COVID-19 has altered the dental landscape as we know it. The pandemic has forced many dentists to reconsider the future of their practices, pushing some to choose to retire or sell early. Although COVID-19 has caused many challenges for the dental industry, it has also created an opportunity for new dentists to start practices of their own. We welcome you to capitalize on the changing landscape by working with Doctor Genius, who can help you find a competitive advantage using digital marketing techniques. In fact, this week is a great time to prepare for the future by signing up for the 2021 Digital Marketing Landscape: Gaining a Competitive Advantage When it Counts Most webinar.
COVID-19’s Impact on Dentistry
COVID-19’s impact branches farther than simply causing dental practices to alter their methods or temporarily close their doors. The added pressure of social distancing requirements, new equipment needs, and sterilization protocols have led many dentists to make difficult decisions regarding the future of their practices. Now, many dentists are looking to sell their business or retire sooner than they had planned. New challenges can pave the way for new opportunities, and this unprecedented time offers young dentists the chance to start their own practice.
Although it can seem daunting to start a practice during this pandemic, dentists can take advantage of some financial resources. Practice owners may be able to qualify for programs from the federal government’s $2-trillion stimulus, including the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan. These programs can assist business owners in paying overhead expenses, employee wages, and rent/mortgage.
Post-COVID Digital Marketing
Even before the onset of the pandemic, dentistry had entered the digital age, with digital marketing playing a vital role in reaching and communicating with target audiences. In the post-COVID dental landscape, understanding how to maximize a site’s reach and developing a sense of comfortability with a brand is paramount for practices. Digital marketing can be the source for maximizing your online presence and differentiating your brand. Since more people are finding their dentists online due to minimal personal contact, there is a shift to look online for trusted dentistry. Practices that integrate virtual health effectively have seen continual growth in their business. Our marketing solutions that have been most effective include fleshed out search engine and keyword optimization, social media and online engagement, digital advertising, and content marketing.
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a fundamental part of digital marketing that can make a website more visible, driving more traffic and business opportunities. It is a valuable tool to help build brand awareness, grow relationships with clients, position yourself as a trusted authority in your field, and ultimately drive your business’s growth. Strategies to improve website and blog SEO include implementing well-researched keywords, relevant and educational content, external optimization practices, and local ranking tracking. Doctor Genius practice support can help you utilize the right SEO strategy, so you can improve your online presence and stay ahead of the competition.
Using the right keywords is a crucial part of SEO, requiring careful selection and good judgment when including them in content. As a vital aspect of SEO that reaches and engages your audience, the form of content needs to be engaging, relevant, and shareable. External optimization practices or off-page SEO usually entails backlink building. This technique helps build authority as it lets search engines know that a website is valuable and high-quality. Local SEO is increasingly important for businesses, as many people use their mobile devices to search. Some best local SEO practices include claiming directory listings, using local keywords, and creating business pages on Google Maps, Google+, and Google My Business.
Social Media and Online Engagement
Maintaining an active social media presence helps keep businesses visible and top-of-mind. Social media platforms are an excellent place to communicate with current and prospective patients. Become a resource to serve your audience better and build stronger relationships with them. Post information that is valuable and engaging, sharing information that demonstrates expertise and displays thoughtful leadership. This will allow you to build trust and earn your audience’s confidence. Social media is a useful digital marketing tool to build your reputation and branding, helping you stand out from the competition.
Even during the uncertainty of the pandemic, patients are still engaging with dental practices online. It will remain important post-COVID for business owners to maintain direct lines of communication through online sources. Digital marketing allows practices to have an online voice and provide patients with timely responses, up-to-date information, and helpful tips. There are many ways for business owners to communicate with their audience, including social media, emails, and online messaging through their website. Doctor Genius figures out how, what, where, when, and to whom you need to be communicating and delivering your brand messages. It is crucial to leverage online communication to retain current patients and establish relationships with prospective ones.
Content Marketing
Many businesses are investing in content creation, so it is important to create engaging, high-quality content that can break through the clutter and provide audiences with valuable information. Content marketing for medical practices can differentiate a dentist or medical practitioner as an expert in their field. Our digital marketing strategy will help you reach the right people and provide engaging content that encourages them to reach out. Providing consistent, educational, and accurate information can help boost your industry reputation and result in more people thinking of your practice when looking for a dentist.
Creating a blog is one of the most effective ways to generate traffic to a website and connect with patients. Doctor Genius offers high-quality content writing to educate your audience while improving your practice’s ranking. This form of content marketing helps build brand awareness, communicate important information, attract new patients, and establish credibility. Blogging is important for boosting SEO as the addition of new content with the incorporation of the right keywords will help your practice rank higher on search engine result pages. The key to a blog’s success is consistency, so setting up a blog schedule will help you remain one of the top contenders in your industry. Blogs are a long-term tool for growth as blogs’ addition will drive website traffic and new patients over time.
Videos are a powerful form of content marketing that can help differentiate a practice. You can create relevant and engaging video content that grabs your audience’s attention and addresses their interests and questions concisely and memorably. By optimizing videos for desktop and mobile formats, you help more people find and reach your site. Some video examples include:
- Dental education
- Office tours
- Patient testimonials
- Tutorials targeting relevant keywords
- Q&A sessions
Take Advantage of the New Dental Landscape
Many of the changes that have occurred as a result of COVID-19 are here to stay. The pandemic and its aftermath will continue to cause disruptions for businesses and change consumer behavior. It is important to embrace a digital marketing strategy that will support your business’s growth and success in the post-COVID landscape.
The dentists who retired or sold their businesses during the pandemic leave a gap for new dentists to fill. You can be the right dentist that meets the needs of these potential patients looking for professional care. The right digital marketing strategy will set your business apart from the competition when it matters the most. Digital marketing can help your practice adapt and grow in the aftermath of COVID-19.
We Are Here to Help
If you are unsure if your dental practice is ready for the digital landscape, we can help. Register for our webinar, 2021 Digital Marketing Landscape: Gaining a Competitive Advantage When it Counts Most, to learn more. Doctor Genius’s Phil Lopez will be providing insight on how to help your practice adapt to the new post-pandemic digital landscape where more patients than ever are looking for a new dentist that meets their new expected standard of care.
Reach out to us and take the first steps toward creating the plan your practice needs to gain a competitive advantage in the current marketplace. Doctor Genius is here to help. Contact us to learn more!
Doctor Genius, located at 16800 Aston Street, Suite 270, Irvine, CA 92606, provides a range of services for practice success. We seek to meet our clients’ needs by providing a variety of marketing, SEO, practice optimization tools, and coaching to transform the healthcare experience. Though we work to provide the most accurate information, the content found on this website is solely intended for entertainment purposes. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is entirely correct. You may not use the information on this site to cure, prevent, or diagnose a perceived medical issue. If you have healthcare-related needs, please speak directly to a healthcare professional. Never self-perform medical treatments discussed on this website. All images displayed are also for entertainment purposes only, and personal experiences may differ. Please note that the business tactics mentioned on this site might not be applicable to your industry or practice.
