Marketing For Dentists - How to Streamline New Patients
In today's competitive dental industry, attracting new patients is essential for growth and success.
Marketing for dentists has evolved, requiring a blend of traditional strategies and targeted digital tactics. This guide will explore the most effective marketing strategies for dentists to streamline the process of acquiring new patients, ensuring that your practice remains at the top of dental care in your community.
Stat: According to a study by the American Dental Association, 92% of adults believe that regular dental visits are important for overall health, yet only 52% visit the dentist as recommended (ADA).
Marketing for Dentists - Why is it Important?
The dental industry is more competitive than ever, with patients having numerous options to choose from when it comes to their dental care. So, how do we make sure when that new patient moves to your area, or when that patient has had a bad experience with their current dentist, that we show up?
Effective marketing is crucial because it helps your practice stand out in a crowded marketplace. By employing targeted marketing strategies, you can attract new patients, retain existing ones, and ensure that your practice grows consistently. We'll break down our top recommended strategies that we have seen work for our clients.
Stat: The dental services market is projected to reach $554.5 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2020 (Fortune Business Insights).
Marketing is not just about attracting any patients, but the right patients—those who are most likely to benefit from your services and become long-term clients. By implementing the strategies discussed in this guide, you can streamline the process of acquiring new patients, improving your practice's efficiency, profitability, and overall patient satisfaction.
Stat: 72% of patients say that their online reviews influence their choice of a healthcare provider, highlighting the importance of a strong online presence (Software Advice).
Table of Contents
- Optimize Your Dental Website
- How to check if my dentist website is optimized:
- Step 1: Check Your Website’s Speed and Mobile Friendliness
- Step 2: Evaluate Your Website’s Content Quality
- Step 3: Analyze Your Website’s User Experience (UX)
- How to optimize my dentist website for Local SEO
- Step 1: Incorporate Local Keywords into Your Website
- Step 2: Optimize Your Meta Tags and Descriptions
- Step 3: Create Location-Specific Pages
- How to Use GA4 to Measure Marketing for Dentist Websites
- Optimize Your Office Local Listings
- What are the main local listings dentists should focus on for marketing?
- How can a Dentist Rank Higher on Google Maps?
- What Happens if You Don’t Optimize Your Google Business Profile Listing?
- How to Optimize Your Secondary Dental Profiles:
- Optimizing Your Healthgrades Profile
- Optimizing Your Yelp Profile
- Optimizing Your Bing Places Profile
- Marketing for Dentists on Social Media
- Which Social Media Tools Should A Dental Practice Use?
- What Makes a Good Social Media Strategy for Dentists?
- Best Practices for Community Engagement on Social Media for Dentists:
- Utilize Remarketing
- What is Remarketing for Dentists?
- What Platforms Can I Use for Remarketing?
- How Much Does Remarketing for Dentists Cost?
- Can I Track the Results of Remarketing Campaigns?
- Why are Remarketing Campaigns for Dentists a Good Idea?
- Capture New Patients with High Intent Google Search Ads
- Are Google ads for Dentists Profitable?
- What are Google Ads?
- Why are Google Ads Effective for Dentists?
- How to Acquire New Dental Patients through Google Ads
- Pair the Above Channels with a New Patient Promotion
- New Patient Promo Ideas for Dentists
- Free Teeth Whitening for Life
- Invisalign Production Day
- How to Structure New Patient Promos
- Dr. Nick Dierks, Averaging 12-13 New Patients Per Month
- We’ve Got Marketing For Dentists Covered
- Recap
- Contact
Murray Marketing Services New Patient Guarantee: Get multiple new patients within 30-days, GUARANTEED, or we'll do it for FREE.
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Marketing for Dentists Strategy #1: Optimize Your Dental Website
Your website is often the first interaction potential patients have with your dental practice, making it a critical component of your marketing strategy. A well-optimized website can help convert visitors into patients by providing them with the information they need, establishing your credibility, and making it easy for them to book an appointment.
