How to: attract new patients online

Jeff Lawrie presents four top tips for dental practices looking to attract new patients online

Many dentists rely on word of mouth from current patients as a source of generating new patients. While this can be quite an effective way of gaining some new business, it is also quite unreliable, as dentists are relying on others to promote their business and don’t have control over their own marketing messages being passed on.

Whether you’re a newly-qualified dentist or an established one, you need to have more than one source of new patient generation to ensure sufficient and sustainable growth.

Having a strong online presence will not only help dental practices to generate a steady stream of new patients but also build-up a stronger relationship with their current patients, creating trust, establishing thought leadership and keeping patients informed of offers and deals.

Here are four crucial ways you can increase your online patient generation.

1. Engaging website

Your website is the mascot of your business. It should act as a resource to patients that will enable them to source information about your clinic, such as team details, reviews, case studies and pricing.

Your website should be user friendly and accurately reflect the image and standard of your clinic. Successful dental practices implement an online booking system onto their websites. This enables patients to book an appointment anytime they want during the day rather than being limited to the practice’s opening hours.

An engaging website will help your dental practice stand out from the crowd and allow you to obtain more business.

2. Consistent social media posts

Your patients won’t know you exist if they don’t hear from you every once in a while. Being active on social media is vital for building up thought leadership and staying in patients’ minds.

These days, posting once or twice a week isn’t good enough. Dental practices need to be posting content every day to keep ahead of their competitors. By posting every day, practices will be able to engage with the audience and share valuable information, such as case studies, patient testimonials or blog posts, with them.

All of this will help drive traffic to your website and increase new
patient generation.

3. Blogging

In the online world, content is king.

Content is what gets you found online and what really helps create that virtual relationship with your patients. Through blogging, dental practices can share their advice and tips with their audience, which will create a trusted adviser status for your clinic. Don’t just blog about your qualifications and how great your clinic is. Offer some value to your audience.

Blogging about issues your patients may be looking to solve is a great way to start. You can then also share it through your social media channels.

4. Email marketing

Implementing a form of email marketing automation is another great way to stay in touch with prospective and current patients.

Through email marketing automation, you can keep in touch with patients who are overdue a check-up or may be interested in upcoming offers from your practice. It can allow dental practices to quickly fill up their appointment books during quieter months and take a more proactive approach towards new patient generation.

About the author

Jeff Lawrie is the co-founder of MOFA Digital, an Irish digital marketing agency that works with medical professionals to help them grow their business online. Jeff stems from a background in both marketing and online sales and has helped multiple businesses to grow online. With a particular focus on digital strategy, Jeff works with dental professionals to help them attract new patients, retain old ones and increase overall profitability. Visit www.mofadigital.com for more details.