The Importance of Research in Dental Marketing Content

April 15, 2023
Advertising Media, Dental marketing, internet dental marketing

Marketing your dental practice can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have the expertise in creating effective strategies. Dentists usually focus on their expertise in patient care, leaving little time for them to focus on marketing themselves. This is why it is essential to work with a professional marketing agency that can help you develop the right approach. One of the key factors in successful marketing is doing thorough research. In this blog post, we will explain the importance of research in dental marketing content.

1. Understanding your target audience

Knowing your audience is crucial in creating marketing strategies. Without getting a clear picture of who your patients are, how can you create marketing materials that will appeal to them? That’s where research comes in. Through surveys or studies, you can identify the demographics of your patient base, such as age, gender, location, and interests. This information will help you tailor your message to resonate with them effectively.

2. Developing relevant content

Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can then develop content that resonates with them. Research will help you identify the specific issues that your patients are facing and what kind of information they’re looking for when it comes to dental care. This can help you create content that offers solutions to their concerns while building trust and credibility.

3. Competitor analysis

Research not only includes studying your own patients but also analyzing your competitors. By identifying your main competitors and understanding what they are doing differently, you can adjust your own approach to stay ahead of the competition. This research can also help you identify gaps in the market that you can take advantage of, making your practice stand out.

4. Keyword research for SEO

To promote your content online, you need to optimize it for search engines. Keyword research is an essential part of SEO that can help you determine the phrases and terms that people are using to find services like yours. By including these keywords in your content, you can improve your search engine ranking, making it easier for patients to find you online.

5. Keeping up with the latest trends

Finally, research allows you to stay on top of the latest industry trends, including new treatments, technologies, and approaches to dental care. By keeping up to date with developments in your industry, you can offer the latest treatments to your patients, positioning your practice as a leading one in the field.

In summary, research is an essential component of successful dental marketing. By understanding your target audience, developing relevant content, analyzing your competitors, performing keyword research, and staying up to date with industry trends, you can create effective marketing strategies that drive patient traffic and boost your practice’s bottom line. Therefore, it is crucial to work with a professional marketing agency that understands the importance of research and offers the necessary expertise to help your practice stand out from the competition.

ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices and the tools of Internet marketing. We help you reach key prospects who are looking for what your practice has to offer. Our unique and thorough approach provides visibility, financial accountability, and ongoing refinement and improvement. You can find out more by contacting Lane Anderson toll-free at 1-877-322-4440 Ext 101, by email using the form on our Contact Us page, or online at ProspectaMarketing.com.

Why Storytelling Remains An Engaging Strategy

October 14, 2022
Advertising Media, Blogging, Dental marketing

At ProspectaMarketing, we specialize in providing wide-reaching, impactful digital marketing for dental practices. One of the core tenets our blogging, local listing, and SEO specialists all share is an affinity for creative solutions. This is why today, we will be covering the power of storytelling in dental marketing!

Robert McKee, creative writing instructor and author of the bestseller Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, claims that “Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.” So, how can you apply this? Is this advice even helpful for a dental practice looking for a viable online brand strategy?

Of course! After all, what is marketing if not a transmission of ideas? What is it, if not short-form storytelling? Every time a patient sees an ad, whether it be on television, online, or in a magazine, they are responding to a micro-story, complete with a beginning, a middle, and an ending.

But what about the other part of the question? How do you apply it? In order to fully grasp this, it is crucial to understand the potential of dentistry specifically as a storytelling medium. After all, how many of our outreach efforts begin with hypothetic anecdotes?

“If you have ever suffered a traumatic accident that knocked a tooth loose, you’re not alone! Visit our practice for a host of restorative dentistry options that can fix your smile in no time!” or “Do you find that your social life is suffering from yellowing teeth? Come to our practice for whitening services and regain your confidence!” Right there, we have solid story structure!

We begin with a potentially dangerous and inciting incident, like a bad fall or a social faux pas, transition to a journey, as seen in the request to visit our practice, and eventually arrive at the conclusion; a happy patient with perfect teeth!

By adhering to basic story structure, you can craft engaging ads, blog posts, marketing copy, and even brand social media updates! It applies to all avenues of digital marketing. Our team has put together a basic primer of marketing avenues that could be improved through engaging storytelling. Check it out below!

