Marketing your medical practice can be a challenging exercise. Between FDA regulations on how and what medical providers can advertise and HIPAA compliance rules, you have a lot to consider when you’re creating a digital marketing strategy for your practice.
But medical digital marketing is the best way to grow your practice. So, don’t get too discouraged and give up yet. You simply need to get informed about how to market your medical practice the right way. And that’s just what today’s blog post will cover.
What is Medical Digital Marketing?
Medical digital marketing is all about reaching and engaging with potential patients and current ones in online spaces. As more and more daily activities move online, patients increasingly use the internet to look for information about doctors and healthcare organizations. That means they’re looking up reviews from other patients. And they are looking for information on the services you offer, and more, all on the internet.
That’s why your medical practice needs a solid digital marketing strategy.
Your patients have already moved to finding out information about you online. So, you need to have a plan in place to present the best version of your practice online as well. You will want to increase awareness of your practices and services to bring in new patients. And you will need to continue engaging with the current patients to build stronger relationships. You will also need to find sources of potential patients so you can grow your practice.
With these goals in mind, there are a few digital marketing techniques for medical practices that should be on the to-do list for all healthcare organizations.
Design an Informative Medical Website
Your online presence is essential to attracting patients. The practice’s website is like the online welcome mat for anyone who finds your page, whether it’s because they’re using a search engine to look for specific healthcare services or through one of your digital marketing tactics.
What Should I Include on the Practice Website?
Your website should offer information about all your practitioners so patients can get to know them and their backgrounds and qualifications. It should also provide practical info like your address and phone number so potential patients can get in touch easily. Also, offering an option for scheduling an appointment online is a good way to get more patients in the door with ease.
Can I Design My Own Website?
Designing your own website is possible. But it’s hard to get all the details right and create a great user experience if you’re not a web design expert. That’s why many healthcare practices choose to hire a web development agency to help with this step.
Build Your Credibility and Authority with Medical Content Marketing
Writing blog posts about medical topics and services is a good way to bring in website visitors who are looking for information on those topics. That’s the goal of medical content marketing. To build up your website’s credibility and authority, so you get found in search results and attract new patients.
However, medical practices need to be thoughtful with their content marketing to make sure you’re not falling afoul of FDA regulations in your writing.
Potential patients will make judgments about your practice’s professionalism and authority based on your blog posts. So, it’s vital to ensure you’re presenting high-quality writing and information that’s clearly backed by reputable sources.
Plan an Email Marketing Strategy for Your Medical Practice
Email marketing is one of the most powerful digital marketing tools – that’s why it’s been around so long. It really works well to get new patients in the door and keep your current patients coming back. It works to nurture relationships with your patients by keeping your practice on their minds and offering valuable information, specials, and event invitations sent directly to their inboxes.
You can also use email marketing to remind patients of upcoming appointments, send automated follow-up emails after visits with additional information, or request reviews. Emails can also be used to ask for patient feedback, so you know you’re providing the best patient experience possible.
Grow Your Practice with Medical Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms are a great way for medical practices to grow. You can present an authentic view of both your practice and the people behind it to nurture those patient relationships. And you can also use these platforms for paid advertising to bring in new patients as well.
However, getting social media ads right for medical practices can be challenging. Along with HIPAA and FDA regulations that you need to follow with any kind of digital advertising, platforms like Facebook and Instagram have their own rules about what is and is not acceptable in medical marketing. This is why many medical practices choose to partner with a digital marketing agency that has extensive healthcare experience, like ContentFirst.Marketing.
Manage Your Online Reviews and Reputation
One of the biggest challenges for healthcare providers in recent years has been the rise of review sites. On these sites, patients can rate their experience with your practice and share any details with other potential patients. But these sites also represent an opportunity for smart digital marketing. Your online reputation can be a great marketing tool if you manage it well.
One great way to do this is by sending out a Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey after patient visits and then following up by asking your most satisfied patients, also known as your Promoters, to leave you a review on a healthcare website. You’ll increase your percentage of positive reviews through soliciting patient engagement, and your online reputation will look great while being accurate as well.
We Can Help You Make the Most of Your Medical Digital Marketing
Creating successful marketing plans for your medical practice on your own can be tough – there’s so much you need to get right and lots of ways you can go wrong. That’s why you should work with a digital marketing agency with a deep understanding of the healthcare marketing space, like ContentFirst.Marketing.
We provide compelling content writing, expert email campaigns, reputation management, and so much more so that your practice can grow and thrive. Schedule your free business review today to learn more!
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