12 Marketing Ideas For Orthodontics That Work In 2023

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Editorial Team

If you are starting as an orthodontist, finding an orthodontic patient is challenging because the process is intense, and nobody can trust you when you are new to the business.

Whether you are operating alone or have an entire team working to offer great orthodontic services to your patients, you still need orthodontic marketing strategies to make the most of your money, time, and expenditure.

But how do busy and successful orthodontists fill their schedules? For this, you need strong marketing approaches to attract patients and convince them to try your practice.

Try these approaches that will work to your advantage. Below are 12 marketing strategies that are budget-friendly and likely to yield relatively quick results.

What Is Orthodontics Marketing?

Orthodontist marketing is about targeting your market segment to fill your schedule, build trust and retain loyal patients by providing them with innovative offerings. Today no business is successful without being creative with your marketing practices.

The orthodontics field is crowded, and being a competitive marketplace, orthodontics marketers need to craft a compelling strategy to get results.

Also, many prospective patients compare your practices online before making an appointment. They analyze your brand, offerings, prices, reputation, patient reviews, and social media handling.

Suppose you have not yet implemented any of the orthodontic marketing ideas. In that case, it is difficult to sustain for the long run because modern patients will likely turn their faces to the most marketed practices.

A very crucial element of marketing these days is conducted online. Whether small or big, practitioners must incorporate marketing practices in their business strategy.

Orthodontics Market Growth

Orthodontics Is a type of dental treatment used to diagnose, treat, and prevent dental and facial irregularities. They improve the alignment, appearance, and improvement of teeth and correct problems associated with tooth biting.

An increase in the aging population and oral disorders worldwide boost the growth of the global orthodontics market.

The rise in awareness of oral healthcare, an increase in the geriatric population, and a surge in demand for orthodontics products drive the growth. Additionally, tobacco consumption and an increase in sedentary lifestyles have driven the market’s growth.

The Orthodontics market globally was valued at USD 4048.1 million in 2020 and is anticipated to reach USD 6519.7 million by the end of 2027, increasingly growing at a CAGR of 6.6% during 2021-2027.

Few Reasons Orthodontics Needs An Integrated Marketing Plan In 2022.

When you have a running orthodontic business, marketing often lies at the bottom of your to-do list. However, you should know that effective marketing for orthodontics can make your practice more busy and thriving.

While handling back-to-back appointments with countless smiles to fix, many orthodontics need more money, time, and knowledge to design and run a large-scale marketing strategy. 

Even if you are doing everything to keep your orthodontic practice running effectively, you must incorporate marketing activities to boost your business.

One critical review can affect your reputation and bottom line in today’s competitive landscape. So, it’s essential to give marketing priority.

With the rise of global access to information, today, orthodontic patients are more educated and well-aware. They know how to research their part and find their required information. They don’t trust what you offer them; instead, they trust what others say about your services. This is why orthodontics must spend a good amount on marketing.

Marketing for orthodontists has significantly changed in recent years. The traditional ways are no longer effective, and more energy is spent on digitally and socially designed marketing activities.

Using websites and social media platforms by orthodontics is more than just having them up. In 2022, potential patients explore honest and reputable orthodontists based on social proof. Patients want to know you before visiting you.

What Elements Should Be In Your Orthodontics Marketing Plan?

The foundation of an effective orthodontics marketing plan is strong branding, well-trained staff, and an optimized website. 

There is no ideal template for your marketing plan; it depends on what ideas pique your interest. There are lots of small steps that create one larger, cohesive marketing strategy. There are a few points that we have covered for your ease.

  • State what your marketing goals are and what is the timeline for these goals, and analyze your brand standards and promised experience.
  • Decide on the mediums to tailor your marketing messages to your patients.
  • What specific online techniques will you use to search, connect and retain your new or existing patients?
  • Define all the offline approaches you will use that will complement and strengthen your digital presence
  • How will you collect the data, analyze it, and use it to improve your marketing campaigns?

