Digital marketing trends dental clinics need to know

In recent years the dental industry has experienced vast changes in the technological sphere.

As a result, consumer behaviours and marketing trends are constantly evolving. So now is an excellent time for growth-minded dentists to get on board and start familiarising themselves with dental SEO to stand out from the competition. To help, we’ve put together this guide of the must-know trends for dental clinics.

Focus on Near Me

Dentists, by nature, are location-based businesses. Your potential clients are running a search for “dentists near me”to make sure you appear top of their results. You need to be aware of and utilise the near me phenomenon. Even if your dental practice is geographically closest to the user’s location, there are some steps you need to take to make sure you make the best possible use of this feature.

First, make sure you are listed correctly on the various search engines, for example, Google My Business. Usually, search engines rely on the name, phone number and address of your business. Make sure any updates are added to your Google Maps profile to achieve the best results.

Build reputation online

We now live in a world where people will look at your online reviews to evaluate your brand before making a purchasing decision. Businesses who gain a high number of positive customer reviews either through Google, Facebook or Trustpilot are more likely to achieve better click-through ratings to their website when a potential customer decides who to choose.

In addition, better reviews increase the likelihood of your business appearing on the first page of the search results. Take the time to boost your brand value online, invite customers to follow and leave reviews so potential customers will see you as a good option.

Get Social

Social media has become a must-have marketing channel for nearly every business. This includes the health and dental care industry. By building a social presence, you can boost your revenue, engagement and generate qualified leads. In addition, social media marketing is an essential tool to growing your brand awareness in a competitive market.

If you plan on using targeted adverts on social media, it’s a good idea to understand which platform your target market prefers. Platforms like Facebook have millions of active users presenting opportunities to grow your business.

Consider Email Marketing

Emails are a great way to spread awareness of your brand in competitive markets. When email marketing is implemented correctly, it can improve patient retention rates and attract new clients to your practice. In addition, 78% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement over the last 12 months (Not Another State of Marketing, 2020) so, what's not a better time to start planning campaigns.

Geo-Targeted Ads

If you are looking for a paid marketing strategy such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads being aware ofGeo-targeting is also beneficial. The idea behind this type of advertisement is to deliver specific content to the appropriate geographic location. For example, if you wanted to target customers in South East London, where you are based, you would share adverts that focus on this location.

Try Video Marketing

Most internet users prefer websites that incorporate video content. Including video content is a great way to grow brand awareness and build trust amongst your target audience. In addition, video marketing presents endless opportunities to grow in a highly competitive field.