http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/ en Copyright 2010 2010-08-26T14:19:56+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/online-dental-marketing-terms/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/online-dental-marketing-terms/ Whether you are first starting your online dental marketing campaign or you’re a seasoned pro continuing to sharpen your skills, there are bound to be a few instances where you have been flooded with unfamiliar jargon that you just can’t seem to make sense of. Therefore, instead of spending your time searching for the definitions of Internet-marketing related words when you could be fine-tuning your campaigns, take a quick look at this post to decipher some of the most commonly used terms—you may even want to bookmark this page for future reference as well. Banner ad: A banner ad is a graphic advertisement used on websites that is linked to an external site. You may want to consider placing banner ads for your business on another site to help drive more traffic to your own site. Click-through rate (CTR): This number signifies the number of times that a particular ad is clicked on, divided by the number of times an ad is shown. When you know an ad’s CTR, you can determine how successful it is in grabbing an audience’s attention. Conversion rate: This represents the number of visitors to a website who then performed a desired action, such as purchasing a service or signing up for a newsletter. Landing page optimization (LPO): Every time potential clients click on a pay-per-click ad, they will be brought to a corresponding landing page. LPO encompasses all of the methods used to increase the conversion rate on a landing page. Cost per click (CPC): This is an advertising option in which the advertiser pays— often to a search engine such as Google and Yahoo!—every time someone clicks on their ad (that then directs him to a landing page on a website). Cost per lead (CPL): Instead of paying per click, this is a model where advertisers would pay a third party every time they successfully received a new sales lead, such as a phone call or email. Cost per acquisition (CPA): This form of advertising is especially enticing because the advertisers only pay when they make a sale. However, this type of agreement is rare to find since it is not very favorable to affiliates and marketing companies. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): This describes the process of increasing a website’s ranking on search engines. The benefit is that statistically, the higher your position is on search engines, the more likely it is to garner clicks and traffic from potential new customers. Unique visitors: These represent visitors to a site who have never been to that website before or haven’t been there in a certain amount of defined time period. Hopefully you’ll all find this short glossary helpful. For more info and tips, check back to this blog and read all of Yodle’s marketing team’s helpful advice. Internet Marketing 2010-08-26T14:19:56+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/top-marketing-blog-yodle/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/top-marketing-blog-yodle/ Although there is a lot that you can learn about online marketing from your own hands-on experiences, there is also a great deal to be discovered in this ever changing marketplace by reading blog posts from industry experts. We suggest the following 5 search marketing blogs that you should consider reading on a regular basis: 1. Google Webmasters Blog: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/ The official blog from Google that supports the resource center for webmasters. 2. Matt Cutts Blog: http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/ Matt Cutts joined Google as a software engineer in January 2000 and is currently the head of Google’s Webspam team. Follow his blog for everything from Gadgets, Google, and SEO 3. SEOmoz Blog: http://www.seomoz.org/blog One of the best SEO resources on the web. Follow this blog to keep up to date with the most current News, Tips & Highlights from the search marketing industry. 4. Search Engine Land: http://searchengineland.com/ One of the most read and trusted sources of information on search engine marketing including SEO, PPC & Social Media. 5. Search Engine Journal: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/ Search Engine Journal, established in 2003, is a 6 year old publication of Search & Social Media, LLC, which specializes in a community approach to the reporting of search engine news & the sharing of Search Engine Marketing knowledge & tactics. 