Not only will a well-optimized website increase appointments, but it will also instantly boost your brand reputation and credibility. On the other side, though, by having a bad website, you are losing out on new patients every single day, while also giving off a bad image, damaging reputation, and credibility. This is an example of opportunity cost. What you are losing by not having what you need, and spending resources in the wrong place.
Is your website optimized? Let's check:
Stat: 75% of people admit to judging a company’s credibility based on its website design (Stanford Web Credibility Research).
How to Check if My Dentist Website is Optimized
Ensuring that your dental custom website is optimized involves evaluating several key factors, including speed, mobile-friendliness, content quality, SEO, and user experience (UX). Below are three critical steps to assess the optimization of your website:
Step 1: Check Your Website Page Via Google's PageSpeed Insights
Website speed is crucial because slow-loading pages can frustrate visitors and lead to higher bounce rates. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to evaluate your website's speed on both desktop and mobile devices. Additionally, ensure that your website is mobile-friendly, as more than 60% of internet searches are conducted on mobile devices (Statista).
Google's PageSpeed Insights also gives other incredible insights, like an on-page SEO score, accessibility score, and will give you any red flags regarding technical optimization.
Step 2: Evaluate Your Website’s Content Quality
Content is king when it comes to website optimization. Review your website’s content to ensure that it is informative, engaging, and relevant to your audience. High-quality content should include detailed descriptions of your services, patient testimonials, and educational resources like blogs or FAQs that address common dental concerns.
As a local business, you should also ensure your website's local SEO is properly optimized. Areas to check local SEO could be:
- Adding local keywords to on-page headers like, "Dental Implants in [Your Town]". Add these local keyword 100% in the H1 and sporadically layer them in where it makes sense amongst your H2s, H3s, etc. You'd like to include them as much as you can, while varying the actual header to cover multiple search terms. "Dental Implants in Kearney" could be the H1, while also including the H2, "Kearney, Nebraska Dental Implants" on the page.
- Optimize your page meta titles to include your local keyword alongside the page's service. Your meta title is what shows on Google before someone clicks your website (image below). Keep this below 55 characters! An example here could be, "Kearney Dental Implants | Murray Dental"
- In the same place as your meta titles will be your meta descriptions for each website page. These should be under 160 characters, and provide a short preview about the page's content. It is best to optimize these for CTR (click-through-rate), while also including your local keyword, and service keyword. These show below the meta titles in the Google search results.
- In addition to your page headers, you should optimize your body copy. This information should be easy to read while providing sufficient and valuable information to the consumer. You do not want to "stuff" your targeted keyword into this copy. Focus on the value, accurate information, and total words on page, and you'll be great!
- Each image on your website will have what's called "alt text". Alternative text (alt text) is descriptive text that conveys the meaning of a visual element in digital content, such as an image, graph, or chart on a website or app. Alt text is important for accessibility, especially for people with visual impairments or cognitive disabilities who use screen readers. This also allows Google to scan the image and know what it's about. Optimized alt text will be an accurate description of the image, while adding some business related keywords to boost SEO.
Stat: Websites with quality content generate 67% more leads than those without it (Content Marketing Institute).
Step 3: Analyze Your Website’s User Experience (UX)
A user-friendly website ensures that visitors can easily navigate through your site and find the information they need. Check for intuitive navigation, clear calls to action (CTAs), and a streamlined booking process. A positive UX not only enhances visitor satisfaction but also improves your website’s SEO ranking.
Stat: 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience (Econsultancy).
Step 4: Integrate Online Appointment Scheduling
In today's fast-paced world, convenience is key, and integrating online appointment scheduling into your dental practice is a crucial step towards meeting patient expectations. Online appointment scheduling allows potential and current patients to book appointments at their convenience, outside of regular business hours, without the need to call your office. This not only streamlines the scheduling process but also improves the overall patient experience, leading to increased satisfaction and retention.
