As part of an effective marketing plan, doctors need a strong online presence. Medicine is considered a “noble profession,” and as a result, not a lot of doctors realize how important it is to market their medical practice. Without digital marketing, how else are you going to let people know about your practice? How else can you inform them about the medical services you offer? Are you relying on word-of-mouth referrals to attract new patients? If so, it’s important to know that social media is today’s version of word-of-mouth.
Whether you’re a plastic surgeon who has a high-end clientele, or a general physician who offers discounted medical services, you need to let potential patients know who you are, where you’re located and why you are the doctor patients need to see.
For this, you need to start with a patient-oriented website. If you add a blog and social media pages which are being constantly updated, you’ll find you have a lot more traffic and engagement, which can turn into new patients.
Outbound Marketing vs. Inbound Marketing For Doctors and Medical Practices
Depending on your needs, you might want to incorporate a combination of outbound and inbound marketing strategies or just inbound marketing strategies, which are low-key but very effective.
- Outbound Marketing: Advertisements in newspapers and magazines, advertisements on TV or on websites, and email marketing are examples of outbound marketing. However, many doctors and medical practices prefer not to be too aggressive in their marketing. Plastering your name everywhere might have the opposite effect than you intended.
- Inbound Marketing: As an alternative, inbound marketing gives you the opportunity to market your services to new patients but still maintain a low profile. Rather than aggressively reaching out, you let new patients come to you. This happens after you share an eBook, information sheet, office brochure or other valuable information with prospective patients.
- Website, Blog and Social Media Pages: Typically, when a patient receives a referral from a friend, family member, co-worker, or other health care provider, they perform a Google search. When new patients do this, at the very least, they ought to be able to easily find your website, and preferably blog and social media pages for your practice, too. A strong LinkedIn profile will always appear in the top 3-5 Google search results. Together, an appealing website, a blog, and social media accounts make up a solid digital marketing campaign, especially if they’re constantly being updated.
How To Keep Your Online Presence Welcoming, Reassuring And Professional
When new patients visit your website, they’re looking for a respected doctor, someone well-known in the field. In order to convince new patients you meet this criteria, make sure your website has a quiet and inviting look. Also include testimonials (that can be easily found) from consenting patients. Don’t forget about HIPAA compliance here.
- Welcoming, Yet Professional: It’s not a good idea to have websites which are too loud, garish or busy because this is the number one thing that will turn people off when they’re looking for a doctor or medical practice. Instead, stick to neutral blues and grays with a few added pops of color. Present yourself and your practice in a welcoming yet professional way.
- Reassuring and Encouraging: New patients also are often looking for a doctor who has a good bedside manner. Patients want to be told everything will be ok. Or, they prefer to hear bad news from a doctor who is empathetic. Let patients know you and your assistants care about what’s going to happen to them. Not only will you provide them with the best level of medical care available, you’ll also do so with warmth and compassion. Most new patients are already nervous about going to a doctor. Welcoming people to your practice as soon as they visit your website or social media pages can help ensure that they’ll become new patients.
- Truthful: In all of your digital marketing, you don’t have to say anything untruthful or minimize problems that might be serious. However, a friendly tone and writing style can make people feel more comfortable, which will make them more likely to call your office and become new patients.
We assist doctors in developing an effective inbound marketing strategy. Starting with a review of your current marketing plan, along with a complete audit of your online presence and competitive analysis, we will update your website, blog and social media pages, as necessary. Our goal is to help you be seen, be safe (think HIPAA compliance) and be relevant.
For more information about inbound marketing tips for medical practices, or to schedule your free digital marketing consultation, please call 720.248.8185, e-mail info@friedmansocialmedia.com, or click here.
Please note: The Friedman Group is an inbound marketing agency based in Denver, Colorado, and we work with professionals and business owners across the U.S. Our digital marketing services include: inbound marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, and digital marketing strategy and implementation.
