5 Best Orthodontic Marketing Ideas to Get High-Value Clients
By Jocelyn Van Saun
May 16, 2023
5 Best Orthodontic Marketing Ideas
Generating high-value leads for your orthodontic practice and converting them into paying clients requires a targeted local marketing strategy.
The first priority in your orthodontics marketing strategy should be a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, followed by a customized website, strategic paid and social media ads, and a robust referral marketing system to keep you at the top of search engine results.
How do we know a digital marketing strategy works?
- 46% of all Google searches are for local businesses
- 88% of all local smartphone searches result in a visit within 24 hours
- Half of the world’s population uses social media
Getting the help of a marketing team who knows the orthodontics industry and can provide this personalized approach to finding, contacting, and keeping clients is vital to success. Let’s look at the top 5 orthodontic marketing ideas to build your practice using effective orthodontic marketing strategies.
Idea #1: SEO and Original Web Content for Orthodontic Marketing
Properly executed SEO drives potential clients to the most qualified website first. It is the most powerful tool in a modern orthodontics marketing plan to get qualified leads into your practice. More than half of all clients will do online research before choosing a local provider, and you want your orthodontics practice to be at the top.
There are several ways to go about SEO, but good SEO is more than sprinkling keywords around your website and hoping Google algorithms like them. High-ranking SEO depends on quality content, not just quantity, and engaging, relevant, unique information that is different than your competitors. Your SEO content should be specific to your practice, the types of services you provide, and the high quality of care your practice provides.
Beware, some SEO approaches are better than others. To read more about the myths of SEO strategy, read more here.
Idea #2: Invest in a Custom Website for Orthodontic Marketing
Next, invest in a custom website to stand out in local Google searches and establish your orthodontics practice as a leading authority. Sure, you can use user-friendly drag-and-drop platforms like Wix and Squarespace to build a website, but they also give you basic SEO results and fail to stand out — your orthodontics business is better than basic.
Webpage load time optimization is critical to a good user experience on your custom website. A page that loads in a second or less on both desktop and mobile is three times more likely to convert clients than one that takes five seconds. That’s just four seconds standing between you and the competition.
Your custom website should also represent your unique services and tell your brand’s story. It should be easy to navigate and speak to your ideal client in just the right tone. Where and how you present your business online matters almost as much as the content itself.
Idea #3: Use Paid Media for Orthodontic Marketing
Paid media, such as Google or Facebook Ads, can be a great place to attract clients. But the time involved in deciding which keywords to feature and which platforms your ideal clients are using takes you away from what you do best — giving your clients a positive experience with your practice.
Running paid ad campaigns bumps your practice to the top of the search results for the types of prospective clients you want to attract — parents of teens ready for braces or retirees ready for a smile refresh. Our expert team can help you determine which platforms, keywords, and messages will most likely reach your target audience.
Idea #4: Leverage Social Media for Orthodontic Marketing
The average person spends nearly 2.5 hours daily on social media, including your patients. Posting informational, engaging, and visually appealing content on multiple social accounts is a great way for orthodontic practices to reach clients needing high-quality orthodontic treatment. Plus who doesn’t love a great before-and-after photo on Instagram or TikTok?
You can also use these platforms to feature client and staff stories or promote discounts. Being strategic about what and how often you post on social sites will increase your following and encourage people to reach out.
If you’re new to social media marketing, we recommend starting with one platform until you feel comfortable and established in your brand’s voice and social media presence. The social media experts at Socius who specialize in orthodontics marketing can get you on the right path.
Idea #5: Curate Online Reviews for Orthodontic Marketing
Now that you’re getting a ton of engagement and likes on your social posts, don’t forget that negative engagement and bad reviews can wreak havoc on your practice growth. While they say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, up to 94% of customers have avoided a business due to a negative review online.
Conversely, positive online reviews can significantly impact how your business ranks
- 87% of consumers evaluate local businesses in their local community based on Google results
- 83% of consumers won’t consider using a local business with 3 or fewer stars and 38% expect at least 4 stars
- Positive client reviews on your website can increase customer conversions by up to 270%
To make it easy for your clients to leave a good review, provide links on your website or in your communications with existing patients.
Next Steps
As if running a successful orthodontic practice isn’t enough, the challenge of getting more clients through the door adds to your long list of to-dos. Building a marketing plan with these five orthodontic marketing strategies can increase brand loyalty, boost marketing ROI, and elevate your website to the top of the search list.
With an industry partner like the orthodontics marketing experts at Socius, you can generate new high-value leads, keep existing clients, and grow your practice.
Book a call with one of our orthodontics marketing members to learn how we can help you with your online marketing strategy today.