Online Reviews: Fresh is Better

January 4, 2021
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Online Reviews

Positive online reviews are critical to the success of your dental practice. How critical? They’re second only to your outstanding dental care. Virtually everyone reads them before deciding whether to book an appointment.

245624101 edit 1By online reviews, we mean those written by your patients. They appear on Google My Business and similar platforms, and are influential because they represent real-world experience. Study after study has demonstrated that people trust online reviews as much or more than the recommendations of their friends and family members.

Online Reviews

New statistics about the importance of online reviews of local businesses, like dental practices, are particularly eye-opening. The numbers were compiled by BrightLocal, a local marketing firm.

  • 93% of all consumers searched the Internet to find a local business during 2020.
  • 34% searched every single day.
  • 87% read online reviews, up from eighty-one percent from the previous year.

As you might guess, it’s good to have plenty of positive online reviews. But more important is that there are fresh ones. As far as most consumers are concerned, newer is better.

  • 50% only read reviews written within the last two weeks.
  • 73% only consider those written within the last month.
  • 86% read those from the previous three months.

There are strategies you can use to promote a reliable flow of fresh online reviews, and expert help is available. 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.

What Makes A Great Dental Website?

December 16, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Websites

Most visitors to commercial websites decide within fifteen seconds whether they are going to engage: whether they will buy a product or use a service. This is as true for dental practice websites as it is for any other.

643274893Fifteen seconds isn’t much time, and begs the question: what makes a great dental website?

The overall goal of your site, of course, is to convert visitors into patients. There are key components your site must have:

  • Make it an expression of your practice. Show visitors that your practice is unlike any other in town. Your site should have a unique logo, original images, be easy to navigate, and tell visitors what they want to know.
  • SEO-friendly. Search Engine Optimization may sound a little dull, but it’s how you get your site to rank on search engines like Google. Using the right words – keywords – is critical to reach new patients.
  • Knows your audience. Are you a family practice? An orthodontist? The site should reflect this in its appearance.
  • Secure. It seems like almost every day we hear about websites being hacked. By one count it’s thirty thousand hacks every single day. Your site has sensitive information, and you must be sure it’s protected.

461525554Must-Haves!

There are other elements that are must-haves for any good dental website. These include:

  • Easy navigation. Your site visitors must be able to find what they’re looking for. Good organization and an easy-to-find, easy-to-understand menu makes that possible, and makes for a more positive experience.
  • Photos and video. The images on your site should really resonate. Avoid stock photos; original pictures and videos show visitors what you do, as well as what you, your staff, and your office look like.
  • Calls To Action. Each page on your site should have an objective: getting visitors to schedule an appointment or give you a call. Incentives like a free cleaning for new patients encourage them.
  • Online scheduling and payment. Nowadays, we all expect a full online experience, including the ability to book appointments and pay bills. It’s convenient for patients and can even make your practice more efficient.
  • Testimonials. Never underestimate the power of the testimonial! The approval of satisified patients the new word-of-mouth: through online reviews shared to your site, or even videos.
  • Blog. A blog is a useful tool for showing off your practice. Blogs that are regularly updated attract the search engines, too: Google loves fresh content.

If your site is missing these elements, it may be time for an upgrade. Expert help can make your website shine! 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.

The Business of Dentistry

December 2, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing

1450907255When they first go into practice, many dentists assume that delivering outstanding dental care will be enough to succeed. But soon enough, many of them come to realize that a dental practice, perhaps first and foremost, is a business.

No matter the product or service involved, the business of running a business is demanding. Dentistry is a specialized field, and the stress of delivering ourstanding care while managing the enterprise can take a toll on your chairside manner. How do you hang on to your existing patients, bring new patients in, and consistently deliver excellent dental care?

Marketing

The answer lies in effective marketing. When it’s done right, marketing your practice can keep you profitable and stimulate new growth, and still allow you focus on why you went to dental school in the first place.

