Whether you recently opened your private medical practice or have been in business for years… you already know how important a cohesive marketing strategy is.

A robust marketing plan will help your practice stand out to attract and engage patients.

Marketing is critical when you first open your doors… but it needs to continue long after your first year. Patients spend HOURS researching dozens of physicians online before even considering an appointment.

And your online presence needs to…

Confirm your credibility,

Showcase your services,

And connect with your ideal patient.

Let’s face it. It can be daunting and confusing to get started with so many marketing resources out there.

To help you kickstart marketing your private practice, here are 5 key areas to tackle.

1. Blog

A consistent, high-quality blog is the gift that keeps on giving. It can help you rank higher in Google, land on the coveted first page, and boost organic search traffic.

This takes time. You need to publish a blog consistently- think weekly. And it needs to use relevant industry keywords.

The amount of time it takes to rank depends on:

• Keywords your website uses,
• Competition in your industry,
• And the novelty of your content.

Ranking in search engines isn’t an exact science but generally takes between 10 and 20 weeks. The good news? It’s attainable with a strong content marketing plan.

Another benefit of a blog is that it provides content that you can use in other channels.

• Feature it in a monthly newsletter,
• Link to it from you social accounts,
• Or direct patients to it if it answers an FAQ.

It’s the perfect opportunity to reuse marketing you’ve already created so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

If you have limited resources to market your private practice… blogging is a productive use of your time and a fantastic long-term investment.

2. Instagram

Social media allows you to connect with your audience and showcase thought leadership.

Instagram particularly has advantages that outweigh other social media platforms.

One perk is that it’s a platform built to share content. You can…

• Link to blogs you’ve already written,
• Re-post interviews from fellow experts,
• Or answer direct questions from followers.

You can even take the content you already have to keep your community engaged.

Another benefit- an Instagram business account provides you with FREE analytics and insights. It will show who your audience is, what content they engage with, and when they’re active. This will help you gauge marketing performance so you know when it’s time to ramp up social or pivot strategies.

Last, Instagram is a multi-purpose platform.

• Looking to educate and engage your audience? Livestream a Q&A session.
• Hoping to expand your reach? Target your ideal client through ads.
• Need to share a practice update? A simple post is your friend.

3. Patient reviews

How often do you read reviews before you buy on Amazon? I’d imagine often.

Finding a physician is the same.. except patients spend MUCH more time researching. The stakes are higher than ordering sub-par sheets. Patients need social proof to even consider your practice.

You need to show potential patients that you are a trusted source of information. Testimonials will reinforce your brand quality and increase your visibility online.

A simple follow-up email to patients can help with collecting testimonials. A few pro tips: keep it short, thank the patient, and request a review by linking to the website. You can hire a professional copywriter to help you or look online for examples.

BONUS- You can repurpose testimonials for Instagram, newsletter, or website content.

4. Send an email newsletter

A weekly or monthly email newsletter connects you with patients and helps you stay top of mind.

Thoughtful email communication will keep your patients engaged with strategic content. A newsletter is one of the BEST channels to promote content like blog posts or patient reviews. Newsletters can also highlight upcoming events, seasonal offers, or practice updates.

5. Optimize your website

Having a fantastic website is essential to marketing your private practice.

A website serves your practice in two major ways:

First- an optimized website will help you rank higher in Google. Your website needs to include rich content, be easy to navigate, and load on a mobile device. Search engines use an algorithm to rank your website against others… so yours NEEDS to stand out.

Second- it serves as the primary source of information for your potential patients. A top-ranking page won’t do much good if patients don’t find what they need. Your words need to connect with your ideal client through valuable content.

There are SO many options to start marketing your private medical practices.

My advice for whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a freelance medical copywriter… start with one channel and keep going! It takes time to see an ROI on marketing but it’ll come with posting regular content.

The next time you ask, How do doctors market themselves rest assured that there is no one size fits all… lean into what channels work for marketing your private practice!