SOCIAL MEDIA

April 22, 2021 by Beth Rimmels Leave a Comment

The past year was difficult for many. Yet here at Efferent Media, our healthcare clients had a good year, unlike many of their competitors. As circumstances change for 2021, here are marketing tips to make it the best year yet for your healthcare practice.

1. Social media is more important than ever.

Prospective patients want to get a sense of your practice before they visit. Due to COVID, showing your safety procedures is beneficial. If your healthcare practice focuses on cosmetic conditions such as hair loss, cosmetic dentistry, etc. they want to see before-and-after photos and videos.

However, healthcare social media has challenges and pitfalls. It should be neither boring nor make unreasonable claims. Repetition is another trap. Instead… it needs to be authentic, have a welcoming and authoritative tone, and convey a sense of the experience patients will receive.

2. Invest in high-quality content.

Prospective patients have questions. In fact, a Becker Hospital Review study found that 72 percent of people research healthcare-related questions online – with 87 percent researching a specific condition. Answering those topics with clear and well-written content positions you as an authority, gives them confidence in choosing you, and helps to pre-sell your services. Good quality content supports your website’s SEO and your social media campaigns.

3. Use attractive visuals

The phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” is true. The popularity of Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok has only strengthened that. Include photos of your office – it sets expectations and makes you more accessible.

Make sure even your written content is visually appealing by using bullet points, lists, and shorter paragraphs where it makes sense. Break up written content with relevant, compelling images.

4. Have a well-designed website

User experience is a Google ranking factor as of 2021. A clean, logical, attractive layout will both appeal to your clients and improve your site’s traffic and retention.

5. Multi-channel marketing is a must

Now, more than ever, a comprehensive marketing strategy is important. When crafted properly, one aspect can support the others and draw in the right patients that are primed for your services.

6. Ensure a good online reputation

People want the right healthcare practice that listens and takes care of its patients. Testimonials provide proof of that and build trust. Monitoring your ratings on Google My Business, ZocDoc, etc. and addressing poor responses is essential to instill confidence in your prospects.

In fact, negative reviews give your business a chance to shine if you handle it well. Obviously, you don’t want negative reviews… but hiding them is a mistake. Showing that you listen and respond appropriately to disputes attracts new customers, and readers can tell when a complaint is unreasonable.

Reviews are also a ranking factor for Google. That ties into our last tip.

7. Focus on local SEO

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are sticking closer to home. Even without lockdowns and travel restrictions, people are more interested in finding what they want and need closer to home, traveling less, and knowing more about the places they patronize. While “near me” results are always important, focusing on your local SEO and ensuring it is optimized for the latest Google updates will position you better in this environment.

Efferent Media Are the Medical Marketing Experts

If you have a medical, healthcare or wellness business, Efferent Media has the experience you need to grow your business and fill your appointment list. Whether it’s a HIPAA-compliant website design, lead generation campaign, or a full marketing plan, our team at Efferent Media will tailor each of our services for you and your business. Contact us today and have the website your business deserves.

April 8, 2021 by Serghie Faustin Leave a Comment

With spring right around the corner, scheduling some spring cleaning for your digital marketing is just as crucial as sprucing up your house. Digital marketing encompasses many techniques and strategies to increase your product’s visibility or services, across a wide array of channels.

Many online guides offer conflicting advice for increasing traffic, which can be overwhelming and confusing. Luckily, we have created a condensed, informative list of ways to polish up your marketing efforts.

How Can I “Spring Clean” My Marketing?

Be Specific When Targeting Consumers

Data is the most crucial element to pay attention to when trying to increase conversions, and according to Emarsys.com, data should influence every decision that a digital marketing team makes. When reading and interpreting your data, use it to find ways to tailor the marketing experience that your consumers have.

Platforms, such as Google Analytics, allow you to organize your audience by creating audience segments. Data makes it possible to develop more specific marketing for an audience segment based on their purchase history, demographics, and even the channel they found you through. Based on this information, you can make product recommendations for similar products… driving increased conversions.

Make Customer Service a Priority

If you are serious about increasing traffic to your website through digital marketing, you must focus on excellent customer service. When customers are treated well and feel comfortable shopping with your company, they are more likely to become repeat customers.

A vital element of customer service is communication, which includes responding to customer questions and concerns. According to VoyMedia.com, including a chatbot on your website provides an added way to address any issues or hesitation that consumers may have. The more information you give your consumers, the more confident they will be and the more likely they are to purchase your product or service.

Ensure That Your Website is Mobile-Friendly

BroadbandSearch.net reports that mobile traffic has continuously surpassed desktop traffic on the Internet since 2016. The growth of mobile traffic means that having a website optimized for both desktop users and mobile users is essential for your company or risk high bounce rates for mobile users. Ways to improve the mobile experience include having slightly different website layouts for mobile and desktop and modifying your mobile website to decrease clutter and improve site speed.

A responsive website design would be the best option to ensure an optimal user experience. If your customers can easily navigate your website and find what they’re searching for, this positive user experience improves the chances of completing a purchase.

Update Your Website Regularly

According to Forbes.com, a key to improving your digital marketing efforts is to update your website often. Improvements can include regularly adding new products to your website or uploading unique content that your audience can find useful.

Regular blog posts, tutorials, FAQs, and other informative content can answer important customer questions and help improve your website rankings for desired search terms. However, be sure not to sacrifice the quality of your content by keyword stuffing. Only incorporate target search terms when it makes sense, so your audience receives the intended message.