What exactly is marketing? It is related to advertising, but is more than that: it involves identifying potential patients and finding the most effective ways of getting your name before them.

One element of marketing is establishing your practice’s brand. That word, “branding,” may invoke images of corporations and vast budgets. What it really means for a small practice is identifying the services you do best and would like to do the most. It’s the why of your practice: the reason why patients should choose you over every other dentist in town.

New practices seem to open every day, but you can get a leg up on  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.

Reviews Are In: You Need Good Ones!

November 18, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Online Reviews

There are no two ways about it: in order to grow your dental practice, you need positive online reviews. How important are they? According to one survey, half of the people who were asked said they would go to an out-of-network dentist who had good online reviews!

444243769Good reviews mean more than drawing in new patients, of course. They raise your online profile (your reputation) and help you keep your current patients. You cannot put a pricetag on patients who are happy with the services you provide, and are willing to tell the world about it.

The Reviews Are In

These days virtually everyone has access to the Internet, and most people have a smartphone in their pocket or purse. They can check online reviews at a moment’s notice. People trust online reviews because they’re written by everyday people: their friends and neighbors.

  • 85% trust patient reviews as much or more as the recommendations of family or friends
  • 73% put more trust in a local business with good reviews
  • 86% of people choose a dentist based on patient reviews
  • 60% make an appointment with a practice after reading positive reviews

Getting Reviews

In today’s competitive environment it’s essential that your dental practice not only has a marketing plan, but has one that encourages reviews from your patients and uses them constructively.

The first step, of course, is to provide good services. This is what keeps patients coming back, and has them willing to share their experiences.

What’s the best way to encourage a patient to review your practice? A good strategy is to follow up an appointment with a polite request for feedback. You can do that with a text message or an email. Most people are happy to comply.

It’s okay to suggest a particular review site. Google is easily the most important, but Facebook is also really good, as is Yelp.

Marketing your practice can be exacting and time-consuming, but it definitely pays off. If you have any doubts about your approach, help is available. 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.

Stand Out From The Crowd: Market Your Practice!

November 2, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing

There are more than two hundred thousand practicing dentists in the United States, and more seem to hang out their shingles every year. If you’re a dentist, you have probably noticed all the competition!

631494893It seems harder than ever to stand out from the crowd, but there are effective marketing strategies that even a small practice can put into effect. They’ll help you bring in new patients, keep existing ones, and remain profitable.

The key to success is understanding your strengths and leveraging them to your advantage. In short, you must distinguish yourself from rival practices.

Create your brand

Remember that your practice’s website is among the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. It must be optimized for the search engines and accessible to mobile devices, as well as desk- and laptops.

You can use your site to create a valuable brand. Include these essential elements:

  • Information for Patients. Internet searches are more detailed than ever before; people expect more than your location and office hours. They want to know your services (including specialties), whether their insurance is accepted, be able to schedule appointments, find downloadable patient forms, and more.
  • Patient Reviews. Good reviews and ratings from your patients are worth their weight in gold.
    • 72% of potential new patients won’t take action before reading reviews
    • 15% don’t trust practices that don’t have reviews
  • Video and Pictures. Your site should include videos explaining different procedures, and images of your office and staff. These establish your expertise and connect with site visitors. Tip: don’t skimp on this. Hire professionals to take high-quality video and pictures.
  • Call Tracking. This makes it possible to see exactly where incoming calls to your practice come from.

In the good old days, dentists didn’t have to hone their business skills to bring in new patients – but in today’s climate it’s essential. 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.

The Value of Video

October 16, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing

Is there any video on your dental practice website? If not, there should be – and for some very good reasons.

Video is more than a means of educating your site visitors. It is a powerful marketing tool that allows you to present your practice in ways that mere words cannot. It also helps your site stand out in search results – and when it comes to bringing new patients to your pracitce, that’s the name of the game.

