Dentist Uncertain About Internet Marketing
post your comments about dental website marketing to our blog
In our most recent survey,
we asked dentists if their dental practice website marketing
is worth its expense.
Of the dentists responding to this survey, less than half (40%) said yes: internet marketing generates new patients and a positive ROI. The remaining 60% replied that they don't believe that internet marketing has particularly helped find new patients.
Read the dentists' comments for more insight into their thoughts on dental practice website marketing.
Geographical location was not highly correlated with results, but rural dentists were somewhat more likely to be happy with their internet marketing investment than their urban colleagues.
And for once, general dentists and specialists agree!
For more insight into what our respondents are thinking, check out their
comments!
Welcome to the future of dental marketing
- "I think it is good. The younger generation has grown up with computers and the internet and uses that like our generation used the Yellow Pages." (Illinois dentist spending $200 monthly)
- "I think it is the future. As more people look for goods and services online we are going to see more people looking for us there as well." (Oregon dentist spending $100 monthly)
- "Info dissemination is at the click of a person's finger---a way to put yourself and your philosophy out in front of people." (pediatric dentist spending $100 monthly)
- "It's a good idea." (Pennsylvania periodontist spending $150 monthly)
Maybe it's not as important as people say it is
- "I have gotten a few patients who list as their referral source, the web site, but not that many. I suspect that the web site merely reinforces other things that they may have heard from other sources, word of mouth, etc." (Maryland dentist)
- "Great concept, but I just haven't seen much results." (Mississippi dentist spending $30 monthly)
- "Try it... I stopped." (New York periodontist)
Dental websites bring in the dental patients
- "Even without my picture loaded on the website, it generates 4-5 new high-value patients monthly!! The most recent patient needed $19,500 in restorative treatment of which he has already paid half BEFORE treatment begins...that's 32.5 more months of internet marketing from just one patient!" (South Carolina dentist spending $600 monthly)
- "It is well worth the investment. Many of our new patients are coming from the internet and/or our website." (Minnesota dental office worker)
- "Marketing is amazing. The best results are on the 'I HATE CPAP' site. I see more cosmetic patients from the sleep apnea site than from the cosmetic advertising." (Illinois dentist)
- "Now - one of the most cost effective avenues. Definitely untapped potential in the future." (California, not a dentist)
- "I believe that you need to have a single dedicated person handling all internet marketing functions in order to make it profitable. This person should be like a dental marketing IT person." (New York dentist spending $175 monthly)
But are internet patients the best leads?
- "The return on investment is certainly on the positive side, but... Not all patients who call come in, and not all who come in do the treatment." (Florida dentist)
- "Website patients are likely to be skittish or scared, having avoided dentistry for some time. If they can be converted and have financial means, it can be good. Lots of email contact without appointment scheduling is common." (Oklahoma dentist spending $800 monthly)
Well, maybe internet patients are the best ones
- "It is a good concept, but the return on the investment is not good at this time. It also depends on the market: more internet savvy customers in big cities will be good targets." (California dentist spending $1000 monthly)
- "Brings in an educated, motivated patient. They usually have done their homework and are just looking for an practice that is compatible with their personality." (Florida dentist spending $460 monthly)