unique hashtag for your brand, you can encourage your followers to use it as well, which can increase brand recognition and engagement.

Is it important for our center’s branding to carry over to our social media presence and why?

Absolutely. Think of your social media presence as a vetting process. If a potential client is trying to determine whether or not you can be trusted, she is going to check your website and social media presence. If they do not share an overall “vibe” it will cause confusion and plant a seed of doubt.

What type of results are you seeing as you work alongside centers in developing their social media presence?

One of my favorite numbers that we track are impressions – how many unique accounts are finding you. Since so much of social media is about brand awareness, it’s exciting to see the number of impressions continue to rise for the accounts we manage. By being active on social media, our centers are building themselves as reputable businesses in their community. 

What do you love about helping centers by creating social media content?

I love that I get to connect with MY generation. Being in the Gen-Z generation, I know what women my age are looking for. I know what grabs their attention. I know what struggles they’re facing. So, to be able to create content that speaks to them on a personal level brings me so much joy!

I want to thank Brooklyn for her time in sharing this important information with you and for her expertise as someone who knows her generation and what they are looking for. 

Do you have questions? Are you interested in having Extend manage your center’s social media account? Contact us and let us know how we can help!

This dynamic pregnancy test quiz is used by Heartbeat International’s Option Line to connect with clients who think they may be pregnant and want to learn more about the symptoms they are experiencing.

The quiz has been tested and refined to create an engaging experience and produce maximum results. This quiz is a great way to drive client traffic to your website and provide a unique and innovative tool to increase client conversions.

Benefits of including the quiz on your site:

1. It’s complimentary to Extend Web Services customers.

2. The quiz is an interactive and engaging way to connect with potential clients. 

3. You can create a QR code to include in print materials that link to the quiz.

4. The quiz can be used to drive traffic to your website when promoted in Google Ads, Social Media, and promotional material in your community.

Don’t have the Pregnancy Test Quiz on your site yet? Click HERE to check out what it would look like on your site. 

Have more questions? Not an Extend Web Services customer yet? Want more information on how we can help meet all your digital marketing needs so when she is searching for help, she finds you? Reach out to us at Extend for more information on having this valuable tool on your site and for more details on all the digital marketing tools we have to meet your needs. 

Does your center have a brand?

Creating a brand for your center is one of the most important components to your marketing plan only second to knowing your client or audience. 

Your brand should include certain guidelines, such as, logo formats, fonts, colors, voice, and images. All these components make up your brand standards. Your standards should inform all your design and marketing decisions. 

But your brand is so much more than the sum of your standards, your brand is a feeling. 

You aren’t selling your product or services. You are selling emotion.

Coca-Cola doesn’t sell pop (or soda  ). Coca-Cola sells happiness. 

Most of my friends know that I am rarely seen without a Diet Coke in-hand or at the ready. It’s my morning coffee, my lunchtime beverage of choice, my afternoon pick-me-up, and often my evening wind down drink. I need Diet Coke to function. And please don’t offer me a Diet Pepsi.

Do I drink Diet Coke because I love the taste of aspartame in the morning? No, it’s because Coca-Cola sells happiness. When I need to get moving on a Monday morning or to make it through a stressful meeting, I reach for a cold can of carbonated, caffeinated comfort and I know everything will be ok. 

The purpose of developing a brand is to invoke a feeling. Your website, social media, digital ads, print marketing, events, staff, signage, lobby and counseling rooms should all invoke the feeling you want your clients to have when they encounter your brand. 

There may be plenty of organizations who offer resources and services to women in your community. She needs to choose your organization or center because of the way your brand makes her feel. 

Does your brand make her feel confident and empowered? 

Does your brand make her feel comforted and supported? 

Does your brand make her feel uncomfortable and unsure?

It’s up to you! First, identify how she wants to feel.  That will help set the tone for your branding, helping you create your guidelines or standards, and then spread the word.

As always, Extend is here for you if you need guidance on how to capture the feeling you want to invoke. We know it can be difficult to navigate marketing in our current culture and climate and the competition is fierce. But you’re not alone! Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about branding and all that Extend has to offer.

This week I talked with Director of Option Line, Nafisa Kennedy, about some of the questions you may have about choosing to have the Option Line phone number and chat on your websites. 

Why should I have the Option Line chat and phone number on my site?