12 Marketing Ideas For Orthodontics In 2022

The purpose to adopt marketing tactics for your orthodontics business is to boost the visibility of your practice, widen your customer base and book new patients. We have compiled a few of the best marketing strategies that will work in your favor in 2022.

1. Highlight Your Unique Selling Preposition

First, emphasize factors that distinguish you from the crowd. Creating a complete list of your unique value propositions is essential.

The orthodontics field is competitive. Copying the marketing strategies of others and conducting the same activities that other practitioners do will not help you stand out from the crowd and attract more new patients.

You must differentiate yourself from competitors through unique marketing ideas to build your position and generate new referrals. It will help if you cut through the noise using specialized orthodontic practice marketing for dentists. 

  • Add Your Orthodontics Practice on Google Maps.

One of the essential elements of your marketing strategy is to ensure that your orthodontics practice is listed on Google Maps. If the answer is no, you need to start from here right away.

For example, when your search on Google “Best Orthodontist”, some of the first results you will see are Google Maps search results. You can miss out if you’re not listed on Google Maps, and your competitor is.

3. Make an Online Presence.

Observing the current digital scenario, your online media presence is a mandatory marketing plan element. According to a study,

Around 200 million users on social media visit at least one business profile daily. And 90% of social media users connect with a business through social media platforms.

So, you must constantly engage with your audience on social media to attract new patients to your practice.

Your website is the most significant online asset that you have. It’s crucial that this is as optimized and well-constructed as possible to drive traffic and improve your rankings.

The first impression of your practice for new patients will most likely take place on your orthodontic website. There are several things you can adopt to ensure a positive first impression.

Optimize your website for a better user experience with lightning-fast load times and ensure its super simple to contact your practice.

You need an online presence that demonstrates to potential patients what you do, who you are, and the type of services they’re likely to receive when choosing you as their orthodontist.

4.  Advertise Your Practice on Google, Facebook, and YouTube

Creating paid ad campaigns on Google, Healthcare referral sites, Facebook, and YouTube is one of the effective ways to deliver your practice to the target audience. Google ads will help patients seeking a quick appointment. 

Facebook and Instagram ads are great for digital marketing, especially for local businesses. Run Facebook and Instagram ads by:

Creating catchy, well-designed, high-quality text and video ads can better convince clients to initiate their interest. Also, you use Facebook’s Ad Manager to focus your targeted demographic in your local area.

5.  Make Orthodontic Treatment Appealing.

When new patients arrive at your door, they often seem nervous about starting orthodontic treatment. This anxiousness is real and is often associated with the treatments themselves.

You can resolve this issue by making orthodontic treatment connected with promotions like goodie bags (including toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, etc.) or even a smiling face. 

Orthodontic promotions work great for individual patients, so they should not be ignored. Also, another source of marketing content.

6. Provide Real-Time Assistance With Live Chat

Live web chat capabilities offer real-time assistance to potential patients in a format that fits their usage preferences. Like online scheduling, this feature also reduces your calls and emails in your office, giving your team more time to focus on office patients.

7. Offer Virtual Consult Options.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught many practitioners to adopt virtual methods of serving their patients, opening up a new opportunity for many businesses.

Today, many orthodontists are availing of this option as a long-term strategy. If you have the ability, you should go ahead with it.

With virtual consultation, you will get a more personalized one-on-one consultation in the fastest time possible.

Virtual consultations are more cost-effective and more efficient than in-office consultations. In short, virtual consult options provide you with a competitive advantage over orthodontic practices that don’t offer this service.

8. Focus on Gathering Patient Reviews

For Patients, positive reviews are as good as gold, so getting more of them is a plus. One great way to capture more online reviews is by sending personalized text or running an email campaign.

78% of Orthodontic patients are now more likely to search for online reviews before selecting a new dentist or orthodontist.

It is essential to your practice that you collect feedback from your patients. Orthodontists that utilize their online reviews to promote their services reach more patients than those who don’t.

The importance of reviews cannot be understated. Positive word of mouth from a fellow patient outweighs anything you say about your company.

Focus your marketing campaign on gathering as many genuine patient reviews as possible. Ask your patients to leave a review. Explain why it helps your business and how much it means to them.