2010-08-10T22:22:21+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/common_dental_website_design_mistakes/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/common_dental_website_design_mistakes/ Your website is the face of your business; potentially the first interaction most potential customers will have with your brand and of course it’s a very effective tool for ongoing communication with existing clients too. But a cluttered, unpleasant, or disorganized design can turn people off from your site and keep them from employing your services. When you’re planning and designing your site’s look, our recommendations are: 1. Stay away from the glitz. Your graphics should illustrate your product and purpose. Anything else just distracts from the sale and creates confusion. When in doubt, be sparing with decorations and extra graphics. Here is an example of a beautiful yet effective site. 2. Use everyday language. Don’t be too formal when it comes to addressing your potential client. The more relaxed a prospective client feels on your site, the greater the chance that they’ll buy from you. Remember that the Internet is basically a conversation. If you act pretentious, you will just turn people off. In the screenshot above, notice the informal language (marked 2). 3. But don’t be too folksy. Write as you speak, but leave out unusual colloquialisms or language that’s too cutesy. After all, you also want to sound the way your customers speak. 4. Keep it brief. Don’t be Long-winded Larry. Make sure your sentences are short, punchy, and purposeful. Use bullet points whenever you can: People’s eyes are naturally drawn to text that’s set apart from the rest. 5. Organize it well. Heard of the pyramid structure in news stories? Well, it applies to the web too. Calls to action, promotions, and other key information should be toward the top of a page, otherwise a potential client is likely to miss it. 6. Keep the design sparse. Since you can add as many pages as you want to a website, it’s a good idea to spread out your information into readable, easy-to-understand parts. 7. Be direct. Make sure that customers can easily find the information they are looking for by using clear menus, site maps, and section/page titles. Don’t hide what you have to offer, and how people can respond to it, in an easy-to-overlook place. 8. Balance text with graphics. Too many graphics can make it more difficult for a reader to find information. Too much text can be off-putting. As in all things, make sure you maintain a balance. 9. Update your website! This may seem like a no-brainer, but too many business owners put together a website and then never update their content. Make sure to update your site with new information about your business: That gives your customers a reason to keep checking in to see what’s new. With these tips, you’ll be on your way to a website that helps draw serious business! Internet Marketing 2010-06-24T20:21:09+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/yodle_dental_marketing_blog_featured_as_one_of_50_best/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/yodle_dental_marketing_blog_featured_as_one_of_50_best/ NursingSchools.net recently featured Yodle’s Dental Marketing Blog as one of its “50 Best Blogs In The Dentalsphere,” listed under the Advice & Resources section. The website frequently compiles lists such as “100 Best Men’s Health & Fitness Blogs.” Congrats to all of our authors and a huge thanks to all of our readers for helping make this happen! Keep Reading! 2010-06-11T19:06:34+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/claim-local-search-listings/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/claim-local-search-listings/ We know that more than 82% of US consumers are now searching online to find local services. As important as it is to have a strong presence in the organic and sponsored sections of the search engine results page (SERP), at the very least, every local business should claim its listing in the maps section of the search engines. First off, here’s a little explanation regarding the maps sections in general. In order to capture local traffic more effectively, the well-known search engines, such as Google, Yahoo!, and Bing created special areas that help searchers find local businesses, like your dental practice. Users can find local listings under the “Maps” section of the Google SERP or on Yahoo Local http://local.yahoo.com/. The search engines display these local listings next to a helpful local map that has flags or pins popping up all over it. The letter or number on the flag or pin that represents your website corresponds to the letter or number attached to your website address in the search results list. In Google, you can click on the map and find even more local listings. The great thing about these sites for business owners is that with most of them, at least some level of the listings are free. Just upload the pertinent information about your business to the search engine’s computers, and you’re ready to attract new customers looking for business like yours. To get your local business on these listings, just go to Google’s Local Business Center or the Basic Listing section of Yahoo! But getting listed in local directories does not mean you are always going to show up for searches. Because the number of small and local businesses vying to be found through local search is growing every day, search engines are overloaded by the demand. Getting noticed often takes longer than you’d like, but if you’re patient and persistent, you will get at least