3 Types of Posts to Share on Your Optometry Practice’s Social Media Pages

Most professionals recognize social media as the superior marketing tool for just about any business, including healthcare. While social media profiles are easy enough to set up for your optometry practice, the true challenge comes in creating regular content that will drive customer engagement. Many practices take the approach of creating sheerly advertorial posts, which can lead to being unfollowed and losing engagement potential. The most effective social media marketing strategy involves a healthy mix of content for your profiles and pages.

Informational Posts

Informational posts are just as they sound: they offer some level of information. The topics of these posts can vary, but some good examples include:

  • Information about your practice, such as services offered or how to schedule an appointment
  • Information about specific treatments available, such as LASIK or glaucoma management
  • Information about relative eye health issues, such as eye disease statistics and resources

Community Engagement Posts

Community engagement posts are strictly built to provoke a reaction from your target customer. These posts often pose a question, have share-worthy information, or even request a comment. For example, a post may:

  • Offer a brief overview of symptoms of rare eye conditions
  • Ask patients what triggers their eye condition symptoms
  • Provide the potential for something in return, such as a free t-shirt for sharing

These posts are more likely to provoke a response from your followers, which means they can help you gain a lot of traction when it comes to followers.

Advertising Posts

Advertising posts on social media do have their place, even though every post should not be an advertisement. And, the way you propose an ad on social media can make a difference in its efficacy. For example, you could advertise that you are offering savings on prescription eyeglasses for a limited time or even share positive reviews you’ve recently received from happy patients.

Need Help with Your Social Media Marketing Plan?

A well-built social media strategy is defined by good content. If you struggle to keep your pages and profiles updated as an optometry practice, getting help from digital marketing professionals can be what garners you more digital attention and in-office visits. Reach out to us at Digital Healthcare Professionals for more information.

https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-health-care/

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Professional Dentist tools and chair in the dental office.

The 4 Keys of Building Your Dental Office’s Digital Presence

Professional Dentist tools and chair in the dental office.

The average patient these days will never look in a phone book. Most people get advice about finding a dentist straight from the internet. This means your digital presence is just as important as your real-world one, but so many dental practices struggle to build that presence effectively. In truth, building a healthy digital presence through digital marketing in a world where so many others are doing the same comes down to four key strategies.

The average patient these days will never look in a phone book. Most people get advice about finding a dentist straight from the internet. This means your digital presence is just as important as your real-world one, but so many dental practices struggle to build that presence effectively. In truth, building a healthy digital presence through digital marketing in a world where so many others are doing the same comes down to four key strategies.

Mind Your Website

The website used to represent your business is the epitome of your online personality. Therefore, this digital hub must:

  • Operate flawlessly
  • Represent your brand appropriately
  • Deliver information your patients want to know
  • Attract people to get to know your practice

If you have a lackluster website that does nothing for your brand or does not function well, you are actually better with no website at all.

Track Your Reputation

What would patients learn about you if they were to look at your reputation online. This is ever-important when it comes to digital marketing. If you don’t have any reviews or get mostly negative reviews, this can detrimentally affect how many patients are willing to trust you with their care.

Know Your Competition

Look at what kind of presence your competition has. Are nearby dental practices getting more business but you don’t know why? Your online marketing efforts may be lacking, or there could be something about your digital presence that does not stack up to competitors.

Perfect Your Content

Content is king in digital marketing. The words and imagery used on your website should reflect the professionalism of your practice, give value to visitors, and even lead web traffic to your site. Through search engine optimization, you can see your presence grow and your practice become much more popular among patients.

Build Your Digital Presence with Professional Digital Marketers

The more defined your digital presence, the more your dental practice will grow and flourish. If you are struggling with getting the traffic you need to your website or seeing measurable results, you may need help from digital marketing professionals. Reach out to us at Digital Healthcare Professionals to get a custom quote and discuss how we can help you build your online presence.

If you have a lackluster website that does nothing for your brand or does not function well, you are actually better with no website at all.

Track Your Reputation

What would patients learn about you if they were to look at your reputation online. This is ever-important when it comes to digital marketing. If you don’t have any reviews or get mostly negative reviews, this can detrimentally affect how many patients are willing to trust you with their care.

Know Your Competition

Look at what kind of presence your competition has. Are nearby dental practices getting more business but you don’t know why? Your online marketing efforts may be lacking, or there could be something about your digital presence that does not stack up to competitors.