Stat: 67% of patients prefer booking appointments online over calling in, citing convenience and accessibility as major factors (Accenture).
Implementing an online appointment system can reduce administrative workload, minimize scheduling errors, and ensure patients receive reminders about their upcoming appointments. Many patients find it easier to schedule appointments when they can see real-time availability, select their preferred time slots, and even reschedule as needed. Systems like Zocdoc, Solutionreach, or even custom-built scheduling software integrated into your website can enhance your practice's efficiency and increase patient satisfaction.
How to Optimize My Dentist Website for Local SEO
Local SEO is vital for dental practices as it helps your website appear in search results when potential patients in your area search for dental services. By optimizing your website for local SEO, you increase your chances of being discovered by patients who are actively seeking the services you offer.
Stat: 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information (GoGulf).
Step 1: Incorporate Local Keywords into Your Website
Local keywords are search terms that include your location, such as "dentist in [City]" or "best dental clinic in [Neighborhood]." Use these keywords strategically in your website’s content, including headings, meta descriptions, and blog posts. This will help search engines recognize your practice as a relevant result for local searches.
Stat: 72% of consumers who did a local search visited a store within five miles (HubSpot).
Step 2: Optimize Your Meta Tags and Descriptions
Meta tags and descriptions play a crucial role in how search engines understand the content of your website. Ensure that your meta tags and descriptions are optimized with local keywords, concise, and accurately reflect the content on each page. This optimization can improve your click-through rate (CTR) and overall search engine ranking.
Stat: Websites with well-crafted meta descriptions receive 5.8% more clicks on average (Moz).
Step 3: Create Location-Specific Pages
If your practice serves multiple locations, consider creating individual pages for each one. These pages should be optimized with local keywords and provide specific information relevant to each location, such as address, contact information, and services offered. Location-specific pages improve your chances of ranking well in local search results for each area you serve.
Stat: Location-specific pages can increase organic traffic by up to 150% (BrightLocal).
How to Use GA4 to Measure Marketing for Dentist Websites
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is an essential tool for tracking the performance of your dental website. It provides insights into how visitors interact with your site, which pages are most popular, and where your traffic is coming from. By understanding these metrics, you can make informed decisions about your marketing strategies and optimize your website to better meet the needs of potential patients.
Stat: Companies that use data-driven marketing are six times more likely to be profitable year-over-year (Forbes).
GA4 allows you to set up specific goals, such as appointment bookings or contact form submissions, and track how well your website is achieving these goals. This data-driven approach ensures that your marketing efforts are aligned with your business objectives and helps you identify areas for improvement.
Stat: Businesses using marketing analytics see a 15-20% increase in ROI (HubSpot).
Marketing for Dentists Strategy #2: Optimize Your Office Local Listings
Local listings are online directories where your practice's information is displayed, such as Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Bing Places. These listings play a crucial role in local SEO, helping potential patients find your practice when searching for dental services in your area.
Stat: 86% of consumers rely on the internet to find a local business (BrightLocal).
What Are the Main Local Listings Dentists Should Focus on for Marketing?
For dentists, the most important local listings to focus on include Google Business Profile (GBP), Yelp, and Bing Places. These platforms are widely used by patients to search for local dental services, and having optimized listings on these platforms can significantly increase your visibility.
Stat: Businesses with complete Google Business Profiles are 70% more likely to attract location visits (Google).
How Can a Dentist Rank Higher on Google Maps?
Ranking higher on Google Maps requires a well-optimized Google Business Profile. This includes providing complete and accurate information, regularly updating your profile with new content (such as photos and posts), and actively managing and responding to patient reviews. Consistency is key—ensure that your practice's name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online platforms.
Stat: 50% of local searches result in a visit to a store within one day (Google).
What Happens if You Don’t Optimize Your Google Business Profile Listing?
