8 Content Marketing Dos and Don’ts for Dentists

What does your dental website say about you? Are you sleek, modern and innovative, or are you stodgy, slow and tied to old ways of doing things?

Chances are that you want your website to showcase your know-how and attract your desired clientele. Content marketing for dentists is the solution, but also a critical strategy when keeping up with competitors.

With both dental competition and promotional factors, we know how important it is to make your dental web content engaging to viewers. With some simple tweaks based on content marketing best practices, you can create one of the best websites for dentists that serves as an effective tool to drive business and increase your bottom line.

Content Marketing for Dentists in a Nutshell

Content marketing consists of creating articles, blog posts, videos and other media that position a provider as an expert in his or her field. Dental web content should be educational and poised to provide value to readers rather than be strictly promotional. With a little optimization and quality writing, your dental website content can attract more readers and potential clients.

Most modern health care providers build a website with the primary goal of converting visitors to patients, but if no one finds the site, it’s not benefiting the practice. Ideally, your dental practice website should serve as the cornerstone of a comprehensive content marketing program.

Why Should You Focus on Dental Website Marketing?

Let’s say that you have a fairly new dental office in your local town. Besides the paper advertisements, the sign above your office and word-of-mouth, how do you find new patients? The answer is clear: through internet marketing. In 2019, statista.com recorded that only ten percent of adults in the United States don’t use the internet. That means 90 percent of potential dental clients in the U.S. are online, and web content marketing for dentists is an effective way to reach out to them.

Dental content marketing is more than just a buzzword. It’s a proven strategy that can keep your website relevant, improve your search engine rankings and attract visitors to your site, where they can feel compelled to use your dental services.

This mainly comes from SEO, or search engine optimization. This is the way Google finds your dental website and ranks it according to how relevant your dental web content is to users. A lot of SEO comes from making your website “readable” to both the search engine and your readers. High-quality content, expertly designed features and relevancy all come into play.

Additionally, social media can create a wave of traffic. By disseminating your dental practice’s content on social media platforms, you increase awareness of your business and encourage followers to share with their followers, exponentially expanding your reach.

8 Dos and Don’ts of Content Marketing

Because dental website marketing is so crucial to increasing traffic and finding new patients, there are clear strategies that revolve around your dental web content. Some practices you’ll want to outsource to dentist web content writers, but there are many things you can do right now on your own. Review these eight do’s and don’ts of dental website marketing to help you create an effective website.

1. Do Showcase Your Unique Value Proposition

Your dental practice is not the only game in town. Think about what sets you apart from your competitors, a quality otherwise known as your unique value proposition (UVP). Why should patients schedule an appointment with you instead of with another local dentist? Content writing for dentists with a UVP in mind can differentiate you from competitors. When writing dental web content (or when outsourcing to a dental writer) run through these three steps to help you discover your practice’s value:

Identify Your Target Market

Your target market is the group of people you are offering your dental services to. As a marketing dental practice that caters to your patients’ needs, learn more about your clients. What values are important to them? For many, a dentist’s office can be a scary place. How would they react to a friendly, family-oriented dental office?

Depending on your location and practice, you can go even more in-depth when getting to know your customers. What age group do most of your patients come from? What about gender? All these things can help you refine, or redefine, your UVP.

Find What Makes You Stand Out

After you learn about your target market, focus on your practice and what makes you stand out from other dental competitors. Perhaps you are more kid-friendly than other dental offices, or you’ve spent quite a few years in the community. All these things can be factors that make you stand out in your dental web content writing.

Show Qualities Proudly on Your Website

Once you have a solid hold on what makes you different, show those qualities front and center on your dental website. With a little help from content marketing best practices, dentists can ensure that visitors know their UVP as soon as they hop on to their website. You can do this with your own dental web content writing by using eye-catching pictures, big lettering and emphasis through carefully planned design.

Manchester Advanced Dental does an outstanding job with this concept. Viewers are immediately drawn in by the doctor’s friendly smile, which emphasizes the idea of heartfelt care stated in the headline.

