Increased competition, lower reimbursement and evolving patient preferences are just a few of the many, many challenges making it harder to thrive as a medical practice, and a global pandemic certainly did not make things any easier. To continue standing out in such a crowded field it is important for providers to renew their focus and commitment to marketing.

The easiest way to reduce stress and increase revenue is getting more patients through the door. Turning to reliable and proven marketing strategies is the simplest way of attaining these goals. Done correctly, just a few simple, small changes can massively upgrade the efficacy of your marketing efforts.

1. Search engine optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) has taken over the entire marketing industry. It is also among the top trends and buzzwords for healthcare marketing, and for good reason. Research from PatientPop shows that 3 out of 4 patients turn to the internet in their search for a healthcare provider. Search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo facilitate most of these searches and appearing at or near the top will have an observably large impact on the flow of patients into your practice. A low rank also means you risk losing out on patients who simply will not be aware your practice even exists.

Improving these rankings is easier said than done, however. It requires a great deal of dedication and concerted efforts to break into the top of the search results. Fortunately, SEO has been around for long enough now that there are a few tactics that can bring near guaranteed success:

• Keyword identification. These keywords must be included in the content on your practice website.
• Including informative website content that answers patients’ frequently asked questions.
• Claiming your practice listings on websites such as Google, Yelp and WebMD.

Adding on to the last point, claiming and then optimizing your practice on your Google Business Profile also improves your chances of showing up in the local pack for searches. Make sure to include professional photos and a Google virtual tour to enhance your profile and improve your positioning in the local results.

Learn More: 5 Facebook Marketing Tips for Medical Practices

2. Reputation management

Securing a strong online presence is only the first step. The next is using that online presence to convince patients to book appointments. Here’s where online reputation management comes in. For most patients their most trusted source of information when weighing up whether or not to book an appointment with your practice is online reviews.

Think of online reviews as the modern word-of-mouth. They help patients get a better understanding of what kind of experience they can expect when they book an appointment with your practice. Another PatientPop survey shows the importance of these reviews, with 74% of patients responding that online reviews are either very or extremely important when choosing a provider. Having few reviews or a lows tar rating can be devastating to your chances of gaining new patients.

Most providers assume they have very little control over their online reputation. It can be easy to think you have no way of influencing patient perception of your practice, however, there are a few tactics that can boost both review volume and frequency. One of the simplest ways is sending out automated patient satisfaction surveys right after a patient is finished with their appointment. The experience will still be fresh in their mind allowing them to mention all of the little touches that they might later forget.

3. Prominent calls-to-action

Next, we look at converting website visits into actual appointments. High web traffic is of no use if it isn’t getting more patients through the door. Having calls-to-action prominently displayed on your website is the way to go.

The ability to book and schedule an appointment entirely online is also a highly effective strategy. Patients want convenience and saving them the hassle of having to make the time and then call to book an appointment is a simple way of providing it to them. Calls-to-action can also be used to encourage patients to sign up to a newsletter, allowing the practice to collect information on patients that might not be ready for an appointment yet.