Boost Your Practice’s Online Marketing Presence

Take advantage of four Internet strategies that will help drive today’s Internet users to your practice.

Angela Zade, Las Vegas, NV

Meet Frank, a typical baby boomer nearing retirement. He lives in your community, works as an accountant and often wears pleated slacks and turtlenecks under sweaters. Frank sees the glass half full—that is, until his vision begins to change. Now, for the first time in years, Frank decides it’s time to visit an eye doctor.

He saddles up to his computer and types “eye doctors in (your community)” into the Google search bar. Google, which dominates the market with 88.8% of all searches, returns a listing of the top sites that match Frank’s search.

In order to perform competitively, your practice must prioritize its online presence alongside traditional marketing and advertising strategies. Pew Research Center reported that 77.1% of Internet users consult the Internet for health-care information. In short, your online presence will often determine whether Frank ultimately calls for an appointment.

Frank dismisses anything that looks “spammy,” such as the paid advertisements in the pink, shaded section of the page. Searchers largely favor organic results instead of paid advertisements by a margin of 94% to 6%. In fact, the top three links on page one comprise that 94%.

The following online strategies govern how often (quantity) and how authentically (quality) your Web site appears online:

· Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

· Search Engine Marketing

· Social Media

· Reputation Management

Improve these areas and you will increase your practice’s chances of landing in one of those top three search spots.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of improving the visibility of your Web site in a search engine’s unpaid search results. To begin SEO, do your research: See where your practice ranks by running your practice name through Google. Make it your priority to rank on page one of the search results.

To improve your ranking, make a list of relevant keywords and phrases your practice should target. Next, add synonyms and permutations of those words and phrases. For example, if you represent an ophthalmology practice, consider adding the synonym “eye doctor” to your list of keywords. Develop your list from your patients’ perspective.

Next, include these keywords in the copy that appears on your site. In addition, ask your Web site provider how it can improve SEO by optimizing the “back end” Web site features it manages, including site structure, content organization, naming conventions, URLs, images, video, metadata, linking, navigation and site map. High-volume and niche keywords, content on the front end (what Frank reads) and the back end (what Google reads) of your Web site function as bait for your site’s searchability. SEO requires patience, but pays off with long-term, valuable visibility online.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

SEM refers to paid advertising, like Google Adwords, that appear in search results. Often referred to as pay-per-click (PPC), their pricing model is attractive. SEM delivers faster keyword results over a limited period of time. Remember, though, Internet users are less likely to click on PPCs than organic links by a hefty margin. Celebrate a click-through rate above 1%.

Despite low click-through percentages, paid advertisements do promote your practice’s exposure online. Also, the likelihood of an Internet user who will click a PPC increases with age. Women over the age of 55 are likeliest to make a dent in that 1% of click-throughs.

Social Media

Use social media to accumulate followers and fans, as well as to disseminate information on eye health, surgical procedures, fun facts, patient testimonials, promotions, or other announcements. For example, if you have self-evaluation tests on your Web site, cross-promote them on your Facebook page with a caption like, “Are you a LASIK candidate? Find out here.” When visitors click “here,” it redirects them to your site, boosting traffic.

Promote financial options, such as “Did you know you can have LASIK at 0% financing?” This again routes patients back to your site for information. Make your page relevant to your audience. What might attract Frank’s attention on his Facebook newsfeed?

The key to effective social media is having someone within your practice manage it consistently, primarily by posting new content on a regular basis.

Reputation Management

Five-star reviews can be compelling to a potential patient. By the same token, zero stars and negative experiences are equally persuasive. With 85% of consumers basing their buying decisions on Internet research—14% of whom report using online reviews exclusively for medical services—managing your reputation online is critical.

Persuade satisfied patients to write online reviews. Dispute negative reviews professionally. You might hire a third-party or launch in-house campaigns to drive patient engagement. Don’t try to game the system by using third-party firms to write reviews.

Frank’s Decision

There are many uncontrollable factors online. Algorithmic experiments continually alter the layout of a results page. But the fundamentals of marketing do not change: Know your audience, consider the size of your practice and your budget.

When managed well, online strategies yield visibility to the widest pool of potential patients in your local market. This way, Frank will find you on the Internet. OP