Cancer by the Numbers in the United States

Don Draper Couldn't Have Promoted Your Doctor Blog

Photo Credit: thepurplefig.com

Did you know that prior to 1978 individual physicians were prohibited from advertising by the AMA?

The funny thing is that even without that law many mid-century physicians wouldn't have advertised. They would have abstained out of pride and a belief that they could grow their business through the quality of their treatment(s), bedside manner and organic community feedback.

This belief continued in the decades after the ban was lifted. An article from the Chicago Tribune in 1989 showed a lingering hesitancy about maintaining an active marketing program, “Whether it`s reluctantly or enthusiastically, physicians agree that a successful career may indeed hinge on marketing efforts. An excellent education and expertise in a specialty may no longer be enough.”

With the proliferation of Doctor Blogs it probably seems as if the medical community has fully embraced traditional and digital media medical marketing. That is not necessarily true. We meet countless new clients who come to us with an If I have to do this attitude. After they see the results their attitude changes but that initial hesitancy is still a hurdle that needs to be leaped. The dream of a flourishing practice built off of relationships and word-of-mouth is wonderful but antiquated. Forums are essentially word of mouth, as are comments and online reviews. The dream is the same, just a little more digital.

Would Your Doctor Blog Earn Oprah's Stamp of Approval?

Is your doctor blog good enough to get on Oprah's radar? Does it really matter?

You can certainly succeed without Ms. O, however, her considerable influence should not be overlooked. Oprah's multi-media empire holds a lot of sway over most female demographics. Her voice is a trusted voice, and when seeking out a physician patients will lean on advice they know is dependable. Check out this list of Oprah approved physician blogs.

You will notice that each of the blogs is written with a personal touch; doctors talking about their loves, struggles and concerns about the present and future of healthcare. This is a smart digital media strategy. Pulling the curtain back and letting readers see who you are allows readers to feel like they are communicating with a real person, a person they can trust. And that will earn you repeat readers.

Reputation Management for Doctors gets the Katie Couric Treatment

Online reputation management for doctors can be a thorny path to navigate. Good reviews are great. Bad reviews happen. These are the ups and downs of an open online forum. In the extremes there have been contentious battles between doctors and patients that have peaked the curiosity of mainstream media.

In this YouTube video, Katie Couric discusses how certain physicians are trying to bar patients from posting online reviews. This level hand-cuffing is problematic. Patients are unlikely to be comfortable with, let alone honor any demands to keep their opinions offline. And the effects on word-of-mouth referrals isn't difficult to project.

Couric proposes a solution where third party companies would verify the accuracy of all online doctor reviews. In our professional opinion this won't happen any time soon. The logistics, costs and privacy issues are just too complex to untangle.

But, let's just take it as a hypothetical. If the third party solution could be implemented would you support it?

Let us know in the comments section.

Taking the Mystery out of PPC

Photo Credit: roi.com.au

Acronyms are supposed simplify terms, but with so many to remember in the digital marketing field (PPC, SEM, SEO) it can be a bit dizzying.

PPC and SEM are one and the same:
Pay Per Click (PPC) is a simple concept. The ads at the top and along the right column of every search page are paid spots. The companies they feature pay for each click through. The amount the companies spend is controllable. While simple in concept it is not simple in practice. It is easy to underspend. And equally easy to overspend on the wrong things. Both are the equivalent of burning money.

And then there is the bidding issue... There are a limited number of effective keywords and phrases for doctors using digital media to take advantage of. Search engines give preferential position to the highest bidder for each term. If you get caught in a bidding war over an ineffective set of search terms, again flame meet money.

Return on Investment (ROI) is in the details:

Yep, another acronym. If you have been following our series Strategic SEO for Doctors, you are well versed in the importance of using effective targeted keywords for your website and social media. This is true 10x over for PPC campaigns:

• You need targeted key phrases that are consistently used by prospective patients who are ready to set appointments, engage in live chat, etc.
• You want your ads to appear specifically to users in the geographic area you pull your patient base from.
• You want to identify and capture high quality keywords physicians in your area may have missed.
• Your copy should be succinct and push for click-throughs
• You MUST have a way to track results (preferably with split testing) so you can nix what isn't working  and perfect what is.
• Your landing page needs to be exactly what the perspective patient was searching for, and instruct them how to take the next step. This will help your Quality Score.
• Don't forget tablets and smart phones. Many users will be accessing your media via these devices. Caretransitions.com offers an intriguing reason why you should add a "call now" button for mobile device users.

Believe it or not, that is just the beginning. A top-notch PPC campaign requires in-depth knowledge of all the relevant tools and trends as well as a flare for writing great copy. Keep reading for more important tips!