Like many occupants of the marketing world, we were struck by a recent leaked report about the state of the New York Times. As many loyal readers were clued in to with 2011’s introduction of an online paywall, the Times has struggled to remain relevant in a landscape of immediately-available, individual-specific web content. Sites like the Huffington Post and Buzzfeed excel in this arena – but they do so with far less well-crafted content, prioritizing .gif lists and celebrity gossip that is engineered to attract clicks. In order to engage readers, your content needs to strike a fine line between the Times’ more challenging offerings, and Buzzfeed/HuffPo’s blatant pandering to the denizens of the web.

This is true for all content creators, including your own healthcare practice. Taking a measured approach to content marketing is key. Don’t just educate – entertain. Your patients, both prospective and current, will take notice, and respond positively.

Hold on; what’s content marketing?

Content marketing is a brainchild borne of necessity, and shaped by Google’s ever-changing SEO preferences. The choices the search engine giant makes with regard to which content and pages “matter” on the web have changed the way Internet advertising functions. Long gone are the days of pop up ads, spammy pages, and meta keyword exploitation. What matters now are well-written, appealing, and valuable pieces of content. Google appreciates creators who make the web a better place, and it boosts their websites’ rankings in response.

In short, content marketing is drawing in new clients/patients/customers with the aid of compelling content. This can mean information about your practice, newsworthy blog posts, or case studies: whatever works for you. The important part is that the content gets made, gets out there, and gets seen. We can help with all three parts of that content equation.

Making Your Website’s Content Stand Out

What patients (and search engines) really value is content that speaks to your specific practice. Getting detailed and getting personal is just more interesting than writing about vague, industry-wide topics. For this reason, it’s vital that you play a role in your website’s content creation. If you’re writing pages or blog posts yourself, pack in plenty of details about what the office is up to, recent cases, and even information about staff members. If you have a content developer, share updates on office news, specials, and unique cases. The more applicable to your practice the content, the better patients will respond.

In addition to crafting excellent content, you need to show patients that content is something they’ll benefit from consuming. These days, that means sharing on social media. This is where the “entertain” portion of content marketing often comes in. Frame the content in a way that’s going to get patients clicking on the link, and learning more about your practice. Social media is an incredible outlet for all kinds of content sharing – it doesn’t even necessarily have to be written (Facebook users often prefer educational content that’s either heavy with or contained within images).

What Your Patients Want from a Dental Website

In order to create the ideal patient experience, you’ll need to take a step back and decide exactly what it is that your patients want. It’s possible to build content that accomplishes what you want (bringing in new patients) by giving site visitors what they want (an informative but entertaining time spent on your site). Ready to unlock your practice website’s full potential? Get in touch with Doctor Web Solution for a complimentary website evaluation. We’ll help you find the best place to get started.

It can be difficult to focus on both the present and future. But if you don’t have goals in place, how can you know what to work toward? This is true in every area of life, but especially pertinent when applied to your actions on the Web. Since the Internet’s landscape is constantly evolving, you need to be aware of what’s going on today and what could come tomorrow. Your web marketing efforts need to address both of these realities.

How can you predict the future? By putting safe, smart practices in place that will pay off over time. With today’s post, we’ll address some ways to boost your website’s ROI – today and tomorrow.

Short-Term Marketing Practices for Immediate Results

Sometimes, you need to get the word out ASAP. This is especially true when you’re running a practice special or trying to promote a specific, limited-time offer. In this case, there are ways to appeal directly to patients, and to dictate the message you send. Some short-term marketing efforts include:

• Google PPC ads – You probably know that Google is the king of the search engines. If you don’t: it’s overwhelmingly the most-used engine, and it determines whether your site will be placed high in rankings or left in the dust. With Google ads, you’re able to set up a PPC (Pay Per Click) campaign for specific keywords. These ads are listed at the top of and alongside search engine results, and you’re only responsible for payment correlated to the number of clicks your ad receives. That’s the kind of advertising that you can really control.
• Facebook ads – Facebook offers ad services similar to Google’s, but with added targeting options. Since users readily give Facebook detailed information about their interests, preferences, and demographics, that information is at your disposal when advertising. You can choose the types of potential patients you want to show your ads – and put a cap on the cost to prevent big spending.
• Social media posting – Want a great way to reach patients without opening your wallet? Turn to social media. Posting photos, blurbs, and links to great content on your Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ pages will grab attention and get patients thinking about your practice. It’s also a perfect way to advertise promotions.

Longer-Term Marketing for Gradual Payoff

While of-the-moment marketing is all well and good, you absolutely must focus on caring for your long-term web presence. This means working to get your website high in the search engine rankings. The higher it is in lists of results for different keywords, the better chance you have at snagging new patients. But improving your rankings takes some solid, long-running work. It takes time for search engines to notice what your site is up to – and to respond positively.

In order to see your site through to a bright future, consider engaging in:

• SEO – Listing “SEO” is a little redundant, as search engine optimization is the larger definition for each of these practices. But it’s something that you need to maintain as a constant focus. In order to boost your SEO efforts, make sure to work on:
• Content production – Creating fresh content for your site, whether it’s in the form of local pages, blog posts, news, or service pages, is key. This shows patients and search engines alike that you’re staying current.
• Building links – The more links on high-quality websites lead to your own site, the better you’ll do in search engine rankings.

Get Help Marketing Your Dental Practice

Curious about where to start with your marketing? We can help. Get in touch today!