Perfect Your Content

Content is king in digital marketing. The words and imagery used on your website should reflect the professionalism of your practice, give value to visitors, and even lead web traffic to your site. Through search engine optimization, you can see your presence grow and your practice become much more popular among patients.

Build Your Digital Presence with Professional Digital Marketers

The more defined your digital presence, the more your dental practice will grow and flourish. If you are struggling with getting the traffic you need to your website or seeing measurable results, you may need help from digital marketing professionals. Reach out to us at Digital Healthcare Professionals to get a custom quote and discuss how we can help you build your online presence.

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Google My Business

Google My Business may sound like a generic concept. (Of course people are Googling your business, that’s how the majority of consumers come across new products and services!) However, it’s actually a specific tool that can be critical for your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). We’ll look at what it is and how you can leverage it to shorten the space between you and your target demographic.

What Is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a free service from Google that can help you both manage and boost your business profile. Once you claim ownership and attain management rights, you can start using the features to give you more visibility on Google. Considering Google has 3.5 billion searches per day, this is the search engine that you want to focus on.

What Is a Business Profile?

A Business Profile on Google refers to your listing. If people search for something in your city or town, Google Maps will position your company in the local results as long as you have a profile. Anyone can set up a profile, which will then automatically add your location to the maps section. All you need is the location, name, and business category to get it done. As long as it’s not a duplicate, Google will accept the information and set up the profile.

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What Does Google My Business Mean for Local Marketing?

The most basic profile in the world will still provide you with some degree of visibility. Customers can use it to post photos, leave reviews, and get their questions answered. However, your local SEO success will take more effort than just inputting a few facts about your business.

  • Check-in Online: The more customers see you respond to your profile, the more likely they are to engage with it. For instance, if someone asks a question and you answer it the same day, it encourages the next interested party to reach out the same way.
  • Publish posts: You can manage your profile in much the same way that you would your Facebook profile. Tempt prospective customers to learn more about new products or special discounts when you maintain your profile.
  • Maintain your account dashboard: This is where you can list more information about your business, including hours, website links, pricing, and what makes you different from your competitors.
  • Incorporate keywords: Knowing how local people search for you can go a long way toward building in keywords to your business profile. Google will also promote certain sections of your profile based on relevancy to your customers. Use the analytics tab of the free platform to see who is finding you and how.

How Digital Healthcare Solutions Can Help You Succeed

Keep in mind that anyone can set up a profile for you. Before a disgruntled customer has the chance to do it, take ownership of your results. If you need help mastering your local SEO success, call Digital Healthcare Solutions to nail down a strategy.

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5 Things Optometry Websites Do Wrong With their Blog

  As an optometry clinic, your website is usually the first opportunity for people to get to know you. It’s why having a streamlined, aesthetically pleasing, and easy-to-navigate site is critical for getting patients in the door.

Another helpful factor? Having a compelling, high quality, value-rich blog! Here are five things optometry clinics get wrong when it comes to their blog:

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1. Not Having One

A blog is an excellent tool that can:

  • Improve your ranking on Google and other search engines
  • Provide value to your clients
  • Educate your customers

And more! In today’s world, the risk of not having a blog far outweighs the hassle of keeping one going. Fortunately, blogs aren’t all that difficult to manage—and consulting with a digital marketing agency makes it even easier for you and your team.

2. Not Updating Regularly

Keeping your blog updated encourages readers to keep coming back. We encourage optometry clinics to schedule new posts at least two to three times per week to keep their content fresh and up-to-date.

3. Not Making Their Blogs SEO-Friendly

You need to make your blog visible and easy to find among all the other content on the internet. Becoming savvy with SEO—or collaborating with a digital marketing company that has advanced SEO insights—can help you stand out among the competition.

SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” SEO basically refers to best-practice strategies that make it easier for people to find your website, including:

  • Keyword-rich tags, meta descriptions, and URLs
  • Inbound links to other pages on your website
  • Outbound links to other related websites (ideally reputable and professional ones like the American Optometric Association)
  • Enhanced image quality

4. Not Making the Blog Reader-Friendly

Reading a huge block of text is hard to do! Great blog posts that readers want to read are concise, grammatically correct, and broken up into short paragraphs. Bullet points and subheadings also make your content easier to digest.

5. Not Discussing Relevant Topics

What is your community interested in? What are their biggest areas of concern when it comes to their vision and eye health? Be sure your blog content speaks to your customers’ needs and goals. This provides genuine value for them and establishes you as a reliable resource and a trustworthy provider.

