There is an overwhelming amount of advice about how to establish and grow your medical practice online, including ‘experts’ that will tell you that you should spend all your limited marketing funds on online advertising.
But before you take the leap into paid online advertising, it pays to make sure you have the basics right. As with every marketing tactic, nothing works in isolation and an integrated approach to your marketing is essential.
- Website: Have an easy and recognisable domain name, ensure your website is mobile friendly and have clear contact information available.
- Online Directories: Register with Google MyBusiness to ensure your practice is on Google Search and Google Maps ensuring your address, contact information and hours of opening are up to date.
- Build an email database: Capture your customers email addresses and build a list so that you can engage with your patients online.
- Learn the SEO basics: A basic understanding of search engine optimization will help you understand why it is important: get reading!
- Social Media: You don’t have to register for every social media site - go where your target audience is. It’s much more effective to do two social channels well, than spread yourself too thin.
- Create and share content: Provide regular updates through a blog or your social media channels. Creating simple video content is easy and can be done on your mobile device. Provide information relevant to your customers in a timely manner.
- Experiment with online advertising: start small, and make sure you measure the outcomes to ensure your efforts are not wasted.
Finally, be patient – marketing is a long-term game. Establishing good practices such as posting new content consistently, offering exceptional patient care and keeping up to date with online marketing trends will ensure you reap the benefits in the long-term.
