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There was a time when developing and implementing marketing campaigns meant running ads on radio and placing print ads in newspapers. However, as the world moves toward a digital marketplace, practices are expanding their reach through digital marketing tactics.

Any modern practice that wants to get ahead in the current digital environment will need to adopt digital marketing tactics as part of its overall strategy. This does not mean you have to ignore the traditional print ads, especially if your practice is seeing a great response from these types of ads. However, by leveraging digital marketing tactics in combination with traditional marketing strategies, your practice can start to optimize the ad campaigns for maximum results.

However, do not take just our word for it! Industry statistics show that digital marketing does work, regardless of your specialty or practice size.

Here are the top seven reasons your practice needs digital marketing to attract new leads, connect with patients and close more sales:

1. More patients are online

The internet and social media networks are reshaping the way potential patients search for their healthcare provider. According to a survey in 2016, nearly 54 percent of customers search for a local doctor online on a weekly or monthly basis. This figure is likely to grow by 2020, reflecting the increasing time spent by patients online. So, as a medical practitioner, would it be a wise decision to let go of ever-increasing online opportunities? No matter what specialty your practice operates in, it is critical to creating an online image that appeals to potential and existing patients. At the end of the day, you want to attract more patients both through the online and print media. So why not capitalize on your online presence?

2. Easier to target the right audience

Gone are the days when a one-size-fits-all approach seemed the best. Today’s digital era demands a customized and precise marketing strategy. For every product or service, there is a customer out there. How do you find these potential customers and pitch your offerings? Digital marketing is the answer! With plenty of online channels and social media platforms, you can target markets and specific groups of an audience anywhere across the globe. For Instance, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter allow you to search for specific groups based on demographics, interests and more. This means you can advertise and promote your practice to the right customers and improve your leads potential.

3. Digital marketing is cost-effective

Not all practices have significant marketing budgets. Smaller practices seem to struggle the most when it comes to allocating funds for marketing activities, which makes competition seem unfair. However, digital marketing has leveled the playing field for everyone. The world of the Internet offers equal opportunities to all practices, regardless of their size, budget or location. All you need to do is find the relevant tools and services such as local online listing management, content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing to position your medical practice online. Traditional advertising mediums such as television and newspapers can cost you a fortune and may not be impactful. However, digital marketing is not only cost-effective but offers a wider reach across the globe.

Facebook Ad Analytics example:

4. Easier to interact and engage with patients

Patients’ demands are continuously evolving, and to stay at the top, you must meet these ever-changing preferences. This means you must be continually updated and aware of what your patients are looking for, what they demand, what they prefer and what they dislike. This information is vital for marketing purposes and paves the way for future offerings. Traditional marketing methods are typically one-sided, where the information is placed in media for potential customers to view, offering zero interaction. On the other hand, online marketing offers plenty of interaction and engagement opportunities with potential and existing patients. Through popular social media networks, you can interact with your patients, gain insight on their preferences and build a stronger digital healthcare marketing plan.

5. Develop and improve online reputation

Branding is necessary for the long-term success of your medical practice. Patients may or may not remember a product or service, but they are likely to associate practices with their care and compassion. One small mistake can give your practice a wrong impression in the minds of your patients. Look at it like this: A brand is a perception of a business that exists in the minds of your customers. It may take several years to build a positive brand image. However, digital marketing is helping new and small practices position themselves in the market and move toward the strong brand building. Through effective online channels, you can advertise and create great user experiences that will add to the brand building. Remember, branding is not just selling a product or service. It is a combination of patient engagement, pre- and post-treatment care and providing a value-for-money experience.

6. Your competitors are doing it

In such a fiercely competitive digital marketplace, ignoring the idea of digital marketing is not even an option. A quick competitor analysis will tell you how many of your rivals are opting for digital marketing strategies. The trick is to do it better than they do. Digital marketing tools offer a slew of options to experiment with online branding and market your medical practice and unique services. Your job is to make a digital marketing plan that fits your practice ideology and goals, attracts more patients and does not exceed your budget.

7. Become a thought leader

One of the easiest ways to bring consistent traffic to your practice website is to update on social media each time you add a new blog post to your website. Social media platforms provide an opportunity to post useful and relevant content that increases awareness of your medical practice and positions you as a thought leader in your community. Posting blogs and articles is not the only way to create an online presence for your medical practice on social media. You can also join existing conversations by searching for relevant groups on LinkedIn or Twitter. Websites such as Quora are also great places for you to contribute to discussions, help patients with their problems and generate traffic for your website.

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Evolve and grow

Growing your practice is necessary. If your practice is not growing, you are bound to fail sooner or later. And to grow, you need to promote your practice and widen your patient base, continuously! You cannot rely on outdated marketing methods to give you an extended or global reach. Digital marketing methods can give you a head start and let you expand your medical practice. Especially for small or medium-sized medical practices, digital marketing offers greater opportunities to build a brand and reach out to potential patients.

If you do not currently have a digital healthcare marketing strategy in place, you may be losing out on a significant opportunity to reach out to potential patients and make a stronger connection with your existing patients.

Get started today with GenTech Marketing

Are you ready to see the difference that digital marketing can bring to the growth of your medical practice? The team of digital healthcare marketing experts at GenTech Marketing would love to help you discover the power of online marketing tactics. Contact us today for a free consultation and to find out how you can get started.