Failing to optimize your Google Business Profile can result in lower visibility in search results, fewer patient inquiries, and missed opportunities for growth. An unoptimized profile may not appear in relevant searches, leading to a loss of potential patients to competitors who have better-optimized listings.
Stat: 56% of local businesses have not claimed their Google Business Profile listing, missing out on significant visibility (BrightLocal).
Download my Free 32-Part Dentist Google Business Profile Optimization Checklist and Free Implementation Videos!
How to Optimize Your Secondary Dental Profiles
While Google Business Profile is the most important, secondary profiles on platforms like Healthgrades, Yelp, and Bing Places also play a significant role in your online presence. Optimizing these profiles ensures that your practice is visible across multiple platforms, increasing the likelihood of being discovered by potential patients.
Optimizing Your Dental Provider Healthgrades Profile
Healthgrades is a popular platform where patients search for healthcare providers, including dentists. To optimize your Healthgrades profile, ensure that all your information is accurate and complete. Encourage satisfied patients to leave reviews, as positive ratings can improve your ranking on the platform and attract more patients.
Stat: 77% of patients use online reviews as the first step in finding a new healthcare provider (Deloitte).
Optimizing Your Dental Office Yelp Profile
Yelp is another critical platform for local business visibility. To optimize your Yelp profile, make sure your business details are accurate, upload high-quality photos of your office and staff, and actively respond to patient reviews. Positive engagement on Yelp can enhance your reputation and increase patient trust.
Stat: A one-star increase in Yelp rating can lead to a 5-9% increase in revenue (Harvard Business School).
Optimizing Your Dental Practice Bing Places Profile
Bing Places, while not as widely used as Google, still holds a significant share of the search engine market. Optimize your Bing Places profile by ensuring your information is consistent with other listings, using high-quality images, and regularly updating your profile with any changes to your practice's details.
Stat: Bing accounts for 6.5% of the global search engine market, making it an important platform for local businesses (StatCounter).
Marketing for Dentists Strategy #3: How to Market on Social Media
Social media marketing is an essential component of any modern dental practice's marketing strategy. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn provide opportunities to engage with your community, showcase your expertise, and attract new patients.
Stat: 74% of people use social media when making purchasing decisions (Sprout Social).
Which Social Media Tools Should A Dental Practice Use?
Dentists should focus on platforms that offer the best opportunities for patient engagement and brand building. Facebook is ideal for community interaction and sharing updates about your practice, Instagram allows you to showcase your work through visuals, and LinkedIn can be used to connect with other professionals and build your network.
Dental offices really need to focus on video content in 2024, 2025, and beyond. Dental practices should focus marketing helpful content like dentist tips, dental hygiene habits, product recommendations, etc. These videos should be posted across all channels, including TikTok to engage with the younger demographic.
Stat: 93% of businesses use Facebook as part of their social media marketing strategy (Hootsuite).
What Makes a Good Social Media Strategy for Dentists?
A successful social media strategy for dentists involves consistent posting, engaging content, and active interaction with followers. Your content should be a mix of educational posts, patient testimonials, promotions, and behind-the-scenes looks at your practice. Regularly engaging with your audience by responding to comments and messages can build a loyal community and attract new patients.
Stat: 71% of consumers who have had a positive experience with a brand on social media are likely to recommend it to others (Lyfe Marketing).
Best Practices for Community Engagement on Social Media for Dentists
Community engagement on social media is about more than just posting content; it’s about fostering relationships with your audience. Best practices include responding promptly to inquiries, sharing patient success stories (with permission), hosting live Q&A sessions, and participating in local events and discussions online. These actions help build trust and position your practice as a caring, community-oriented provider.
Stat: Social media engagement increases by 33% when businesses respond quickly to customer inquiries (Forbes).
3 Tools to Make Social Media for Dentists Easy:
Social Bee: An amazing social media scheduling tool that we use here in-house at Murray Marketing Services. Social Bee allows you to seamlessly schedule your social posts to all of your profiles (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Business, etc) with one click. You'll also get weekly analytics reports sent automatically to your email inbox! And, it's SUPER affordable.
