As 2022 draws to a close, it’s time to look ahead to the up-and-coming trends for dental marketing in Australia in 2023. Whilst some of these trends will be more of the same, some new trends will also arise in response to looming economic uncertainties. Whether you’re conducting your dental marketing in Melbourne or elsewhere in Australia, you’ll do well to keep your eyes peeled for the following trends in the new year. So, without further ado, let’s dive into our first anticipated trend!
Patient-first content
What is patient-first content? As the name may suggest, it’s content that patients actually want to read. If dentists want to capitalise on this trend, they’ll do well to put themselves in a patient’s shoes and work from that vantage point.
Imagine you’re a patient seeking a routine dental checkup and clean. Chances are you know the procedure and just want to know the logistics. I.e. rather than seeking dental information, you’re likely looking for directions to a clinic, contact details, or information about payment options. It’s important to cover these kinds of details rather than rehash commonly known facts.
You can break out the specifics when a patient is searching for more specialised treatments, such as Invisalign or veneers. These dental treatments aren’t as well-known and will require more informative content.
Patient-first content also focuses on the user experience. Answer as many core questions as you can in the limited space that you have—and ensure that you optimise the content for mobile devices. This way, patients can take what they need from a format that’s as easy to read as it is to navigate. Adopt this approach and watch your bounce rate shrink!
User-friendly websites
As briefly discussed above, the user experience is integral to your conversion rate. Your website should lay out all information in such a way that does not leave patients hungry for more. You want a website that is easily navigable and leaves no questions unanswered. Here are some further tips to enhance user-friendliness:
- An organised website structure and menu make for an easily navigable site with easy-to-find information. Are your menus neatly presented and free of duplicate pages? Can users access content in no more than three clicks? Patients don’t want to waste their time on multiple clicks or the Search function. Keep everything tight and accessible!
- Weave your unique personal brand and point of difference into every last pixel of your website. The things that set you apart should reflect in your messaging, tone of voice, and visuals. This also extends to your social media presence.
- Think about your links! Are the links on your website high-quality? Do you have a solid link-building campaign? Creating a user-friendly website is half the battle. Generating traffic for that website is how you make yourself known!
Compromised marketing strategy and investments
On a less positive note, many people and businesses still feel the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. We wouldn’t be surprised if 2023 were the first chapter of the next recession. If this is on the cards, the fallout from this hypothetical recession could affect the dental industry as follows:
- A declining employment rate would see fewer patients holding private health insurance. The potential rise in dental costs could see patients postponing or putting off dental care altogether.
- Dental practices may need to make budget cuts—and the marketing budget could be the first casualty. If the economic climate triggers ‘survival mode’, practices will shift their focus to base financial needs and patient retention rather than practice growth.
A focus on recruitment
Finances weren’t the only thing that the pandemic affected. The healthcare industry took a hit, too, and it hasn’t fully recovered to this day. In the US, 1.5 million healthcare workers lost their jobs in the early months of the pandemic. Despite some bounce-back, there are still 176,000 fewer healthcare workers active there than there were in early 2020. Although these are American figures, the situation would be similar here in Australia. The pandemic hit everyone in similar ways on a global scale.
Due to this setback, recruitment will be more important than ever in 2023—especially with the looming threat of a recession. Dental clinics will need to create recruitment campaigns from the foundation of a supportive employee culture. A collaborative environment will make for successful recruitment campaigns and a better patient experience.
To create a quality campaign, you’ll need to invest in well-positioned digital PR. This will show off how your practice values employee achievements and fosters employee support programs. You’ll also need to optimise the campaigns by leveraging platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor.
Local advertising
If you’ve read anything about our dental marketing in Australia, you’ll know that local advertising is a big part of it. And in 2023, we see no reason why that ought to change. The first step towards building an online presence is to create local advertising campaigns. You can do this by geotargeting your ad campaigns on Google and social media. You can also do this by weaving location-based keywords into your web copy—such as ‘dental marketing sydney’ or ‘dental marketing queensland’.
When people search for dental clinics, location is often the first way they’ll refine their search. Geotarget your ads to locals, create suburb-specific pages on your website, and include location-based keywords wherever it feels natural. You need to put yourself in the locals’ path if you want them to give you a shot.
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
The human brain can only sustain 150 meaningful relationships, but customer relationship management (CRM) systems remember everything. You can refer back to CRMs for detailed records of patient interactions that you would never remember yourself. CRMs are something of a ‘collective consciousness’, made up of notes and observations from varying staff members. It’s a great place to collectively collect patient data and leverage information for opportunities relating to patient care, retention, and acquisition. It also has the advantage of automation, which is exponentially faster and more convenient than human-actioned processes.
CRM systems streamline and improve the appointment process and all-around patient experience. Ironically, automation adds a personal touch as it allows you to better recount patient details and use these to create content personalised to the individual patient.
How to navigate these trends in 2023
Now you know what to expect in 2023, perhaps you’re wondering how you’ll navigate these same-same-but-different trends. That’s where we come in! At 360 Dental Marketing, we want to see your practice thrive and use these new trends to your absolute advantage. There are many ways to leverage this changing landscape—do you know how?
If you’d like a hint, why not call 360 Dental Marketing on 1300 777 847? Alternatively, you can book your first consultation online. Let’s work together and start a new chapter together in 2023! We can’t wait to help make the most of these incoming marketing trends.
