I get this question a lot, here’s my short answer: Yes! The days of searching the yellow pages for a new dentist are long gone. While word of mouth referrals are key in generating new patients, we need to remind ourselves that referrals happen online more so than they do in person nowadays. People have expanded their social networks online and go there to get opinions and referrals.
Whether people are getting referrals online or in person, the first thing they do is go online and Google – it’s now second nature, we’ve been conditioned to do this. People go online and ask their friends for advice, look for reviews on products, services, practitioners, they research people, procedures, and prices – they become experts in whatever it is they need or want. They decide who they will go to and what they think they need all just by spending a few minutes online researching.
Still think it’s unnecessary to have an online presence?
With all these so called, “experts” running around knowing exactly what they need and want, it’s up to you to gain some rapport with them – the first step in doing that is to have a website where they can go and learn about you. Remember, having a website immediately creates a sense of trustworthiness. People want to know who you are and what you can do for them before they come to you. If they can’t find anything about you online, you’ve lost them.
So, what should you include on your website? As much information about you and your practice as possible. Having an online presence is all about being transparent and engaging, so tell them everything you can in a unique way. To start, you should have some general information on your practice – here’s your chance to stand out, so make sure you let your personality glow! Make sure you also have information on services, an about us page, smile gallery, contact email, and Google maps locator.
The most important thing you need to do is just become part of the online community. Next is making yourself stand out – show people what makes you different from every other dentist. Engage them in conversation – online! Remember, there may already be a conversation about you going on and you want to be part of it….you want to hear what people are saying and be able to respond.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is also key after you’ve bulit a website. Having your site optimized properly is what will help you show up sooner on a search engine – which is imperative with so much competition. But, I’ll cover this topic at a later time.
My next blog will look at engaging people online and the commitment involved. Here’s a hint of what it will cover:
Engaging people online isn’t easy, it’s a commitment. A few ways to engage people in social media are through a blog, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to name just a few. In my next blog I’ll discuss how you can utilize these networks to engage existing and potential patients.
Posted November 22, 2010 by Maya Dimitrijevic, Communications Director @ Gordana Dental Art Studio