2. Don’t Ignore Mobile Devices When Writing Dental Web Content

If your dental website content is not optimized for mobile, you’re missing a large swath of potential patients. Content marketing for dentists is based on your customers. A 2018 study from the Pew Research Center and related data reported in Forbes state the following:

• 77% of Americans across all demographic groups own smartphones
• One in five Americans browses the web only on a smartphone or tablet and does not have home internet service with a traditional computer
• About 57% of U.S. internet traffic is generated by smartphones and tablets
• Mobile internet traffic is projected to increase sevenfold by 2021

A responsive website is a must for effective dental marketing. So, what can you do to stay with the times and optimize your dental website content? All you need is a little website care. Clean up your pages by removing pointless widgets, compressing image sizes, and regularly testing for website speed. If your website seems out of date, find a new design template and modernize old features.

Optimized websites automatically adapt to the size of the reader’s device, which means that they feature beautiful designs, easy readability and intuitive navigation whether viewed on a phone, tablet or standard computer. Making your dental content writing user-friendly supports and boosts content marketing for dentists. Check out the site for Aesthetica Contemporary Dentistry to see an example of responsive design done right.

3. Do Invest in Custom Photography

Using stock photos and clip art in your dental web content can look out of touch, especially when you rely on free images that don’t necessarily mesh with the brand you want your marketing dental practice to portray. Using actual photos of your team, your satisfied patients, your office and your equipment gives your potential patients a true window into your practice.

Of course, as devices have become increasingly more powerful, dental websites that rely solely on text with just a few images for emphasis might as well be dinosaurs. Poorly composed or blurry photos don’t show your business in the best light, either. For best results, keep your dental website content alive with stunning visuals. Hiring a photographer to help capture your practice with the finest angles, lighting and appearance.

Along with photography, incorporate format and design into your dental content marketing plan. Use simplistic designs that catch the eye and are easy to read through. Fight the stereotype of boring dental web content, and spruce it up with pictures, color and legible headers.

The Silberman Dental Group is a great example. Visitors learn all about their caring staff and familial atmosphere, which is evident from the professional photos and design used throughout their site. From the team picture on the homepage to the many images of happy, smiling patients, the design of their website highlights the warmth of this practice.

4. Don’t Let Dental Web Content Stagnate

Too many small business owners think that creating a great dental website is a one-time project they can check off a list. However, a website needs constant care and optimization to yield amazing results. Updating and marketing your dental website frequently increases your credibility with readers and helps your practice rank higher with search engines, meaning that more people will find and connect with you online.

Stay on top of trends in content marketing for dentists, including updates to best practices in search engine optimization. Many dentists find that creating a blog helps them keep their site refreshed with new dental content. Not only does having a dental blog writer help establish you as a dental expert, but it improves the stickiness of your site, which means that readers are more likely to come back and share your posts with their social media followers.

So, how do you start? The recipe for success incorporates these two ideas:

Quality

As a dental practice, you need to keep your content centered on related topics about dentistry. Readers want information that can help answer dental questions or expand their knowledge about the industry. Additionally, you need dental web content that will rank for Google searches from potential clients.

Have your dental blog writer focus on clear, concise content that answers questions and hooks readers. Include headers and white space to improve the value and readability of your blog posts. Don’t forget to add keywords that prospective patients may search for. Content marketing for dentists needs SEO just as much as any industry strategy.

Quantity

The more quality posts you have on your website, the easier it is to get traffic. Whether you answer frequently asked questions or shut down dental myths, well-written dental content can start to pick up fast. Content marketing for dentists relies on consistency, so have your dental blog writer produce great content on a weekly basis.

New York City dentist Lawrence Spindel is an example of dental blogging done right. His Ask Dr. Spindel blog, which answers common patient questions and provides other pertinent information, has been ongoing for more than 10 years and features several new posts every month.

5. Do Include Calls to Action in Your Dental Writing

You put in the work to create great dental blog content and you’ve optimized your website, but how do you encourage visitors to act and not just read? Simply put, a call to action makes it easy for website readers to take the next step, whether you want them to schedule an appointment or share your dental blog post with their social media followers. Encourage visitors to interact with your practice by creating effective calls to action.

