Is It Time to Update Your Website?

September 1, 2021
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Websites

Portrait,Of,Dentist,Standing,With,Arms,Crossed,In,ClinicIs it time to update your dental website? If it’s been a couple of years since the last time you did, the answer is probably yes.

Updating a website can take a lot of work, and it’s easy to put it off. But there are some very good reasons why you should make regular improvements. The best one may be that the vast majority of consumers – some ninety percent – use a search engine to find dentists and other local businesses. If your site is outdated it will affect how your practice is ranked in all-important search engine results.

Get New Patients

There’s a not-very-old saying: your website is your best salesperson. It’s the first point of contact for potential new patients, who use it to find the information they want to know: your services, your location, your office hours, and how to contact you.

It’s critical to keep all of the information on your website up-to-date so that it tells visitors what they want, and converts them into new patients. But there are other reasons for regular site updating:

  • Outdated technology. The way we access the Internet keeps changing. Google is now mobile-first: that is, the search engine giant uses the mobile version of site content to index and rank them. Voice activation isn’t far behind!
  • Increase site traffic. Your website gets traffic when users can find it. A site’s content is “optimized” to attract the search engines, a process called search engine optimization (SEO). Google alone regularly updates its search algorithms, so SEO needs regular updating, too.
  • Consistency. If one page on your site looks different from another, it not only looks strange: visitors may find it confusing. Yet it’s surprisingly common for design inconsistencies, like different menus, to crop up as websites grow and change. Redesigns can correct them.
  • Stay current! This may seem trivial, but it isn’t. The appearance of websites across the board follow styles and trends, like anything else. Your site visitors will notice. You’re much better off looking modern.

Waiting too long to update your dental website can impact your practice’s bottom line. ProspectaMarketing is an 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.

More Common Than The Toothbrush

June 1, 2021
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

Relaxed,Mature,Old,60s,Woman,,Older,Middle,Aged,Female,CustomerIt’s been two years since Google introduced its “mobile-first” policy. Since that time the trend toward smartphones and tablets as the preferred means of Internet access has only increased. Everyone has a smartphone now. Some trend-watchers say they more common than toothbrushes!

“Mobile first” means that when users search for something, Google first  evaluates the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking search results.

If your site isn’t mobile-ready you are at a competitive disadvantage. It may look great on your laptop, but Google may not find it. You end up missing out on a huge pool of potential new patients.

Are You Mobile-Ready?

You may have heard that some web designs work well across the board: laptops, desktops, and smartphones. To a certain extent that is true. But the best approach is to make sure that everything on your site, from design to content, is optimized for mobile devices.

If you haven’t optimized your dental site for mobile, don’t put it off another day. 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.

Dental Marketing: Millions On The Move

March 15, 2021
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

627946913 edit 1Did you know that more than thirty million Americans relocate each and every year? It’s true – and it only takes a little imagination to realize what that means. Each year, millions of people are living in a new town and trying to find a new dentist.

Marketing your dental practice via the Internet enables you to get their attention.

Dental marketing means putting the name of your practice before the public. In the Internet age, it involves influencing search engines and using social media platforms.

Local Searches

Virtually everyone is on the Internet now, and virtually everyone searches for consumer goods and services. Google alone processes more than 3.5 billion searches every day!

Digital marketing puts the name of your dental practice before a large pool of potential new patients, and in a way that:

  • Is easy for users to find
  • Makes it simple for people to contact your office
  • Describes all that you have to offer
  • Presents a positive image
  • and more!

When people look for health care professionals like dentists, they usually include search terms like “dentist near me,” or the name of their city. In other words, they localize their search terms. By optimizing your practice website for local search, you can use this to your advantage.

Local search isn’t much different than ordinary Internet searches. The difference is in the keywords, links, and other content used to attract Google; it all has a local emphasis. That is how people who live in your town, and maybe just moved there, are going to find you.

There are a lot of dentists out there, and millions of people are on the move. Digitally marketing your practice helps you stand out from the crown. 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.

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.

Your Practice and Digital Marketing

August 17, 2020
internet dental marketing, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

The Internet has impacted virtually ever facet of modern life, including the way dental practices attract new patients.

dentist-working-woman_583030357Marketing your practice online has proven to be far more effective than traditional marketing at reaching new patients. How so? The people you reach aren’t just new patients, they’re the right patients. Online marketing enables you to target specific people with specific messages.

