When it comes to attracting people to your dental surgery, it goes far beyond sending out fliers and having some balloons placed around the front of your surgery doors.
There are a tonne of options that can be done online, which will enhance the presence of your dental surgery on search engine result pages, as well as promote you via social media platforms.
However, it is easy when you aren't experienced in marketing or SEO to fall down a rabbit hole of using unethical practices, which will not only prevent people from finding your dental surgery web page but will also likely prompt Google and other all of the other search engines like Bing to remove your page entirely from their listings, essentially putting you into a kind of digital jail.
So when it comes to marketing techniques, you need to use legitimate methods to promote dental surgery, and colloquially, these are known as white hat tactics.
What are white hat tactics in marketing?
White hat tactics in marketing refer to ethical and legitimate strategies and techniques used to promote products, services, or brands. These tactics comply with industry regulations and guidelines, as well as ethical standards, and aim to provide value to the target audience.
So, in short, it all comes down to being legitimate and not irritating the Google algorithm.
Any marketing team worth their salt will aim to offer white hat tactics, as these are the most successful long-term and will also build up the reputation of your dental surgery website.
With that in mind, what are some of the best white hat tactics?
Content Marketing
When you are aiming to create a website for your dental surgery that has a good marketing plan, a core part of it is going to be the blogs and the landing pages.
Therefore, creating high-quality and valuable content, such as blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics, to engage and educate the target audience is crucial. This approach focuses on providing useful information rather than pushing sales, and when it comes to dental marketing, it relates to writing posts about trending topics, like dental implants, Invisalign and dental whitening.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Content creation and many other tools are a core part of an SEO strategy that also becomes part of a marketing plan.
Optimising your dental surgery websites and content to improve organic search rankings and visibility is the main aim of SEO, as well as ensuring that your dental surgery webpage is listed on the first page of Google or Bing. White hat SEO techniques involve keyword research, on-page optimisation, quality link building, and providing a positive user experience, as well as ensuring that your dental website is mobile-optimised and fast loading.
Social media marketing
Building and maintaining a genuine presence on social media platforms like Facebook is important, as it allows you to connect with your dental website's target audience. This includes sharing valuable content, engaging with followers, and responding to comments and messages.
In general, when it comes to using social media as part of your marketing campaign, it is best to use visual content such as videos and photographs to promote your dental surgery, as these are the most viewed aspects of social media and are also the easiest to share thus potentially building your patient base.
So, be sure that all photos that are used on your social media page are taken by professionals and that any videos you upload look and feel professional, as this is going to showcase directly how many people click on the links.
Influencer marketing
Collaborating with influencers who have an authentic connection to your brand or industry to promote products or services. Transparency and disclosure of the partnership are essential in maintaining ethical practices.
Email marketing
Sending targeted and personalised emails to subscribers who have opted in to receive communication from your brand. White hat email marketing involves obtaining permission, providing value, and allowing subscribers to easily unsubscribe.
Customer reviews and testimonials
Encouraging satisfied dental patients to provide honest reviews and testimonials about their experiences with your dental team is another white hat tactic that will pay dividends in the long term. These testimonials can be used on websites, social media, or other marketing materials.
Ethical data collection and privacy
Respecting user privacy and complying with data protection regulations when collecting customer information. Obtaining consent, maintaining data security, and providing transparent privacy policies are crucial.
Collaboration and partnerships
Building relationships with complementary brands or businesses to create mutually beneficial marketing campaigns or joint ventures. This can help expand the reach and provide additional value to the target audience.
