If you own a radiology lab, you may think that referrals are enough to help you gain patients. However, that’s certainly not true anymore in this day and age, when the internet is the first thing that most people consult when they experience any health issues. In fact, some diagnostic imaging businesses say that 70 percent of their clients come from online sources and only 30 percent from referrals.
Similar to other businesses, your radiology lab needs to be in front of patients and referring physicians in order to stay competitive in today’s environment. Online marketing is the way to do that. By meeting your clients where they are, you have a better chance of being their top choice when they need to get medical imaging done.
If you are hoping to expand your online presence in order to attract more customers to your business, here are five ways that you can start right now.
1. Understand your target audience
Healthcare serves everybody, so you may think that your target clients are everyone. However, who you serve and who you need to reach with your marketing messages are two separate groups. Who you need to reach with your marketing messages are called “target audience.”
Did you know that in 75 per cent of households, women are the ones who choose the healthcare provider for the whole family? By reaching middle-aged, married women with your marketing messages, you are already reaching 75 per cent of the market.
If you know that your target audience is middle-aged, married women who regularly use social media and spend a lot of time on their mobile devices, then you can expand your presence on social media and optimise your website to get in front of this group. Crafting messages that speak to this group’s concerns and needs will also help your messages become more attractive than your competitors.
2. Optimise your website for Search Engines
What’s the first thing that people do when they need to find a service provider? That’s right; they Google it. That’s why getting on top of the Google search results when people search for a relevant phrase will get your business in front of customers who are already seeking your services. This is called Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
The first and probably easiest step is to keep updated information on your website about your business, including your address, phone number, opening hours, and the services that you provide.
Understanding the terms that people search for when they need to find services similar to yours will also help. For example, if people are searching for “MRI exams,” “CT scans,” or “ultrasound,” your website text should mention these services so that your website ranking will be higher when people search for these terms.
3. Start a Google My Business page
Google My Business is another Google service that can help you get on top of the Google Search result when people in your area search for a medical imaging service. This service is free, and it helps you appear when people search for “MRI scans in my area” or similar keywords.
Google My Business helps you get in front of your potential clients, along with your address, phone number, opening hours, as well as reviews from previous clients. It is also a place where people can leave reviews for your business so that potential clients will also see the quality of your service.
Keeping your review score positive is another key factor to help you gain new clients. Your reviews will help your score in Google search ranking, and it will also impact your potential clients’ purchase decisions (or conversion).
When it comes to healthcare services, 86 per cent of people read the reviews before deciding whether to visit the provider, and most people read an average of 10 online reviews before deciding whether they can trust the quality of service.
Of course, the review score is also important, as 40 per cent of people only want to choose service providers with a 4 star or higher (out of 5 stars in total). You also want to keep your reviews coming; 57 per cent of people say they only read the reviews that are from the past two weeks.
Being present on Google My Business will help you stay relevant on Google Search, and it will also give your customers a platform to share their reviews to help your future clients learn about your services.
You should also encourage your customers to leave reviews after each visit since the more customers leave reviews, the more relevant you will seem to your future clients and Google Search. You should strive for more reviews, not a perfect score since an average of 4.7 with 255 reviews will seem more trustworthy than a perfect 5 with only three reviews.
4. Use social media for your business
Have we mentioned that the target audience for most healthcare providers is women who use social media regularly? Social media sites such as Facebook are a great way to help potential customers discover your radiology business, and creating a business page on Facebook is not only free; it’s also very simple. The first step is just to make sure that your website, phone number, address, opening hours, services provided, etc., are up-to-date.
Social media is also a great way to stay in touch and have conversations with your clients. People are attached to local businesses because they know the people behind the brand name, so it also helps to add a little personality to your social media to maintain a connection with your clients.
You can offer a tour (or photos) of the facility, sharings from employees, testimonials from previous clients, and events that you are hosting. These messages will help your potential customers learn more about your business and also feel a connection to the people who work there, which will increase their trust in your business.
5. Educate your potential customers with a blog
You should also continuously update new content related to radiology on your website so that people will always find new, relevant information when they visit your page. Increasing traffic to your website will also improve your ranking on Google Search. Keeping a blog with continuously updated, relevant content is a great way to do that.
For radiology businesses, sharing useful information on your blog is also a great way to gain potential customers. Many people visit a radiology lab thanks to a referral from their doctors simply because they don’t know whether they will need one. Educating your potential clients about the benefits of a medical imaging scan and when they need to get one done is a great way to gain potential clients.
Keeping a blog on your website isn’t as difficult as you may think. You can share about the technology you use, the mechanism of the scan, what potential clients can expect when they make a visit,… are all great ways to ease your clients’ worries and gain their trust, which will help them make a purchase decision.
Conclusion
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best marketing ideas for imaging businesses to help you get in front of your potential customers. Now that you’ve got some ideas, you can get started and let us know what you think!
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