There are a number of reasons why online marketing – digital marketing, more properly –  is so effective. First, consider the audience:

  • 90% of adults in the United States use the Internet
  • 85% of all consumers use the Internet to find local businesses
  • 91% of the total population shop online

 

The Right Patients

What do we mean by “the right patients”? When people are searching for a dentist online, it’s usually due to one of several reasons:

  • Dental issues. They may have noticed a symptom that needs attention, like a toothache or bleeding gums, but do not currently have a dentist.
  • Research. They may looking for information about a specific procedure, such as teeth whitening or getting a dental implant.
  • Comparing options. They may be shopping around to see what one practice versus another has to offer on specific treatments, whether their insurance covers it, or other payment options available.

There are many ways of using the Internet to get your practice in front of new patients. These ways are called digital marketing channels. Let’s consider just one, pay-per-click, or PPC.

The term itself sounds self-explanatory. It means paying a fee each time a user clicks on one of your online ads. Because they are so effective at engaging new patients, PPC ads are worth their weight in gold.

PPC ads appear on search engines and business directories, where potential new clients are looking for new dentists like you. When they click on your ad they are linked directly to your website, where you’re offering the service they’re looking for.

There are other effective channels, like social media and email marketing. In an age when almost everything is influenced by the Internet, a well-orchestrated digital marketing campaign is the ideal way of driving new, relevant users to your dental practice.

To get started, please contact ProspectaMarketing, 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.

Market Your Practice Online

June 1, 2020
internet dental marketing, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Uncategorized

Dental practices need a steady flow of new patients in order to remain profitable. With so much competition out there, and so much business now being conducted online, an effective digital marketing is essential.

shutterstock_527776330_edit_01Whether they are looking for a new dentist or scheduling an appointment with their current one, the Internet is the primary tool people use. That simple fact cuts across all demographics: from Generation-X to Baby Boomers, virtually everyone interacts online.

Digital marketing is the way that dental practices an connect with their patients.

New Patients

Google is far and away the most common Internet search engine, processing more than three billion searches every single day. That includes people looking for a dentist near their homes.

Digital marketing practices include:

  • SEO. Search Engine Optimization is a way of driving new traffic to your dental practice website, and converting site visitors into patients. By optimizing your online presence, you get visitors more likely to become your patients.
  • PPC. Pay per Click is another way to bring new visitors to your site. They arrive there by clicking on advertisements that link back to the site.
  • Content Marketing. The content on your website offers value to site visitors. Embedded videos, blogs, and other content has useful information that helps generate interest in your practice.
  • Social Media. Nearly everyone is on Facebook, and other social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Get the attention of patients and potential patients by publishing interesting and useful content on your social media profiles.

These and other digital marketing strategies can increase your website and social media visitors, leading to new patients and increased revenues. ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices and the tools of Internet search 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.

Mobile or Desktop?

December 16, 2019
internet dental marketing, Local Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

It has long been an article of faith that consumers turn to their mobile devices first, when they do local online searches. Whether it’s a dental practice or a dry cleaner, we use smart phones and tablets to find them. But a new study is calling this conventional wisdom into question.

Woman Using ComputerThe study by Ignite Visibility, a digital marketing agency, said that fifty-nine percent of their respondents still prefer searching on their desktop computers over a mobile device. Only 17.9 percent would rather tap on their phones.

Those numbers drop even more when it comes to using a voice search, like Siri or Google Assistant. Ignite Visiblity reports that a scant six percent use that feature.

These are surprising numbers, since the use of mobile devices in organic search engine visits has risen steadily since at least 2013. Voice search, too, continues to grow in popularity. Why is the Ignite Visiblity study showing a preference for desktop search? The answer may be in its demographics.

About five hundred people took part their survey. Of those, about ninety percent  were over fifty-five. “Less than 2% of respondents [in the Ignite Visibility study] were under age 35,” reports SearchEngineLand, which reviewed the survey. “It’s safe to say there are material differences between user behaviors of different generations.”

The importance of mobile devices to local search and purchases remains strong. Local businesses, including dental practices, must create websites that are optimized for smartphones and tablets. This should not be considered a luxury.

Voice search, too, continues to improve and has growing influence.

The digital marketplace is complex and ever-changing. ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices. We 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.

Encouraging Positive Reviews

November 15, 2019
internet dental marketing, Online Reviews, Search Engine Optimization

The online reviews of your dental patients are a critical factor in the profitability of your practice. The more you have, the higher your practice will rank in search engine results, and the higher you rank in search engine results, the more prospective patients will find out about you.

Dentist wearing mask holding medical equipment

Sounds simple enough. So, what can you do to encourage your current patients to leave you an online review?

Many small businesses take the direct approach. Retail outlets, in particular, are known for this. How many times have you been handed a receipt, with a URL highlighted in yellow? The clerk asks you to visit the site and leave your comments.

For a dental practice, it isn’t that simple, due to the nature of daily operations.

