As the medical community faces an increasing bevy of competitors to keep up with medical demands, uniqueness has become more necessary than ever. Next to lawyers, there isn't a more competitive industry than being a medical doctor, with competitors likely in the same building or even on the same block where your practice is. As such, you possibly fear you're canceling one another out because you all look the same to prospective patients. This only leads to patient frustration because they can't differentiate the various practices and determine best for them.
It's not impossible to distinguish yourself from everyone else. Astute inbound marketing tactics help you get found easier. However, you have determine what makes you different from other doctors in your field. It includes finding ways to narrow your practice down to a specific niche since generalizations in the medical community are as confusing as in law.
Beyond this, you need to understand how all of the above applies to inbound marketing or even what inbound marketing is. You've perhaps lacked expertise in this department for years and need to do something now if you're noticing a lack of new patients this year.
Defining Inbound Marketing For The Medical Community
The general definition of inbound marketing is creating and sharing content with prospects in order to grow your practice. As you might guess, it's done online through social media, email marketing and placing call-to-action buttons on your website to start with. Through these mediums, you create content that proves your worth, either through the written word or through more visual means.
Because we're living in a more visual culture, you may want to create a good portion of your content as videos, pictures, or infographics. This isn't to say all inbound marketing should focus on creative content. You need some focus on some technical aspects so people can find you easier while also helping you brand yourself as unique. White papers may be in order. Maybe one-page info sheets describing the eypes of patients you see and their ailments.
In the medical community, this kind of inbound marketing should focus partly on SEO as well as showcasing what you do behind the scenes.
The Creative Side Of SEO
Before you create any content for your medical practice, it's worth noting that long-tail keywords differentiate you as much as any content you create. You've possibly neglected how important long-tail keywords are in the realm of SEO. That's maybe because you've ignored SEO overall due to its complexity. Or, you've just focused on general keywords with the thought it's enough to get you ranked by search engines.
A long-tail keyword creates a longer phrase targeting your particular medical niche. It helps patients find you easier on Google while searching for something more medically specific.
It's in this instance where you need to focus on your own niche and incorporate it into content.
What Is Your Medical Niche?
Just like lawyers, it's important to zero in on one niche so you don't spread yourself too thin. By focusing on one medical practice area, it also helps your inbound marketing campaign become more detailed on a niche so content focuses on what you do.
Recent statistics show that concentration of experience is one of the most important factors patients search for in doctors. It's why your inbound marketing content should show behind-the-scenes footage of the medical practice area you focus on and why you're the best in the field.
You can place this video footage on your website, on social media, or in marketing email as your introductory way of showing what you do and how your procedures work. Everything you do online must be HIPAA compliant. Do what you can to show procedures you perform or highlight patient testimonials when appropriate. Showcase innovations in your practice area or standout techniques you use.
Contact us here at The Friedman Group, LLC and we'll help your medical practice stand out with specialized inbound marketing techniques guaranteed to grab attention and drive prospects to your website.
