Dental website platform
3 Strategies for Re-Purposing Your Dental Content That’s “Collecting Dust”
Our recent garage reorganization gave my wife and I some minimalist “air.” Ultimately, it was more of a redistribution.
There’s redistribution-value in your dental marketing content, dental website copy, online engagement, and other promotions you may have tucked away. Your archives and current content sources have life left in them…if you know where to look and how to revive their usefulness.
My wife finds it especially “cleansing” to box up items and give them away. It’s our way of re-purposing resources for the benefit of someone else.
Vintage is still cool
The lure of vintage anything – clothing, jewelry, etc. – is basically about resourcefulness. It’s a trendy attempt at redistribution or re-purposing what was once everyday.
Your dental marketing promotions are no different. Each are full of themes, big ideas, features, and benefits you can easily re-purpose for a fresh return on investment (ROI).
That’s part of the “magic” of today’s content marketing strategies. Dental website services and procedures pages, older blog posts, previous newsletter editions, articles, email marketing promotions each contain seeds for new content.
How to Re-purpose and Re-distribute Dental Content That’s “Collecting Dust”
1-Scan your online reviews, survey data, and patient/client comments for back-story content.
What your patients/clients tell you about your services reveals more than a virtual “high-five.” Look for questions, emotional-buying motives, pains, problems you solved, solutions your delivered.
- List emerging topics, themes, and ideas for how your can re-distribute the content.
- Create blog posts, newsletter articles, case studies, themed email series’, and themed landing pages.
2-Re-package blog and article content for a new or different “audience.”
Your patients/clients each consume content differently. And they access it in a variety of ways.
- Reach your “audience” according to their preferences. Implement some content experiments and track your responses. Try visual content via YouTube, Pinterest, or Instagram. Or re-purpose visual content into readable content via your blog or newsletter articles.
- Look for themes and ideas within your content channels. Your main website platform copy can be sub-divided into topics of interest. Scan your Services/Procedures pages for topics.
3-Audit your website platform for readability and call-to-action outcomes.
Many dental websites could use complete rewrite. Why?
Perhaps the content is outdated, is overly technical, isn’t mobile responsive (i.e. it isn’t easily read on a smartphone or tablet), is too wordy and full of feature oriented fluff and industry-speak.
Simple upgrades can revive a poor performing, uninformative website.
- Re-purpose service and procedure copy themes into blog posts or articles. The place to be more informative and technical (with reader in mind) is on a blog/article page instead of giving them everything on your main/internal service pages.
- Remove flashy banners, overused images, and “cute” headlines. Tell your reader something valuable. Create benefit-focused page headlines and sub-heads. Use benefit-oriented bullet-points on pages to improve readability (readers scan web pages they read blog/article content – keep this in mind).
- Compel your site visitors to take a specific action on each page. “Contact us…,” “Schedule your next…,” “Request…,” “Call us…,” etc are call-to-action words. Tell your reader what to do, tell them again, and…you guessed it…tell them yet again. Eliminate passive, permissive wording and replace it with a specific action to be taken.
You have more value in your existing content than you may realize. It’s time to re-distribute it.
2 Strategic “Pushes” That Build Sustainable Momentum via Your Dental Website
I use an iPhone 6 Plus for a variety of reasons. And I bring this up not to debate iOS over Android.
My love for smartphone technology illustrates a dental marketing sub-strategy that can save you time, financial investment, and create a more sustainable return on investment (ROI).
I, like you perhaps, embrace smartphone technology (whatever your preferred “flavor” of device) for a simple reason. It’s more productive having one-touch access to the apps that enable me to sustain my life and my growing business.
How sustainable is your dental marketing?
Judging from the consulting and web copywriting I do, your website has ceased to be a thoroughly one-push, sustainable asset. Don’t get me wrong, you need a web platform if you have any hope of building your dental practice or dental industry service business.
There’s a deeper issue. And it has to do with (in principle) what I prefer about smartphone technlogy and my chosen apps.
Jim Collins further illustrates my point with a principle from his book, Good to Great.
“Picture a huge, heavy flywheel – a massive metal disk mounted horizontally on an axle, about 30 feet in diameter, 2 feet thick, and weighting about 5,000 pounds. Now imagine your task is to get the flywheel rotating on the axle as fast and long as possible.
