The internet is increasingly able to provide patients with answers to all their healthcare questions instantaneously, making the healthcare landscape even more competitive than it already was. If you’re in the healthcare industry, it’s important to have a well-thought-out healthcare online marketing strategy to foster loyalty to your practice and continue to grow.
A strong online presence adds visibility and credibility to your business. By enhancing your visibility and credibility, you are making it easier for people to visit your website and move forward with an appointment.
By making it easier for your target audience to find you, more people will visit your website. Now you can set expectations for the experience they will have once inside your front door by showing pictures or, better yet, a 3-D tour of your office. This is just one (often-overlooked) strategy that makes a considerable difference in getting website visitors to book an appointment, rather than simply visiting your site. This alone can take you to a new stratosphere in your healthcare online marketing strategies. Here are the 9 keys to making this happen.
1. Implementing Proper SEO Practices
There are several ways to tackle your healthcare online marketing strategy, beginning with making your website more visible in online searches. By implementing Search Engine Optimization tactics, or SEO, you can improve your website’s ranking, thus bringing it up higher on the search results page.
Start by doing a simple search for your office using a variety of search terms. If you search the name of your practice, it is likely you will show up as the first result in Google. However, if you are a podiatrist in Los Angeles for example, and search “podiatrists in Los Angeles,” wherein the rankings do you show up? Without optimizing the copy on your website to naturally include popular search terms relating to your business, you likely won’t see very much traffic.
It has been reported by Moz, an SEO software company, that as high as 92 percent of all clicks come from the first page of search results. Another way to look at it is that only 8 percent of people even bother going to the second page of results. This proves just how vital it is to work relevant keywords into your copy (without keyword stuffing- which can actually hurt your rankings), in addition to links to other pages on your site, as well as backlinks from credible third-party sites. Claiming and updating your Google My Business page is yet another aspect of SEO that can drive up your website’s search engine rankings.
2. Establishing a Social Media Presence
Some of the best online marketing strategies for small businesses have been through social media campaigns. There are virtually no start-up costs (the accounts themselves are free), and the various channels are all relatively easy to use. By implementing social media as part of a healthcare online marketing strategy, you can create a more personalized connection to your business.
Don’t make social media all about you though- make it about your patients and followers! The biggest benefit to social media is that it allows for you to have two-way communications with your target audience in real-time. It is critical that you answer any questions and respond to comments- both positive and negative. Not only will you create a more loyal fan base, but you can also potentially turn unhappy patients into your strongest supporters! Here’s a link from Hubspot on expectations for social media responses- https://blog.hubspot.com/service/social-media-response-time
In regards to the content you post, make sure it is original and attractive. It should have a consistent look and feel to the rest of your online marketing, but the specific imagery you choose should be different in order to provide real value. We also suggest considering paid advertising features within each of the social platforms as well; if done properly it can provide a great bang for your buck!
By targeting the niche segment you’re looking to attract to your front door, you will get your message, and business, in front of those most likely to actually interact with it. Continue to keep up to date- new social media trends and channels are constantly emerging. Early adoption of innovative digital communication tools can go a long way in establishing and enhancing your online presence.