As someone trained in the dental field, you might be at a loss about Internet marketing. Maybe you want to drive traffic to your website and patients to your practice, but you don't know how. Where do you start? What can you do to create an online presence?
Fortunately, you don't have to be a marketing expert to boost your business online. Follow the 11 tips below to drive traffic to your website.
Take Your Website Seriously
Although most people are familiar with the Internet, many business owners do not realize that their website can be a 24/7 sales machine. Many consumers use the Internet to research a potential service provider. A high-quality website generates inquiries, leads, phone calls, and sales from prospective clients.
Make sure your site is user-friendly, easy-to-navigate, and contains high-quality content. Your website should convey your services and expertise, and it should motivate visitors to contact you.
Configure Your Website for Smartphones and Tablets
As of May 2013, 63% of adult s who own cell phones use their phones to go online. And 34% use their cellphones to do so. With these kinds of statistics, you can't afford to not configure your website for smartphones and tablets.
Non-responsive websites are also more likely to rank lower in Google search results for mobile queries.
Provide Easy Ways for People to Share Your Content
Provide social media and email share buttons on each of your product pages, information pages, and blog posts. Including Facebook, Twitter, and email share buttons increases the likelihood that someone will share one of your posts.
Optimize Your Existing Pages and Posts
Use Google Trends or Google Webmaster to gauge what keywords get the most hits in your area. For example, "teeth cleaning in N ew Hampshire" might not generate as much traffic as "dentist in Concord, NH." Optimizing your keywords increases the traffic you get fr om search engines, so people will be more likely to find your site on a search result page.
Start a Forum or Blog on Your Website
You can simultaneously drive traffic and build a community by creating a forum or blog on your existing website. You are already an expert in your field; why not share your expertise with the world?
You don't have to post earth-shattering blog posts. Write about your experiences and provide valuable information for readers. You r blog posts can be short-as little as 500 words is enough to present interesting information.
More than 12% of Google search results contain in-depth articles or blog posts. This might seem like a small number, but these articles can see significant traffic and boost your online presence.
Contribute Content to Outside Websites
Much like posting on your own site can boost traffic, so can sharing content on other sites. Submit your blog posts to sites like StumbleUpon, Reddit, Alltop, and Triberr. Links from other sites back to your site builds your credibility in Google's eyes. This in turn generates more organic traffic.
Create and Share Infographics
Infographics wield impressive power in the Internet marketing world. A good infographic is not only visually pleasing, but it also compresses space and time. It makes piles of data and information understandable and engaging.
As you write blog posts, occasionally create an infographic that includes:
- Quick facts about products
- How-to information about various procedures
- Statistics to support your post's main point
Share your infographics on sites like Pinterest and Facebook, where visual interest generates more traffic.
Update Social Media Sites on a Regular Basis
You can use social media to your advantage by posting links to your blogs, as well as posing questions to your followers. The more you update, the more likely users are to notice your posts or to comment on them.
Respond to Facebook and Blog Comments
The beauty of the Internet and online marketing is that you can connect directly to millions of people. Responding to a question or comment on your blog or Facebook page builds rapport with existing and potential customers. The more approachable you seem on social media, the more likely someone will choose your practice over another.
Join Industry Facebook and LinkedIn Groups
Participating in relevant Facebook or LinkedIn groups builds your relationships with other people in your industry. You can contribute to discussions, share content, and network with other professionals. The more people you know, the more people will visit your website.
Track Your Analytics
As you track your traffic sources and other analytics, pick out which strategies work best for you. Then, focus on those strategies. If
As you track your traffic sources and other analytics, pick out which strategies work best for you. Then, focus on those strategies. If participating in LinkedIn forums isn't working but your blog is successful, focus on the latter. Certain strategies will work in different area s and with a variety of audiences.
Don't wait another day to increase your online presence. Use these tips to drive traffic to your site and customers to your business.
