In order for your Orthodontic practice to grow, you must adapt marketing strategies that help you stand out in a competitive field. In this guide, we’ll share a comprehensive list of orthodontic marketing ideas that can transform your practice’s visibility and boost patient acquisition efforts.
The Changing Landscape of Orthodontic Marketing
Referrals from dentists are no longer sufficient to drive patient growth. Modern orthodontic practices must embrace direct-to-patient marketing strategies to thrive. Here’s why:
- General dentists are increasingly offering orthodontic treatments in-house
- Patients have become more active in researching and choosing their own orthodontists
- Digital platforms have opened new avenues for patient engagement and acquisition
As an Orthodontic marketing agency, RUNNER knows how to build marketing strategies that help you grow patient volume.
Ready to Get More Orthodontic Patients?
Top 10 Orthodontic Marketing Ideas
In this article, we’ll talk through 15 ideas across all different forms of marketing that are proven to get more patients for your practice.
1. Make Sure Your Site is Optimized
Your website is the first point of contact for many potential patients, and how it’s designed is the difference between generating leads or falling flat. You must ensure your site is:
- Mobile-responsive
- Fast-loading
- Easy to navigate
- Equipped with clear calls-to-action (CTAs)
Learn more about RUNNER’s Practice Right Websites, which convert twice as many patients as the industry average Orthodontic website.
2. Begin Your Local SEO Strategy
SEO is an essential marketing strategy for any practice, but for an Orthodontic practice, your local SEO strategy should be the top priority. Focus on:
- Creating or claiming your Google Business Profile listings.
- Building your listings out to be as complete as possible, outlining your services and including as many photos as possible.
- Keyword optimization for orthodontic terms
- Posting regular updates
RUNNER offers several local SEO packages for Orthodontic practices.
3. Leverage Social Media Marketing
Social platforms offer excellent opportunities to engage with potential Orthodontic patients. Consider:
- Sharing before-and-after photos (with patient consent)
- Posting educational content about orthodontic treatments
- Running social media contests and giveaways
4. Run Google Search Ads to Get More Patients
Google Search Ad campaigns are one of the quickest ways to drive targeted Othodontic patients to your website. That’s because you can reach patients looking for an Orthodontist, or researching the treatments and conditions you want to target.
- Create a comprehensive list of keywords to buy
- Evaluate historical patient data to set your location targeting
- Build messaging in your ads that answer patient needs and differentiate your practice
At RUNNER, our ads specialists are experts at Orthodontic advertising. You can read more about how we’ve grown lead and conversion rates for Advanced Orthodontic Specialists.
5. Develop a Content Marketing Strategy
Creating content is a great way not just to drive traffic from search engines, but more importantly, to educate potential patients so they’re more likely to book an appointment. Some of the types of content you should be creating for your Orthodontic practice include:
- Blog posts related to key treatments and conditions you’ve prioritized for the practice
- Videos from your practice that build trust and credibility
6. Create The Right Social Media Strategy
Posting on social media is an important way to build trust with potential patients, but it’s also important because your social accounts are connected to your Google Business Profile listings, and the posts are even being pulled into search results.
This means that posting on social media is an important local SEO strategy. Here are a couple things to keep in mind.
- You don’t need to post on social platforms daily. A few times a week, or even once weekly should be enough.
- If you want expanded reach for your social content, you’ll want to invest in ads.
7. Implement Email & SMS Marketing Campaigns
Email and SMS campaigns are an impactful way to close more new patient leads, by nurturing them through the process – addressing any barriers they might have to taking the next step, and motivating them to call or book an appointment. Here are a few examples of the kinds of messages you should send.
- Any promotional offers that might increase their chance to book
- Patient testimonials or reviews
- Educational information about a condition or treatment
8. Showcase Patient Testimonials and Reviews
Build trust and motivate new patients to book with your Orthodontic practice by highlighting positive patient testimonials in your marketing. Here are a few suggestions for how to showcase them.
- Feature testimonials prominently on your website
- Create video testimonials if you’re able
- Include patient testimonials in your social posts
9. Utilize Retargeting Ads
Use retargeting ads on Meta (Facebook & Instagram) to re-engage potential patients who visited your site but never became a lead. The messaging used in your ads should be geared towards moving these potential patients to call or book an appointment.
- Use patient testimonials and reviews to build trust
- Include any offers or special promotions
10. Add Chat To Your Site
You can drive more new patient leads by adding chat to your website. More potential patients are more comfortable asking questions via chat than reaching out by phone. By adding chat, you’ll drive more potential leads than an Orthodontic practice that doesn’t have chat on their site.
Orthodontic Marketing Ideas: Best Practices
To maximize the effectiveness of these orthodontic marketing ideas, you must maintain some key best practices:
- Know Your Audience: Prioritize your most important audience
- Track and Analyze: Make sure you have tracking set up correctly
- Stay Consistent: Maintain a cohesive brand across all marketing channels
- Be Authentic: Showcase the unique personality of your practice and team
- Adapt and Evolve: Regularly review and update your marketing strategies based on performance
- Tap an Expert: It’s difficult to hire a team member that’s an expert in all marketing strategies, so don’t be afraid to work with an agency partner that gives you access to a bigger team for the same cost.
FAQs About Orthodontic Marketing
Q: How much should an orthodontic practice spend on marketing?
A: The ideal marketing budget varies, but the most successful practices would allocate around 3-5% of their monthly revenue to digital marketing. It’s also helpful to think about budgets based on the revenue your treatments represent. As long as you see return on your marketing spend, you should be willing to spend more to grow.
Q: What’s the most effective social media platform for orthodontic marketing?
A: Instagram tends to be highly effective due to its visual nature, allowing orthodontists to showcase before-and-after results and engage with a younger demographic, but Facebook can also be a good platform to reach parents and guardians that are decision makers. TikTok is growing dramatically, and should also be considered important, especially as it relates to advertising.
Q: Is it worth hiring a professional marketing agency for my orthodontic practice?
A: For many practices, partnering with a marketing agency can provide expertise and save time, allowing orthodontists to focus on patient care. But it’s important that the agency you partner with has Orthodontic experience, as well as expertise across the different marketing strategies you pursue.
Learn more about RUNNER’s Orthodontic marketing experience, and request a free consultation to speak with one of our experts.
Conclusion
With the right marketing strategy in place, your orthodontic practice can continue to grow. It’s important to consistently evaluate and refine your marketing efforts to ensure they align with your practice goals, especially if they change.
For more comprehensive strategies on attracting new patients to your practice, check out our blog post about 50 ways to attract new patients.
