Alt Attribute & Search engine optimization

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more important in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is sometimes forgotten. This is often a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of alternative text for the images on your site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to supply descriptive text. Additionally, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is simple, really; search engines have a similar problem as blind users. They can't begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse using this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a certain keyword density, which is not as relevant for rankings now since it once was.

On the other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings will not benefit from this tactic.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the contents of what's displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt attributes of images are read aloud too.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is followed by repetitions of numerous keywords. The page will be not even close to accessible, and, to put it bluntly, will be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used as a description or a label to have an image, though lots of people use it for the reason that fashion. Although it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or a description, it is not!

The words used within an image's alt attribute should be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve the same purpose that the image would.

The goal would be to provide the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" in the event that the look itself is not available. Think about this: Should you replace the look using the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and would it create the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is really a magnifier or binoculars its alt text ought to be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If the image is supposed to convey the literal contents of the look, a description is appropriate.

If it's meant to convey data, then that data is what's appropriate.

If it is meant to convey using a function, then your function is what ought to be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility and for valid XHTML.

For images that play only a decorative role in the page, use an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Remember that it's the function from the image we're attempting to convey. For instance; any button images should not range from the word "button" within the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text ought to be determined by context. The same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest of the text because that is how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image can there be.
Please keep in mind that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is needed to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and the rest of Europe. They are also required to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in the US.

It is useful to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things that serve no purpose other than to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) fulfill the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there may be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there that will enhance the usability from the site for someone utilizing a non-visual user agent. Use a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is actually the middle layer of graphics which might actually set the atmosphere or set the stage so to speak. These graphics aren't direct content and may not be considered essential, but they are essential in they help frame what is going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the second group as is sensible and it is relevant. There may be instances when doing so might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then try to avoid it.

For example; Alt text that is just like adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's important to get this content inside for all users.

Most times this will depend on context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. The way you go in this case is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the look is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be so as.
The reason many authors can't understand why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the pictures are there. You need to figured out exactly what function an image serves. Consider what it is about the image that's vital that you the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason behind standing on that page: since it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what the page is trying to describe. Knowing what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A method to look into the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a specific image to make the page understandable to the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you've got a couple more tools at your disposal for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they are invisible and not shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So make use of the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the Link to a complete description of an image. If the information contained in a picture is important to the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of the visual image.

It ought to be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of an image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is really a long description of the image...The aim is to use any length of description necessary to impart the facts from the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that the long description conjures a picture - the look - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for that totally blind."

Even though alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not every images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you're better off just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to include it, and when you don't have a strong urge to do it, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to work, then you have to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal about the function of the image and it is context on the page.

The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, although not in another. If the image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images may be appropriate to use. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt will be required and maybe a long description would be in order. Oftentimes this type of thing is really a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed below are key stages in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You can use hyphens within the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Stay away from underscores as a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For example, if the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's going to assume that the file is a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's likely to assume that it is a graphic;

Ensure that the text nearby the image that is relevant to that image.
Again, don't lose a great chance to help your site with your images in search engines. Use these steps to position better on all of the engines and drive more traffic for your site TODAY.

Website Optimization

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the hot new thing because of the potential it has to double your revenue without doubling your costs, which also allows you to increase your marketing budgets and makes marketing your business more profitable.

Most companies neglect CRO though, not because they don’t think it’s important, but because their tech team is preoccupied with many, many other things. Building great products and software as well as maintaining them certainly isn’t an easy job.

First, let’s focus on a few rules on what to test for CRO and how to test:

1. Define the challenge (more sales of A, more newsletter subscriptions, more visitors funneling to the next page) and the webpage to test

2. List potential reasons for your low conversion, problem areas on the webpage

• Think about what’s essential to the webpage and what could be removed


• Get some users and survey them on where the friction is. Ask them questions like “What would you change on this page?”


• Use tools like CrazyEgg to get heat maps that show where people are clicking and where their attention is drawn

3. Consider alternatives for the problem areas on the webpage

4. Create and edit images and buttons, change up text (maybe even size and font), rearrange things, or create new pages entirely

5. Don’t get too crazy with all the data and feedback. Go ahead and start testing with just a few variations, see what’s working and optimize some more

When you’re ready to execute on CRO, you can do A/B testing and create your own landing pages without bothering your already busy, probably frequently annoyed-with-you, tech team.

A/B Testing

Note the Client companies are based in either the US or Canada and the “percentage of traffic outside key service areas” are based on each client’s target market.

For instance, if a client only services the US only, any traffic outside the US would be traffic outside their service area.

Evaluating Your Own Traffic For Relevance

To use our own web design and Internet marketing business as an example, we service both Canada and the US, but were getting 24% of our traffic from other international countries. Big portions of that traffic were companies looking to sell their services to us.