some level of results. And after all, it’s free! Here is a list of the local search features of the major search engines (subject to change): Google Maps: maps.google.com Yahoo! Local: local.yahoo.com Bing Maps: bing.com/maps AOL Local Search: localsearch.aol.com Ask: City Search: city.ask.com Get Your Business Listed Today! Internet Marketing 2010-05-28T17:58:08+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/dental-marketers-keyword-pie/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/dental-marketers-keyword-pie/ Just the fact that you are reading this blog means you are interested in online marketing for your dental practice. In this post, we want to educate you on lesser-known yet important aspects of PPC (pay-per-click) marketing we call the “The Keyword Mix” or “Keyword Pie,” which is essentially the actual group of keywords that you bid on when running a PPC campaign. When thinking of your keyword pie, there are several buckets that keywords can be organized into: Broad Keywords: Also sometimes referred to as “general” terms, these are the non-specific keywords. Ex: “dentists” Pros: • They are often high volume-driving keywords • They are more effective for campaigns in which the goal is “branding” vs. “direct sales” Cons: • The quality of traffic that these keywords attract isn’t very targeted. For instance, you may be a cosmetic dentist but the person searching is really looking for pediatric dentistry services. • They can use up the budget very quickly Long Tail Keywords: These are keyword phrases composed of three or more words and are more specific. Example: “orthodontists midtown manhattan” Pros: • The quality of traffic is high in that it is very specific • The searcher is assumed to be closer to the act of purchasing • There is sometimes less competition from other advertisers for the longer phrases, thus a more effective CPC (Cost per Click) Cons: • The volume for these keywords is low when compared to broad terms • One needs to do more keyword research to find such keyword phrases Brand Terms: These are terms that define your brand, product, or services. Example: “All Smiles Dental Clinic” Pros: • Almost no competition from competitors, and thus lower CPC • Very effective in converting, as these searchers are looking for your services Cons: • Doesn’t capture undiscovered audiences for your dental practice It’s important and recommended to run PPC ads for brand keywords even if you rank #1 (or high) on the organic listings. Studies have shown a lift in brand retention and CTR (click through rate) by owning both organic and PPC listing on the search engine results page. Competitor keywords: These are terms that define the brand, products, or services of your competitors. Example: “Down the Road Dental” Pros: • Helps capture new patients from a pool of prospects that your competitors serve • Effective conversion, as prospects are looking for dental services Cons: • Could instigate your competitor to launch a similar campaign against your practice Misspellings: These are keywords that are common misspellings of the services you provide. Example: “dentsist” Pros: • Low competition from advertisers, lower CPC The Perfect Mix The perfect mix of the right keywords and appropriate messaging are key to a successful PPC campaign. Generally speaking, based on our experience of buying PPC ads for thousands of dental practices, we find that the optimal keyword pie usually looks something like the one below:- So get on the path to attracting new customers with a successful PPC campaign and keep your dental chair occupied! Internet Marketing 2010-05-17T15:12:09+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/yodle-dental-marketing-advice-on-alltop/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/yodle-dental-marketing-advice-on-alltop/ In effort to spread the word on dental marketing and help dentists around the country improve their current online campaigns, Yodle Dental is proud to announce that our posts are now readily available on http://dentistry.alltop.com/. The site, which considers itself to be a table of contents to the Internet, helps connect Internet users with blogs full of helpful information that they may not have discovered yet. Internet Marketing 2010-05-03T20:45:14+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/right-audience-for-dental-practice/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/right-audience-for-dental-practice/ The Internet is saturated with advertising. In order to stand out from the clutter and attract the right audience from those looking for services like yours online, it’s important that you carefully choose the words you use to describe your services. Your marketing message doesn’t just need to be enticing, but also targeted to attract the right audience for your dental practice. Here are a few tips for choosing words for your search engine pay-per-click ads, based on the type of dental services you offer:- Value-based Dental Practice If you are a dental practice whose target audience may be from more mid to low socioeconomic groups, here are a few tips:- o