1041035773_resizedThe first thing to know about video is how well it resonates with viewers.

  • People retain 95% of a video’s message, compared to 10% of what they read.
  • 82% of Twitter users watch that platform’s video content.
  • More than 50% of Internet video is viewed on a mobile device.

When you factor in that five hundred million people watch a video on Facebook every single day, the value of video is undeniable.

Variety!

What sort of video should you have on your site? There are a lot of possibilities.

  • Practice overview. If a picture is worth a thousand words, moving pictures may be worth a whole lot more. Instead of lengthy text about your practice, use video to show what you offer, introduce your staff, and show the office space.
  • Testimonials. Patients explaining why they’re satisfied with your service really strike a chord with viewers. Studies show more than ninety percent of people trust testimonials as much as they trust recommendations from family and friends.
  • Patient education. Share your professional expertise to explain various treatments. Your patients want to know these things!.
  • Special Services. Any dentist can fill a cavity. What makes you stand out? Your extra training in dental implants or cosmetic dentistry?

Your website videos should range from sixty to ninety seconds in length. That may not sound like much time, but trust us: you can pack a lot of information into one minute.

Videos are one of the most powerful and effective tools for marketing your dental practice, and 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.

Have You Updated Your Website Lately?

September 15, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Websites

Your website is an essential tool in driving new patients to your dental practice. It’s the way new patients find out what they need to know: the services you offer, your contact information, and where you are located.

527791774_edit_01Is your site getting stale? There are plenty of good reasons to think about updating it. There are two options: a website redesign, and a website refresh.

As the name suggests, a website redesign is a complete overhaul of your site. If there has been a significant change to the practice, like new ownership, or if it looks outdated or delivers an unsatisfactory user experience, a redesign may be in order.

It’s a major undertaking, though, and a site refresh may be the more efficient route. A typical refresh involves tweaking its navigation with menu changes, adding or deleting content, and other simple changes.

Reasons

Whichever works best for you, there are lots of reasons to consider updating your dental practice website with a refresh or a redesign.

  • Is it mobile-friendly? The use of smartphones has grown a whopping 222% since 2013, and that will only increase. Today, users expect a mobile-optimized experience.
  • Is it up-to-date? Is your site compatible with all of the most common web browsers? Web standards change frequently and it’s essential to keep your site’s underlying source code up-to-date.
  • Are its calls-to-action effective? A call to action (CTA) is something meant to get a site visitor to do something specific, like call your office or click a link to related content. Improving CTAs help convert visitors into new patients.
  • Is its content relevant? Are you offering new services, or no longer offering other ones? Are there new members to your dental team? Updating your site’s content ensures visitors get the reliable and useful information that leads them to schedule an appointment.

Improving your dental practice website with a site refresh or even a redesign will improve the user experience and bring new patients to your office. It’s a worthwhile undertaking, but a major one. 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.

Bad Online Review? Your Response Matters

July 15, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Online Reviews

The occasional bad online review is a fact of life for any small business, whether it’s a pizza parlor or a dental practice. A bad review is no fun for you to read – but it isn’t going to put you out of business, either. What’s really important is how you respond.

shutterstock_284500400_resizedYes, a lot of people are going to see that negative review, but almost as many are going to see how you reply to it. That, in turn, will influence your online reputation.

A survey by Brightlocal underscores just how important it all is:

  • 90% of consumers went online when looking for a local business in the last year
  • Most of them read ten reviews before deciding to do business with you
  • 97% of those who read reviews also read a businesses’ response to them

The lesson? Monitor your online reviews, especially those on Google and Facebook. Your potential new patients will be reading them. How you react may carry more weight than the review itself.

Responding

First, never ignore a bad review. Responding to a patient who had a negative experience in your office is the responsible thing to do, and readers will see that.

Far better is a reasoned resonse that demonstrates you can acknowledge something may have gone wrong. The Internet, unfortunately, makes a knee-jerk response easy. Click the Reply button and give that reviewer what-for. Resist the temptation; it is unprofessional and will make you look bad.