Pushing with great effort, you get the flywheel to inch forward, moving almost imperceptibly at first. You keep pushing and, after two or three hours of persistent effort, you get the flywheel to complete one entire turn.
You keep pushing, and the flywheel begins to move a bit faster, and with continued great effort, you move it around a second rotation. You keep pushing in a consistent direction. Three turns…four…five…six…the flywheel builds up speed…
…Then, at some point – breakthrough! The momentum of the thing kicks in in your favor, hurling the flywheel forward, turn after turn…whoosh!…its own heavy weight working for you.” (p.164)
Your dental website is your initial “push.” It gets the wheels-turning, so to speak.
But…
It’s far from a be-all-to-end-all…“We’ve-got-a-website-whew-now-let’s-wait-for-the-phone-to-ring-with-new-patients…new business” brand of ROI! Far from it.
It’s a start. And a good one, especially if you’ve populated your webpages with compelling, benefit focused, call-to-action copy.
Remember Collins said that your “breakthrough” comes when “…The momentum of the thing kicks in in your favor, hurling the flywheel forward, turn after turn…whoosh!…its own heavy weight working for you.”
Two “Pushes” That Build Sustainable Momentum on Your Dental Website Platform
1-Accessible digital content
Accessibility is huge for me. Thus my iPhone “addiction.”
It’s beneficial (for me and perhaps you) to have access wherever I am to my preferred sources of information beyond the basic ability to make a phone call or send a text message.
Most of your patients and clients have the same affinity for easy-access too.
Few, if any, wait to arrive at their home or office to pull up your dental practice or dental business website on their laptop or desktop computing device. Like you, they “tap” their handheld device (smartphone or tablet) in the moment, wherever they are.
The big question – are you accessible? Of further importance will they clearly find a solution to why they’re searching in the first place?
- Reduce the word-fluff on your web pages. This engages your on-the-go types who want a cut-the-chase amount of information to help them decide to schedule with you or purchase from you.
- Go with a less-is-best mindset on your website. Let’s not debate page word count. Better to review your web pages from the viewpoint of a handheld smart device using, busy, waiting-in-line, immediate access oriented site searcher who wants the essence of what you can do for them rather than a CE course level explanation.
2-Anticipatory solutions for problems
Get in the mind and emotions of your patients or clients. When you do you’ll discover layer upon layer of questions, desires, goals, etc.
Questions are a gold-mine for content topics. Your blog posts, newsletter articles, email promotions and other marketing strategies are the perfect place to answer what’s being asked with the unique solutions you provide.
- Develop a strong, gut-level bias for the questions or problems that drive your “audience” to seek solutions.
- Tap into your online reviews and unpack what they’re praising or criticizing. Create content that answers their comments.
- Train your front-office team, chairside assistants, dental hygienists, or field reps to ask questions that uncover the solutions your patients or clients seek.
Your initial and ongoing “pushes” create momentum. Access and available solutions make you a valued resource to your dental patients and clients.
Your Simple Strategy for Becoming a Memorable Dental Industry Authority
I attended a memorial service for a family member of a long time neighbor. What I encountered has been my experience many times over about leaving a legacy.
It also brought to mind a principle that can turn your dental marketing content into something memorable rather than something forgettable.
A son of the deceased offered a touching moment during his eulogy. Now in his 50’s (I assume), he recalled a moment with his dad when he was five years old.
Age five! It’s not unusual that your best memories are those simple moments that revolve around a lesson learned or practical, loving words related.
And it’s equally true that your dental marketing content, promotions, emails, whatever strategy you choose are most memorable when they do one thing.
Answer a question
Content marketing – in any niche’ – is really that simple. It’s as uncomplicated as listening to your audience – their questions, their problems, the deeper issues they face and writing useful answers to them.
A bias for helping
Marketing can easily digress into an attempt to impress. You can be lured into the latest online trend or be tempted to talk…talk…talk about all the nuances and technical eye-candy associated with your products, services, and procedures.
That’s common. But…it’s as forgettable as a laugh inducing, Super Bowl commercial that’s creative and entertaining but fails to connect you with the product and leaves you asking, “Now what was it they were promoting?”
