The idea of dentist marketing has evolved thanks to the digital consumer. Small and large practices alike need to stand out online in different ways to not just attract new business; but to also ensure that the competition always plays catch-up. The process sounds daunting, but it’s actually easy to accomplish, especially when powerful reputation management software is used. Specifically, your dentist marketing plan needs to consist of 3 main tactics:
- Optimize online listings
- Use patient reviews for promotions
- Keep an eye on the competition
Dentist Marketing Tactic 1: Optimize Online Listings
It goes without saying, but local listing management is crucial to getting noticed by the consumer. Skipping out on building a Google My Business listing or relevant directories can mean missing out on a significant portion of people who could potentially be loyal patients in the future.
Wrong or outdated information, whether it be operating hours or even the URL to your website, can send the wrong signals to people, and it can be the beginning of negative sentiment towards your brand that puts it out of the running. By ensuring that the information on your listings is correct and updated, you reduce the friction for the consumer by providing the right details to assist their informed purchase decision.
You can also look into local SEO software to fully maximize the potential of your listings. With the right keywords sprinkled on your digital footprint, the brand can easily be recognized, and hopefully become synonymous with dentistry in your local area.
Dentist Marketing Tactic 2: Use Patient Reviews as Marketing Tools
People are more easily convinced of a product or service when they’re told about it by a friend or family member. Patient reviews for your practice work in that same vein; consumers trust the word of someone who had a genuine experience rather than hear about it from the brand itself. Your reviews serve as highly valuable marketing collateral, which you can use to better attract customers.
To effectively showcase reviews and use them as marketing tools, use something like Amplify, which can showcase your reviews on a specific page or as a widget that you can implement on high traffic areas of your site.
Dentist Marketing Tactic 3: Monitor Your Competition
One of the best places to find marketing ideas is your own competition. Local rivals might be doing something different than you and it’s effective in attracting and retaining patients. Conducting meaningful competitor analysis can reveal valuable insights, such as overall patient sentiment and what keywords are most commonly used in their feedback.
This data can be used not only to help your practice stand out; it can also be used to improve your own patient experience. Consumers are looking at dental reviews and listings online before deciding on a provider, and those pieces of information can help create an expectation when it comes to the experience. Looking at competitors and capitalizing on their weaknesses while also making your dental group unique from others can help surpass patient expectations and make them loyal customers.
Conclusion
With these tactics in mind, you can get your dentist marketing strategy off to a strong start. Coupling your marketing efforts with reputation management software is a powerful combination that attracts and retains patients while building a strong online reputation that puts you above the competition.