Option Line is available 24/7/365. This means we can be there for your clients during hours that your center may not be available; we can help answer some of the client’s initial questions. Our ultimate goal is to establish rapport and trust on your behalf so that she feels confident connecting with you during your business hours. We also have the ability to schedule initial intake visits for centers that have registered for our scheduling service. This is available at no cost to centers and is one way we can establish a firm bridge to your center for clients.

What type of training do the Option Line consultants receive?

Each consultant goes through 29 hours of intensive coursework and training on hotline protocol for connecting with women in need of the support pregnancy help centers provide and 40 hours of coached hotline training with a supervisor before engaging in their first hotline contact. Furthermore, our staff members utilize Heartbeat International’s Academy for ongoing training throughout the year. Each month, we explore a relevant topic to ensure our team is up to date on trends, challenges, and problem solving in the pregnancy help community.

What is your show rate for appointments scheduled through Option Line at centers?

Our show rate tends to be around 75%.

What is the process for scheduling a client when they call and how does OL determine where to schedule the client? 

Great question! We schedule initial intake visits for clients who are interested in taking a pregnancy test at their local center. We schedule appointments through secure scheduling tools, compatible with Next Level CMS, eKyros, and CoolFocus. If a center has registered for our scheduling tool, we are able to offer an appointment to their clients when they reach the Option Line after hours. Once an appointment request has been made, the center staff can then accept the appointment to their schedule or follow up with the client directly. 

Do you have more questions? Contact us at Extend or feel free to follow-up with Option Line directly at info@optionline.org. More information can also be found at  https://www.heartbeatservices.org/option-line-on-your-team. 

Client Traffic Fluctuations and Your Marketing Strategy 

My name is Jennifer Ellis. Don’t be confused! Yes, there are two Jennifers at Extend. Jennifer (Jenn) Breymaier is your Sales and Customer Service Specialist, and I am your Customer Support Specialist with Extend Web Services. You may see my name when you submit a support ticket and receive a reply, when you send an email to support@extendwebservices.com or when you call us.

I have been with Extend at Heartbeat International for six months and have been serving in pregnancy help since 2011. I served as a Consultant/Client Advocate, Center Manager, and Director of Client Services. Please know that I am here if you have questions or even just need someone who has been in the centers to pray with you and offer some encouragement. 

Marketing Strategy/Plan

At Heartbeat International, we want to encourage you to have a solid marketing plan and strategy that aligns with the mission, vision and goals of your organization. It is important as you develop this strategy, to develop clear, SMART goals. The goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Timely and Relevant. Part of the timely portion of these goals is to give your marketing strategy a year to play out and get a true picture of how it is working. 

Why Give the Marketing Strategy a Year? 

I’m sure many of you have noticed the ebb and flow of clients week to week or month to month in your centers. Let’s take a look at that. ·      

• January – This is the month after Christmas and New Year’s and after many centers may have been closed extra days for the holidays. It often leads to higher website and social media traffic and client visits in January.
• February – It’s winter and the weather in portions of the United States is not good and many people are staying in due to snow, ice and the cold. There was also a three-day weekend in January, another in February and then Valentine’s Day too. All of these factors can increase or decrease your client visits. If the weather is bad people may not want to go out but then lookout several weeks later when there is suddenly an increase of pregnancy test appointments after that snowstorm or after Valentine’s Day. 
• March and April – Often Spring Fever has kicked in and Spring break trips are happening, so numbers may once again fluctuate and be lower during the high school or college spring break in your area but then watch for the potential increase in traffic a few weeks later when women may become concerned over missing a period after a Spring Break trip.
• May – It’s the end of the school year for high school and college students and often a very busy time. Prom also takes place. Then after school is out, the students have more time on their hands. Watch for that potential increase in client visits after something like Prom. So once again, in May your numbers can fluctuate. 
• June, July and August – In the summer, the website/social media traffic can once again fluctuate, which is to be expected. There are summer vacations and extra time for students to be with their significant others and then become concerned that may have become pregnant.  In some states, there is the severe weather concern from June through November with things like hurricanes that cause people to have to stay at home in close quarters during storms. Then a few weeks later the center sees in an increase in traffic. 
• September/October – Students have gone back to school and busy schedules start up again. This may cause your number to once again fluctuate. 
• November/December – The holidays have come, students have final exams, and there are Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties. All of these factors can come into play with the traffic to your website/social media and visits to your center. 

With the ongoing ebb and flow of client traffic, it is important to give your marketing strategy a year to truly get a good picture of how it is working for your organization and meeting those SMART goals you set. 

Looking back at your client data, you probably already know the times of year when more clients connect with you. We can help you use this valuable insight to enhance your marketing to expand your reach even further!

