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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
Rapid advances in technology over the past decade are a boon to almost every facet of life and industry. Two in particular, cosmetic surgery and electronic marketing, seem made for each other. Shifting search engine algorithms put the focus on web design that provides a more streamlined, satisfying user experience. Plastic surgery, as a aesthetic-based medical service, benefits from the trend toward creating aesthetically pleasing content, and large website design companies such as Solution21 have created customized solutions for plastic surgeons to address the trend.
In order to beat your competition, you have to come up with fresh ideas and present them in a manner that provides value to your potential clients. Read on to learn some unique and innovative ways to bring your marketing into the 21st century.
In This Post:
It’s All About the Branding
Your marketing efforts should be geared toward branding, and then expanding on your brand image to promote loyalty. Establish your brand by:
- Creating unity and cohesion by using consistent colors, logos and themes across all marketing platforms
- Capitalizing on what makes your practice unique without relying on gimmicks
- Fostering a sense of trust and authority in your field
- Creating your niche or specialty and enhancing that identity
Optimize For Local SEO
When you own a brick and mortar business, good website SEO is important. However, it isn’t nearly as essential as local SEO. A well-known, quality cosmetic surgery center may attract clients from across the globe, but the majority of your patients will come from the local community. Local SEO isn’t difficult to do, but it’s sometimes overshadowed by web optimization. When it’s done right, it can blow your competition out of the water.
Start by changing your approach to keyword selection by veering away from keywords like “rhinoplasty” or “breast augmentation” and using longer keyword phrases that add a local component. For example, instead of “plastic surgeon,” try “best plastic surgeon in Los Angeles.”
You should also make use of online resources like local directories and consumer review sites like Yelp, as well as professional directories like LinkedIn. Make sure that you add as much detail as possible when writing your profiles, and that the information is up-to-date and consistent across all platforms.
Since the majority of patients will be searching for your services on a mobile device, your web content should appear and function the same as on a desktop. Make sure to add an easy to read map of your location, and index it for the maps section of search engines.
Use Visual Mediums Strategically
Unlike most medical practices, plastic surgery focuses on the aesthetics of the outcome. You can leverage the current trend toward favoring video and image-rich content on search rankings to your advantage in several ways. A traditional favorite is before and after photos of real patients. This is still an effective approach, and it can be combined with actual testimonials. For a fresh presentation, introduce these visuals as sliders.
Video is a plus when you’re aiming for higher search results. Video can be informative or supplemental, like providing tips on skin care, surgery after care or health and beauty. This is where you can splurge a little to get good production value. Optimize your video for both universal results and video indexing to gain higher ranking.
Make it Personal and Exclusive
Everyone likes to feel special, like they’re part of the “It” crowd. You can cater to that longing for inclusion and exclusivity by hosting an event. This is a great way to re-introduce your practice to previous clients and meet new ones. The event doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant, but it should highlight the best aspects of your practice.
Direct marketing is making a comeback, especially for local businesses, and this means of advertising your practice is tailor-made for this type of outreach. Make it an occasion, and promote it in such a way that your guests feel like they’re in on the event of the year, accessible by invitation only. The invites should be sent to your entire contact list by direct mail so they have something in hand when they arrive. Hand-written, customized postcards with a stunning visual and your brand’s trademarks and color scheme are the way to go. Direct mail automation will make this process hassle-free and keep down the cost.
The attendees can be instructed to bring a friend, and you can feature draws like a free facial or samples from an exclusive line of skin care products. Make sure that everyone who attends signs a guest book, and use that information to further refine and segment your contact list for future outreach and follow up.
As a plastic surgeon, you want to take your practice to the next level by balancing the needs of your patients with an effective marketing strategy. Emerging trends in SEO optimization and changes in how we use marketing platforms allow you to do just that. Keep your cosmetic surgery center in the game by incorporating some of the most current best practices into your web design concepts and marketing plan.
