Let’s face it. The dental practice isn’t necessarily the most appealing subject for most. There’s nothing enticing about dental drills, root canals, and flossing techniques.
But the truth is that oral health is closely linked with an individual’s overall well-being. And as a dental professional, you have the power to illustrate this importance when crafting engaging content.
So, how can you make dental topics more interesting? Don’t worry; this article has got you covered. Read on as this post explores the easy ways to make your blogs stand out and keep your readers coming back for more.
Understand Your Audience Well
There are at least 2.5 million dentists worldwide. At face value, it seems like a good number, but a closer look reveals that 80% of these oral professionals are concentrated in Europe and North America—making dental marketing a crucial tool in these highly competitive regions. (1)
The digital age requires businesses to maintain a strong online presence to connect with prospective patients and keep a strong client base. However, building a dental website with all the bells and whistles doesn’t cut it. Choosing expert dental marketers like Best Results Dental Marketing is a wise plan. Their optimization (SEO) techniques are amazing and rank well online.
But do you know the secret ingredient for SEO success? Knowing your audience well. You won’t get traction if you don’t know what resonates with your audience. Here are some tips to get you started:
Know who you are writing for
Before uploading a dental marketing blog, consider your target audience. Are you aiming to draw parents concerned about their kids’ oral health? Do you need to attract adults who’ve neglected dental care and need encouragement to get back on track? Understanding the information your audience needs is key to creating engaging content.
Gather feedback
Consider conducting a survey or putting up a suggestion box in your clinic. The frequent questions you get from patient appointments can also be a goldmine for blog topics.
The key is to provide value to your potential clients while showing your expertise. It’s all about them, not you.
Tell Stories That Stick
Some dental websites struggle with relaying the importance of oral care to one’s well-being. For this, you need to tug at your readers’ heartstrings. It’s a long-held belief that 95% of human decisions are subconscious, and emotions play a huge influence in their outcomes. (2) (3)
When it comes to dental marketing, everyone loves a good story, even when it’s about teeth. But how can you subtly push your readers to choose you over other options?
Illustrate the power of good dental care or surgery by asking your patients to share real-life success stories or publishing case studies. For example, did you help someone overcome their fear of the dentist? Have you restored someone’s smile to boost their confidence and quality of life? These stories humanize the dental practice and make complex dental procedures more relatable.
Speaking of relatable, why not publish your journey as a dentist? Explain what inspired you to choose this career or enumerate the most rewarding parts of your profession. Opening up about your personal experiences helps create a connection that goes beyond the typical doctor-patient relationship.
As you wrap up each story, always include a lesson that readers can apply to their own lives and daily routines. Ensure that you’re not just entertaining but also educating them.
Dental online marketing can be a tedious and time-consuming endeavor, especially for dental professionals who have a lot on their plate. As such, consider hiring specialists to do the job for you. Besides skilled SEO practitioners, dental marketing agencies can provide a wide range of digital marketing services that let you effectively attract new patients, position you as a trusted leader in the field, and grow your dental practice.
Make Complex Topics Digestible
In a bid to establish authority, dental marketing blogs can sometimes be full of jargon that readers can’t necessarily relate to. So, if you want to connect with your audience, break down complex topics into bite-sized pieces that anyone can understand.
Instead of drilling into the technicalities, start with an analogy. For example, you can compare the tooth layers to the layers of the earth, with enamel being the crust and the pulp being the core. This visual representation can help readers grasp the concept more easily. Only use technical terms when needed, but explain them in plain language.
Use humor when appropriate, too. Letting your hair down once in a while can go a long way in making dry topics more palatable. Just remember to keep it professional without dumbing it down.