Positive Reviews

Survey after survey has  borne out the importance of positive online reviews. The vast majority of people responding to these surveys acknowledge that positive reviews influence their decision on whether to buy a certain product, eat at a certain restaurant – or visit a particular dental practice.

  • Ninety percent read them before visiting a business
  • Eighty-eight percent trust them as much as personal recommendations
  • Seventy-two percent are more likely to trust a business with positive reviews

But you can’t hand a patient a receipt with yellow highlights on it. Or can you?

Well, maybe not a receipt with yellow highlights. But whenever you finish an appointment, especially with one that has gone well, you can ask the patient to go online and leave a review.

If you don’t care for the direct approach (we don’t) then there are alternatives.

  • Followup Email. Send patients a post-apppointment email that asks how their experience was. Include a link to review sites, and ask them for their comments. The key here is to send this email within a day or so of the appointment.
  • Make the process easy. Even if it only takes a few minutes, you’re asking patients to take the time to go online and say nice things about you. Keep your post-appointment email short and to the point, and remember to say thank-you!
  • Choose wisely. There are tons of review sites out there. The inclincation may be to go straight to Yelp, but don’t forget Google My Business, Healthgrades, Zocdoc, or Dentistry.com.

All of this flows, of course, from the exceptional care you provide. That helps give your patients the incentive they need.

Don’t Fret

When you ask your patients for reviews, you always run the risk of a patient writing a negative one. Positive reviews are important, but as we have noted elsewhere on this blog, you can benefit from the occasional negative comment.

Too many positive reviews may not seem right. For one thing, nobody’s perfect. For another, if you see nothing but positive reviews it could suggest the numbers are cooked.

Don’t fret the occasional bad review. They’re inevitable.

Does all this sound complicated? ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices. We 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.

Microsites: Your Showcase

November 1, 2019
Dental marketing, internet dental marketing, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

Your dental practice website offers a lot: everything from a detailed list of your available procedures to patient forms to biographical information on you and your dedicated staff. And let’s not forget the smile gallery, and contact information!

Happy senior citizen having a casual small talk with the friendly doctor

It is, in short, packed with content. You don’t want anything to get overlooked, especially your most important services. What to do? You can attach a microsite to your main site, and prominently feature those services.

A microsite is a sub-site to your main website, and it focuses on a single topic. The entire microsite is built around it – dental implants, for example. The microsite has its own URL, its own content, and its own interfaces.

Benefits

You might think: why would I want something like that?

A microsite showcases one of your specialties – the aforementioned dental implants, or maybe teeth whitening. These two examples are among the most in-demand cosmetic dentistry procedures. It might also feature a specialty, such as endodontics.

By focusing on one service or specialty, you are able to improve your search engine optimization results. People search for these terms, so they’ll find you faster and easier.

With a more focused presentation, your practice will rank higher in search results. Your would-be patients will get a clear and concise of what you have to offer.

Marketing your practice is not easy, but there is professional help. ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm specializing in dental practices. We 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.

Keep It Fresh: Your Dental Website

July 1, 2019
internet dental marketing, Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Websites

The Internet has steadily evolved over the years, and still is evolving. And like the Internet, the tools we use to access it are contantly changing. That’s one of the main reasons why most businesses, including dental practices, redesign their websites from time to time.

There is no industry standard for when a site needs an upgrade. That said, a rule of thumb has emerged: commercial websites are typically redesigned every two to three years.

Redesigning a website may not be a very appealing idea. A lot of work goes into it. But it’s an important part of staying competitive. The simple fact is that many dental practice websites, if you’ll pardon the pun, tend to get a little long in the tooth.

Is It Time?

A website redesign may involve anything from updating some of its elements, to building an entirely new site from scratch. How do you know when the time has come?

If you have noticed any decline in new patients to your practice, your website may be underperforming. Or maybe your site is just plain old and stale-looking.

  • New Patients. The most important function of your site is bringing new patients in to your office. That means your site must give you high visibility. Potential new patients find you through search engines like Google, so the entire site must have content that is fully optimized for SEO, search engine optimization.
  • Easy Navigation. Your site must be well-designed, so that visitors can easily find their way around. They may be looking for some specific piece of information, and you want them to be able to find it. If you’ve got something people are looking for, like your experience with dental implants or teeth whitening, visitors should be able to find that in one or two clicks. If they can’t, your site does not have an effective design. Time to fix it.
  • Up-to-Date. Websites have plenty of links. Does yours have any that are obsolete? No one wants to click on something only to get a 404 page, or one that cannot be accessed on a mobile device.

Your website is the public face of your dental practice; in many ways, its heart and soul. Is yours doing what it should?

ProspectaMarketing is an experienced Internet marketing firm that specializes in dental practices. We use all of 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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