The healthcare landscape is a competitive one and, especially for dentists, offering an excellent patient experience is only the beginning.
The real challenge when marketing for dentists is to make sure as many potential patients as possible are not only aware of your practice but persuaded to choose it over their many other options!
So, in such an overcrowded market like the dental industry, how is your practice supposed to rise above the noise and make its mark?
We say it’s all about having an effective dental marketing strategy. And if you’re wondering what an effective dental marketing strategy looks like, then you’re in the right place, friend.
Today’s blog is breaking down the essential marketing tactics that can help your practice stand out, attract new patients, and retain your current ones! Whether your practice is just starting out or you’ve been in the game for a while and are looking to revamp your current marketing efforts, the following tips will help you get on the right track!
Welcome to Marketing for Dentists 101!
Why Your Dental Marketing Approach Matters
So, when it comes to finding success as a dentist, why does your marketing approach matter so much?
Well … many reasons. Here’s why a strategic dental marketing approach is mission-critical for growing your practice:
- Increased Visibility — If patients can’t find you online, they can’t book appointments. It’s as simple as that. A good marketing approach makes sure that you have a strong online presence, and your practice shows up when potential patients are searching for dental services in your area.
- More Trust — Consistent messaging, positive reviews, and professional branding and visuals help build trust with your audience. Patients are more likely to choose a practice that has a strong reputation, both online and within their community. Your marketing approach makes a huge difference for both.
- Stand Out from Competitors — In a saturated market, your marketing approach is what differentiates you from your competitors. Highlighting your unique selling proposition (USP) — whether it’s specialized services, advanced technology, or a family-friendly atmosphere — will help your practice stand out.
- Engage Patients — Proactive communication and visibility through social media, emails, and educational content lets you engage with your patients between cleanings. This helps build long-term relationships and keep your patients coming back to you.
- Drive Patient Retention — Marketing isn’t just for attracting new patients—it’s also about retaining the ones you already have. Regular communication, reminders, and value-driven content keep you top-of-mind and encourage patient loyalty.
- Attract the Right Audience — Not all patients are a good fit for your practice, right? With a targeted marketing approach, you can focus on attracting patients who match your ideal demographic and who will benefit the most from your services.
8 Winning Marketing Tips for Dentists
And if you want all of those benefits, then you’ve got to start somewhere!
Here are 8 tried-and-true marketing tips to help dentists like you grow your practice and attract more loyal patients!
1. Develop a Unique Brand Identity
Your brand identity is more than just your logo (though logo design is pretty important too).
Brand identity consists of your logo, your messaging, your color scheme, the tone of voice you use in communication, and all of the visual elements you use in your marketing and communication.
Be sure that your branding reflects your practice’s values and highlights what makes you special. Are you a family clinic? Do you specialize in pediatrics? Maybe you’re the go-to place for dental implants or braces in your area?
Whatever it is, your branding should define them and make them clear in everything from your dental clinic’s web design to your social media profiles.
Your branding should also be consistent. Consistency across your office decor, printed material, social media, and website is what builds trust. Developing brand guidelines is the place to start for the consistency you need.
*If you don’t have defined brand guidelines yet, then be sure to visit our brand guidelines service page so we can help you out.
2. Use Local SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important for any business but, for your clinic that has a brick-and-mortar location, local SEO is especially important.
Your potential customers are searching for dental services online and, as we mentioned earlier, if those patients in your geographical area can’t find your clinic with that first page of search results, then how can they book appointments and become loyal customers?
But there are strategies you can use to boost your local SEO. Check out the following:
- Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile — Claim your Google Business Profile and make sure it’s accurate and optimized for success. This includes updating your clinic's address, phone number, hours, and uploading some photos to give potential patients a glimpse into your facilities. A fully optimized profile increases your chances of showing up in local searches and Google Maps.
- Use Local Keywords — Use location-specific keywords in your dental website’s content, meta descriptions, and headers. Keywords like “dentist near me” or “family dentist in [Your City]” will help the search engines recognize your clinic as a relevant result for local patients.
- Build High-Quality Local Backlinks — This takes some effort, but the results are worth it. Partner up with other local businesses, organizations, or chambers of commerce to get backlinks from their websites (i.e., have them link your website on their pages). These authoritative local links show search engines that your clinic is a trusted dental provider in your community.
- Encourage Positive Patient Reviews — Positive reviews are one of the strongest local ranking factors and one that curious potential patients are likely to base their decision on.
- Create Location-Specific Content — Create content that highlights your expertise and connection to the local community. For example, writing blog posts on “How to Find the Best Dentist in [City]” or “Top Dental Care Tips for [Whatever Your Main Demographic is]” can help boost your local visibility and relevance.
3. Email Marketing for Patient Retention
Unless there’s ongoing issues or emergencies, most patients only visit their dentist twice a year.