These international visitors would fill in our web forms and call us to inquire, untimely skewing our website analytics data by not giving us a real understanding of how our website was performing to quality prospects.

A solution had to be implemented to significantly reduce the amount of resources we were dedicating to people outside our service areas.

Ultimately, we didn’t want to be contacted from people we couldn’t help. The four possible solutions we considered were:

1. Create a custom report in Google Analytics to filter out the unwanted data (reporting related)


2. Adjust the content of our website (website related)


3. Block the traffic from specific Countries from viewing our website (server related)


4. Don’t change anything.

Option #1

When evaluating the first solution, creating a custom report to filter out this data in Google Analytics, this would clear up our analytics data. Implementing a filter would provide a more realistic picture of quality prospects we could service in our geographic area instead of those prospects or solicitors in other counties we don’t service.

This option didn’t run the risk of blocking any traffic or robots that we do want. It’s also a simple filter to add in Google Analytics. We set up another Profile with the country exclusions filters. A new Profile was the preferred approach, rather than going through the extra steps of creating Custom Reports.

However, setting up analytical filters doesn’t fully resolve the issue, since these visitors could still access our site, fill in web forms, and contact us, ultimately wasting resources that we could dedicate elsewhere.

It wouldn’t give us a true picture of what was going on. It also wouldn’t resolve the problem – we didn’t want to be contacted by companies from some outside countries.

Option #2

Updating the website content to say you only service a specific area is another solution that we considered.  This would inject more geo-targeted keywords into your site, which would help in local SEO. Adding a graphical map, drop-down options and/or links that allow the visitor to select their country would help qualify visitors.

Some of the downfalls of this option include spending a much higher amount of time to implement versus the other options. The success of this would also be dependent on how honest the visitor is.

Assuming visitors are reading your website content, adding geo-targeted keywords into your site would set a clearer expectation of service area delivery. However, this option still doesn’t resolve the issue of sharing contact information that allows unsolicited visitors to contact us and invalid web form data.

Option #3

How about blocking or filtering visitors automatically based on their IP address? When considering to block website visitors by IP it’s important to first evaluate the reliability of the IP address(es). The accuracy of an IP list is over 99.5% on a country level and 80% on a city level. The smaller the location, the less reliable the IP address.

Internet Service Providers change IP addresses they designate to customers. Some change them more frequently than others, which is why you want to keep the database of IPs updated. Scheduling a monthly update is typically a good routine if city level IP authentication is required. Country level is much more static.

The benefit of blocking the country via IP address would not only clean up analytical data, but also ensure our sales funnel was more efficient and provide a more accurate picture of real prospects in all systems. We needed to consider other issues in this approach.

One concern was the potential for a search crawler coming from an IP in the location we were planning on blocking. For example, there was a possibility that Google’s search crawler would also be blocked if it came from the same country. The implementation of this option is more technical. One would need to obtain a list of IP addresses for the desired locations and update the websites htaccess file.

In our example, the inquiries from some countries became so frequent that we couldn’t ignore it any longer. After much debate, we decided to ban the countries; however, we would only ban one at a time to evaluate the effects.

For instance, one of the largest traffic sources, accounting for approximately 20% of this, was from India, a market we don’t service. These Indian visitors were companies looking to sell their services to us.

We executed the ban in the polite Canadian way. We also implemented the Google Analytics profile with the country filter to monitor future website statistics versus the past.

Those visitors that came from our blocked list would land on a different page that displayed a nice message. It read: “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.”

In sum, the tests have gone over very well. Banning the country from our website has significantly cut down the number of unsolicited calls, emails and web form requests. It also gave us a much more accurate picture of how our website was performing within our own target market and service area.

Considerations For Blocking Traffic By Location

If you’re considering this strategy, some factors to consider when filtering visitors include:

• Why do you want to filter website traffic?


• Which locations would you want to filter?


• How much traffic do you currently get from locations outside your service area?


• How important is this traffic?


• How to funnel visitors outside your service areas?


• The accuracy of the IP addresses locations in mind.


• Effects of non-human visitors.

A few months after we implemented this, we received a direct mail package that contained pens with our logo on them from a company that wished to sell us branded pens.

Guess what it said under our logo? “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.” We had a good laugh. Someone obviously didn’t read what they printed. It was evidence that our website block was working and a nice souvenir.

The key takeaway, as always, is monitor your traffic and conversions. Track where your quality traffic is coming from and decide for yourself if you should block the traffic of certain countries. Make sure to proceed with caution to ensure that you are not missing some opportunities.

Think outside of the box for other ideas of how you can use that traffic. Perhaps referring the traffic to a partner or creating a unique service for specific markets is another option to consider.