At Extend, we are here to help you reach the women and families that need your help. Have you begun to create a marketing plan and the strategy to implement it but aren’t quite sure where to go or what’s next?  Contact us by email or fill out our online contact form if you have any questions and if we can help you meet your clients right where they are at.

The second half of 2022 brought significant changes to the prolife movement and pregnancy help community. Nearly every facet of the lifesaving work happening across our nation and around the world had been affected and the realm of digital marketing is no exception.

The most notable changes in digital marketing came from Google in August of 2022. To appease politicians and suppress the great work of pregnancy help, Google implemented a disclaimer that accompanies ads for organizations that do not provide abortion in 2019. This disclaimer that had appeared below pregnancy center ads was moved to the top of each ad last August to give it a more prominent position.

Another change from Google has had a greater impact on pregnancy center marketing efforts by greatly altering the way Local Search listing are displayed. Google changed the default for local search results for abortion services to only show those verified to provide abortion procedures. Women can see more results if they choose to, including from organizations that don’t provide abortions, such as pregnancy help centers. 

This change has had the greatest impact on centers and their ability to be easily found by abortion vulnerable women searching for help.

Along with the strong opposition from Google, many centers continue to find resistance from major social media conglomerates. From posts being removed to ad accounts being frozen, efforts to reach women searching for help have been severely halted by big tech politics and bias. 

So, what can centers do to reach a woman at a crossroads and in dire need of their lifesaving services?

1. Think outside the Google box. While the value of advertising on Google is still very evident, the impact and reach of these ads has diminished and their cost has gone up. It is essential for centers to think outside of Google ads and try adverting on additional platforms and in their local communities, schools, churches, and beyond.
2. Maintain a strong web presence. The importance of a warm and welcoming tone and design on a pregnancy center website cannot be understated. But beyond the look and feel of your site, centers must ensure content on their site is up-to-date, fresh, and optimized. Now is the time to increase Search Engine Optimization efforts, blogging and dynamic and engaging content. All these tools will increase the reach of digital marketing efforts. 
3. Don’t go it alone. If possible, centers should consider the help of an outside marketing company to assist and guide their marketing efforts. Navigating the ever-changing terrain of the digital world can be daunting, especially when lives are on the line. Having the right company on your side can make a world of difference for a center. 

Targeting and attacks from big tech can be disheartening and with no sign of Google easing their most recent policy changes it is hard to predict the future of marketing for the pregnancy help community. However, this is not the first time that resistance has attempted to stifle our work. With the right tools, strategy and guidance, lives will continue to be reached and rescued and communities will continue to be renewed by the great work of pregnancy help. 

My name is Jennifer Breymaier and I am with the Extend Team here at Heartbeat International. I have been with Extend for almost five years and I truly love working with each of you every day, partnering with you and doing all that we can to provide you with tools to help strengthen your online presence and reach more women in need.

We receive many important questions every day here at Extend! I wanted to take the time to highlight one of those questions we get each month to make sure that you have the information you need to successfully build connections with those you are trying to reach as a pregnancy help organization.

A very popular question we receive that I am focusing on this month is, “Why have two separate websites?” The simple response – you have two very different audiences.

Audience 1: Your Clients

It is crucial to have a website focused on those who are looking for information regarding pregnancy help. A website to encourage and help those who may be scared or confused, find the strength they need to make decisions that their future depends on. It is important to center this site around the people who are seeking help, facts, or looking into services you offer that may be of help to them. Leading women to information and facts on topics such as pregnancy, parenting, adoption, abortion, etc. to make sure that they know all their options and what comes along with each of these choices. They may not be aware that you offer classes, clothing, and other services that can help them throughout their pregnancy and beyond. They may not know how to reach you or the easiest way to get ahold of you. This website is your tool to bring light to these services. Your website is often the first place people go to learn more about you, so make sure that you have a website dedicated to anyone looking for help no matter what stage of life they are currently in. 

Audience 2: Your Supporters

Now to switch gears, think about a very different audience that you have as a pregnancy help organization – Your supporters, your volunteers, and donors. Those looking to support pregnant mothers in need and wanting to know things about you as a pregnancy center, like what your mission is, what your goals are, how they can get involved, who makes up your team and why you are passionate about this mission. 

Having a separate site to focus on events you have upcoming, ways they can support mothers in need, and how to help bring encouragement to everyone that walks through your door; this allows you to make all this information easily accessible to those who want to support you. Your second website helps you to focus on important information for your supporters and not worry about taking up crucial space on your client-focused website but still make that vital connection with your supporters.