What connects gets remembered
This is why it’s vital that you know the intrinsic value of your dental content. I’m frequently asked a couple of questions about dental industry websites.
1-“Do we really need blog posts/articles on our website?” 2-“How frequently should we publish blog/article content?”
Those questions reveal a need AND a strategy. And I’ll take a strategic approach to answering them because in essence that’s what I seek to do here on my blog each week – answer common questions (expressed or implied) with useful answers.
Your Simple Strategy for Becoming a Memorable Dental Industry Authority Whatever Your Specialty Is
1-Intentionally invest your best marketing energy (and dollars) in publishing useful information.
The simple answer to question 1 – “Do we really need blog posts/articles on our website?” – is “YES!” If for no other reason, it reveals you’re listening.
And that’s the essence of content marketing. To listen is to have no other alternative but to be useful..helpful.
As a dental professional you do not have the practical opportunity to be face-to-face for as long as it would be necessary to answer your patient or client questions. Timing is an issue as well.
Your clients and patients often do not have questions during the hours you’re available in-office or on-site. But they will search for them via their mobile devices, smartphones, tablets, and other available technology that gives them online access.
My question for you: “Will you show up in their search results?” And if you do, will they find the memorable answer(s) they’re searching for? (I’ll cover this in greater detail in future posts. Stay tuned.)
- Set up “listening outposts” throughout your dental practice or dental service business. Your dental assistants, dental hygienists, front-desk business team, customer-service reps, field consultants, managers, etc are your “ears.” Ask them to keep a running list of the relevant questions they’re asked by patients or clients. Review your list regularly.
- Hire a copywriter/content strategist to create blog/article content around simple, non-technical answers to those questions. Why hire? Because you’ll delay what you do not have the time (or expertise) to do. Content marketing is as strategic an endeavor as it is simple. There’s an art to writing an SEO optimized, practical, informative, readable, and actionable post or article.
2-Apply a publishing frequency that’s driven by your desire to establish yourself as the go-to authority.
The answer to question 2 – “How frequently should we publish blog/article content?” – is not as much about saturation as it is about being compelled to deliver valuable information.
If you’re listening…really listening to your “audience” you will always have something of importance to share. Now it’s more a question of strategic opportunity.
- Publish/post your blog/article content at a minimum every other week and at a maximum every week. Consistency plus informative value is the-new-black. Gone are the days of content mills that write a paragraph or two packed with dental keywords on a topic that is written about for the sole purpose of baiting the search engines. It’s essential that you create and deliver content that has substance. And your substance comes from “listening” to your audience.
- Monitor your published content via online tracking tools and good-old-fashioned conversation. I’ll cover the practical side of online search tools in another post. For starters, lurk around in your web hosts built-in tracking systems. Ask your IT team or an up to date, tech-savvy colleague about the best apps or software that will give you a window on your content “love.”
Really, it’s all about the “love.” Love for your audience, for your expertise, and the memorable value you consistently deliver via your content.
Where “More” is Better When Evaluating Your Dental Website Content
Who says, “More is better?” Perhaps the best discussion of “more” is…WHERE it’s better.
I hear this often, “We need MORE content on our dental website home page…on our services pages…” More. More. More.
Enough?
Again, the real issue is where to apply a “more-is-better” strategy. And there’s a strategic point of evaluation that’s often missed.
In a recent post I shared some insight regarding today’s new reality about SEO. Bottom-line: online searches these days return more links to articles/blog posts than they do actual websites.
So, wouldn’t it make sense for you to invest more dental marketing energy (and dollars) creating useful, informative article content than you would in higher word counts on standard toolbar pages (i.e., Home, About, Services/Procedures pages)?
That’s a good question. And it’s only provocative if you still aren’t sold on the strategy that – being useful online via your blog/article content is your MORE important than overly indulgent core web page content.
3 ways to apply a more-is-better strategy where it matters the most.
1-Deliver value through your online dental content
I’ll indulge your quest for “more” throughout your dental website on ONE condition. That you provide value!
What is valuable content?
Valuable content focuses on benefits more than it does features.
Don’t misunderstand. Features are important but not when they’re overused or without a compelling benefit attached.