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: 100% Organic - Search Engine Optimization Tips | SEO: General

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Bench Craft Company on the art of jobs

"Getting data privacy 'right' is an economic and social imperative. Trust and confidence in the security and privacy of the critical systems of our planet - especially the digital version of its central nervous system, the Internet - is foundational to individuals' continued engagement and reliance on such things as online commerce, e-health and smart grids. If individual consumers don't feel that their privacy and security are protected, they will not support modernization efforts, even though the capabilities of technology advancements are proven and the potential benefits to society are extensive.

"Here's an example of the tensions we face: The ability of smart grids to conserve resources relies on the ability of, and commitment from, consumers to monitor and modify their individual usage. An individual using a smart meter understands the difference in the cost of using electricity at peak versus non-peak hours and could opt to lower their usage during more costly time periods. At the same time, data from the meters can reveal sensitive information such as work habits, shower schedules, use of medical devices such as dialysis, and whether or not a house is occupied."

"I don't worry that the technology will have a negative impact on consumer privacy," wrote Mark Roberti, founder of RFID Journal in a June overview of the state of the RFID market where privacy is concerned. "Instead, I worry that ignorant legislators trying to score points with uninformed voters will pass laws that limit the many benefits RFID can deliver--and that is a much bigger threat to consumers."

Today's agreement in Europe appears not to be the kind of legislation Roberti feared. As a framework focused on self-reporting it may be too little, ultimately, but it's a start.

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NFL owners, union resume mediation in Minneapolis

The NFL and its locked-out players have completed their first day of mediation under a court order and will meet again Friday as they try to resolve their labor dispute.

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Google <b>News</b> Blog: New Google <b>News</b> for Opera Mini

While the Google News team has been hard at work redesigning our service for smartphones, we've also been thinking about our milllions of users around the world who access the web not from a smartphone, but from a feature phone, ...

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Small Business <b>News</b>: Small Biz Social Media Tips

In recent weeks we've shared articles on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and others. Now it's time to look at how all these tools are.

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Given the current cost of components, a prepaid contract-free iPhone with less internal storage would likely earn Apple only about 16 percent gross margin if it were priced at $300, a new analysis has estimated.



Analyst Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company took a closer look at the prospect of a hypothetical "iPhone lite," to see if it would be in Apple's best interest to build such a product. A cheaper iPhone has been viewed as a strategy that would work to Apple's advantage in emerging markets like China.



In February, both Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a smaller and cheaper iPhone that it could sell contract-free. Soon after, The New York Times chimed in, and claimed that while Apple is not working on a smaller iPhone, it has explored opportunities in developing a cheaper handset.



Wolf largely agrees with the Times, and doesn't see a smaller iPhone with a new form factor as something that would be in Apple's best interest, even though it would be the easiest way to cut costs and created a cheaper handset.



"In our view, the iPhone would not be an iPhone if the display were, say, cut in half," he said. "Such a move would (dramatically) reduce the value of the iPod module for video viewing as well as the size of web sites accessed through the Safari browser. A smaller screen would also degrade the experience in using some applications, not to mention the possibility that some applications would probably have to be rewritten to accommodate a smaller screen."



iSuppli estimated that the 16GB iPhone 4, when it launched last June, carried a bill of materials of $188. The iPhone has an average selling price of $625 with a carrier subsidy, while gross margin is usually around 50 percent, suggesting that additional costs like assembly, software, testing, licenses and warrantees add up to $100 or more.



Ruling out the possibility of a smaller iPhone, Wolf said Apple could reduce internal storage from 16GB to about 4GB, but that would only reduce the bill of materials by $30 to about $157. By his estimation, such a handset would still have a total cost of $270.



"Apple would at best break even if it priced an iPhone Light at $250; and it would earn a modest 16% gross margin if it priced it at $300, which we regard as the high end of the range for a prepaid phone," Wolf wrote.



Gross margins of just 16 percent would be a number uncharacteristically low for Apple. For example, in its last quarterly results for the 2010 holiday buying season, Apple reported margins of 38.5 percent, or more than twice Wolf's estimate for a low-cost, no-contract iPhone.



"We suspect that the iPhone's designers and engineers have thought about this a lot more than we have so that the cost savings would be somewhat greater than we've estimated," Wolf said. "If, for example, the expenses incurred beyond the cost of components could be materially reduced, Apple might be able to earn a gross margin of 20% pricing the phone at $250 and 33% gross margin pricing it at $300."



The possibility of a cheaper iPhone with fewer features was hinted at by Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook earlier this year. Cook, in an interview with Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi, said Apple doesn't want its products to be "just for the rich."



Cook reportedly said that Apple is planning "clever things" to compete in the prepaid handset market. He also stated that Apple is "not ceding any market." He also referenced China, where Apple has found great success of late, and noted that it is a "classic prepaid market."