Marketing Options Where Storytelling Shines

  • Blogging: This is the most obvious option, but blogs are perfectly set up for story structure. They consist of large swaths of text and one or two associated images. This wealth of space provides an opportunity for a dental practice to really expand on an idea. Try starting a blog post with a quote (like we did) and see where the story takes you. Or begin with an anecdote based on a patient’s experiences. Just remember to omit personal or identifying information. Whatever your choice, make sure your micro-story has an introduction, a transition, and a conclusion. The three act format has worked for years to convey change, and in the end, this is what we want. Our patients are living with a specific situation – whether it be yellowing teeth or jaw issues – and our job is to encourage them to change this situation through effort. Thus, a structure wherein a problem is presented, discussed, then fixed, fits perfectly as a persuasive technique.
  • Advertising: Whether you’re getting your image out there through local listings, online ads, word of mouth, or a combination of all three, storytelling is a crucial part of your advertising efforts. Unlike a blog, most advertising avenues don’t actually give you a ton of space. In this case, we recommend compressing the story structure to one or two sentences. Practice condensing complex concepts to their core ideas. For example, if you want a patient to come in for TMJ pain, you can write marketing copy to the tune of: “Suffer from jaw pain? An oral appliance can set you free!” Here, the intro is condensed, but still presents the conflict, the transitionary section is almost nonexistent and consists of only the identification of the oral appliance, and the solution is a breezy, catchy “set you free.” And yet, the story structure still draws your attention to the situation, transitions to a new phase, and provides a satisfying conclusion!
  • Website Copy: A website consists of a whole group of stories, and the way you write your copy should adhere to the same storytelling standards we’ve been referring to so far. Your home page should have an easily visible title, tagline, and high-quality image. This trio of elements serves as your introduction, ensuring your patients know who you are and what you’re about. Your transitionary elements – ie, the second stage of story structure – consist of call outs and links, so ensure they are attractive and contain short, punchy keywords that will both attract readers and Google index bots. Your conclusion consists of the patient landing on a desired service page, then navigating to the appointment button. However, when they land on the aforementioned page, there must be a story there, too! To clarify, your website is your overall story, but your individual pages should tell their own stories as well. There’s nothing more damaging to site authority than a link that leads to a paltry amount of information – except maybe one that leads to an error page!

At ProspectaMarketing, we encourage all dental practices to consider how basic storytelling structure can improve their marketing outreach. If you are a dental practice looking for experienced marketing specialists that can spin your yarn of dental success, ProspectaMarketing can help!  We are an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices and the tools of Internet marketing. We help you reach key prospects who are looking for what your practice has to offer. Our unique and thorough approach provides visibility, financial accountability, and ongoing refinement and improvement. You can find out more by contacting Lane Anderson toll-free at 1-877-322-4440 Ext 101, by email using the form on our Contact Us page, or online at ProspectaMarketing.com.

Key Local Search Updates In 2022

September 30, 2022
Advertising Media, Dental Advertising, Dental marketing, Internet Marketing, Local Internet Marketing

At ProspectaMarketing, we endeavor to stay on the forefront of marketing research. This way, we can provide the most up-to-date analysis and advertising tools to the practices we represent. We believe that the Internet is still young and always changing. Due to this, it takes an active, dynamic advertising strategy to really take advantage of its web of chameleon-like opportunities.

As a dental practice, your team probably doesn’t have the expertise, time, and training to research marketing efforts and care for your patients. This is where we come in; by relying on cutting-edge materials, we use this blog and our other digital avenues to educate our clients and any practices that might be thinking about joining up. This way, you can focus on simply bringing high quality dental care to your patients, while we handle the rest!

One of our key sources of digital advertising and marketing news is BrightLocal, a hub and platform that has been an industry leader in SEO research for several years now. As recently as two days ago, they proved why so many marketing agencies trust their opinion. During the 2022 edition of Google’s “Search On” event, they compiled and shared several incoming search updates that have the potential to completely change the SEO landscape. Our team has picked the four that are most relevant to our dental practices and broken them down for you below. We’ve also included an explanation of how it affects you and your patients. Check it out!

