The Internet is rapidly becoming one of the best methods dentists have of attracting their patients. If a dentist is able to market themselves well enough online, they are likely to find themselves treating a substantially higher number of patients than before.

1. Market Yourself

Public relations and dentist marketing work very closely together to create an image that will either attract patients to a practice, or keep them away from it. When designing a dental website, it is important that it sends out a message of professionalism and expertise. People looking for a dentist will be looking for these things, and no one will recommend a dentist that looks bad. Dentist marketing is all about personal branding.

2. Call to Action

No matter how you market a practice, the bottom line will always be that you want people to call your office. At the core of every website page, every online advertisement, or any promotion at all, should be a phone number and a call to action. As a result, visitors will have a means of contacting your practice, and a good reason to want to contact your practice.

3. Google SEO

After completing a dentist marketing webpage, search for it on Google. You could find one of three things: a link to your website, a customer review, or nothing at all. Consider revising your webpages to include keywords and dental SEO to make your site more prominent on Google. Having other websites link back to your own will greatly improve your relevance on Google’s search engine when it comes to dental SEO.

4. Use Video Blogs

Video blogging is a large part of social media that is widely liked for being less “dry” than blogs or podcasts. When creating videos for a blog, they should be short and energetic. Always start a video by introducing yourself and explaining what it is you are trying to teach viewers. This will reinforce your message in a timeframe and style that viewers are less likely to find boring.

5. Blogging

Maintaining a regular blog on your website is another strong way to connect with potential patients. Blog posts can be written for dental SEO, and can be integrated into other social media websites that your practice uses.  Blog posts could be about tips for dental hygiene, different dental procedures, or anything relevant to the practice. They should be regularly maintained and updated.

Here are some great dental blog:

• http://www.thedentalgeek.com
• http://thecuriousdentist.com
• http://www.asdablog.com

6. Use Facebook

FaceBook is a diverse tool that can be used to find new patients to great effect. Rather than just asking for likes, invite patients to share their thoughts and opinions on the practice’s FaceBook page. FaceBook is an opportunity to be social and “real” with patients outside of the office, and should be used as such. Updated and friendly Facebook pages are ideal for dental marketing.

Screenshot example

Here are a couple of great dentist Facebook pages:

• https://www.facebook.com/1stFamilyDental
• https://www.facebook.com/AspenDental 

7. Work for Likes

Facebook likes are recorded on a search feature for Facebook called Graph Search, which sorts pages by how many likes they have and how liked they are by the searcher’s Facebook friends. A Facebook user looking for a dentist is able to use Graph Search to find dentists that their friends have liked, and can see which practices are popular based on those likes. Encouraging patients to visit and like a practice’s Facebook page can go a long way in increasing its popularity.

8. Customer Reviews

A lot of people prefer to use websites like Yelp and Google+ to help them decide whether or not a given establishment is good for them. Encouraging patients to write positive reviews on these sites can go a long way towards attracting patients who may previously have been apprehensive about finding a practice. It can also help to include these reviews on your main website.

9. PPC Advertising

When advertising online, it is best to find PPC (pay-per-click) offers on ads. PPC means that advertisers are only charged for their ads when they are clicked on; in essence, if the ad isn’t working, the practice doesn’t pay for it. Google Adwords is a good program that offers PPC advertising to a wide audience, though it is not the only one. PPC is a very strong advertising method that is only costly if it works.

10. Plan Everything

The key to marketing, be it dentist marketing or anything else, is planning. Before even beginning to create a website and market it, you should know what it is you want to invest and what results you want from that investment. Have a clear goal in mind and cater your marketing strategies to that goal. Having a calendar or timeline is ideal, to focus all of the social media, advertising, blogging, and website activity into one solid goal that will better your practice.

Dentist marketing online is a tricky business, especially considering the general apprehension people have towards dentistry. Good marketing is essential in letting people know about a practice and helping them to overcome that apprehension and become a regular patient.