How to Attract More Dental Patients: 5 Problems to Fix
More than half (64%) of US adults aged 18 and older visited a dental office in 2016, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This number...
More than half (64%) of US adults aged 18 and older visited a dental office in 2016, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This number rises to 84.6% for children ages two to 17. Clearly, the demand for dentists is strong. But, if you’re having trouble attracting new patients, your online presence could be to blame. Here are some reasons why your current dentistry marketing tactics may be falling short.
1. Your online footprint is too SMALL!
Once upon a time, people consulted the Yellow Pages when searching for a dentist, but online directories have since taken over. If profile information for your practice is incomplete on popular directories, this is hindering the ability of the new patients to find you. Local citations (i.e., any online listing of the name, address, and phone number of your practice) can have a positive or negative effect on local search engine rankings. The number of citations, accuracy of data, and quality of platforms on which the information is listed impacts rankings. Accurate citations help patients find and contact your practice, whereas inaccurate citations confuse search engines and negatively affect your rankings. If claiming and optimizing your practice and provider profiles isn’t part of your current dentist marketing plan, it’s time to change that. Your approach should include Google and other search engines, maps, and key health-care and local directories. https://dentalreach.today/dental-marketing-strategies-for-dentists-a-practical-growth-guide/
2. Your dental website is not OPTIMIZED!
#1: Not on 1st page of search results
Google and other search engines like Bing, Baidu and Yandex are where most people turn to when looking for information. On a global scale, Google is the most commonly used search platform with a market share of 92%. According to research, 75% of people never go past the first page results on Google. Moreover, the first couple of results get most of the clicks. Also, note that most likely patients will use phrases like “best dentist in my area”, “teeth whitening in my town”, etc. Only a very small fraction will look up for your practice specifically by name. https://dentalreach.today/dental-marketing-strategies-for-dentists-a-practical-growth-guide/ If your website is new, it is possible that it is not indexed by Google yet. You can check if your website is in Google’s database easily by typing “site:mydentalclinic.com”. Here is an example of what you will see for non-indexed pages: More than one-quarter (27%) of consumers searched online for a local business every day in 2018, according to Bright-Local. To be found, you need an optimized practice website. If your dental marketing approach doesn’t include an SEO for dentists strategy for your website, it’s time to change that. Here are a few steps to creating an optimized website:
Conduct keyword research.
Use the primary keyword in the page title, URL, and meta description.
Publish unique, quality content.
Use internal links on each page of your site.
Make sure your website loads quickly.
3. You need those REVIEWS!
Most (86%) consumers read reviews for local businesses, according to Bright - Local. Therefore, your dental marketing plan must include gathering patient reviews. Not only will online reviews assure new patients that your practice provides quality care, these can also boost your search rankings. In fact, Google has stated that high-quality, positive customer reviews will improve your visibility of your business. To gather more online feedback, distribute post-visit patient satisfaction surveys. According to Patient-Pop research, fewer than half of dentists and other health-care providers ask their patients for feedback. If this includes your practice, note that 70% of people who are asked to leave reviews go online to do so, according to Bright - Local. All you have to do is ask. https://dentalreach.today/selling-without-selling/
4. You’re not active on SOCIAL MEDIA!
Most (79%) of the US population uses some form of social media, according to Statista. If your dental practice isn’t on social media or you don’t maintain an active presence, this is keeping new patients from finding you. Since Google’s algorithm is kept under lock and key, the amount of influence social media has on SEO is unknown. However, it can play a role in several indirect ways. This includes linking potential, raising brand awareness, and promoting your business. Create a robust social media presence for your practice by completing your profiles and publishing original posts on a regular basis. Maximize your reach by offering a mix of organic and sponsored content.
5.Your dentistry marketing strategy does not include BLOGGING!
Blogging positions your site as providing relevant answers to customers' questions, thus enhancing SEO quality. Blog posts written for SEO can bring more opportunities to rank in search engines. Despite the fact that blogging can bring new patients into your practice, there’s a good chance it’s not part of your dental marketing plan. If so, you’re not alone. Nearly half of participants in a survey revealed they weren’t currently blogging. Most (40.3%) blamed this on not having enough time to create content, followed by 35.1% who said they don’t have enough ideas for fresh, regular posts. If you’re having trouble figuring out what to write about, use these best practices to get started.
Write about specific services you offer.
Tailor content to meet the needs of local patients.
Answer patients’ frequently asked questions.
Post new content on a consistent basis.
A dental marketing strategy aimed at growth makes your practice easy for new patients to find online. This will put your practice on the map and help fill your waiting room. These tips are just the beginning of ways we can help you improve your dental practice. Author’s contact details - For more info contact me on rockson@dentalreach.co Join our FB group: Click here https://dentalreach.today/100-dental-social-media-post-ideas-for-dentists-and-clinics/
Bonus!
Impress Your Patients with These Fun Teeth Facts!
38.5 days = the total amount of time you’ll spend brushing your teeth throughout your life (mirror.co.uk).
5,300 gallons = approximately the amount of saliva you produce in a lifetime (mirror.co.uk).
1855 was the year that the first woman in America, Emeline Roberts Jones, received a dental degree (cwhf.org).
The very first toothbrush with bristles (made from hog, horse, and badger hair) was made in China around 1498 (loc.gov).
1882 was the year that the first commercial dental floss was produced (theguardian.com).
Tooth enamel is the strongest material in your body. (sciencedirect.com).
39% of males report never flossing while only 27% of females say so (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
61% of Americans admit to cleaning between their teeth with their fingernails (ada.org).
40% use cards or folded paper to clean between their teeth (ada.org).
21% have used cutlery like forks to remove food and plaque from between teeth (ada.org).
21% say they use safety pins or strands of hair to floss (ada.org).
63% of those who admit to flossing in creative ways say that they knew doing so was dangerous (ada.org).
3 out of 4 Americans aren’t regularly changing out their toothbrush (adha.org).
Diagnose the patient-acquisition pathway
Audit local discovery, clinician trust, service information, booking response and retention. Record the source of every qualified enquiry and the percentage becoming attended appointments.
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Dr. Rockson Samuel is a dental surgeon, healthcare content strategist, and Founder and Chief Dentist of Indira Dental Clinic in Vellore, Tamil Nadu. He provides comprehensive general and family dental care with professional interests in endodontics, implant dentistry, clear aligner therapy, digital dentistry, preventive care and patient education. A graduate of K.G.F. College of Dental Sciences and Hospital under Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, he also has formal training in management and digital marketing. As Community Leader at DentalReach, he contributes to dental publishing, professional education, international media partnerships and the development of evidence-informed resources for dentists.
