Internet Marketing Strategies to Bring More Patients to the Dentist
Your online profile is one of the important elements of a successful business. This is especially true in the highly competitive dental market. Success is no longer just a function of the quality of service. If you are running a dental practice, you also need to devote time to building your brand and reputation, both in real life and on the Internet. A big part of what is generating traffic to you is your practice website and the social media profiles of your dental practice.
There are so many digital marketing techniques out there so it’s hard to know what to focus on. In this article, we are going to discuss creating an effective dental marketing strategy that is a combination of PPC, SMM, SEO, and content marketing to increase your local presence and build your practice.
Does my dental clinic actually need digital marketing services?
Dentists are very discreet about choosing a dentist unless there is an emergency. They are in no rush and take their time to research for a reliable dentist. They ask for referrals from their family and friends. Not to mention, they take the internet route in search of ‘best dentist near me‘ or “best dentist (location)“. Another effective way to search for a dentist is to search on various social media platforms as well as YouTube.
If you don’t have an effective digital marketing strategy, high Google search engine rankings, impressive social media presence, and a prominent website, your chances of getting user attention are negligible. This means that attracting new patients to your business is a difficult goal.
Here are some Effective Digital Marketing Strategies for your dentist clinic that will help you attract more patients to your clinic.
Research Your Competition
Shop blindly from your direct competitors. Check out their website, sign up for their email, see what their special offers are, and call their offices pretending to be potential patients. See what they do and how they do it, so you can do it better!
Establish Your Brand
Your brand is more than just a logo, although a professionally designed logo is definitely an aspect of it. Create a cohesive color scheme, voice, and message throughout your office, website and marketing materials. Your brand should convey the “feeling” about your practice. In what sense do you want your patients to connect with you?
Optimize Your Website for Search Engines
Did you know that 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and only 8.5% of people scroll to the first page of results? Get more visitors to your website with page titles and content that include the keywords your potential patients are looking for.
Invest in a Long Term SEO Strategy
SEO is a big part of connecting with patients seeking dental care. As we explained in our comprehensive Insider Guide to Local SEO for Dental Groups and DSOs, people find and choose their dentists online, ideally in their local area. And as we mentioned above, many dentists are finding new patients through local search experiences.
Optimize Your Google My Business Page
The Google My Business page is an important tool in the modern world of digital marketing. It’s free to have your Google My Business listing and let it act as a hub for all the information you want to tell potential patients about your dental practice, like location, office hours, reviews, and more. So many.
Follow these steps to optimize your Google My Business page:
- Update accurate business contact information
- Add beautiful photos that show what happens inside the clinic
- Capture video testimonials from happy patients (or staff) sharing their experiences in our practices
- Create rich details with a call-to-action (CTA)
- Add social media links like Facebook, Twitter LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Make the Most of Instagram
Instagram, the world’s most popular social network and photo-sharing app, can be an invaluable resource for dental practices. Medical professionals should use Instagram as another way to connect with patients. Try adding captions that speak directly to your patients and demonstrate your knowledge of the topic.
Review Management
Beyond the need to rank high in search results, maintaining a high level of confidence in your dental practice is essential. Your patients are more likely to read online reviews before making an appointment and this means you can’t neglect review management as part of your digital marketing plan.
Online Reputation Management
You need to be mindful of what past customers are saying or saying about your services. This is why positive reviews are important and this is where online reputation management comes in handy.
Most potential patients base their decision to schedule an appointment on a positive online reputation. Your online reputation is usually represented by reviews on Yelp, Google, and social media platforms.
Stay Consistent with Content Marketing
Digital marketing for dentists is complicated due to lack of content. You must have the right strategy to target a suitable audience, those strategies will bring you a lot of traffic. One of the reliable tools and strategies is to post good quality content on a regular basis.
Start Blogging
Running a successful dental business means creating content that will keep potential customers happy and coming back for more. Having a blog is not only trendy on the website, the content you include in your blog has the potential to increase traffic to your website.
Go All-In on Video Marketing
Above all, there is one fact you need to know to attract new patients – the video rule. Consumers can’t get enough video online. Thousands of hours a day are watched by dentists sharing their stories, and you’re missing out on this opportunity if you’re not making videos.
Conclusion
There are many different Marketing Strategies for Dental Practices that can help you stand out. Note that it’s important to be as creative and unique as possible. This way the patient will want to come back from time to time.
These were the most Effective Internet Dental Marketing Strategies for maximizing your practice in 2022. If you need any help creating a specific campaign, feel free to reach out! It’s never too late to start growing.