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In recent weeks we’ve shared articles on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and others. Now it’s time to look at how all these tools are changing the way you do business. By the way, we’d like to learn what kind of social media your business is using and why. Be sure to leave a comment below.

Strategy

How to be a social media leader. How to be a social media leader or authority. It’s a question surely on the mind of plenty of small business owners working to learn the vocabulary of the new online media. In the end, it may be easier than it looks. Check these simple tips. Small Business CEO

How to set up a small realization that business blog. Whether practitioners of small business social media nowadays would describe a format as “old school” as blogging as being a part of the social media is uncertain. We certainly consider it to be. In many ways blogging is the cornerstone of a strong online social presence and establishing a blog as the hub of your social media campaign requires learning some basics on establishing a small business blog. Dazzlin Donna

Marketing

How to use social media to build context. Gary Vaynerchuck is arguably one of the most innovative pioneers of the social media marketing approach, but in this interview he argues using the means open to small businesses today isn’t necessarily about the tools, it’s about the context. Find out why. The Rise to the Top

How to grow your social media fan base. Whether it’s Facebook or another comparable site, social media is about being social. To understand why this is harder than it might at first seem, check out this post on growing a social media fan base for your business. Like other online marketing, social media is about content. This post talks about how to use content and other tools to boost your number of fans. Premium SEO Solutions

Operations

How to create Twitter and other social media content. So, we know that using social media and frequently updating with content are the key to an effective social media marketing campaign. But what in the world can you say. As it turns out talking endlessly and pitching endlessly about your business on social media is NOT the answer. Follow this guide to participating effectively in social media WITHOUT being labeled a spammer. What’s your approach? Blog Godown

How bloggers have become much more influential than celebrities. When it comes to influencing purchasing decisions, people are more likely to listen to a blogger than a rock star. That’s according to a recent study suggesting the increased influence social media is having on purchasing decisions. If you haven’t yet considered social media and particularly blogging as part of your marketing campaign, you may want to read more. Fox News

Research

Why social media may not be your best traffic driving tool. A recent study suggests that as a strategy for driving traffic to your Website, social media may not be the best choice. Then again, the study goes on, for brand awareness its effectiveness may be somewhat higher. In the end, it’s important to remember that the tools you use must make sense to your business, says blogger Cynthia Boris. Don’t look to social media as a magic bullet. It’s a useful tool, nothing more. Marketing Pilgrim

How to create a successful social media strategy. Businesses seeking to take advantage of all aspects of the social media need to apply careful planing to their approach. The possibilities for crowdsourcing, studying of online customer conversation and other factors makes innovation easier as well. But with all these possibilities, where should your business begin? A well defined social media strategy is a good first step. 1 to 1 media

How to listen to social media and gain insight about your brand. Someone is talking about your business out there. But what are they saying and is it something you should even be worried about? Monitoring social media for positive and negative comments about your business can be a great strategy for constant innovation. Here’s more about how it works and how you can get involved. InformationWeek

Final Thoughts

Trying to figure out social media. One of the main issues for small businesses today, surprisingly, is not just deciding to implement social media but trying to figure out all of the possible implications. Social media is, after all, more than just a tool. It is a movement as well. The existence of social media is a hard reality and offers opportunities to small business of all kinds. But there are challenges too. Here are some important thoughts. Business 2 Community

It’s not such a wonderful time to be a doctor, patient, hospital, health plan or pharma company, but judging by the quality and quantity of entries received for this edition of the HWR, it’s a wonderful time to be a wonk.

A couple weeks ago CMS released draft rules for Accountable Care Organizations. Several bloggers weighed in on that development:

• Mark McClellan and Elliott Fisher at Health Affairs provide some historical context and argue that “those who care deeply about health care reform all have a common interest in the success of ACOs as a way of avoiding more classic fee-for-service payment cuts to providers.”


• On a more downbeat note, The Road to Health concludes, “Dr. Berwick and his colleagues at CMS appear to have taken the ACO concept and made it into a financial program that only delusional practice administrators, or physician organizations bent on financial self-destruction, could love.”


• The Healthcare IT Guy expects ACOs to be “far more lucrative and disruptive than Meaningful Use and likely to yield more patient quality improvements.”


• GE Healthcare puts the emphasis on ACO change management challenges: “Healthcare executives and management teams are left to focus on preparing their organizations for a cultural shift of seismic proportions.”


• HealthBlawg reviews the proposed rules and produces 8 takeaways. #2: “This is the Frankenstein regulation: A Medicare beneficiary must sit on the board of the ACO, CMS must approve all marketing materials before they are used.”

In the midst of the battle over funding the 2011 budget, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan came out with a plan to radically restructure Medicare and Medicaid starting in 2012:

• The Apothecary likes much of what he sees and thinks the proposal may force Democrats to devise a credible plan of their own


• John C. Goodman’s Health Policy Blog contrasts PPACA and the Ryan plan. “Obviously, the path we are on leads to an impossible place. So the only question is whether we are going to get off the current path in a planned, orderly way or whether we are going to let unplanned chaos do the trick.”


