To achieve a competitive advantage for their practices in 2019, dentists need to rely on digital marketing strategies now more than ever. With the advancements in communication technologies during the last decade, consumers have more knowledge at their disposal than they ever have.
Patients used to rely on the advice and experiences of family members and friends for choosing their dentist. But most of today’s patients tend to search for relevant information online before selecting a dentist.
With this paradigm shift in access to information for potential patients, the marketing strategies of dentists cannot remain the same. If you want to succeed, you should pay attention to your digital promotion activity, which is very important when it comes to attracting patients.
Digital marketing analysts see dental services as a key sector for business growth, and there’s a good reason for this. Until a few years ago, patients did not pay much attention to online reviews, SEO, or video testimonials. But today your online reputation and overall digital presence are of prime importance to the success of your practice.
When it comes to health-related issues, people often rely on the opinions and experiences of other patients. Testimonials and online reviews and ratings of past and present patients enjoy immense credibility among potential patients who are choosing between two or more dentists.
Keeping the importance of online marketing in mind, we’ve put together a list of things that you should understand while planning out your dental marketing strategy.
Yelp reviews
Review websites are particularly relevant to patients when they’re making a decision about doctor selection, and the most popular review site is Yelp. All dentists should ideally register their practices on Yelp, and then encourage their patients to post reviews. Yelp is a user-friendly and trusted website that allows users to find doctors near them while applying filters such as location, price, ranking, rating, and more.
Through the star rating system, potential patients can view the experiences of present patients in an easy-to-understand manner. Yelp has emerged as a dominant source of opinionated information for patients, and it’s here to stay. Dentists looking to expand their marketing outreach in 2019 should actively use Yelp.
Holistic dental care
The health-care sector has been striving hard to put consumer experience at the forefront. Dentists now recognize that patient needs are different. For many patients, holistic dental care, which is natural and biological dentistry, is very important.
This shift has been particularly marked among millennials. As the millennials are expanding their footprint to various industries, businesses are introducing changes to their philosophy and outlook. Today, people are increasingly taking to natural remedies due to concerns such as climate change, anti-microbial resistance, and more.
The rising popularity of natural remedies also presents dentists with opportunities. A dentist may choose to promote his or her practice as a supporter of healthy lifestyles and holistic dental solutions. Dentists who are unaware of these trends or those who have not yet embraced them might lose a certain segment of clients. A growing number of market experts believe that many of today’s patients take positions on the ingredients involved in their treatment.
Patients are using their own judgment
People used to visit dentists for all of their oral health needs. The dentist was the only solution, and there was a general lack of other sources of health-care awareness and information.
Now, however, there are some very useful websites, online dental magazines, blogs, and forums that are easily accessible to patients and provide useful dental information. With the proliferation of this information, people may choose to try to take care of an issue themselves.
If you know how to properly market yourself to appeal to these internet and Google savvy audiences, this trend could be a boon for your business. On the other hand, it’s also clear this trend could be unhealthy if it becomes excessive. Some patients may only spend time on websites instead of actually going to the doctor.
Despite all the advancements in information technology, no technology in health care can replace a face-to-face meeting with a dentist. Patients should not rely on the information gathered from the internet and should instead trust the experts in dentistry.
Naren Arulrajah is president and CEO of Ekwa Marketing, a complete internet marketing company that focuses on SEO, social media, marketing education, and the online reputations of dentists. With a team of more than 180 marketers, Ekwa helps dentists who know where they want to go, get there by dominating their market, and growing their business significantly year after year. If you have questions about marketing your practice online, call (855) 598-3320 to speak with Mr. Arulrajah.