Keep It Simple

Having two separate websites to acknowledge all the different information you would want to share with your client-focused audience and your supporter-focused audience will allow you to differentiate your websites to help avoid confusion and to allow each audience to easily find the important information they are seeking. As a pregnancy help organization you have so much crucial information to get to both your client audience and your supporter audience. An overloaded website that includes large amounts of information that makes it hard for someone to find what they are looking for can turn someone away quickly. Two sites can allow you to keep these topics simple, clean, and understandable. 

In response to the Dobbs decision that reversed Roe v. Wade, we have had many centers contacting us about the abortion information they have on the Be Informed pages of their websites. Some states have completely banned abortion in light of the decision, while in other states, it is still legal within certain guidelines.

Why Should I Have Abortion Information on my Client Website?

Regardless of what state you live in and whether abortion has been banned in your state or not, people are still searching for abortion information. Whether it is the woman facing the unplanned pregnancy, the father who has discovered he got her pregnant, or their family and friends. It is best for them to find the information on your website. Here’s why:

• Clients are going to find the abortion information somewhere, even if abortion has been banned in your state. Recent research says that Tik Tokhas become like a search engine for the Gen Z population. It is a much better option for your clients to find the information on your site than on Tik Tok or on an abortion provider’s page. If they find the information on your site, they can make an in-person, or if you provide it, a telehealth appointment to meet with you and discuss their pregnancy decision options in a loving, confidential environment without any financial investment. 
• If you have chosen to have Option Line’s Chat feature on your website, once the client finds the abortion information on your page, she can speak with someone immediately and Option Line can get her scheduled for an appointment with your center. 
• The information under your Be Informed tab is copyrighted by Heartbeat International and medically and legally reviewedby Heartbeat International’s Medical and Legal Advisory Board on a consistent basis. If any updates occur in a medical and legal review, they will automatically be added to your site. The sources for the abortion information are clearly cited beneath the content. 

What If They Think We Are an Abortion Provider?

Of course, it is always important to be up front and honest on your website, over the phone and in person and make sure clients know you are not an abortion provider. This provides protection for you and your organization.

If you don’t already have a Disclaimer on your client website, we can add that to your site for you. The disclaimer we use here at Extend states, “We do not offer, recommend or refer for abortions or abortifacients, but are committed to offering accurate information about abortion procedures and risks.” 

Have Questions or Need Help?

Here at Extend, we want to provide you with a website that meets your client right where she is when facing that unplanned pregnancy. Please reach out to us if you have questions about having the abortion information on your page. One of our team members will be happy to discuss this with you. 

Want to add a Disclaimer or the Option Line chat feature to your client site? Just create a support ticket on your Extend Customer Portal and one of our team members will get that added for you.

We are here to help you reach potential clients. Contact us if you have any questions. If you are interested in having Extend Web Services create a website with the abortion information your clients are searching for, fill out our online contact form. 

This past week has seen the Pregnancy Help Community placed under attack once again by pro-abortion activists. Masking their slanderous campaign as an attempt to “end the deception” of what they have labeled as “predatory fake abortion clinics”, a small group of activists has called their followers to arms against local pregnancy centers. Their methods of attack vary, but their primary focus of energy is in a digital attack aimed at harming the online reputation of life-affirming centers across the globe.

While the campaign has been sluggish in its attempt to gain traction and create large-scale impact, it is nonetheless a testament to the importance of managing your online reputation against those that could do it harm.

In this article, I will summarize the methods that are being used in this latest attack and I will outline a few basic strategies for defending against these types of campaigns.

How their campaign works:

1.       Validating Existing Negative Reviews

The campaign organizers encourage their following to browse review-driven web directories like Yelp, Google Business, and Facebook for Pregnancy Centers with negative reviews. If a negative review is found on a listing, they are encouraged to give the review a positive mark (i.e. ‘useful’ for Yelp, ‘thumbs up’ for Google/Google+, or a ‘like’ on Facebook).

