We often hear that it is a difficult challenge for physicians to put on their business hat and actively market to their (potential) client base. And with so much competition out there, even savvy marketers can struggle to grow a medical practice.
5 Social Media and Search Engine Optimization Tactics
When used effectively, online marketing can really help to drive new business to your practice and build a good reputation. Be prepared to spend the time and you will reap the rewards. So how to get started?
- First, have a professional web site and Facebook page created that are linked to each other.
- Interact with your visitors. Find a fun and authentic way to use your website and Facebook page. For instance, you could ask a weekly question pertaining to your field of medicine and award a small prize to one or two people who answered correctly.
- Frequently update the blog on your website with objective articles that are not self-serving. Try to have your articles published on other relevant blogs as well (make sure they link back to your website – this is crucial for search engine rankings). Be sure to ask all your patients for their email address, so you can keep them informed about the articles you are writing. Remember, this is not spam, because your articles are objective and can benefit your patients. So don’t feel bad about reaching out to your patients through email.
- Write an eBook or white paper. This is typically a longer publication spanning anywhere from 3 to 30 pages or even more. Following the same recipe, be sure to include useful information for your patients. You can even ask your staff to contribute.
- Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The term Local SEO refers to a type of online marketing that helps increase traffic to your website using keywords that relate to your location. Local SEO works best for businesses that have a physical location, making it a great way to promote your medical practice. A particularly important aspect of local SEO is reviews of your practice on web sites such as Zocdoc, Yelp, Citysearch, and Google+. Claim your listings, make sure all information is correct, and ask your patients to write reviews. Freebies or discounts are typically nice incentives for your patients to go online and leave their feedback. Don’t worry if there are one or two bad reviews as long as there are a larger number of positive reviews. The negative ones will lend credibility to the positive ones.
