PRACTICE ADVISORS

Digital…Marketing or Mayhem?

The what, how, and why practices need to include digital media in their marketing

Q: IS DIGITAL MARKETING IMPORTANT FOR MY PRACTICE’S SUCCESS?

A: The simple answer is yes! That is, if you want new and younger patients, as well as additional income. So, let’s consider different aspects of digital media marketing that can positively affect your revenue.

DR.-DRIVEN WEB VIDEOS

A well-done video incorporated into a professionally designed website can produce quite a positive effect.

We have a digital media company, Chair 8 Media, on retainer to produce videos that are then integrated into our website. Topics vary from dry eye, to nutrition and the eye, to specialty contact lenses. The patient actually gets to hear information from their doctor as opposed to a canned presentation from an actor. You can even video the inside of your office and offer patients a virtual tour.

MARKETING 101

Your own website delivers a much stronger message than if you simply link to a manufacturer site.

Video content generated by your practice can reach your patient in real time with powerful messaging.

Whatever the medium, your messaging must not be amateur.

Videos incorporated into one’s website are considered by consultants to increase search engine opportunity placement.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

We are in a visual profession. Photographs of the office and optical need to be a high-quality representation as opposed to cell phone shots.

We utilize our digital media providers to produce top-quality, high-pixel content work to match the quality of eyecare we strive to deliver.

There is nothing worse than seeing a doctor’s photo on a website that looks more like a police mug shot.

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

We use our digital media provider to maintain our social media presence via such venues as Facebook and Twitter.

We not only produce our own material but we also link with many of our key vendors. They can provide high-quality content, but just remember that vendors’ content is generic rather than specific to your practice.

DRONES?

No question about it. Drone filming and photography have a real place in our digital media portfolio. Drones provide a uniqueness that is strikingly positive, especially for those who have attractive physical plants. What better way to demonstrate that your practice is state of the art than by presenting drone shots of your office in your digital media?

Search engine optimization (SEO) consultants recommend posting to social media on a routine basis—anywhere from once a day to once every other week. Remember that search engines tend to look for recent content, so if you haven’t posted anything for six months, your social media presence might just as well be non-existent.

CONTENT MARKETING

Content marketing focuses on individual interests and preferences, creating the right content for the right person at the right time. This can be achieved by targeting different select segments of your patient population.

For example, send an email blast to your Facebook followers. Then follow it up with messages targeting AMD protection to your adult followers and improved gaming numbers to younger followers.

In the future, marketing must be aimed at individualism as opposed to one size fits all. If you want to thrive in this new environment, you need to embrace this for your practice.

— Allan Barker, O.D., and Greg Stockbridge, O.D., MBA

SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS

Drs. Barker and Stockbridge will answer your questions about practice growth and business management, as well as other issues. Please email your questions to eyecarebizeditor@pentavisionmedia.com