A doctor’s office must maintain a steady flow of new and returning patients to remain successful. While most doctors’ offices rely on word of mouth or local advertising to promote their facilities, there are also other modern approaches that are performed entirely online. This is known as digital marketing. Digital marketing for doctors provides a timely solution for those doctors who are seeking a steady stream of appointments from patients. This is because a digital approach meets prospective patients where they are—they are on the internet, searching for doctors and information regarding their specific medical conditions. Read on to learn more about how a doctor can strategically promote themselves online.
Website Design
Another important component of a digital promotional campaign is the strategic use of a website. When implementing a digital marketing strategy for doctors, a website should be one of the first steps that doctors implement when marketing their services. A well-designed website is the cornerstone of a doctor’s online presence. While most businesses realize that websites are important, many do not maximize the potential of their sites for a tangible return on investment. One ways to accomplish this is through search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the strategic use of keywords and phrases that help a website rank highly in search engine results as patients search for doctors in their area. SEO ensures that the right patients find the doctor’s office as they conduct research online. Today’s customers rely on the information they find on the internet to make very important decisions, including which doctor’s office they would like to visit. A strategically designed website that incorporates SEO puts the doctor on the right track to be found online and to be contacted by those who would like to schedule an appointment.
Social Media Marketing
One of the top ways in which a doctor can promote their services online is through social media. A social media presence on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are all excellent ways in which to connect with potential patients as well as share helpful information that patients are in need of. Today, billions of people rely on social media to stay connected to those in their networks, to stay abreast of news trends, as well as to catch up on helpful information posted by their favorite companies. This also includes following the medical practices they may be interested in for their medical concerns. A doctor can use social media as a marketing tool that fosters relationships with potential customers through helpful and consistent posts. This includes posting relevant information that positions the doctor as an expert in their field, as well as posting engaging content their customers interpret as thoughtful, helpful and solution-based.
Content Marketing
Another closely related promotional tactic is marketing through content. All businesses need good content no matter the promotional forum. Content is required for both traditional channels as well as online marketing channels. When marketing online, content can come in many forms including health tips blog posts, articles, website content, landing page content, social media posts, eBooks, white papers, graphics and videos just to name a few. There are so many possibilities to promote a doctor’s content online. The key to good content is to provide it with the customer’s needs in mind. Many contractors make the mistake of simply describing the benefits of their services. A better approach is to provide content that addresses the most pressing needs of the customer. This could include helpful how-to content or explainer content that goes into detail regarding certain renovation processes. This is the type of transparent information that customers will appreciate because it provides a solution to their most common problems and questions.
The best online promotions for a doctor’s services are those that are thoughtful, engaging and that precisely meet the needs of the customer. Online marketing can increase the number of leads a doctor’s office obtains and it can also help to convert those leads into patients if implemented correctly. For doctors who want to translate the benefits of their services into marketing material that patients trust and understand, a well-designed website, engaging social media posts and stellar content are all at the top of the list for a successful internet-based marketing campaign.
To learn more on how to promote a doctor online contact a team of digital marketing specialists today who can help to create a digital marketing strategy that produces huge results.