The presence of a strong digital footprint has become a necessity for healthcare practices today. Maintaining your practice website, a blog and video channel, in addition to a robust presence over leading review and ratings sites, and a dynamic social dominance are critical to enhancing your online visibility. Not only can this expand your medical or dental practice credibility, but more importantly it puts your practice in front of potential patients and positions your practice to stand out among competitors. So yes, in the world of online marketing – if you don’t have a strong digital presence, you truly don’t exist! All aspects pertaining to building a strong digital presence are interrelated. This is why equal focus and importance should be given to each aspect.

Define your Marketing Content
Defining and optimizing the message you want to communicate to your target audience is the first step in building a robust digital presence. Starting with your mission statement, this message should then expand to include information on what your practice can offer potential patients. Gone are the days of the broadcast model; today patients demand effective communication and engagement. They want to see, hear, and feel what your practice can offer; this is why every bit of content which goes out, should provide potential patients a reason to reach out to your practice.

Plan your Content Strategy
Your content strategy can impact both your web traffic and social media presence. It focuses specifically on search engine optimization; robust, informative and relevant content; and ensuring your practice brand voice remains consistent over all online and social media platforms. Having an effective content strategy in place not only ensures that you follow best SEO practices, but it also helps in identifying new routes and avenues for your content.

Package your Message
Once you have defined your medical marketing message and have a content strategy in place, it is time to focus on the package. This is where aesthetics and customer experience play a very important role. Usability and a rich user experience can be effective practice differentiators. Your potential audience expects your message to be accessible, engaging, and understandable and a well-designed user experience is the first step in this direction.

Digital Technology will Shape the Future of Online Marketing
The exponential increase in smart devices and portable tools has made it possible for potential patients to connect to the internet easily and while on the go. The obvious question then is this – is your medical or dental practice optimized for the digital experience? Facebook, Google, Twitter, smartphones, e-readers, and tablets are technologies which are gaining prominence in the consumer space. They are also emerging as the main drivers to how medical and dental practices communicate and collaborate with potential patients. Remember, this is the era of instant information gratification and if you’re not onboard, you will be out.