Some optometry businesses thrive on word-of-mouth, others utilise leaflets and other physical media – but what all eyecare practitioners have in common is that they could all benefit from extra marketing channels, and new ways to bring in customers. In this blog, we take a look at some of the digital marketing platforms that your eyecare business should invest in.
SEO
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is one of the most underutilised methods of marketing for optometrists and eyecare specialists. SEO is the practice of improving specific aspects of your website in order to rank higher on Google and other search engines. If this is something that you have never paid much attention to, then it may be the case that you have fallen behind competitors.
Conducting SEO work can offer fantastic long-term benefits, but this is definitely a slow burn approach – don’t expect to see immediate results. However, putting in the work and getting your eyecare practice to rank highly will benefit you over a far longer period than many other forms of marketing.
PPC
If you are looking for a marketing channel that offers more immediate results, it is definitely worth investing in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. PPC marketing involves paying to be displayed in prime positions either on search engines or on social media sites. Some of the most popular channels for PPC include Google AdWords, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
This is very much the opposite of SEO. When you spend money on PPC you will see immediate results and this can translate into a fantastic boost in conversions and leads through your website. But as soon as you stop spending, those numbers will drop off – and you are unlikely to see long-term benefits.
Nevertheless, PPC is a great addition to your marketing options if you need more clients quickly.
Social media
Are you currently using your social media to the fullest extent? Whether you are interested in using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any social media, there are many tactics you can be utilising to promote your business.
Firstly, it can be a way to share reviews and customer opinions on your practice – this is especially important for independent businesses looking to build trust. It can also be an important way to encourage interaction with visitors. Additionally, you can use social media platforms to promote offers and deals.
We recently wrote a piece on tips for using social media channels for optometrists – check them out here.
Email marketing
It is essential that you start building up a database of email addresses so that you can use them for various email marketing campaigns. Email marketing can be extremely effective as you can get key messages out to people who are already interested in what you have to offer.
Email marketing is a channel that can be challenging to set up at first, but once you have a strong database, this can be an excellent way to gain repeat business.
If you are interested to learn other ways that your optometrist business can thrive and grow, contact the team at Optical Success Academy today. We have years of experience helping eyecare professional develop their businesses.