Your response should be direct and to the point. Concede that something went wrong and that you are willing to make it right. That’s enough. Remember that 97% who are going to read your reply!

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.

Your Dental Practice and Multi-Channel Marketing

July 1, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Online Reviews

To bring new patients to your dental practice you have to let them know you’re there. That means using the power of the Internet to spread the word. What’s the best approach? A killer website? Social media? Or is there a new platform emerging?

shutterstock_288951617_edit_01_resizedThe answer is that there are multiple systems at your disposal, and you should be taking advantage of  them all. It’s the best way to reach as many prospective patients as possible.

Casting A Wide Net

Whether they’re looking for a restaurant, a dry cleaner, or a new dentist, virtually everyone turns to the Internet. That isn’t going to change anytime soon. Consumer survey after consumer survey bears this out:

  • 92 percent read review sites when they are looking for services like dental practices
  • 88 percent trust the online reviews they read as much or more as personal recommendations
  • 72 percent say that positive reviews give them more trust in a practice

The beauty of the Internet is that is puts an enormous amount of information at our fingertips. Consider this scenario: someone just moved to town and is looking for a new dentist. They want to find a provider they can take the whole family to. The first step? A Google search that turns up a list of local dentists, each within a few miles of home.

From there, they will probably read some Facebook or Google reviews. There are plenty of them. These reviews, written by their new neighbors who have had experience with these local dentists, will tell them which practices best fit their needs and have good reputations.

These lesson here? Your dental practice must cast the widest net possible, with a presence on online channels like social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), email, YouTube, and pay-per-click ads. It’s the best way to attract new patients.

Sound daunting? Help is available. 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.

Can You Remove Bad Online Reviews?

May 1, 2020
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Online Reviews

shutterstock_1639352191Online reviews have never been more important to small businesses. Almost everyone reads them, and almost everyone is influenced by them. Healthcare providers, including dental practices, are among the small businesses for which the most reviews are read.

According to one survey, ninety-two percent of consumers read online reviews before deciding whether to part with their hard-earned money. Probably because they are written by ordinary people, these reviews do more to influence a business’s reputation than anything else. Most people trust them as much, if not more, as the recommendations of family and friends.

In terms of global traffic, Google and Yelp are among the Internet’s top review platforms. More than half of all consumers, in fact, visit a business within forty-eight hours of Googling them.

Bad Reviews

You can’t please everyone, and bad reviews are going to happen now and then. It’s important to always keep that in mind. Remember too that, as we have written elsewhere on this blog, there are actually benefits to an occasional negative review.

One bad review isn’t much to worry about, but they are never to be taken lightly. Most negative reviews are driven by financial or billing issues. Sometimes customer reviews cross a line: they are grossly unfair or even untrue, and written by someone with an axe to grind. To make matters worse, there are companies trying to take advantage of that: they’ll offer to remove bad reviews for a fee – in order, they usually say, to protect your online reputation.

If you are approached by a company promising to remove any bad reviews, take a pass. Such offers are at best unreliable and at worst deceitful. Your online reputation does matter, and promoting and protecting it is a subject in and of itself. But it is virtually impossible, in most cases, for a third party to remove – that is, to permanently delete – a regular bad online review from a legitimate patient.

What You Can Do

The platforms that provide customer reviews want to present information you can trust: opinions that are honest and authentic. Google and Yelp both have strict policies about review content, and will delete any that deviate from them, such as:

  • Abusive reviews
  • Reviews from current or past employees
  • Fake reviews
  • Unsolicited commercial content (spam)

Removing a review can be an uphill battle, but it can be done – especially when the facts are on your side.

ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm; we understand Google and Yelp review policies, and know when it’s worthwhile to fight to remove negative reviews. We specialize in dental practices and use the tools of Internet search marketing to 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.

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