Simply hoping a patient will leave a review is not enough? You need to solicit reviews regularly to elevate yourself above the competition actively.

9. Use the Power of Video Testimonials.

Video content is indeed more appealing than a written blog or images. They are a powerful piece of content in your marketing strategy. From patient testimonials and reviews, using short, compelling videos will attract the attention of your target demographic.

According to a report, 79% of customers prefer video testimonials to know about a product or brand. Due to this, video testimonials are considered a powerful form of marketing tactic.

Today, shooting a video is not a hassle at all. You can shoot a small video and post it on social media with your smartphone. You can take the help of the essential editing tools available online that do not require much expertise.

A video testimonial can do a variety of functions, such as 

  • Video testimonials are provided by real people, so there are more chances for people to relate to them and solicit an emotional connection.
  • With the help of testimonials, you can build a long list of satisfied customers. This will demonstrate the company’s flexibility and diversity and aid you in understanding patient demands.
  • Video testimonials are a great way to build brand recognition. Even if a customer does not buy anything, he/she will always recognize your brand and may become an actual buyer soon.

Start experimenting with different videos to change your social media presence.

10.  Offer a Free Consultation

Attracting new patients to enter the office is always the hardest step. Once you successfully bring them in, turning them into a current patient becomes pretty easy.

Despite having a robust and informative website, patients will always have questions. Getting through teeth treatments are often painful and expensive, so people will have additional queries to satisfy their urge.

This is why it is imperative within orthodontics marketing to provide free consultation as a call to action.

To be innovative, you can give patients a choice between an in-person or virtual consultation. Take help from the below-mentioned options.

  • Use the power of social media influencers by offering them a free consultation.
  • Use email marketing and encourage your current patients to recommend your consultation to their trusted networks.
  • Promote free referrals with a limited-time offer or code.
  • Offer a discount to influencers’ followers, so they are more likely to start treatment.

11.  Generate Effective Content on Social Media

Another practical marketing step within the orthodontics industry is creating compelling, engaging, timely, and relevant content on social media. It improves your SEO ranking and categorizes you as an expert.

People are very tech-savvy; posting quality informative blogs on social media is an optimized way to drive traffic and make people understand your practice. Your target market will be more likely to approach you if they want braces or teeth aligners.

Posting content can include elements like a review of happy patients or satisfied customers in your practice. You can also show your working space and equipment. Make your office layout appealing; you can have a photo corner with a great backdrop and props.

Posting shareable media and pictures of your patients with smiling faces will deliver the human element in your practice and help prospective patients feel at home and excited about the benefits that treatment can give them.

The tip is to be consistent with your blog posts. It will make you more active and also helps you build good relationships with locals in your community.

For this purpose, you can hire a social media manager to keep the content flowing.

12.  Encourage Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Word-of-mouth marketing holds much value because people trust what others say about you. Hearing reviews from friends and family have more influence on decision-making as compared to the effect of paid advertisements.

Moreover, Referrals are equally effective as online. There is an element of trust and comfort involved new when you hear a positive thing from your close family member or friend. 

Others’ positive image toward a brand persuades you to view that business with the same amount of positivity before becoming an actual consumer. 

Keep in mind that Word-of-mouth marketing should not be compelled and forcefully done. However, implementing a referral reward program for current patients can be planned to get new people in the door. For an extra push, you can offer your patients an incentive if they spread the word about their positive orthodontic experiences.

Conclusion

Orthodontics is a rewarding business. To keep this business running smoothly, you must incorporate innovative marketing strategies.

Today most of the business is driven through referrals. If you still look for conventional marketing approaches, you miss significant profit. Successful orthodontics in the market look for innovative marketing strategies to boost their practice. This is why they are transforming from dentist-based referrals to direct-to-patient marketing.

A strong, positive online presence will always be to your advantage. 

Whether your patients are searching for a specific procedure to help straighten their teeth or just searching for a local orthodontist near them, you need to rank high on those searches. A consistent digital strategy is vital because patients now view your website as important as making a phone call or visiting your office.