Four Key Updates

  1. Multi-Search – Near Me: Multi-search itself is an update to Google that has been around for a while now. It allows users to capture images and video as search inputs, as opposed to simply words. But with this next update, your camera has officially become your keyboard. The option will now include ‘near me’ terminology. But, what does this mean for you? It means that your potential patients will be able to use photos and images to search for a product or service, find the option they’re looking for, and search providers nearby that offer the service or product. By confirming the rollout of this new update across the U.S., Google is fully accepting that visual media is king; and so should you! Make sure to always have clear, crisp visual media on all your digital fronts, including an updated Google products page that potential patients can match to services or products they might photograph in the wild.
  2. Google Maps – Neighborhood Vibe: Another exciting update is one to Google Maps. Popular spots on Google Maps will burst with vibrancy and life as users explore the area. This affects your practice directly, as patients that browse Google Maps will be able to see user-uploaded photos and videos of the area, to get a real ‘vibe’ of your practice. In an obvious nod to the rise of social search that is prevalent across social media, Google has given your practice a reason to maintain a curated atmosphere that is pleasant to patients: their uploaded media has become your de facto supplemental marketing strategy! Just know that, as with everything, this can work for or against you. If the uploaded patient media is focused on your practice’s negatives, this will also be the first thing users see when they check the “Neighborhood Vibe” option.
  3. Google Maps – Live View: Another new addition to the expanding Google Maps toolbox, users can now explore nearby places by using a live view. They simply have to lift their phones to search and Maps will show them a digital overlay of businesses and practices around them, along with associated details like business hours and reviews. If your practice needed another incentive to ensure the information on your website and Google listings is accurate, the folks at BrightLocal have just given you one!
  4. Google Reviews – They Don’t Tell You Everything: It seems that Google is trending farther and farther away from written reviews. While reviews are still crucial for a lot of patients, the upcoming rollouts make it clear that other sources of site authority and consumer trust will start playing a larger role in the process. These changes include AI that will discern helpful insights from other sources, such as user-uploaded images, to help a patient evaluate a practice and make a decision. What This Means: your customer feedback is bound to come in through multiple avenues. Just like we have recommended publicizing reviews – with the author’s permission, of course – we would encourage using this new, visual feedback (i.e. user-uploaded images) as another route through which you can broaden your practice’s reach and visibility. What This Doesn’t Mean: Stop responding to reviews. Absolutely do not do this. Written reviews are still a great indicator of a practice’s online health. Just because they are not playing as large a role in search engine rankings as they used to, does not mean they don’t serve the greater purposes of showcasing your practice’s success stories and mitigating any complaints against it.

Keeping up with researchers like BrightLocal is just one of the many ways ProspectaMarketing stays at the vanguard of changing online trends. If you are a dental practice looking for an experienced firm specializing in dentistry and the tools of Internet marketing, look no further! We help you reach key prospects who are looking for what your practice has to offer. Our unique and thorough approach provides visibility, financial accountability, and ongoing refinement and improvement. You can find out more by contacting Lane Anderson toll-free at 1-877-322-4440 Ext 101, by email using the form on our Contact Us page, or online at ProspectaMarketing.com.

The Core Tenets of Visual Media

May 20, 2022
Advertising Media, Dental Advertising, Dental marketing, internet dental marketing, Video

At ProspectaMarketing, we create and manage all sorts of visual marketing materials for the dental practices we represent. From website design to local listings, all text needs images and visual cues to lead the reader to the right material. Without it, all you’re left with is an empty digital presence and a virtual hub that doesn’t draw visitors in.

Our team has put together a list of the core tenets of visual media; that is, the 5 most important rules to follow when using any images or videos on your website, social media sites, blogs, or any other digital marketing avenues.

The Rules

  1. Strive for Creativity: An engaging picture can be an absolute game changer for a website. The marketing authority Hubspot conducted a study this year that 70% of companies invest in some form of audiovisual media marketing. This includes videos, photos, and even music! In a pool as large as that, you must strive to choose pictures and videos that are unique to your services and that are stylish. Use music and colors that draw the eye.
  2. Don’t Overdo it: Though it might seem to fly in the face of the previous point, you don’t want to overwhelm your digital visitors with a carnival of mismatching colors, loud sounds, and intense images. As with everything, balance is key. Ensure you only ever use three types of font styles in your web presence, be it your website or other digital hubs. Another good tip is to make sure your pictures match your aesthetic. Pick three or four main colors that  your dental practice uses often and try to pick images and visual media that complement them.
  3. Videos, Videos, Videos: The aforementioned study by Hubspot also pointed out that the primary form of media used in content marketing is video. With a new generation of consumers, who are all tech savvy, comes an affinity for quick, engaging, quirky videos. Even as a dental practice, you can take advantage of this! Make sure to keep videos on your website and social media sites updated and share them often!
  4. Image and Video Licenses: After a few months, image and video licenses might begin to expire. This could lead to dead links and redirect loops in your digital hubs. Don’t let this happen! We recommend keeping an updated document with all licenses and license numbers, as well as their expiration dates, and checking it often.
  5. Labels and Descriptions: It is often important to label and describe images. The benefit of an image description is two-fold. Firstly, it helps the reader identify the media, if the actual image doesn’t load. Secondly, it can clarify complex factors (like complicated dental or medical procedures) to consumers, so they immediately know what they’re seeing.

If you need a company to manage your dental marketing strategies and provide you with excellent visual media for your digital advertising effort, we are here to help! ProspectaMarketing are an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices and the tools of Internet marketing. We help you reach key prospects who are looking for what your practice has to offer. Our unique and thorough approach provides visibility, financial accountability, and ongoing refinement and improvement. You can find out more by contacting Lane Anderson toll-free at 1-877-322-4440 Ext 101, by email using the form on our Contact Us page, or online at ProspectaMarketing.com.