• Wright on Health is less impressed and wonders, “if Rep. Ryan is so adamant about reducing the deficit, why is he cutting taxes for the wealthy and cutting programs for the poor and the elderly?”


• Managed Care Matters is decidedly unswayed. “If you were looking for real solutions to the health cost problem, you’re going to be sorely disappointed… Unfortunately, he’s fallen into the same trap his Democratic colleagues did with their version of health reform – the Ryan plan does little to address costs.”


• The Incidental Economist takes issue with Ryan’s plan to convert Medicaid to block grants and cut spending. “Should Medicaid be cut back, more people will be uninsured. Contrary to what some wish you to believe, those who become uninsured will suffer worse health outcomes”

As if the ACO rules and Ryan plan weren’t enough, there’s more on Medicare in the blogosphere:

• The Covert Rationing Blog –always good for a lighthearted pick me up– “asserts that we are one giant step closer to the day when it will become illegal for all Americans to spend their own money on their own healthcare.”


• Dr. Liberty discusses CMS’s deliberations on whether to pay for Provenge, a pricey prostate drug. “Decisions are made on the basis of politics, and the drive is to cover everything, leading to higher costs.”

Amid all the federal policy blogging, there’s still some room for technology talk:

• Healthcare Talent Transformation has had it with Health Net’s repeated goof up’s leading to loss of confidential data. Although it may seem like there’s not much the average person can do, the blog argues, “You can make an impact on the security of your sensitive data by conducting due diligence when it comes to your insurance provider.”


• The Healthcare Blog offers a video collage of the new Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health. “The Center is  a pretty fascinating place–part tech and idea showcase and part meeting room. Certainly no other health care organization that I’m aware of has spent so much on a place designed to stimulate the imagination and enhance conversation–under the nose of the folks on Capitol Hill.”


• Meaningful HIT News features a podcast with mHealth Initiative’s Peter Waegemann, who’s shifted over from EMRs to ride the mobile wave


• Healthcare Economist delves into new papers that, “examined how to develop accurate algorithms to account for cancer stage in studies using claims data.”

It was encouraging to receive a couple submissions about  journalism:

• Disease Care Management Blog asks, “Is the kerfuffle over National Public Radio (NPR) the long delayed comeuppance for liberal bias run amok, or a narrow-minded attack on the inconvenient truths from journalistic excellence?” The blog reaches into the world of medicine and discusses of “framing” and its impact on patient decision making to provide an answer


• HealthNews ReviewBlog cites, “daily evidence of the need for improvement in health care journalism – especially when we see examples like hype of a tiny, preliminary study of strawberries for esophageal cancer.”

We always have room in the Health Wonk Review for some posts on medical ethics:

• Nuts for Healthcare looks at the pharma industry and concludes, “Doctors need to take a more definitive stand against the specter of industry influence. A good target? Industry sponsorship of continuing medical education.”


• Health Care Renewal is concerned that so-called government run programs are more private than we think. “The majority of Medicaid has been out-sourced to private health care insurance companies… We need to have some real discussions about the rise of corporatism in US health care, in other aspects of US society and around the world.”

And finally, a few odds and ends

• Workers’ Comp Insider provides resources for employers concerned about radiation exposure


• Colorado Health Insurance Insider chronicles the decline of bipartisanship in the creation of a health insurance exchange for that state. “Healthcare reform has become such a polarized topic that it’s difficult for lawmakers to have any stance other than for it or against it.  Even though the health insurance exchanges would be marketplaces that sell private health insurance, the word ‘exchange’ has been thrown around so much during the reform debates that many opponents of the PPACA see it as synonymous with ‘ObamaCare.’”


• Last week I went to a health care direct to consumer marketing conference to see former TimeWarner CEO Jerry Levin interviewed by OrganizedWisdom CEO Steve Krein. I also shared my thoughts in the video clip below

Thanks for reading the Health Wonk Review! The Incidental Economist hosts the next edition.

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HealthLawProf Blog: MRSA <b>News</b>

TrackBack. TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bfae553ef01538dd79809970b. Listed below are links to weblogs that reference MRSA News: ...

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Former ABC <b>News</b> President David Westin Announces Next Move - The <b>...</b>

He's named president and CEO of the News Licensing Group, launching this summer.

Roofing Contractors Vancouver - 5 Questions to Consider

Roofing Vancouver - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion like an expert opinion. Most contractors provides you with a totally free estimate. Get a list of a few trusted contractors and contact them well ahead of time of when you want to get your homes roof fixed to help you compare costs and opinions.