Canva: An awesome easy to use design platform giving you access to thousands of templates, stock images, graphics, and more. Canva is extremely easy to use, and even has a free version! Use Canva to create new and engaging graphics for your practice.
ChatGPT 4: Bring in ChatGPT 4 to give you content ideas, and even write your captions! Be sure to add a human touch to the captions though, to ensure it properly aligns with your brand.
Marketing Strategy #3 for Dentists: Utilize Remarketing
Remarketing is a powerful strategy that allows you to re-engage with potential patients who have previously interacted with your website or social media profiles. By targeting these individuals with tailored ads, you can encourage them to return to your site and book an appointment.
Stat: Remarketing campaigns can increase conversion rates by up to 150% (WordStream).
What is Remarketing for Dentists?
Remarketing for dentists involves using targeted ads to reach individuals who have visited your website but did not take any action, such as booking an appointment. These ads remind them of your services and encourage them to return, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Stat: Visitors who are retargeted with display ads are 70% more likely to convert (Wishpond).
What Platforms Can I Use for Remarketing?
Remarketing can be done through several platforms, including Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, Hulu TV, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more. These platforms allow you to create customized ads that target specific audiences based on their previous interactions with your practice online.
Stat: 92% of online marketers use retargeting to engage customers (AdRoll).
How Much Does Remarketing for Dentists Cost?
The cost of remarketing can vary depending on the platform and the size of your audience. Generally, remarketing campaigns are cost-effective because they target individuals who have already shown interest in your services. The return on investment (ROI) for remarketing is typically high due to the targeted nature of the ads.
Stat: Remarketing ads cost on average 50% less per click than regular display ads (Chango).
Can I Track the Results of Remarketing Campaigns?
Yes, tracking the results of remarketing campaigns is straightforward using tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Ads Manager. These tools provide insights into how many people saw your ads, clicked on them, and ultimately booked an appointment, allowing you to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Stat: Companies that track their marketing campaigns see a 30% increase in conversion rates (HubSpot).
Why Are Remarketing Campaigns for Dentists a Good Idea?
Remarketing campaigns are effective because they target potential patients who are already familiar with your practice, making them more likely to convert. By staying top-of-mind through remarketing ads, you can significantly increase your chances of turning website visitors into actual patients.
Stat: 26% of customers will return to a site through remarketing ads (Forms App).
Marketing for Dentists Strategy #4: Capture New Patients with High-Intent Google Search Ads
High-intent Google Search Ads are a critical component of any dental marketing strategy. These ads target individuals who are actively searching for dental services, placing your practice at the top of search results when they are most likely to book an appointment.
Stat: 65% of high-intent searches result in a conversion within one day (Think with Google).
Are Google Ads for Dentists Profitable?
Yes, Google Ads can be highly profitable for dentists. By targeting high-intent keywords, such as "emergency dentist near me" or "cosmetic dentistry," you can attract patients who are ready to book an appointment. The profitability of Google Ads lies in their ability to deliver immediate results and a high ROI when managed correctly.
Stat: Businesses make an average of $3+ in revenue for every $1 spent on Google Ads (Google Economic Impact Report).
What Are Google Ads?
Google Ads is an online advertising platform that allows businesses to display ads on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). For dentists, Google Ads can be used to target specific keywords related to dental services, ensuring that your practice appears at the top of search results when potential patients are searching for these services.
Stat: Google controls 92% of the global search engine market, making it the most effective platform for search advertising (StatCounter).
Why Are Google Ads Effective for Dentists?
Google Ads are effective for dentists because they target individuals who are actively looking for dental services. These ads are displayed to users who have a high intent to book an appointment, making them more likely to convert. Additionally, Google Ads provide detailed analytics, allowing you to track the performance of your campaigns and make adjustments as needed.
Stat: Paid search ads can increase brand awareness by 80% (Google).