Emphasize family- and general dentistry-related words because you are more likely to have someone come to you for general dental services than for cosmetic dentistry or other specializations. o Use words that emphasize the speed of your service, such as “Dentures in a Day,” etc. o Use words to emphasize services that highlight your unique selling points, like 24-hour availability, care-credit financing, etc. o Emphasize that you are a dental care “clinic” (which implies that you offer low-cost and/or emergency walk-in services). o Emphasize promotions by using phrases like “20% off – Limited Time Offer.” o Avoid words like “expensive” or “high-end.” Specialized Dental Practice: If you are a dental practice offering more expensive, specialized services like cosmetic procedures, here are a few tips:- o Stress the quality of your care using words like “best,” “top,” and “experienced.” o Emphasize specialty services you offer, such as veneers, whitening, etc. o Don’t say things like “$x off” or “x% off.”, as it tends to attract audience looking for bargains than specialized quality care. o Use certifications, affiliations, and recognitions (“As seen in” Consumers Digest, NY Times, on a television show, endorsed by a famous person, etc.). Hopefully these tips will help you attract the right customers for your practice. Internet Marketing 2010-04-29T14:07:42+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/dental-office-sales-savvy-receptionist/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/dental-office-sales-savvy-receptionist/ As a dentist trying to grow your practice, you spend a lot of time and money marketing your services, drafting promotions in an attempt to attract new patients for your dental practice. To make sure that you are getting the most out of your investment, it’s critical to hire a sales-savvy receptionist or office manager who can effectively turn those leads into patients. Sure, you want a receptionist that sounds friendly on the phone, but that’s just the start to a getting a new patient in your chair. In today’s economy, people are more likely to shop around with prices, so you need to hire someone who you can think of as your marketing department, your vice president of sales, your heartbeat. A savvy salesperson: • Doesn’t simply quote the customer a price and keep their fingers crossed that it’s in the right range. They work with the customer to explain what factors the price depends on and tell them that if they visited the office, the doctor would have a much more accurate estimate. • Promotes the specials: “Come in for our $99 new-patient special!” “We do offer free consultations” • Encourages the customer to make an appointment: “What time would you like to come in tomorrow?” • No promotions or special offers for a particular procedure? A good salesperson emphasizes the doctor’s unique selling points instead: Maybe it’s the high number of such procedures the doctor has performed, maybe it’s their years of experience, or maybe it’s their office hours (nights, weekends, emergencies) –the list goes on. If your receptionist or office manager knows how to speak to your skills, good things will follow. Take some time to train your staff in sales – and make 2010 the best year you’ve had yet! Internet Marketing 2010-04-07T17:01:25+00:00 http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/sedation-dentistry-marketing/ http://www.yodledentalmarketing.com/blog/post/sedation-dentistry-marketing/ Did you know that about 30% of the population avoids going to the dentist due to fear of pain?* It’s time to focus on people’s phobias instead of hiding them! In my experience working with dentists, marketing sedation dentistry, if your practice offers it, is a really smart idea and can help get new patients in the door. Too often dentists will just mention “sedation dentistry” when asked. But why not use it as a unique selling point? Here are some ways to market sedation dentistry: • Advertise that sedation dentistry is affordable. • Express what kind of sedation is offered at your office: oral, intravenous, nitrous oxide, or general anesthesia. • Stress the benefits of sedation dentistry in addition to fear and anxiety reduction: - More work can be done in one visit than usual - It’s good for children - It reduces movement, which helps your dentist work more efficiently • Market to the fear (and vanity!) of patients with dental phobias. Some ideas for marketing language: - “Afraid of the dentist? You’re not alone. Leave your anxiety at home and visit us today for sedation dentistry.” - “Schedule a relaxing, anxiety-free appointment today.” - “Have the smile of your dreams without anxiety. Visit us today to find out more about sedation dentistry.” Here are a few examples of Google PPC ads focusing on advertising sedation dentistry:- Hopefully these suggestions will help you advertise your sedation dentistry services in a more effective way and attract new patients to your dental practice. * According to the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation Internet Marketing 2010-03-25T20:30:17+00:00