2. Beauty versus Practicality?

Discuss this with your spouse or partner. (The children could care less...at least the children.) Truth is, nobody wants an ugly roof just like nobody wants to be viewed with bed hair. If you've got a great quality roof and you simply have to do the repair, it's worth it to pay the cost of the original shingle rather than doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen frequently (hopefully!) and thus make a decision that best suits you and your family well or it'll stand out like a sore thumb everyday you decide to go home.

3. Must i replace the rooftop so I can sell the house for additional?

Consider this very carefully before making a decision. With respect to the roofing material you select, a new roof lasts anywhere from twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you have to check the year from the roof that's currently over your head first. Are you at year 18 of the 20-year warranted roof or year 30 of a 50-year warranted roof? Obviously, the quality is what makes the rooftop keep going longer, but when you're not likely to remain in your present home throughout your lifetime, the larger expense may not be worth your investment. Although a new roof can improve the worth of your value, the increase might not be enough to cover your investment and that's bound to hurt your wallet.

4. Could it be advisable for me to repair the rooftop myself?

Sure it is. Before you do, consult a specialist first. You can perform it yourself, however, you shouldn't be a complete ‘lone ranger.' Depending on the extent of your repair, you may or may not convince you. Either way, it will help to get a professional eye about the problem first and maybe a free quote to help you do the math later and see if it's truly worth your time, sweat, and money to become mister or miss fix-it.

5. Just when was a great time to find the roof replaced?

Weather may cause delays from days to weeks. Most people plan ahead to have their roof replaced in the summer when they have a friend will be home throughout the day for a solid fourteen days. Once you have this period in mind, create a call to some trusted contractor months ahead of time to get a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and odds are, they're the most reputable. Preparing in advance of the summer also provides you with time to discuss with many compare costs...especially if you want to possess the roof done by a specified date.

 

The Top Roofing Contractor In Vancouver!

Is there a leak in your home's roof? Perhaps you have lost shingles or tiles inside a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is your roof more than 20 years old and showing its age? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

If the answer to these questions is "Yes" it is time to call the top roofing contractor Vancouver - Crown Roofing & Drainage.

For more than a century Crown Roofing continues to be the roofer of choice among our Vancouver neighbors. We offer complete roofing services, from emergency repairs and roof restoration, to complete roof replacement. All while using finest quality materials, installed with precision and the highest level of customer service.

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES NO LESS!

The rooftop of the Vancouver home is the first line of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice along with other weather conditions. Make sure it is up to the job. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has got the depth of expertise and successful history to ensure your roofing system will be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

One reason Crown Roofing has been the most successful roofing contractor in Vancouver is our resolve for our neighbors. We treat your house as though it were our own and that we were creating a roof to protect our own family. That's what neighbors do, and you can count on Crown Roofing being here to aid you and back our work. After all, we've been repairing and replacing roofs in Vancouver since 1902!

GET A FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF YOUR Vancouver ROOF.

Go to the Roofers Vancouver for any FREE inspection and evaluation of your roof. Give you the best roof for the Vancouver home, in the best value. We build roofs to last!

 

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Help your house be Beautiful

Very few people understand the worth of a solid roof, your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofer does. From top notch experience, they will be able to let you know why you require a strong, secure, and leak-free roof on your home.

The local Tacoma Roofing company is well aware how important a financial investment your property is for you, especially since it is a lasting one. Your house might have been damaged slowly over the years and also you need to take steps to minimize this damage. For a number of people, keeping their house beautiful is also a few pride. You will find those too who'd prefer to turn their property right into a cost effective and efficient living place. Your homes roof is an integral part of your house and plays a role in each of the aspects mentioned previously. For this reason, you need to employ the expertise of qualified a Tacoma Roofing contractors.

Kinds of Roofs installed by a Tacoma Roofing company

One of the more common kinds of roofs are asphalt shingles, steel or metal sheeting, fiberglass, slate and terra cotta tiles.

Each type of roof invites distinct problems, however they can all be easily looked after by a trusted Tacoma Roofing company. It's imperative that you nip roof problems in the bud before they become too costly or dangerous. You can schedule an appointment using the Tacoma Roofer to take a glance at your roof to see if there are any issues or potential problems with it. If there are, they may be able to let you know how to approach them.

A Tacoma Roofing company Helps to Build Strong Homes

The exteriors of any house, primarily the rooftop and gutters, face the onslaught of bitter and varying climate conditions, every single day. Painting, repairing, and cleaning gutters may be necessary. In some cases you may have to replace them completely. Usually, whenever your gutters show signs of trouble, your roof also needs to be inspected for problems. Whatever issues there may be, an experienced Tacoma Roofing company can examine them in detail and suggest the remedy.