Digital Healthcare Professionals is here to help build your online presence, connect with your audience, and provide value for your existing and future clients. Contact us at 858-480-9804 if you’d like to upgrade your optometry blog and elevate your reader’s experience.

dentist and client

5 Things Dentists Should Communicate To Their Audience During COVID-19

2020 brought a lot of changes for dentist offices, and with the way COVID-19 is going we can expect these changes to continue. In fact, the American Dental Association projects that U.S. dental care spending could decline by as much as 20 percent in 2021.

But pandemic or not, people still need (and want) their routine dental cleanings and other dental services.

The problem is, many current and prospective clients might be uneasy about visiting the dentist. Some may not even be sure if they can visit the dentist, depending on local or state regulations and mandates.

What this means is that it’s more important than ever to communicate with your customers clearly and frequently. Let them know what’s going on around your dental office and what you’re doing to keep patients and staff safe.

Need some ideas? Here are five things we think all dental offices should inform their customers about in the era of COVID-19.

1. Current Hours of Operation

Have your hours of operation changed recently? Be sure to update this everywhere customer inquiries may occur, including your:

  • Website
  • Social media
  • Automated voice messaging services
  • Search engine business info
  • Email newsletters
  • Physical signage
  • Any paid advertisements

2. Changes in Patient/Visitor Policies

Let your customers know if you’ve initiated any new visitation requirements, such as pre-appointment quarantining or COVID-19 testing, restricted visitor policies, reduced in-office capacity, and more.

3. How Patient and Staff Safety is Being Optimized

Reassure patients and staff that you’re doing everything in your power to reduce the risk of infectious disease spread. Possible changes to highlight include:

  • Updated hygiene and cleaning practices
  • Updated aerosol extraction devices or technology
  • Social distancing measures
  • Additional in-office hand sanitizing stations

4. The Potential Risks of Delaying Dental Care

Putting off necessary cleanings and other types of dental care due to a fear of visiting the office can lead to costly consequences down the road for your patients. Now is a good time to encourage patients to seek care if they have any concerns.

5. Any Special Offers and Discounts

If your office offers discounts, promotions, or special packages, showcase them early and often on your website and social media accounts. Special pricing and services could be especially beneficial right now for any customers who are struggling financially due to COVID-19 but are still in need of dental care.

 

Stay relevant, stay visible, stay safe, and stay operational. Contact Digital Healthcare Professionals at 858-480-9804 if you’d like to discover how we can help you grow your practice, improve your website, and keep your community in-the-know during this rapidly evolving time.

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The Importance of Link Building for Dental Practice Websites

In general, link building involves creating links between websites or webpages using hyperlinks within the content. Your dental practice website could benefit from proper link building, but why is that the case? Here is a look at some of the reasons why having good link-building strategies in place is important for your website.

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Link building onsite helps site visitors navigate between pages.

Internal linking involves simply installing links in your content that lead to other pages on the same website. For example, if you have a blog that covers the topic of tooth extractions, a link leading back to the service page on extractions on your website could be logically placed within the text. If the reading visitor reads your blog and then wants to know more about tooth extractions at your site specifically, they can easily navigate to that page. Likewise, internal links installed in call-to-actions could lead the visitor to a “contact” or “request an appointment” page.

Link building enhances the rankings of your website on major search engines.

The more times web users are led to your website, the better. Therefore, if you have backlinks placed on other pertinent websites that lead to your site, you may automatically get a boost in traffic. In addition, big search engines like Google use crawlers to find your links among other websites. And these links can automatically mean that Google will see your website as more important and worthy for a higher ranking in search engine results pages.

Link building helps keep visitors on your website longer.

Bringing visitors to your practice website from multiple backlink points is always a good thing. However, internal links help keep a visitor on your site for longer periods of time. For instance, a visitor may be led to your dental website after searching out information about dental implants and finding your blog listed in search results. Once they are reading the blog, the built-in links to other informational pieces within the text can retain their attention and hold them on your website for longer periods.

Let’s Talk About Your Dental Office’s Digital Marketing Strategy 

When it comes down to it, a number of small factors affect how well your dental practice’s website performs. Link-building may be a small objective, but it is an objective that can yield effective boosts for your site rankings among search engines. If you are ready to see your dental practice website better perform, reach out to us at the Digital Healthcare Professionals for help.