2.       Creating New Negative Reviews

If existing negative reviews aren’t found, the campaigners are encouraged to create one themselves. Organizers have provided a step-by-step process for their members to follow to achieve the best results for their goals. These steps involve locating a victim to prey upon utilizing the campaign’s interactive map listings of Pregnancy Centers, calling that center to provide false stories (“I’m (my sister is/friend is) pregnant, and I’m scared.” or “I (my sister/friend/partner) want to get an abortion / need to get it taken care of.”) in hopes of manipulating unsuspecting center staffers into providing some grounds for a negative online review, and writing that review in as many prominent locations across the web as possible. Campaigners are even encouraged to “…grab a bottle of wine and get your feminist book club together to organize a fun CALL-A-THON during the Week of Action! Calling is more fun when you’re doing it together.” (https://exposefakeclinics.squarespace.com/callandreview, n.d.)

How this hurts pregnancy centers:

If your center is made a victim of these attacks, your digital reputation can suffer to the point that local women searching the web for the services you provide may be put off by the perceived lack of credibility for your center based on your overall negative rating online.

What can a pregnancy center do to defend against these attacks?

STRATEGY ONE – Positive Reviews:

Positive reviews can help to offset the adverse effects of negative reviews. Reach out to clients, donors, volunteers, or anyone else that has had a positive experience with your pregnancy center and ask them to write reviews on your most prominent online listings. The best places for these reviews are Google, Yelp, and Facebook.

Not only will an arsenal of positive reviews help to diminish the impact of negative reviews, a healthy online listing with many positive reviews is less of an easy target for those looking to do the most harm with a single negative review.

STRATEGY TWO – Claim Your Listings

Claiming, optimizing, and monitoring your online listings is an essential way to both defend against digital attacks on your reputation and to market your center better to your local community.

HOW TO CLAIM A LISTING:

I will outline the current process to claim your business listing on Google. Each web directory or search engine has different steps for claiming a business listing, so expect to spend several hours claiming all of your online listings. Extend Web Services is available to handle the claiming and management of your online listings via our Local Search Marketing platform.

Claiming Google Business Listing:

1. Navigate to http://business.google.com.
2. Click “Add a single location”
3. Search for your business using its name and address.
4. If you see a dialog letting you know that someone else has verified the business, follow these steps.
5. If you don’t see your business listed in the menu, click No, these are not my businesses or I’ve correctly entered the business. You’ll then be prompted to enter some details for your business. Make sure you enter an accurate, complete street address, and a phone number which reaches your business directly.
6. Click Submit.
7. You will be required to perform either a phone, text or postcard verification in order to complete the claiming process. Instructions for each type of verification will be provided by Google Business via the prompt windows on your screen.
8. Once you have verified your ownership of the listing – you are all set! Congratulations on claiming your first business listing! One down – 60+ to go!

STRATEGY THREE – Respond to Negative Reviews

If you are presented with a negative review online, you may want to respond to it. Note that you will need to follow the steps in Strategy Two in order to respond to reviews.

Reponses should be calm and polite. Don’t get defensive or angry or try to call the reviewer out or make claims that their review is fake. An overly-defensive stance can encourage the reviewer to overreact and attempt to do more harm to your online reputation by leaving more negative remarks. Responses can range widely depending on the content of the review, but make it short and friendly like “We’re sorry to hear you didn’t have a good experience with us. We’d invite you to call us so we can learn more and try to make things right.” Simple as that.

STRATEGY FOUR – Hide Facebook Reviews Tab

Facebook allows you to hide the option for reviews on your business page. If you are experiencing an attack or anticipate one, it may be a good idea to hide your reviews tab – at least temporarily.

HOW TO HIDE REVIEWS TAB:

1. Navigate to https://www.facebook.com/**YOUR_PAGE_NAME_HERE**/settings/ ?tab=edit_page (please note the “**YOUR_PAGE_NAME_HERE**” section of the URL that should be replaced with your Facebook page’s unique identifier)
2. Towards the bottom of the screen you will see a list of the tabs on your page. Click on the “Settings” button next to “Reviews”.
3. In the expanded section that appears, click the switch next to “Show Reviews” from On to Off.
4. You have successfully hidden your Facebook Reviews section!

HOW TO UNHIDE REVIEWS TAB:

1. Navigate again to https://www.facebook.com/**YOUR_PAGE_NAME_HERE**/settings/ ?tab=edit_page (please note the “**YOUR_PAGE_NAME_HERE**” section of the URL that should be replaced with your Facebook page’s unique identifier)
2. Towards the bottom of the screen you will see an “Add a Tab” button. Click it.
3. In the window that appears, click the “Add Tab” button next to the “Reviews” option.
4. You have successfully unhidden the Reviews section of your Facebook page!

For more information on any of the items I covered in this article, I invite you to contact a member of the Extend Web Services team.