Upgrading Your Marketing Strategy for a Wider Reach

In the past, effective dental practice marketing was all about designing and sending the right print materials or paying for expensive radio or television commercial spots. While these techniques still work, other marketing methods have emerged that allow for enhanced targeting and a wider reach. These key strategies include digital marketing, social media, and search engine optimization.

It’s important for every dental practice owner to understand and use these modern marketing techniques. They help you better understand your audience and make it easier to market to them in their preferred channels with the content that resonates most. 

Here are 3 modern marketing techniques you can start implementing today to get more leads and grow your practice.

1. Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is a term that incorporates a variety of specific methods, including:

• Paid Google ad campaigns
• Email newsletters and marketing
• Online review sites, such as Yelp

Digital marketing for dentists is crucial because it helps practices reach a larger yet more targeted audience. When you purchase an ad on television or radio, you only have a small window of opportunity to reach locals who happen to be listening or watching at that time. 

On the other hand, digital marketing works around the clock, showing your ads, newsletters, and other marketing material to people who are looking for your services.

Consequently, it’s important to maintain a professional and engaging online presence at all times. This helps you build trust with your audience so that they’ll look to you as an expert on dental care. It’s this trustworthiness that will help you convert leads into patients who will walk through your practice doors.

2. Social Media Marketing

According to research, 42% of patients indicated that they were likely to share positive reviews of a health care provider on social media — and 41% indicated that information found via social media would influence their decision to choose a specific doctor. 

These days, how your practice appears on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube can make a huge difference in how potential patients perceive your business and your expertise. You can share advertisements and special deals on specific treatments on these pages, but don’t forget to also provide patients with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about care.

It’s essential to ensure that your social media content is engaging. Consider offering patient testimonial videos and before and after photos to showcase your work and build trust with prospective patients. 

Additionally, consider sharing bite-size dental health tips. This can position you as an expert in the field and make you a go-to source of information on how to keep your oral health intact.

3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Ranking high in organic search through search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the primary ways that practice owners gain visibility and build authority with their target audiences. The higher you rank for relevant keywords, the more likely you are to get more traffic than your competitors.

However, it’s important to realize a few things about SEO before you start using it as a marketing method:

• It has multiple moving parts both on and off your site.
• It requires a long-term commitment and doesn’t produce instant results.
• It produces more enduring results than paid advertising. 

Google’s main goal is to satisfy users and help them find answers to their queries, so it’s crucial to ensure that you are also delivering quality content. The search engine considers content that demonstrates firsthand experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness to be of high quality.

Additionally, the importance of local SEO cannot be overstated. Steps to maximize this aspect include:

• Claiming, verifying, and filling out your Google Business Profile
• Getting relevant citations from popular directories
• Managing and responding to your online reviews
• Targeting local keywords

These tactics help to ensure your practice appears in local searches when potential patients are looking for a dental professional.

Leverage modern dental practice marketing to boost your reach.

Modern marketing techniques are vital for today’s dental practices, as they can play a significant role in increasing your patient base and standing out from the competition. Digital marketing can help practices reach a large targeted audience, while social media tactics help potential patients interact with your practice. SEO can aid you in building long-lasting authority and visibility in your local area.

If you’re looking for more ways to rise above the competition, consider adding orthodontic treatments to your menu of services. The American Orthodontic Society offers courses for professionals of all levels to learn how to perform these services and integrate them into the practice. When you’re ready to announce your new services via the modern marketing methods you’ve learned, our courses will ensure you have the skills needed to deliver excellent orthodontic treatment to each patient. Browse our extensive course catalog today.