Blog

The 10 Best Dental Marketing Strategies for Ultimate Success

August 14, 2021
January 26, 2024
3
min read
Share this post
people use their phones to text and interact on social media

Marketing for dentists is a lot more complex than it used to be. There are so many strategies that you can use, and the only way to know which one will work best for your practice is by testing them out.

In this blog post, we're going to talk about some of the most effective dental marketing strategies that have worked well for our clients.

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

google my business page for dentists
Source: Google Business Profile

Google Business is an important tool in the modern-day world of digital marketing.

It's free to have your Google Business profile listing and let it act as a hub for all the information you want potential patients to know about your dental practice, such as location, office hours, reviews, and more.

In order to create or optimize your Google Business profile follow these steps:

  • Update accurate business contact info
  • Add beautiful photos that represent what happens inside the clinic
  • Capture video testimonials from happy patients (or staff) sharing their experiences at our practices
  • Create rich descriptions with calls-to-action (CTA)
  • Add social media links, such as Facebook and Twitter.

2. Publish Dental Blog Content

blogging for dental practices - best organic marketing strategy
Source: Chamblee Dental

Every dental practice should have a blog. Blogs offer you an opportunity to create content about various dental topics such as patient care tips or new services/products in order to keep up with industry trends.

A successful blog is one that has been optimized for SEO, meaning it contains keywords related to the topic being discussed but doesn’t contain too much marketing or industry jargon.

Dental practices often find success using their blogs because not only does blogging increase traffic but it also increases time spent on site—a key metric for search engines like Google.

3. Facebook Ads

facebook marketing for dentists
Source: OakBrook Dental and Orthodontics via Facebook

Every business wants to be seen by as many potential clients as possible.

Facebook Ads are a great way for you to target your exact demographic with ads that will generate leads and drive more traffic into the office. Facebook Ads are a great way for dental practices to get their content in front of the people who matter most and generate more leads, all without spending a fortune on expensive marketing campaigns.

You can also include a CTA which can be as simple as a call button to prompt them to make an appointment.

4. Optimize Instagram

dental social media marketing ideas
Source: Winchester Dental via Instagram

Instagram, which is the world's most popular social network and photo-sharing app, can be an invaluable resource for dental practices. Dental professionals should use Instagram as another way to connect with patients.

Try adding captions that speak directly to your patients and showcase your knowledge on the subject. Additionally, dentists can offer promotions such as discounts or giveaways through this channel by using hashtags related specifically to their practice (#dentist #oralhealth).

Lastly, one great tactic you might want to try is utilizing video ads on Instagram Stories during off-hours when your audience would normally not expect it (e.g., weekends, evenings).

5. Email Marketing

Email marketing is a great way to stay in contact with your past patients and keep them up-to-date on the latest happenings at your dental practice. It’s also an inexpensive method for dental marketing that can be done without breaking the bank or taking too much of your time.

There are many different forms of email marketing, but one popular tactic among dentists is using an autoresponder series which allows you to send pre-written emails over a specific period of time so patients know what to expect once they sign up (i.e., tips about how to take care of their teeth).

6. Add Videos to Your Marketing Strategy

Studies have shown that 56% of internet users watch videos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat every month.

Videos can be a great way to show your patients everything they need from the comfort of their own home.

You should create videos that focus on topics such as patient education, new services, and products, or even testimonials about your dentistry practice—anything that will help you rank higher in Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) or drive more traffic to your dental website.

7. Add Your Practice to Online Directories

It never hurts to submit your dental practice to online directories like Yelp, Google, RateMDs, ZocDoc, Smile Guide, or even a few of the major medical and healthcare databases.

These websites are often covered in search engine results pages (SERPs) meaning you have an opportunity to rank higher for certain keywords related to teeth care such as “dentist near me” which could bring more potential patients into your office.

8. Use PPC Ads for High-Intent Searches

dental marketing strategies
Source: Aspen Dental

PPC ads are the best way to get in front of those potential clients who have already made up their minds that they want to schedule an appointment with a dental practice. For example, someone may type “dentist near me” into Google and be shown a list of nearby practices for them to choose from (Google AdWords).This form of advertising uses keywords in order to show up for relevant searches. The goal is to generate a high volume of quality leads (and not just clicks) by targeting these individuals who are looking specifically for dental care and more importantly, have already decided that they want it.

9. Ask Patients to Leave Reviews

A great way to make your dental practice stand out is by asking past patients for reviews. This can be done through an email or postcard campaign, but it’s best if you ask them in person so they are more likely to have a positive response and leave feedback on sites like Yelp, Google Maps, Facebook, etc. Reviews help demonstrate how good your services are and will give potential clients peace of mind knowing what others think about you before they schedule an appointment themselves.

10. Encourage Referrals and Recommendations

The Pride Institute reports that 93% of people trust recommendations from their friends.

Therefore, another way to make your dental practice stand out in a crowded marketplace is by encouraging patients to refer friends and family, or even offer incentives for doing so. For example, you could ask them if they know anyone who might be interested in scheduling an appointment with a dentist or provide referral bonuses like gift cards (e.g., $25) every time someone refers a new patient into the office.

We can also do this through social media campaigns on Facebook Ads where you would strategically target individuals who live near your location likely to share your marketing content.

Conclusion

There are many different marketing strategies for dental practices that can help you stand out.

Note that it is important to be as creative and unique as possible. This way patients will want to come back time after time.

How visible is your practice?

See what you might be missing and learn what GrowthPlug can do for you.

Get a Free Website Audit