Leverage Visual Content
Humans are inherently visual. Readers absorb more concepts by looking at visual aids rather than long blocks of text. In fact, about 50% of marketers use videos, while 47% use images in their campaigns. Marketing videos yield an average of 25% return on investment (ROI), while images generate 12%, and blogs, nine percent. (4)
The saying, a picture is worth a thousand words, couldn’t be truer in the world of dental blogging. Leverage this by:
- Incorporating high-quality images and videos into your blog posts to break up text and illustrate your points.
- Uploading before and after photos of successful treatments to showcase your skills.
- Creating infographics that visualize statistics or steps in a dental care routine, like proper brushing or flossing techniques.
- Take your content further by filming or conducting a virtual tour of your office to help ease anxiety for children and new patients.
However, note that any visual content you use must be original or properly licensed. Seek unique images to reflect authenticity and build trust with your audience.
Stay Current and Relevant
Your content shouldn’t only be eye-catching. It should also contain memorable and shareable information. This is where dental professionals can learn a thing or two about social media influencers—who’ve mastered the art of producing original and engaging content that resonates with their audience.
Dental practices are constantly evolving, with new technologies and treatments emerging all the time. So, use your platform to discuss these developments and how they could benefit your patients. If you’ve recently invested in a new 3D imaging system, talk about it in your blog and explain how it improves diagnosis and treatment planning.
But don’t limit yourself to these. Create a bigger picture by connecting dental health to bigger wellness trends. For instance, you can discuss the link between gum disease and heart health to provide valuable information.
Keep an eye on seasonal topics as well. For example, you can discuss healthy alternatives to tooth-damaging candies around Halloween or offer tips for mouth-friendly meals for kids during the back-to-school season.
Tying your content to current events goes beyond producing memes. Consider how dental practices and care fit into your patients’ lifestyles to make it timely and valuable.
Encourage Interaction
Your blog shouldn’t be a one-way street. Allow readers to engage with your content by asking questions or encouraging them to leave comments. Respond to them promptly and thoughtfully, too, showing you value your readers’ input and are genuinely interested in fostering a community around your blog. Running contests or challenges can also be a fun way to boost engagement.
Track Your Performance
It’s crucial to know whether your content strategies are working, and monitoring specific metrics can help you refine your tactics. These include:
- Website traffic: Determine whether more people are visiting your blogs and which topics are popular
- Engagement metrics: Understand how visitors are interacting with your content
- SEO metrics: Determine your organic traffic search and find ways to increase online visibility
- Conversion metrics: This helps you identify if your blogs support your business goals
A great rule of thumb is to look beyond the numbers and analyze how the figures impact your audience and business growth. An increase in traffic or shares may be a good indicator, but your end goal should be improving your marketing blog over time and eventually converting your visitors.
It’s All About Your Audience
A successful dental practice is about adopting the best practices in your field. And when it comes to dental marketing, putting your readers first is key to creating engaging content.
Start by discussing the information they need. Then, share compelling and relatable stories, simplify complex topics, and encourage interaction. In doing so, you’re providing real value to your potential and existing patients—allowing you to stay one step ahead of your competitors. Putting these strategies into action can undoubtedly transform your blogs into trusted sources that your readers can’t get enough of.
References
- ‘WHO’s global oral health status report 2022: Actions, discussion, and implementation’. Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/odi.14516#:~:text=The%20WHO%20estimates%20that%20presently,of%20just%200.33%20per%2010%2C000.
- ‘The use of event related potentials brain methods in the study of Conscious and unconscious consumer decision making processes’. Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969698919315632#:~:text=According%20to%20Zaltman,and%20W%C3%A4nke%2C%202011).
- ‘The Importance of Emotions in Consumer Purchase Decisions—A Neuromarketing Approach’. Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362211479_The_Importance_of_Emotions_in_Consumer_Purchase_Decisions_-_A_Neuromarketing_Approach#:~:text=It%20is%20necessary,of%20the%20decision.
- ’52 Visual Content Marketing Statistics You Should Know in 2024’. Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy#:~:text=Video%20is%20the,47%25.%20(HubSpot)