What Google’s Latest Changes Mean For PPC Customers

April 11, 2016
Advertising Media, Search Engine Optimization

If you’ve done an online search using Google in the last month, you might have noticed the right-hand side of the page looks pretty empty. Google’s latest update significantly changed how ads are displayed on the search results page. Rather than a row of ads along the right-hand side, Google now displays three or four ads at the top of the search results and a couple at the bottom of the page. This may make navigating Google a bit easier on mobile devices, but this update means big changes for advertisers. PPC Customers Experience Changes With Google Update

Mark John Hiemstra wrote an in depth analysis on the Acquisio blog about how this update impacts customers who pay for Google ads. Data was taken from roughly 90,000 campaigns running on the Acquisio platform from four weeks before the change to two weeks after the change (spanning January 21, 2016-March 3, 2016). The findings are as follows:

  • Cost Per Click (CPC) for ads in the top 4 has increased by up to 10.5%
  • Click Through Rate (CTR) for ads in the top 4 has increased by up to 4.5%
  • Links below the top 4 are seeing significantly less clicks and impressions
  • CPC has also increased for spots below the top 4

Since there are no more side ads ‘above the fold’ on the results page anymore, much more weight is being placed on the top 4 ads. They are receiving much more attention, but the cost to show up there has also noticeably increased. Conversely, spots below the top 4 are getting less views but the cost to appear there has still increased. As a result of these findings, managing budget for your various ad campaigns will be even more crucial to ensure your practice gets the best visibility in the search results. Trust our marketing managers at ProspectaMarketing to help you navigate this new change and please contact us with any questions.

Can Consumers Tell Which Search Results are Paid Ads?

May 25, 2012
Advertising Media, internet dental marketing, Internet Marketing

In a recent study by recent study by SEOBook, 1,000 people were shown screenshots of Google search page results and asked whether or not the page featured ads. The surprising results? Although all the pages shown had ads, nearly half (45.5%) of the people surveyed said there were no ads.

Later when showed search results that had no ads, but included a Google Plus menu bar, 56% of participants incorrectly answered that the search results did have ads.

When asked where ads might appear on search results at top search engines like Bing & Google nearly 20% of people replied that search results do not carry ads.

Results were higher when people were shown search results with a sidebar ad, with 62.9% of people correctly answering that the page had an ad.

What does this mean for my business?

Organic listings and pay per click ads are both very important in directing traffic to your website. As illustrated by this study, people are often unaware of ads if there is no right column ad in the search results.  Sometimes doctors will say that they are not inclined to click on ads but they would look at the organic listings.  The fact is, users are not always clear which is which.  Having both on the page helps improve click through to your website.  We may be thinking about more of a distinction between the two than is warranted.

If you have questions about how to improve results with your internet dental marketing, please give us a call at 877-322-4440 ext. 101

Choosing the Right Media for Your Message

September 28, 2011
, , Advertising Media, Dental Advertising

When evaluating media alternatives, there are a number of considerations.  One question that arises from time to time is the effectiveness of TV advertising for a dental practice.  Doctors we have worked with have had success and disappointment with TV.  Having worked in a media department of an ad agency and as a marketing manager earlier in my career, there are three things worth considering when evaluating TV or any other media for advertising.

1. What is your objective and message:  Depending on what you want to accomplish, TV may or may not be the best way to deliver the message.  TV can be good practice name and positioning reinforcement.  It can also be a great way to showcase the benefits of your work with the live video.  However, will the ad format give you enough time to deliver the message you need to send?

2, Evaluate what you are really buying with the TV schedule:    When are they running the spots and what is the expected audience for the ad schedule.  The three common measures for a media buy are     * Reach (percentage of audience reached during the schedule), Frequency (avg. number of times someone is likely to see the ad) and CPM (cost per thousand viewers reached). This should all be measured against the type of patient demographic you are trying to reach (ex. women and men ages 25-64).  It is a good idea to also  look at the geography of the TV coverage and determine how much of it is your market area (where patients will realistically drive from to reach your office).  There is a level of waste in TV and any marketing.  Consider then how much of that coverage will be helpful to you.  If you are wasting 80% of the coverage on people too far away to drive to your practice or on viewers who are not your target demographic, there may be better options that are more targeted to your practice.  Much of the effectiveness will also depend on how good the ad is.  Then look at the cost per thousand, and you can more easily consider the cost against the costs of other marketing options such as internet marketing or direct mail.

3. Consider the value of the TV spot production:   Just the production of a quality TV spot can often carry a large price tag.  If you have access to the ad video (which you should be able to do) you could use it on your website (becoming increasingly important on websites now) and also post it on YouTube for additional visibility online. So, there may be some value in the production itself to consider.

If you are still unsure, conduct a test and track the results.  Make sure you run it long enough to fairly evaluate the results but contain your commitment until you have a better idea how it will perform for your practice.