When executing content marketing for dentists, calls to action do not have to be complicated or obvious. They can be as basic as having your dental web content writer include a link or a navigation button at the end of your post. However, you can also create more complex calls by inserting a form through which a reader can email your practice directly.

Every dental web content page on your site should have a CTA, especially if your primary dental marketing goal is to convert visitors into patients. You should also have your phone number on each page and ensure it is a clickable link so potential patients who are browsing can easily call for that first appointment.

Notice how Cabot Dental Associates places CTAs in the left-hand sidebar. With just a click, visitors can call to make an appointment, leave an online review or access practice news and content.

6. Don’t Forget Your Credentials

Content marketing strategies for dentists should strive to build trust with potential patients. There are two things that build trust in patients: character and competence. Your credentials create a foundation for both. When creating dental web content, highlight your experience, specialty areas and memberships, as well as any personal awards or achievements in the field. These accomplishments show your hard work and success.

Awards or accolades received by your practice should be front and center on your website, as these differentiate you from the local competition and other dental marketing websites. Make sure your dental content writer uses these awards wherever possible to help reinforce your authority in the industry.

The dental specialists at Ueno Center received advanced training at some of the top universities in the world. This information, which will surely attract patients who want premium care, is posted right on Ueno’s home page.

7. Do Invest in Customer Reviews

Whether they are deciding where to eat dinner or choosing a new medical provider, most people go straight for the online reviews. Honest reviews help potential clients see from the perspective of others who have experienced those services before, which adds an entirely new level to content marketing for dentists. People want to know exactly what a customer experience will be like, and they will consider not only your dental web content but the words of other patients.

If you have exceptional ratings on Google, Yelp or another crowd-sourced review forum, link to those directly in your dental content writing so potential patients don’t have to look far for a reason to choose your practice. However, not all patients choose to post reviews of their last appointment, but you can encourage them in these three simple ways:

• Send an email. After an appointment, consider sending a follow-up email asking about their experience. Encourage them to leave a review or share the website on social media.
• Create a reward. Leave a pile of quick surveys out front with the promise of a few randomly drawn winners. Or create a contest online that requires contestants to like your social media account.
• Make a user-friendly survey. Help patients create a review quickly through a survey that can be accessed on both mobile phones and computers. If it is clear and easy to access, the chances of receiving a review will increase.

You can also post testimonials from existing patients who are thrilled with the care provided at your practice. This is especially effective if they include before and after photos, which further convinces readers that you have one of the best dental marketing websites. Pictures can often speak louder than words. Smile San Diego does this with their testimonials, including video testimonials and professional reviews, as well as links where patients can easily leave their own reviews.

8. Don’t Shy Away From Pricing Information in Your Dental Content Writing

Although few dentists include pricing on their website, the cost of dental procedures represents one of the most common searches for patients who are looking for a new dentist. For many, dental blog posts may be the only form of content marketing for dentists considered. However, including estimated prices with the caveat that each case is different can immediately set you apart from competitors.

Being transparent with pricing also helps build trust in potential patients. Not only are you upfront with them, but you make it a lot easier for people who are searching for specific dental work and prices. And don’t forget to mention any dental work specials or coupons. This information can quickly make you one of the best websites for dentists, and it should be immediately accessible on your home page in the form of a button or call to action.

If you want to get creative, make a survey or an estimate generator to help potential patients get a more accurate depiction of costs. Then offer personal help through a phone call, meeting or email conversation.

Content Marketing for Dentists Only Gets Easier

With a boost of traffic, increased exposure online and more ways to attract patients, content marketing for dentists has its advantages. As you incorporate these 8 do’s and don’ts into your dental web content writing, you can rise above competitors and establish your marketing dental practice as an expert both locally and online.

However, not many dentists want to take time away from their patients to spend time writing website content. And sometimes, they just simply aren’t professional dental blog writers. Outsourcing is a smart way to get high-quality dental web content on your site and get your dental website marketing strategy to a rousing start. Get in touch with us today and learn more about our content services.