6 Ways to Attract the Patients you Want.
Almost every doctor is looking for new patients.
Of course, there are the usual ways to achieve this, including marketing techniques and referral programs, but there is much more you can do to attract the patients you want.
So, what are some new and effective ways of getting more patients today?
Here are 6 ways you can acquire more patients from the web.
Let’s dive in!
1. Send regular email campaigns
The relationship between you and your patients shouldn’t be limited only to the time when they visit your clinic — especially because most of them may take years between appointments, and only come to your clinic when something is wrong with their teeth.
Therefore, you need a way to keep them engaged. Hence, the need for email marketing.
With regular email marketing campaigns, you can:
- keep your patients engaged and keep them coming back in future,
- easily manage bookings and appointments.
2. Optimize your website for search engines
Most people begin their search, for a dentist, on search engines like Google.
Therefore, to attract more patients, your website should appear on top of the Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) — when searches are made about your services.
For example, when a potential patient goes to Google and types in “dentist in nairobi cbd”, “pediatric dentist near me”, or any other combination of search terms relevant to your practice, search engine optimization is what will help your dental clinic show up at the top of results.
3. Advertise on Google
The competition for top spot on Google is always fierce, and at times, it may need more than just optimizing your website for search engines (SEO).
That’s where ads come in.
Through platforms like Google Ads, you can pay to have your website show up on top of all results — when a relevant search is made.
For example, let’s say you offer “Pediatric Dentistry” and your clinic is in Westlands. You can advertise on Google to show up as the first result for people searching for “pediatric dentist in Westlands”.
Upon clicking on your ad result, the searcher will be redirected to your website — where they can learn more about your clinic and book an appointment.
4. Create more blog content
Before someone visits your dental clinic or becomes your patient, they first have to trust you, and there is no better way to build that trust than demonstrating your expertise.
Through regular blog posts, you can share practical advice, tips and industry insights with your potential patients.
Not only will this help you establish yourself as an expert in your area of practice, but also increase quality traffic to your website.
5. Go big on social media
Social media is the new ‘word-of-mouth’.
Most people use sites like Facebook and Instagram to find and engage new healthcare providers —including dentists.
Therefore, it’s not enough to just set up profile and share a few or occasional posts on Facebook or Twitter.
You need to regularly engage with your audience and provide them with the information they need, on the social media platforms they use.
Here is a general guideline for posting frequency.
- Post 1-2 times a day on Facebook or Instagram
- Post 3-4 times a day on Twitter
- Post 1-2 videos per week on TikTok or YouTube
- Post once a week on LinkedIn
Your posts can provide valuable insights, information or entertainment. Here are a few ideas you can try out:
- Photos of your business, or products
- Highlights of your staff e.g. their bios, photos etc
- Recent blog posts
- Answers to customer questions
- Recent patient reviews
6. Claim your GMB listing
GMB (Google My Business) is a free listing that helps local businesses gain more visibility on Google Maps and search results.
It makes it easier for your dental clinic to stand out and be more visible to potential patients near you.
With an optimized GMB listing, anyone searching for your services on Google will see your profile with the following information:
- Company name
- Address
- Phone number
- Recent images
- Industry
- Opening hours
- Reviews
- Website
- GMB posts
Up your online game
As technology changes and patient behavior evolves, you should also regularly review your marketing strategies — to stay on top of your game.
Now that you have 6 more ways of attracting the right patients to your healthcare clinic, you can try them out to figure out what works best for you.
For more ideas on how to attract new patients, you can schedule a quick chat with our specialists today.
ABOUT HIGANIJULU
Higanijulu helps business owners and entrepreneurs leverage their online presence to attract the right prospects, and convert them into loyal customers.
