5 Steps to Better Digital Marketing

Posted on by ASCENT: Administrator Support Community for ENT

Primary care providers and other health care entities are increasingly turning to digital marketing in order to create a strong online reputation. Doing so is not without its share of challenges, most notably, overcoming the limitations of an intrinsically small audience and expanding your reach. This emphasizes the need for targeted niche marketing; fortunately, digital marketing offers unique opportunities that can help you achieve success. 

Strategies for Digital Marketing Success

There are five essential strategies you can employ to make your digital marketing efforts a success. They are:

  1. Create a great website. When looking for a primary care provider, 80 percent of potential patients will check out a practice’s website for information. The world of health care is far less emotionally driven than other markets, meaning those consumers are going to be looking for comprehensive information on your practice and services. The more helpful information you can provide, the better. Make sure to discuss your practice’s philosophy (a mission statement is a great place to start!), talk about all the services you provide, and what sets you apart from the competition. Testimonials and case studies are an excellent way to establish credibility; when it comes to choosing a provider, feedback from other patients is especially helpful. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and mobile-friendly, as well.
  2. Content is king. Informative, engaging, well-written content is crucial. One great way to establish a solid knowledge library is through regular blog posts addressing a wide variety of topics important to your target audience. Other successful marketing “hooks” built around strong content include videos, targeted email marketing campaigns, and interactive tools such as quizzes and polls for lead generation. Ironically, text-heavy content is less popular; one need only look at the popularity of Instagram to understand the popularity of images. Be sure to break up large blocks of text with pictures, charts, and graphs.
  3. Employ Search Engine Optimization to gain visibility. In order to land more patients, you’ll need to make sure they can find your practice. While a large and flashy billboard along the highway might be effective, it’s tacky and costs a lot of money; instead, aim for online visibility by mastering SEO. High search engine rankings are crucial in driving organic traffic to your website and helping you stand out from the competition in a crowded marketplace.
  4. Spread your advertising dollars across relevant platforms. Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket, diversify your advertising across multiple channels. Make sure the platforms you choose are relevant to your practice and target the audience you are seeking. With more than two dozen digital advertising platforms available, you’ll have to figure out the most effective mix for your practice. Doing so might take a little trial and error, but will pay off in high quality, lower-cost leads.
  5. Don’t overlook traditional marketing efforts. As important as your digital marketing efforts are, don’t shy away from mixing things up via traditional marketing channels, as well. Integrating both so they support one another will help in your relationship-building efforts, crucial to keeping your patients coming back again and again. For example, you might choose to attend a conference and advertise this digitally, through a blog post or newsletter article.