In case your gutters often clog all too often, or there are leaks along the walls of your home, it might mean that there is debris piled up on the roof. Loose branches, piles of leaves, and other light objects that are swept onto your roof during a storm can all contribute towards damaging your roof, and these damages can be lasting. An educated Tacoma Roofer will tell you that birds, mice, along with other kinds of rodents often build nest within the debris that collects on the roof. While these nests may look rather innocent, they're great at collecting moisture, be responsible for loose shingles, mold, and indoor leaks in your home. In addition, it may also cause vermin infestation. Following a storm, your Tacoma Roofing company will claim that you inspect your roof for just about any signs and symptoms of debris or damage.

Reverse Damages with the Help of a Tacoma Roofing contractor

However high quality the roof may be, it is going to wear out over time. You will find shingles that are known as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are just related to warranty made by the makers. They seldom last that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last a lot more than fifteen to twenty years. Within an area that is vulnerable to storms, shingles or the entire roof should get replaced every 10 years. Having a Tacoma Roofing company, the price is going to be less than what you believe.

If there you lose any shingles, or there's some harm to them, a Tacoma Roofing contractor can help you. Damaged shingles can lead to indoor leaks, since the substrate of the roof becomes subjected to the elements. Shingles which are loose or broken can slip off and pose a possible hazard to people standing below. Missing shingles produce a gap which allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to develop under the adjoining shingles, which creates a "domino effect" that affects other shingles and they become loose or broken. A comprehensive investigation will be produced by your local Tacoma Roofer, should you call them up with your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofing company come in a position to tell you what the smartest choice is perfect for your homes roof. If your roof is not in a good shape, it's advised you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofing company can take you through the different roofing options available for you that will fit your requirements and your budget.

Tacoma Roofing company: Enhancing your Home's Efficiency

Your homes roof shelters you against storms, sleet, and hail. By giving adequate ventilation, your homes roof protects your house from overheating, by holding within the heat, it keeps your house warm. That's why you need to prepare your roof from indoors in addition to outdoors for just about any kind of weather emergency. A professional Tacoma Roofer can offer help in this case.

First of all, inspect your homes roof thoroughly for any and all type of damage, before the beginning of the new season. The gutters should be clear, debris should not be piled on or trapped under shingles, there should be no homes of squirrels or birds within the eaves or attic, and the roof ought to be structurally sound. For that last part, you will need the help of your local Tacoma Roofing company. It can be quite dangerous to climb to the roof of your house. This is when the contractor from Tacoma Roofer is available in. He will read the strength and security of your roof and shingles, and do a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make sure that it's in proper working order. They will be able to point to problems that you have to keep close track of and problems you may not have spotted.

You'll need all the help you could possibly get in the Tacoma Roofing contractor. You can help your roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to help prevent debris from forming inside your gutters. The additional weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and can even tear them down. Check the fasteners in your gutters and when they're loose, tighten them. Take steps to change worn screws and brackets. For those who have a chimney in your house, inspect the bricks and mortar signs of wear. A reliable mason could be recommended because of your Tacoma Roofer, if there are any repairs to become done.

Tacoma Roofer: Someone You Can Count On
In the event that you realize or suspect that there's a problem, your Tacoma Roofing company should be contacted. They can use their knowledge and expertise to obtain your house in ace condition by simply focusing on the roof. Your homes roof deserves attention. So give them a call today, so that they can conclude working on your roof.

 

What is Distinction between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are getting a roofing company to re roof your house or building then you can be wondering what the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To start with, the main one huge difference is usually that times a commercial roofing company might have signed a contract with and be obligated to a roofing union in in a position to work on union commercial jobs.

If this sounds like the situation then their labor costs will prohibit them from working on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if a commercial roofing company has not signed an agreement having a union they may be outfitted just for commercial jobs which of course means their workers and equipment might not be in line with smaller residential jobs.

Residential roofing contractors generally often run smaller companies and hence, tend to be more capable of bid competitively on residential jobs, which tend to be smaller than comercial jobs. Actually, quite often residential roofing contractors will run one man operations, where the contractor that you talk to may be the one that actually does the job about the building.

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more expensive and a larger bond is required for a commercial roofing work which will make it not economical for a commercial roofing contractor to do residential roofing jobs.

Still an additional factor is the fact that commercial jobs can operate on a tighter time period for any number of reasons, requiring an industrial contractor to train on a larger crew or crews which again makes smaller jobs less profitable for them.

 

Distinction between Commercial Roofing and Residential Roofing

Did you know that the rooftop of the building has a huge impact on the whole structure itself? Damage caused to roofs because of natural or other disasters causes a considerable lack of property everywhere. The type of materials used to construct the rooftop that ought to be sturdy and long lasting, the way in which the roof continues to be installed and even its timely maintenance are very crucial. There's two kinds of roofs that are used on all of the buildings that we see around us: commercial and residential. Although it might seem that commercial roofing is performed just for businesses or offices and residential roofing is done for apartments and houses, the truth is the differences are much more complicated than that.

