Increasing your patient volume is one of the best ways to put your practice ahead of the competition, but it can be quite daunting when you don't know where to start.
Luckily, here are 6 effective strategies to improve your patient volume in 2021.
1. Invest in Your Website
A private physician's website is one of the most important assets to your business, and you should think of it as an investment. Your website is the foundation of your marketing strategy, and it can easily attract or deter new patients. The website can also serve multiple purposes, it's:
- A salesperson to share information to potential patients any time they are searching for it
- A resource for potential patients to find out more about you as their doctor and why they should pick you as their doctor
- A resource for patients about services you offer and conditions you specialize in
The bottom line is your website is incredibly important. Just having a website isn't necessarily enough, it needs to be professional, polished, and most importantly, it needs to convert potential patients into regular patients.
P.S. Did you know that Oh, Hello Branding Group offers website creation and redesign services? Check out one of the awesome websites we've built below, and if you'd like to contact us to ensure your practice's website converts, just click the button below.
Here are some questions you need to ask to find out if your medical website will convert:
Is your website responsive on mobile devices?
We are beginning to use our mobile devices more and more often, so your website needs to be fully responsive and easily viewable on the go. Patients search for new physicians on their phones or tablets, and if your website looks clunky and unorganized on their phone, it will likely result in them exiting the page and moving onto the next site. The most important thing to include on your website is a clear call to action to schedule an appointment with you. And don't just create one button for this, place this button on every single page, in multiple places, and have a main contact page where they can also schedule with you. Make it as easy as possible on potential patients to get in contact with you.
Have you emphasized your featured services on the home page?
Your home page is very valuable real estate on your website, so you want to make sure that you highlight and promote your services that bring in the most revenue.
Do you have a blog?
Educational content is one of the easiest ways to ensure that new visitors stay on your website to learn about the conditions you treat and any other relevant topics. When writing blog posts, if you create blog content with a keyword and SEO strategy, your Google ranking will improve over time.
Do you have an About/Meet the Staff page?
When a new patient comes to your site, they want to see friendly faces and see who they may be interacting with if they come into your office. You should create a brief bio section for each physician and staff member, mention any of their credentials, and a nice headshot.
Do you have patient testimonials featured on your site?
Patient reviews are one of the most valuable things you can put on your site, as word of mouth can be very influential when a patient is choosing a new physician.
Do you have a newsletter and an email list?
Once you have a little bit of blog content, you can compile your best blogs, other content, any product or service deals you may be offering, and a testimonial into a monthly email newsletter. Be sure to include a form on your website where people can sign up for the newsletter and build an email list, so your patients always know what kind of content or promotions you have coming out.
Do you have good before and afters?
These may not be applicable to every private physician, but for dermatologists for example, these are absolutely crucial to showcase on your website. Patients love to see specific photos of conditions that they may also have and see the results you are able to achieve.
2. Optimize Your Website for SEO
Did you know that 80% of all patients used online search engines to search for medical information and physicians? That is why it's so important to optimize your website for SEO (search engine optimization), so when potential patients are searching for doctors in their area, you show up on the front page of the search results.
Here are some of the many benefits of optimizing your medical website for SEO:
- Increase new website visitors
- Rank higher on Google for related keywords
- Capture competitors' website traffic
- Attract new patients organically
- Increase scheduled appointments
- Become an authority and thought leader in your industry
- Increase patients reviews
Backlinking is very helpful in increasing your SEO. Backlinking content is essentially creating links to other content that you've created, so everything is connected and it encourages visitors on your site to bounce around to more of your content.
3. Utilize A Digital Strategy
A digital strategy is essential for any business in 2021. However, it's especially important for medical practices. Like we mentioned before, patients use Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc. to find local practices that treat the condition they may be experiencing. It's your job to ensure that when they search any of those sites or social media, your business shows up in the search results. One of the great things about a digital strategy is that it offers a wealth of knowledge you may otherwise not have available, such as your patient's age, gender, geographic area, income, interests, and so much more.
4. Create A Community on Social Media
Just like a digital strategy, social media is essential for building an online community and getting your practice's name out there. And there is no barrier to entry for social media, all you have to do is create a profile. This can also help establish a relationship with your patients, and truly allow them to get to know you and your practice. You can also share educational content and gain more of an organic following. When creating content for social media, try your best to make it engaging. Ask your followers questions! For example, if you run a dermatology practice, create a post about 5 Common Myths About Lip Filler, and in the caption, ask your followers if they have heard about any of these myths and which one surprised them the most. Engaging with your audience is the best way to create an online community for your practice.
Now you may think that you don't have enough time in the day to worry about your practice's social media accounts. The good news is, you can actually manage your social media accounts in just 10 minutes per day. Click here to check out our eBook, How to Monitor Social Media in 10 Minutes A Day.
5. Focus on Physician Referral Marketing
A physician outreach program is one of the best ways to increase your patient volume as well as build a network and community of physicians in your area. If you'd like to read more about how to do so, check out our blog post 5 Ways to Increase Your Referring Physician Network.
6. Network
Sometimes all it takes it really getting your name out there. Join any local healthcare associations and join your local chamber of commerce to open opportunities to network with those in your community. You'll be able to connect with colleagues and even potential patients in a professional environment, and most importantly, you'll be able to get your name out into the community.
When you're using any of our medical marketing strategies outlined above, remember to always keep the patient's experience in mind. That alone will put you way ahead of your competitors.
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