Why You Can’t Ignore Your Dental Practice’s Local Presence

It’s not uncommon at Great Dental Websites for us to get a new dental marketing client that looks upon Google search visibility - and the tactic of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - as the holy grail of marketing. Master SEO, and your new patient flow will be unstoppable. In practice this is rarely true. Visibility on Google is important, but it won’t carry a practice that is otherwise largely invisible. 

Brand visibility for your practice is like an ecosystem with all parts supporting each other. Google Ads drive traffic that improves your website authority. Social media reaches varied demographic targets, as do print ads. Online reviews get found organically and build trust in your practice. 

Also of vital importance is local, offline visibility. These are the ways people find out about your practice when they’re not looking at their phone or laptop. For example, one of the most important marketing decisions a practice makes is one they often don’t even recognize as marketing: the practice location. 

A dental practice located in a busy area of their community may need little additional advertising to make people aware of them. On the other hand, a practice located in the back of an office park that nobody ever passes may need a great deal of advertising just to gain local brand recognition. 

Local presence is also impacted by the Doctor’s personality and presence in the community. Outgoing people who are involved in social, business, and community events have an advantage. If you’re a more reserved personality, you may need to make up for that by doing more local promotions. If you are in a competitive market, your practice location isn’t highly visible, and you are not very engaged in the community on a personal level, it's particularly important that you consider some of the steps below in addition to your online marketing efforts. 

Here are some strategies for offline success that will help you establish a strong presence in your community. 

Engage with Community Events

Sponsor Local Activities

Consider sponsoring local events such as school sports teams, charity runs, or community festivals. This not only increases your visibility but also demonstrates your commitment to the community. Display your practice's name on banners or uniforms, and set up a booth at events to interact with attendees and distribute promotional materials.

Host Health Fairs

Organize or participate in health fairs where you can provide free dental screenings, oral health education, and demonstrations. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your expertise while engaging directly with potential patients. Offer free samples of dental products or educational brochures to encourage attendees to remember your practice.

Build Relationships with Local Businesses

Collaborate with Nearby Establishments

Partnering with local businesses can create mutually beneficial relationships. For example, you could collaborate with gyms, health food stores, or childcare centers to offer joint promotions or educational workshops. This not only expands your reach but also builds goodwill within the community.As you create these relationships, look for opportunities to exchange backlinks (a backlink is a text link from one website to another). Backlinks are an important element in SEO rankings, so a few valuable links could elevate your organic search rankings. 

School Presentations

Reach out to local schools to offer presentations on oral health for students and parents. Engaging children early about the importance of dental hygiene can create a lasting impression and encourage families to choose your practice for their dental needs.

Open Houses

New practices can host an open house offering refreshments, office tours, giveaways, and maybe even some fun events at a dental office! If you're just opening, schedule this and promote it as an event on social media (particularly Facebook), and with flyers or print ads. 

Some practices are successful enough with open houses that they host them annually for new patient outreach and appreciation for existing patients.  

Traditional Advertising Methods

Local Print Media

Invest in advertising through local newspapers, magazines, and community newsletters. Highlight any special promotions or unique services that set your practice apart from others in the area.

Direct Mail Campaigns

Create informative postcards or brochures that introduce your practice to local residents. Include special offers for new patients and emphasize any community involvement or unique services you provide. With both mailers and print, shop around to get good pricing on services. Print advertising can be so expensive that it’s hard to get ROI from it. 

Build a Strong Network

Join Local Organizations

Become an active member of local business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce or other networking groups. This will help you connect with other business owners and professionals in the area while increasing your visibility within the community.

Volunteer Your Services

Consider offering free dental services at community events or clinics for underserved populations. Volunteering not only helps those in need but also enhances your reputation as a caring and committed member of the community.

A Healthy Marketing Ecosystem

Google is essential, but waiting around for it to do all the work isn’t in your best interest. 

Build a healthy ecosystem where your marketing channels support each other. It isn’t always possible to directly measure how tactics like local brand advertising, social media and SEO/Google Ads support each other, but as you cast a wider net, you’ll see your new patient lead numbers increase. 

Imagine you’re a new patient looking for a dental home in your area. Would you become aware of your practice as you went about everyday life in your community? If not, you’re missing a tactic that supports the highest levels of dental marketing success.