Increase Your Social Media Presence

A strong social media presence is another overlooked but critical element for reaching your target audience. PopUpSmart.com states that using social networks is a great way to grow and maintain your brand’s popularity by connecting with existing and prospective customers.

Depending on the platform you choose; you can provide product tutorial videos, answer questions, notify your audience of giveaways, and more. It will boost audience trust in your brand and your authority within your industry. These are both likely to increase conversions.

Final Takeaways

Many methods are available to attract more attention to your products and increase conversion. Gaining insight on your audience will unlock new ways to enhance your digital marketing efforts, such as targeting audience segments based on demographics and behavior.

Customers are the backbone of your business, so keep customer service in mind to bring in repeat customers. Additionally, attract new customers on social media and retain them by having an optimal website for mobile phones and computers. Lastly, keep your website fresh with updated information, content, and keywords.

Let Efferent Media Help You Spring Clean Your Site

If you are looking to spruce up your website or spring clean your marketing efforts this year, look no further than Efferent Media. Our staff includes experts in content writing, SEO, SEM, Social Media Management, and more. To get started maximizing your site’s potential, contact Efferent today.

March 11, 2021 by Beth Rimmels Leave a Comment

COVID-19 has been brutal for a lot of businesses and some industries have been hit especially hard. The common response to revenue downturns is to stop or drastically curtail marketing. That is a big mistake and at Efferent Media we have the evidence to prove it. Our clients who have maintained and – in some cases – expanded their marketing have had normal or better than normal revenue during the pandemic… and inbound marketing is the key.

What Are Examples of Inbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing refers to content and material that attracts your target audience, more specifically drawing them with things they want to know. Examples of inbound marketing can be blog posts, videos, e-books, email courses, social media, and more which answer questions your prospects have, educates them, provides useful information, and so forth all geared to topics they’re interested in and that positions you as the authority.

What Are Outreach Strategies?

Outreach strategies are used to target your preferred audience. These strategies can work in a number of ways depending upon your goals and resources.

Here is one basic outreach strategy incorporating inbound marketing:

Determine your goal(s). Let’s say you want to grow or expand your sales funnel by improving your email list.
Define your target audience or customer personas.
Figure out what topics interest this audience and what questions they have.
Create content that appeals to that audience – including something you can give away for free that they will find useful: such as an e-book, a guide they can download, an email course, etc.
Set up automation to securely process the incoming emails and send out the free e-book and other materials, preferably with audience tracking and segmentation for proper targeting of future communication.
Add the offer to your website.
Create a landing page for the offer.
Use social media to drive traffic to the landing page.
Use PPC and social media advertising to reach your target audience for the landing page.
Create a steady stream of content to send on a regular basis to those who sign up, focusing on topics that encourage them to complete a goal or conversion (such as booking an appointment).
Monitor and analyze your results. You may need to adjust your strategy and content accordingly to maximize results and keep going.

As you can see, such a strategy has many steps yet it is well worth the time and, if you hire a marketing agency, worth the money spent on it. A good inbound marketing strategy can boost revenue and keep prospects within your sales funnel until they are ready to buy.

It also prevents a “leaky funnel” in which you attract prospects but lose them while they are still deciding. Continuing to provide content of interest keeps them in your sales funnel, improving the odds that when they are ready to buy, they buy from you.

How Does Inbound Marketing Help During the Pandemic?

The Rule of 7 indicates that it can take an average of seven “touch points” or contacts before a person is ready to buy. People rarely make significant purchases as a snap decision. They want to do research and feel like informed consumers – especially for large purchases.

An inbound marketing strategy, such as the one detailed above, provides those contact points while also positioning you and your business as the authority in your field. Further, the initial freebie provided engenders good will.

Whether the inbound marketing strategy was in place before the COVID-19 outbreak began or if you decide to start one during it, inbound marketing is an invaluable tactic during the pandemic and moving forward. If they are delaying their purchase for any reason, it keeps your product or service in front of them until they are ready and able to buy.

More importantly, they are a captive audience as you customize your services and products to adapt to life during COVID. For example, let’s say you’re a party rental business. The cancellation of events during pandemic is an unexpected blow, however having an email marketing list means that you can switch gears and suggest fun home-based activities that involve your rentals such as a backyard movie projector for summer night screenings or a weekend bouncy castle rental to give the kids something different to do.

Have you instituted new safety protocols for your services? Your email marketing list can be utilized to give current clients and prospects the peace of mind that your business is following CDC guidelines. You could also offer special deals on gift cards and COVID-inspired services this same way.

Because of inbound marketing strategies such as these, Efferent Media‘s clients have not only been surviving the pandemic – they’ve been thriving. While some industries have been hit harder than others due to mandatory shutdowns or limited capacity, Efferent Media’s clients have had an average revenue year (instead of a slump) thanks to our marketing strategies. Our other clients have had an above average year, which is phenomenal in a pandemic-ravaged economy.

Find out what Efferent Media can do to grow your business.

Efferent Media’s Inbound Marketing Strategies Create Sales

Efferent Media develops and executes marketing strategies that maximize your sales funnel and drives revenue. We work closely with our clients to create a custom-tailored strategy for inbound marketing, and lead generation to maximize the potential of your business. Contact us today and let us get to work for you.