Residential roofing is generally completed by just one hired contractor but commercial roofing typically takes a whole team to complete the job. This is because an industrial roof tends to be larger in terms of square feet than the usual residential roof.
Commercial roofs need to be made carefully keeping the character and purpose of the building in mind. For example, if there is a restaurant within the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes will be required. Residential roofs tend not to have such components apart from a chimney or two at most.
Commercial roofs tends to be flat in design to support further changes at a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks and other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is a lot more expensive than residential roofing due to the special tools, materials and safety equipment which are needed onsite. Usually the patching or maintenance jobs are done in segments unlike for a residential roof where the repair or replacement work could be carried out a short time. This is another reason why the gear employed for residential roofs is often smaller and less expensive as well.
Commercial roof installations take a longer time to accomplish compared to residential roof installations and are usually constructed in large sections. In this phase however, it is important to make sure that there are no leakages, cracks or other visible wear and tear signs as it can cause considerable damage to the whole building.
You should install the right roof for a building depending on its purpose. Ensure that you hire a construction company that uses first class materials and it has the best equipment for the job or neglect the may turn to be considered a huge loss later.

 

Commercial Roofing Contractors: How to Find a Qualified Commercial Roofing Company

If a clients are seeking to have work done on its roof, you should work with commercial roofing contractors that have a keen knowledge of any special needs that the business might have. As an example, a roofing job is often disruptive for the operation of economic as always. Because of this, it might be essential for the company to become temporarily shut down, or for the roofing to occur after business hours have ended. A roofer that understands these needs can work plus a business in order to make certain these types of issues are minimized.

The first thing that a business must do when it's trying to find commercial roofing contractors is to discover who other businesses in the area will work through. Obviously, this article not be helpful if it comes as an indicator from competitors, but there are circumstances in which it is not too hard to locate these details from suppliers or retailers. Since roofing is not an industry-specific service, this post is readily available.

It is a wise decision for just about any business to obtain touching at least three commercial roofing contractors to make bids about the price. In this manner, the company can often get a better price. It is also important to make sure that each one of the roofing contractors is licensed and bonded. This information can be found by permitting touching the state contractor's board. This makes it possible to determine if there has been any claims filed against the company in the past.

When examining bids, it is only as important to look at what services are being offered and which products will be used as it is to look at the total cost. The prices can vary quite drastically, but as tempting as possible to go for the cheapest bid, this isn't always the best option. Oftentimes, more costs now will mean fewer costs over time due to a poor roofing job. To further investigate the quality of the job, it's a good idea to check using the Bbb to be able to find out if the company has been accredited, and when it's not, to at least see what its rating is.

 

Picking out a Commercial Roofing Contractor

When you are looking for a roofer for your commercial roofing project you have to find a contractor who understands the special needs of a commercial roofing project. For example it can be harder to work on a business during business hours so either the company needs to be shut down for that repair or replacement or the job has to be done after conventional business hours. Is the roofer you are thinking about for the job ready to operate around your schedule constrictions which might involve working weekends or evenings?

When you start your search for any roofer not only do you need to answer those questions however, you also want to find someone that will perform a top quality job with no great deal of time delays. Going about finding someone can feel like an obstacle in itself but there are some methods to make the search easier.

Ask friends and family for referrals and try to find at least three contractors to provide you with written bids on your job. Before you go any more you need to ensure that the contractors you are considering are fully licensed and bonded. An easy search using the state contractor's board will verify if your roofer is licensed and when you will find any past judgments or claims against their license.

Once you select 3 or 4 roofers to place bids, you need to get ready for that bids to become widely varied. Roofers may have brand preferences that will vary and may factor in more or less than the next guy for any labor estimate. The greater detailed an itemized bid may be the more helpful it will be for you to see in which the cost are going to be incurred. Don't, however, select a roofer based solely about the bid price. Any low ball bids may be tempting to take, but if they are low due to poor quality workman ship it might not be worthwhile in the end.

As they say, you generally get that which you pay for, if you are able to afford a mid-priced bid it's always smart to go up within your budget rather than down. You also should select your roofer depending on how professional they were and how comfortable you anticipate you'll be dealing with them.

Finally your cost will be different based on what type of roofing material you select as well as the cost to haul your old roof to the landfill. If you are looking for places to cut corners on your roof, instead of cutting labor cost you may want to inquire about metallic roof option. Metal roofs can be economical and energy efficient which makes them overall money savers for that long run, as well as on commercial buildings they can be really low maintenance. Plus since they can be placed on top of an existing roof, you don't need to possess the old one removed and hauled away, that make a big effect on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company in your local area, doesn't have to be a struggle. For more information, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net