How to Acquire New Dental Patients Through Google Ads
To acquire new dental patients through Google Ads, start by identifying the keywords most relevant to your services. Create compelling ad copy that highlights your practice’s unique selling points, such as advanced technology, patient care, or special offers. Use targeting options to reach potential patients in your local area, and track your campaigns to optimize performance over time.
Stat: Businesses that optimize their Google Ads campaigns see a 42% increase in conversion rates (WordStream).
Marketing for Dentists Strategy #5: Pair Marketing with a New Patient Promotion
Pairing your marketing channels with a special promotion for new patients can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your campaigns. Promotions create a sense of urgency and provide an additional incentive for potential patients to choose your practice.
Stat: 63% of consumers say they would switch healthcare providers to take advantage of a promotion or discount (Nielsen).
New Patient Promo Ideas for Dentists
Special promotions are a powerful way to attract new patients. Here are two effective promotion ideas:
Free Teeth Whitening for Life
Offer new patients free teeth whitening for life as long as they maintain their regular check-ups and cleanings. This promotion encourages long-term patient retention and adds significant value to your services.
Stat: 79% of patients are likely to return to a healthcare provider that offers ongoing benefits (Healthcare Success).
Invisalign Production Day
Host an Invisalign production day where new patients can receive a consultation and discounted treatment. This type of event can attract patients interested in cosmetic dentistry and boost your practice’s revenue.
Stat: 85% of patients are more likely to attend a dental event if it includes a special promotion (Dental Economics).
How to Structure New Patient Promos
Structuring a new patient promotion requires clear terms and conditions, effective communication, and seamless integration with your existing marketing channels. Make sure the promotion is easy to understand and accessible, with a straightforward process for booking an appointment or redeeming the offer.
Stat: 67% of consumers read the terms and conditions before participating in a promotion (Econsultancy).
Our Client, Dr. Nick Dierks, Averaging 12-13 New Patients Per Month
Dr. Nick Dierks is an excellent example of how effective marketing strategies can lead to consistent patient growth. By implementing targeted Google Ads and new patient promotions, Dr. Dierks averages 12-13 new patients per month, demonstrating the power of a well-executed marketing plan.
Watch Dr. Dierks Talk About It:
Need Help? We’ve Got Marketing For Dentists Covered
Marketing for dentists requires a strategic approach that combines digital marketing, local SEO, social media engagement, and patient-focused promotions. If you’re looking to streamline your new patient acquisition process, Murray Marketing Services can help. Our team specializes in dental marketing, offering tailored solutions that drive real results.
Stat: Practices that outsource their marketing see a 30% increase in efficiency and a 20% increase in patient satisfaction (HubSpot).
Recap
In this guide, we’ve covered the essential strategies for effective dental marketing, from optimizing your website and local listings to leveraging social media and Google Ads. By implementing these strategies, you can streamline your new patient acquisition process and ensure long-term growth for your practice.
Stat: Dentists who implement a comprehensive marketing strategy see an average of 30% more patient growth annually (American Dental Association).
Contact
Ready to take your dental practice to the next level? Contact Murray Marketing Services today to learn how we can help you attract more patients and grow your business.
Stat: 82% of patients prefer practices that offer a seamless online experience, including easy appointment booking and clear communication (PatientPop).
Murray Marketing Services New Patient Guarantee: Get multiple new patients within 30-days, GUARANTEED, or we'll do it all for FREE.
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About the Author:
Nathan Murray, Founder, Murray Marketing Services
Murray Marketing Services is a client-first digital marketing agency providing services in website design, Google advertising, video production, local SEO, graphic design, and social media marketing. Recently, we were voted 2023's Best IT Services and Best Video Services Company by readers of the Kearney Hub.
As an extension of your team, our mission is to grow your business. We work with your team to pair the goals of your business with data-backed digital marketing strategies. Since launching in 2021, we've had the privilege of working with over 50 businesses across the United States.
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