When it comes to dental practice marketing, digital may not be what first comes to mind (it should be). More often then not, doctors are paying for magazine, newspaper, and newsletter placements attempting to generate new patients. While these tactics may be great for branding, they don’t do so well in the lead-generation category. I’m here to introduce you to a new methodology that we’ve seen work very well with traditional doctors’ offices:
Google’s “Call-Only” Campaigns
Now we’re sure you’ve heard of search engine marketing, also dubbed PPC or Google Adwords. But how many of you have tried running targeted, local “Call-Only” campaigns on google? The reason why they’re so effective is in a sense, intuitive.
When a patient is on google searching their symptoms or looking for a doctor, they want the information as quick and transparent as possible.
You’re the expert, and they are seeking your opinion. What better way to expedite the process than simply calling the office? Surely, landing pages (when built properly) work wonders but are complex in their creation and upkeep.
Most importantly, Google call ads give doctors direct contact with the prospective patient
One of the biggest issues we’ve seen when marketing medical practices is the lead attrition rate. Often times, a prospective patient will fill out a form, or schedule themselves online only to fail to show up on the appointment date.
Whether they forget, lose interest, or are enticed by another offer, the bottom line is that the sooner you can create more “touchpoints” between you and the patient, the sooner you’ll see a positive R.O.I on your marketing efforts.
Having immediate contact with the lead through a traditional phone call significantly increases the chances of that person showing up, and ultimately becoming your patient.
You must remember, unlike other industries, the consumer visits the doctor because they have undoubted trust in their expertise. More often than not, a landing page offering a service may be perceived (by the patient) as overdone, or “pushy”.
Tips that will save you money
Firstly, Set the ad to run only during your open operating hours. This simple tip can save you hundreds of wasted dollars and a headache.
Secondly, It’s important that your call ad is also targeted for the locations immediately surrounding your practice. Scalewave recommends a radius of 10 miles at most, but preferably you should segment your campaign into specific cities or towns.
Lastly, this tip is for whoever is managing the campaign itself. It is crucial that you look at call duration as an important KPI (key performance indicator) when assessing the results of your campaign. If you’re getting dozens of calls but their duration is seconds long, this may not be positive. On the other hand, if you have a lesser volume of calls, but each is several minutes long, this can tell you that these patients more likely than not come in.
Implementing software like Google Analytics can save you a lot of time, and allow you to gather insights that drive action!
