Create an Effective Online Presence in 3 Easy Steps

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Everyone needs a dentist, and most people want the best, most affordable dental care available. But how do patients choose who to go to, or which practitioner is the best in their area? They’re influenced by the people around them: the reviews they read, the referrals they get, and the advertising they see. Fortunately, there are a number of avenues that dentists can use to heighten their brand awareness and develop their professional profiles. Let’s take a look at the most effective options for reaching today’s tech-savvy patients.

#1 Utilize Online Resources for Advertising

Search engines love specialized, unique content, and patients love knowledgeable professionals. When combined, these elements create the perfect environment for online blogging and article writing. These days, patients may want second, third, and fourth opinions. They want to find out more about their diagnoses before committing to a line of treatment. Today’s patients can browse through hundreds of websites for dental professionals from the palms of their hands.

Write for your own website and publish your articles on LinkedIn Pulse. Share your articles on your social media channels. Consider circulating your most reader-centric articles to a local magazine or newspaper.

#2 Encourage Patient Reviews

Much like movies and books, a good or bad review can make or break the actor or author, and the same can be said for dental professionals. Creating an online profile in local directories (like Google Places), encouraging your patients to leave reviews, and then promoting the positive reviews, is an easy way to quickly grow a reputation. Encourage patients to review your services and get your name out there.

It takes the average consumer at least three interactions with a brand before they’ll commit to taking action.

A presence in online directories gives patients more opportunities and online “places” to find you, plus your website will get the SEO benefit of being linked to larger sites with more traffic. Often, the directories will do their own online advertising, so you get to piggy-back at a fraction of the cost.

#3 Seek Referrals Through Professional Networking

LinkedIn is one of the most trafficked career and professional services networking website on the internet. Create a profile, upgrade your account, and get access to a growing list of medical professionals within a 25-mile radius of your practice. Compile a list of medical doctors, hospitalists, and oral surgeons who you can contact. Call them and let them know about the services you offer, and that you are more than happy to be added to their list of referral specialists. If they have a patient in need of your services, they can refer them to your practice.

Using LinkedIn to find local dentists who specialize in different procedures and treatments is a good way to start a small network of dental professionals who can refer patients to you for treatment, and vice versa.