Although the 90s don\u2019t seem too far back, online marketing didn\u2019t exist until the decade emerged. The first clickable banner went up in 1993, Yahoo showed up the following year, and 1998 ushered in a beta version of Google. After traffic blew past six billion monthly searches in 2006, life\u2019s never been the same. Over the last twenty years,\u00a0internet usage has grown 1,266%\u00a0<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n Millennials can\u2019t imagine a world without a smartphone, and the rest of us aren\u2019t far behind. We\u2019re so connected that researchers now conduct systematic\u00a0reviews of musculoskeletal disorders\u00a0<\/a><\/span>related to mobile device usage. We spend a lot of our lives in the digital space, which is why our healthcare practices must be there, too.<\/p>\n Digital marketing covers a lot of ground. The components stretch as far as the eye can see, driven by complex algorithms and sophisticated software. In some ways, it\u2019s the Wild West where anyone who knows how to create a Facebook post feels qualified to hang out a marketing shingle. And many of us have had unpleasant or disappointing experiences with agencies and vendors; it sometimes feels easier to pretend we don\u2019t need to worry about it, or we can just do it ourselves.<\/p>\n But a firm embrace of digital marketing keeps us relevant with Millennials and helps secure loyalty from Gen Xers. Even\u00a0Baby Boomers spend 15 hours online\u00a0<\/a><\/span>every week, and\u00a096% of them use search engines\u00a0<\/a><\/span>. The bottom line is that everyone expects to find us everywhere when they\u2019re online.<\/p>\n Recently, I worked on a startup project run by a Millennial-aged entrepreneur with an MBA and Masters in mathematics. She shared a spreadsheet with me of 500 dentists in her region. One column classified practitioners as \u201cold school.\u201d Her project, which every dentist could use, eliminated dentists judged to be digitally naive (her words). As I curiously dove into her team\u2019s criteria, I realized that we need comprehensive, relevant marketing tools to avoid being judged as \u201cold school\u201d by her generation.<\/p>\n This is serious business, and consumers think so, too.<\/p>\n In the early days, a decent website staked out our online real estate. The components of an engaging website have changed significantly over the years, and the underlying technology has grown exponentially.\u00a0Moore\u2019s Law\u00a0<\/a><\/span>has held for 50 years and transformed our lives faster than we comprehend. In a nutshell, the 1970 law stated that processing speed doubles every two years and pulls along other technologies. But research also shows that humans don\u2019t adapt to these changes at the same speed. And that may explain why we sometimes struggle to adopt new digital tools, including marketing strategies.<\/p>\n And change leads to even more change\u2013just when you think you\u2019ve optimized your new site for Google, they change their SEO algorithm again. Those updates take place\u00a0500-600 times every year\u00a0<\/a><\/span>, and a handful of them rock the boat enough to require expert attention from our IT teams.<\/p>\n So, is digital marketing a little hard to absorb? For some of us, yes. But the initial step is to admit we need help. That isn\u2019t much different than our patients when they finally book an appointment after thinking about it for the past five years. Embracing a strategy is a little easier when we accept a simple fact: Google and Facebook generate more revenue than any traditional media company because that\u2019s where people live. The average person spends\u00a011 hours every day consuming electronic media\u00a0<\/a><\/span>. Shouldn\u2019t our practices be there, too?<\/p>\n If that\u2019s not enough, these three challenges should help us act now:<\/p>\n Challenge #1: Innovative practices have a strategy, and they\u2019re nearby<\/strong><\/p>\n The way patients find healthcare providers continues to evolve, and Google search data sheds light on the pattern. \u201cChiropractor near me\u201d searches began in 2012, but they\u2019ve grown dramatically over the years. And about\u00a0one-third of all searches are location-based\u00a0<\/a><\/span>, and they\u2019re made from a mobile device half the time. If we don\u2019t have a strategy that puts us into the local search mix, we don\u2019t even get a chance to show a prospective patient the rest of our practice.<\/p>\n Challenge #2: Excellence rules, but only if you show up everywhere<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s no substitute for the best healthcare experience in town. Warm towels, a comfortable visit, and a stellar team are critical to long-term success. But if we get lost online, fewer patients experience our excellence. Books that aren\u2019t on the shelf don\u2019t get read regardless of how well they\u2019re written. Our story doesn\u2019t get told like it should if we\u2019re not in the online realm. A digital strategy helps put our brand and our unique characteristics out where patients can research and learn about us. From well-worded ads to websites to reviews, the pieces need to tell people the whole story.<\/p>\n Challenge #3: This isn\u2019t retail, but patients still have choices<\/strong><\/p>\n Most purchases involve many choices, especially one-time purchases in retail. Look for a Bluetooth speaker on Amazon, and you\u2019ll find over 2000 results. We face competition for attention in healthcare, too. While more optometrists are expected to enter the market over the next few years, patient demand should remain strong as they seek out the best providers.<\/p>\n Remember, we\u2019re looking for a long-term relationship, not a one-time purchase. That connection underscores the importance of establishing a predictable, relatable digital connection with patients. And it should allow them to move seamlessly between your physical and digital brand without seeing a difference.<\/p>\nDoes It Really Matter?<\/h2>\n
An Eye-Opening Conversation<\/h2>\n
How Hard Can It Really Be?<\/h2>\n
Without a Digital Strategy, We\u2019re Missing Chapters in Our Story<\/h2>\n