Your dental service benefits connect with your patient’s or client’s emotional desires. Your dental service features appeal to your patient’s or client’s logic.
Both are necessary in your dental marketing content. But…
Remember to “sell” or “promote” first with benefits then help them rationalize their decision with an emphasis on features.
This takes some strategic thought. And I’ll go on record again by saying it must involve more than throwing “state-of-the-art” or “cutting-edge” ahead of your newest or greatest technology, etc.
2-Write dental content that’s readable.
Not all content will be read. But it’s certain that the time someone spends with your content will increase or decrease based on its readability.
Readable content ditches the tech-speak that’s only understood by industry insiders. Understand, your patients or clients are more than likely not up to speed on the jargon that so easily flows off your tongue at an industry trade show or event.
Readable content sounds and reads like you talk. Apply the bar stool-principle – would you say what you’re about to say in the form you’re about to say it if you were sitting on a bar stool, having a conversation with a friend, colleague, or family member?
Readable content assumes that the reader isn’t up to speed. Thus, it’s job-one of your content to help them understand what it is you want them to do.
Readable content is action oriented. Your content must include – at several points within – a clear, compelling call-to-action (i.e. tell them what to do…tell them again…and tell them again…)
3-Design your dental content to be searchable.
By design I recommend you invest more time, energy, and dollars into your blog/article pages. Why?
Again, this is where more online searches land these days.
- Listen to your patient/client questions or reviews and write content that answers their questions or insights.
- Create a content editorial calendar of topics based on what you hear your patients or clients talking about or asking about.
- Consistently publish content that helps your patients and clients. I recommend a minimum of two times per month on your blog/article page…but weekly is MORE effective.
More IS better. But make sure it’s delivered in the most strategically effective location on your dental website.
3 Strategic Dental Marketing Skills That Enable You to Know Your Audience
It’s more than a game. At least, that’s how I feel when playing “Go-Fish” with our six year old grandson.
Your dental marketing is more about strategy. How you apply a certain type of strategic skill these days can improve your outcomes.
“Go-Fish” is a simple children’s card game. It’s mostly about matching cute, aquatic characters or associated numbers from the card faces you’re dealt.
There’s nothing really complicated about it. The strategy involves your powers of observation.
Listen and learn mindset
It’s common to make assumptions when you market your dental services. For example, observe much of today’s dental practice marketing promotions and what do you hear?
Smile this, smile that, right? Sure, smiles reveal healthy teeth – that’s the core of dentistry.
Is there more? Yes, there are many deeper benefits provided by dentistry.
Strategically speaking it’s to your advantage to dive-deeper into the longings, desires, needs, hungers, you name it of your patients or clients. This is the essence of strategic observation.
3 Strategic Skills That Tap Into the Deeper Needs of Your Dental Marketing Audience
1-Listen to conversations via social media.
Communication has changed. And depending on your experience or perspective, you would have to agree that in many ways it’s improved.
Mostly the speed and access to communication has shifted dramatically. Data driven conversations (text, social media, direct messages, etc.) are somewhat more common than audible (voice) driven conversations.
This reality impacts how people are accustomed to receiving information. And you must adapt your marketing to connect.
I was recently asked via Twitter (more on that in a moment) about “the listening tools” I use. My reply was somewhat reflexive – “social media,” specifically Twitter.
People use social media to talk, chat, share, boast, sell, market, disagree, promote, preach, pundit, push, encourage, shout-out, support…you get the picture.
Between the lines of all the data driven dialog are needs, desires, frustrations, pains, likes, goals, etc. And the more industry or niche oriented your channels are the more you’ll discover that’s useful for creating compelling content.
- Establish social media connections via Twitter, Facebook, or wherever your “audience” hangs-out. Twitter and Facebook are tops. Sign up (if you’re not already).
- Get acquainted with the channel. For example, Twitter is great for following trends, sharing content, and engaging in quick conversation around content and shared interests.
- Be consistent as you can be. Monitor your social channels regularly. Respond to other’s engagement as quickly as you can. This reveals that you’re listening.
2-Leverage trends by tuning into podcasts, Periscope broadcasts, blogs, webinars, online courses, etc.
