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 Internet
Dental Marketing
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Tools for Generating Web Traffic
By Fernando Diaz-Lundstedt
If you build it, will they come?
That depends on how well you market it. We're talking about
Web sites, of course, quite possibly the hottest trend in
the field of dental marketing. And like the proverbial tree
that falls in the forest without making a sound, the first
lesson of Internet marketing says that even the fanciest Web
site in the world won't generate one inquiry or attract one
new customer if nobody visits it.
Traditional marketing media, such as radio spots, billboards
or magazine ads, forcibly grab the viewer's attention. Unlike
these media, however, the Internet is voluntary. In order
to find your Web site, people have to come looking for you.
So when marketing your Web site, the #1 goal is making it
easy for people to find you.
If you have a well-designed Web site but aren't getting many
hits, perhaps it's time to revisit your strategy for directing
people to your site. Here are six quick tools to drive more
traffic to your Web site so it can do the job you designed
it to do -- attract new patients.
1. Design good pages.
First and foremost, design good pages with relevant content
and an attractive look. Good Web pages:
- Load quickly
- Are easy to navigate
- Have bold headlines and subheads that grab the reader's
attention
- Have an appropriate amount of professional-looking
graphics
- Make it easy for visitors to find the information they
want
- Have your contact information on every page
2. Target the large directories first.
The giant directories like Yahoo and Open Directory are
by far the largest traffic generators on the Web. Using
keywords that apply to your Web pages, search these and
other large directories to see which Web sites come up first.
That's where you want your Web site to be.
3. Don't overlook the specialized directories.
Smaller, more specialized directories like About.com are
increasing in popularity because they can deliver highly
targeted traffic. For small businesses and professional
practices, the smaller directories often offer the biggest
bang for the Internet marketing buck.
For more information on specialized directories, see our
archived article, "Search Engine Success for Pennies a Click."
4. Consider "pay for performance" search engines.
Some search engines charge by the click rather than a flat
fee. These can also generate good results for small professional
firms, especially at the beginning of your marketing campaign
when you haven't yet obtained a listing on many search engines.
5. Use PR to promote the site.
Put your URL (Web address) on your business card, mailings,
flyers and every piece of printed material that leaves your
office. Contact local or trade publications whose readership
might have an interest in your Web site. Editors are often
hungry for reports on new and interesting Web sites.
6. Stay focused on the goal.
Keep in mind that you don't want the entire world to visit
your site -- just those who have a legitimate need for your
dental products and services. As more and more people use
the Internet to conduct research on buying decisions, an
increasing number of people will be searching for what you
have to offer. Make it easy for them to find you and watch
your number of legitimate inquiries soar.
Web Marketing Resources
I recently ran across two Web sites that offer a wealth
of ideas and information related to Internet marketing issues.
I highly recommend both.
www.wilsonweb.com.
For professional service firms who want to market their
products and services via the Internet, this comprehensive
Web site offers a wide variety of ideas, information and
links to other valuable resources.
http://searchengineforums.com.
Need help with your search engine strategies? Want to know
what other professionals are doing to maximize their search
engine results? Surf on over to this page for a number of
different forum discussions on search engine-related topics.
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