Which is why email marketing is a great way to stay connected with those existing patients during the often-lengthy time between their visits.
Create email lists with your current and prospective patients and send them content like appointment reminders, newsletters with updates, promotions for new services, blogs with dental tips, or even birthday and holiday greetings.
These small touches help your patients feel valued and appreciated and keep your clinic top-of-mind throughout the year!
4. The Role of Social Media for Your Practice
Social media can be a powerful tool for dentists.
Not only is it a great way to engage with your current patients between their visits, but it’s also a great way to attract new ones.
Use your platforms to share informative content (tailored to whatever social media platform its one), promote your services, and showcase patient testimonials. This can help you boost your visibility and build trust among potential patients.
Whether your practice is on Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok (or all of them!), keeping your profiles active and professional can help drive more people to your practice!
5. Video Marketing
Video content is one of the most engaging forms of content there is and it’s not hard to see why.
Video is dynamic; it moves, there’s music and sound, and it grabs attention immediately. So, why not take advantage of this by creating live video and animated content to help boost your clinic’s awareness and highlight your services?
If you need ideas for some great video marketing content, here’s a list to help you get started:
- Virtual Tour — Give prospective patients a sneak peek of your facilities to help them see why your clinic is the place to be or feel more comfortable before their first visit.
- Meet the Dentist — Introduce your team and build trust by putting a friendly face to your practice.
- Explainer Videos — Create easy-to-understand videos about dental procedures to help patients feel more informed and confident in their choices.
- Patient Testimonials — Feature real patient stories to build credibility and showcase the positive experiences others have had with your practice.
- Behind-the-Scenes — Give your audience a peek behind the curtain and into daily life at your practice. This can make your brand feel more approachable and authentic!
Videos are highly shareable on social media too, which can boost awareness, drive more traffic to your websites and landing pages, and boost your SEO!
6. PPC and Google Ads
Investing in PPC (pay-per-click) advertising and Google Ads can pay off in big ways for dental practices.
These paid digital ads allow you to target specific keywords like “emergency dentist” or “teeth whitening” to make sure your ads appear in search results when potential patients are actively searching online for dental care or advice.
These ads are also a great way to boost your SEO efforts, giving you immediate visibility and allow your organic rankings to grow as more and more people visit your website.
And the best part? You only pay when someone clicks your ad, giving you the most ROI (return on investment) for your marketing efforts.
7. Patient Reviews and Testimonials
With word-of-mouth so easy to find on Google and so many other clinics to choose from, you can bet that your prospective patients are reading online reviews to help them decide which dental service provider is the best choice for them.
Having plenty of positive patient reviews is one of the most powerful tools you have to build trust and attract new patients.
So, encourage your satisfied patients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other platforms where potential patients will be looking. Incentivize them if you have to with discounted services, free dental cleaning kits, or merch from your clinic; whatever it takes to get that marketing gold!
Be sure to respond to any reviews you get too (yes, even the negative ones — especially the negative ones) to show that your practice values feedback and are dedicated to giving them top-notch dental care!
8. Measure Your Success
Last but not least, no marketing strategy is complete without having ways to measure its effectiveness.
It’s important to know what’s working for you and what isn’t, so use marketing tools like Google Analytics to track crucial KPIs like website traffic and conversions, review engagement on social media, and monitor the performance of your email campaigns.
It’s also a good idea to pay attention to patient feedback and referral sources — knowing where your new patients are coming from will help you focus your strategies on where they’re most effective.
And if something isn’t working, no worries. Regularly assess your marketing efforts and adjust accordingly to make sure they are driving the results you want.
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Looking for a Dental Marketing Partner?
Of course, all of the above is easier said than done.
And if your clinic would love to implement the strategies above, only you don’t have a creative team to create the eye-catching digital ads, website, and video content you need to ensure an effective marketing approach and a successful dental practice, then we have one last tip to leave you with.
Why not partner with Designity?
Designity is an innovative Creative as a Service (CaaS) that has the top 3% of all of the creative talent who apply each year, meaning that our community is made up of the best of the best in fields like digital marketing, SEO, graphic design, copywriting, web design, motion graphics, animation, and more — everyone you need to create the marketing assets you for your practice’s success.
And with each account led by a designated Creative Director — a design and dental marketing expert — you can leave the marketing and design to your team and keep your focus on your patients.
Why not check out our healthcare marketing services and portfolio to see how Designity’s model has been the answer for other health and dental brands just like yours?
And if our style vibes with yours, then go ahead and book your demo call. It only takes a few minutes and then you can get started with a two-week, no-obligation trial so you can test drive Designity’s 100+ design and marketing services and see why our platform is the only one your marketing efforts will ever need!
Are you ready to elevate your dental clinic?