Today’s educational output flows from informed authorities across every business niche. You can subscribe to a particular podcast or follow someone’s Periscope and gain loads of insight into what’s current.
- Scan what your industry leaders are talking about, listening to, and sharing. Sign up and follow their informational streams.
- Schedule time daily or at least weekly to catch up on the valuable information you’ve subscribed to or are aware of.
- Curate the content and leverage it into useful resources for your growing “audience.” There are transferable principles across every knowledge base. Explore, find, and share them.
3-Lean into “influencers.”
What’s more important than following your industry leaders? Following their leaders!
Leaning into the crowd exposes you to the person, people, idea, or information at the center of the conversation. Lean in to gain all you can.
Again, physical presence isn’t always necessary, especially in this age of access. I have tons of virtual mentors/influencers that stoke my thinking consistently.
- Use social media to get acquainted with influential industry leaders. Follow, share, and curate what they’re talking about.
- Take a risk and reach out. An authentic, brief comment on a podcast rating or a direct message on Twitter or Facebook could open a door to a new relationship.
- Be grateful for what you gain. Say thanks by sharing their content or referring their services/expertise.
Being more strategic can match you with beneficial outcomes. Otherwise, all I can say is “go-fish!”
Why You Should Change Your Thinking About Dental SEO and What You Should Do Now via Your Dental Website
Right off the top, I give credit where it’s due. Before I give my shout-out, I want you to take a deep breath and repeat after me, “Dental SEO is not dead, it’s just evolved.”
I give due credit to Ryan Stewart for the stream of thought in this post. His related article on Moz.com was spot on.
SEO isn’t dead…just different.
Perhaps you’re a bit worried. The thought of SEO being mentioned alongside the word, “dead” can cause a collective gasp.
Why?
Like most, you might have banked your dental website rankings on dental keywords stuffed throughout every page on your dental website. From the home page to your contact page perhaps you dropped some cash with an SEO-centric web design firm who all but guaranteed you a top local ranking.
Maybe it’s worked…and maybe it hasn’t.
But that’s not the biggest issue here.
The big deal is – SEO has evolved. How the search engines find and rank you and your content has changed and is changing.
Stewart says, “Google shows search results based on what’s best for the user. We can’t just rank for whatever keywords we want.”
He shares examples of searching terms from “best headphones” to “restaraunts” (in a specific city) to “buy a cheap tv” to “plumbers” (again in a specific city). The results in each example returned no websites on the first page search listings.
What did the search results reveal on the first page? According to Stewart’s examples, it depends.
His “best headphones” search revealed not a single product page. All first page results were articles about headphone types, benefits, pricing, etc.
What about “restaurants” (city specific)? No first page results included a single restaurant website, only review aggregators and Zagat ratings. Below the fold (second pages and beyond) the results featured listicles, reviews, and…again…articles.
“Buy a cheap tv” returned product pages in the top five results. Before you say, “Ah-ha…told you…,” they’re all mega-brands. Stewart confirms something you must understand: you’ll never outrank a brand for those type of keywords (unless you spam it up). And again, guess what, articles not product pages ranked at the bottom of the first page.
Are you seeing a trend here?
What about Stewart’s search example of “plumbers” (city specific)? Again top rankings were review aggregators like Yelp and Google+.
Why you should change your thinking about dental SEO and what you must do now to establish your authority online.
Stewart says two things are happening. 1-Google’s full of data and they’re using it based on what users (e.g. you, me, your patients, clients, etc.) want.
2-Google is moving into the “pay to play” era (like Facebook). They’re capitalizing on the massive revenue that comes from advertising.
(Read Stewart’s complete article here for detailed insight and analysis of this entire trend.)
My main take-away from Stewart’s article is this: content rules!
What does that mean for you and your dental SEO?
1-Listen (more than ever) to your “audience.”
What are they talking about? Concerned about? What services do you provide that solves the problems they face?
- Write to that! And write to it a lot.
- Inform your readers based on what you hear them saying to you via your reviews, surveys, chair side conversations, phone consults, in-office consults, treatment plan questions. You get the idea.
2-Create useful content consistently.
Stop playing the tell-them-everything-on-your-main-webpages game. What do I mean?
The days of burying all your informative “eggs” in your website services “basket” (pages) is done. Why?
