March 27, 2008 — HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO — Dentists throughout the country grapple with the issue of whether to market their practice.The search engine positioning experts at Sinai Marketing believe that dentists who haven’t done so already eventually will have to overcome any stigma that may be attached to dentalmarketing to compete among this increasingly competitive field of professionals.
A poll conducted in July by www.thewealthydentist.com asked dentists if dental marketing sullied the reputation of dentists in the eyes of the public. A slight majority- 54 percent- said it did, while 46 percent indicated that consumers wouldn’t judge a dentist negatively for advertising.
“When you look at how close the numbers are, it becomes clear that dental marketing is becoming increasingly accepted in the profession,” said Ali Husayni, a search engine positioning expert who founded Sinai Marketing.
That revelation apparently is shared by The Wealthy Dentist. It conducted four additional surveys dedicated to the topic of dental marketing in 2007, the last of which was conducted in December. That survey asked dentists which dental marketing campaigns had been most successful for their dental practices. The clear winner was direct mail marketing, followed by Yellow Pages listings, Internet directory listings and Web site promotion.
Husayni said there should be a clear distinction drawn between Internet marketing and traditional forms of marketing. Internet marketing is increasing in popularity due to the Internet’s popularity, and it usually is cheaper than traditional marketing efforts, he added.
“People who search online to find dentists need information about good dentists to be listed on the search results,” Husayni said. “Because search engines such as Google are responsible for placing these sites on the home page, viewers believe the first-page dentists must be the ‘best’ of the dentists. In many cases that is also true, because only popular dentists come on the first page.”
Why should dentists look to the Internet to market their practice?
“The world is on the Internet these days,” Husayni said. “Increasingly, people turn to the Internet when they are looking to research or purchase a product or service.”
That was the case recently for Lakeland, Fla. resident Lorrie Walker. Walker went to a new dentist, who gave her a diagnosis that she wanted a second opinion on.
She turned to the Internet to research area dentists.
“I found a dentist who had a Web site filled with information about his practice, his charity efforts and the services he offered,” Walker said. “I learned he has been in practice for nearly 30 years. I felt like I was able to get to know this person and it made me feel more comfortable selecting him for my second opinion.”
Dentists who are established and thought of as being the best in their geographic area often feel as though they don’t need to market themselves on the Internet, Husayni said.
“If you’re the best cosmetic dentist in your area, let’s say Cincinnati for example, you ought to take steps to ensure that when a person types the keywords ‘Cincinnati cosmetic dentist’ into a search engine, your name is the first to appear in the organic results,” he said.
Studies show that most people searching the Internet don’t go beyond the first couple of pages of results, Husayni said.
Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Charles Nottingham, the senior partner of Smile South Florida Cosmetic Dentistry in Boca Raton, said he believes a good dentistry practice needs effective marketing.
“In my mind, every dentist markets their practice,” Nottingham said. “Either it’s through traditional media, word of mouth or the Internet, but it’s marketing. Otherwise, how to you get and retain new patients?”
Nottingham began an Internet marketing campaign in 2007, which has proven successful.
“It’s been one of the biggest producers of new patients,” he said.
Nottingham turned to the Internet because it has become a powerful research tool for consumers.
“It’s very important nowadays to be competitive and have a presence on the Internet,” he said.
More dentists appear to realize the cost benefits in conducting marketing campaigns online and working to be on the first two pages of organic search engine results, Husayni said. A dentist who is just starting out can create a Web site that looks as professional as that of a dentist who has been in practice for years. Search Engine Positioning (SEP/SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, email campaigns and other Internet marketing avenues tend to be more affordable than a great deal of traditional print, radio and television advertising opportunities.
“The Internet has become the great equalizer,” Husayni said. “It levels the playing field and allows smaller businesses to compete alongside larger, more established businesses.”
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about dental marketing, or you would like a free analysis performed to see how a SEP expert might assist you in marketing your Web site, call Sinai Marketing toll free: 877-932-6559, or (303)-932-6559 for international callers. Or visit the Sinai Marketing Web site: dental.sinaimarketing.com.
About Sinai Marketing
Sinai Marketing is a search engine optimization firm that utilizes knowledge of the Internet market and ongoing research to develop and implement search engine optimization strategies for its clients. Ali Husayni created the Sinai Marketing firm, based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., in 2004. Husayni serves as the firm’s chief executive officer and search engine positioning expert.
