Digital advertising has opened up a magical world of opportunities with which dental practitioners can gain the attention of the healthcare consumer and where the rewards are plentiful as well as far-reaching. Unlike many traditional forms of advertising, digital marketing (websites and social media accounts) are not limited by time constraints – digital advertising works 24 hours a day, every day. But this is just the tip of the iceberg of benefits.
Before expanding on the necessity of dental websites and what information they should detail, it is worth taking a moment to understand compliance regulations that oversee medical advertising and why they exist.
Understanding medical advertising compliance
Compliancy regulations in medical advertising as initiated by The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) have been put in place to protect the healthcare consumer from unscrupulous marketing tactics, where misinformation can lead to harm. These guidelines serve a secondary purpose which is to protect the healthcare practitioner from complaints made against them which can prove disastrous to their practice and brand. In its most recent annual summary, the Australian Dental Board stated that the dental industry received 784 notifications that were lodged with Ahpra
Complaints and notifications made against a dental practitioner can carry a devastating price (monetary and reputation) tag. It is therefore in the interest of the practitioner to utilise all means and measures to avoid receiving a notification.
How websites for dentists can be used for maximum reach
An optimised and targeted website, which also meets compliancy laws, for a dental practitioner can offer outstanding reach and engagement. Digital marketing has shown itself to be of invaluable worth to traditional businesses as well as healthcare practices. The answer for this is simply that more and more consumers (including those seeking healthcare) are looking for a quick, easy and convenient way to gain the information they need.
Enhanced success is earned by those practices that pay attention to best practice techniques that their businesses can offer to stand apart from an overcrowded marketplace. Not only does the modern healthcare consumer look for basic information such as key services and treatments, they look for additional information that convinces them why they should choose one practitioner over another.
The question then arises – what information should a targeted dental website carry?
- A high value, high performance dental website should be personalised so that it reflects compelling reasons that differentiate a particular practitioner’s unique selling point. This can be done by paying attention to:
- Creating a profile that speaks of the brand.
- Visual representation (photographs) of the personality of the team
- Show a pleasant and inviting environment (corporate videos).
- Attract with value for money treatments.
- Demonstrate clinical expertise through a patient gallery.
- Personalise treatment packages.
When marketing goals include increasing patient numbers and boosting brand engagement, digital marketing delivers all this and more.
Dental Focus Marketing has a proven track record for creating high value websites for dentists. For more information on dental marketing as well as all the different services offered, please get in touch with the team.