People aren’t willing to wade through it. And if they did, it’s often full of too much dental-speak that they numb out and click away from the page.
- Start or re-start your blog/article page. This is your new SEO-friendly platform for valuable keyword relevant content.
- Experiment with podcasts, other forms of social media (Pinterest, Instagram, Periscope), and video (YouTube) content channels. Not all are readers. This will appeal to the audio/visual types.
- Link all content back to your website platform. This increases your search savvy-ness.
I recommend checking out Ryan Stewart’s more thorough and highly practical content on this subject. I agree with the essence of it, SEO isn’t dead but it HAS changed.
How to Be Attentive to Your Dental Website Visitors So They Connect with You Long-term
Our oldest daughter gave birth this week. So, my wife and I welcomed a granddaughter to our trio of grand children.
There’s a fascinating innocence and dependence innate to a newborn. Be aware of the same fascinations in your dental marketing content.
A newborn is all about parental attention. Without life sustaining attention survival is at risk.
Attention-deficit
I’ve written in numerous posts that the days of merely building and launching a dental website and expecting a noticeable return on investment is no longer acceptable. The set-it-and-forget-it or if-we-build-it-they-will-come mindset dooms you to frustration.
Imagine celebrating the long-awaited birth of a child. Tears flow, high-fives and handshakes are exchanged, happy parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles hold and cuddle the newborn.
Now imagine nestling the baby comfortably in his/her crib then placing a bag of diapers, wipes, and a full bottle next to them and saying, “Hey, sweetie welcome to world…let us know when you need something…”
Babies aren’t self-sufficient. And neither is your online dental marketing.
Self-serve or self-sufficient?
Self-sufficiency implies the ability to care for yourself without the assistance of another. Self-service is about having necessary, appealing resources available for the choosing when you’re ready or in need.
Think of your dental website as a self-service platform. But that doesn’t imply that you must hover over it.
Some are old enough to remember or fortunate enough to live in locales where full-service gas/fueling stations exist. You drove in, lowered your window, and an attendant asked how much fuel you wanted. While it was pumped into your tank the attendant washed your windows, checked your oil and fluid levels, and handled payment without you ever having to leave your vehicle.
Good ole’ days, right? Perhaps.
Your site visitors are more accustomed to anonymity. They prefer more of a self-service approach.
And they want access to useful information when they visit your website on their time, at their convenience.
How to Be Attentive to Your Dental Website Visitors So They Aren’t Required to Fend for Themselves and Seek Solutions Elsewhere
Respond to their “cries” for help.
I have no intention of being dramatic. Nor do I want to imply that your website visitors are needy, whiny individuals.
I’m following my newborn metaphor here, so bear with me as a new grandparent.
Newborns cry a lot!
It’s not always a cry for help. Sometimes it’s about hunger, a diaper change, or the need for security.
Life outside the womb is different than the predictable, warm, cozy environment of Mom’s tummy. There’s noise, bright lights, glaring eyes, hands on and off, ups and downs.
Your website visitors arrive on your site with a need. They’re looking for answers, your services, a solution to their problem or relief for their pain, etc.
- Be responsive. Anticipate their needs, wants, and desires. Create content via articles, blog posts, etc that reveal your understanding of their circumstances.
- Listen in advance. Your best help comes from a position of understanding. Dial into social media posts, tune into trends being talked about, read between the lines of your reviews and survey responses.
- Empathize through education. Provide informative content that supports your efforts to understand the needs of your web visitors.
Change when necessary.
People are accustomed to options. Change the channel occasionally.
- Provide multiple ways to connect with your services and related expertise.
- Switch-up your content delivery to include written (article/blog, email), audio (podcasts), visual (Periscope, YouTube, Pinterest), and social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
Keep your audience well-fed.
Be consistent. Keep your content channel(s) topped-off.
- Audit your services. List the topics and sub-topics within each.
- Create content around your service audit. Use articles, blog posts, etc to dive deeper into the benefits of a particular service.
- Curate and share content relevant to your “audience.” Post links to informative content via your chosen social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
Happy website visitors (like happy babies) thrive in a supportive, attentive environment. Make your website a warm, inviting place for your clients and patients.