Google provides some of the most valuable tools available to help grow your practice and we highly recommend you take the time to learn about what products and programs the top practices in the country are using to grow their medical practices. Google is impacting most of the small and large business at this time and your endeavors should be influenced by some of these Google products. That is where MD Internet Marketing (MDIM) comes in. Our goal is to increase profits and maximize resources to get the most out of our online marketing efforts and put your practice in front of the most active and interested patients. So, let’s talk about the five Google products your practice cannot live without.
Google My Business
Google My Business is an online business directory on Google’s search engine; however, it is also more than that. By creating a Google My Business profile, you add a very detailed chunk of information. If someone Googles your name, a box with your business information will appear on the top right of the screen. This box shows your phone number, office hours, photos, a map to your office, your Google Review score, and a link to your webpage. When a potential client searches for a generalized service, or where any local offices perform the service, think “Rhinoplasty specialists around Portland”, a listing of offices will show up, each marked on the map. Google My Business offers everything you need for a potential client to find and use your services. If they have difficulty locating your address or your phone number, chances are they will move on.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics (GA) is a FREE analytic tool that shows your site’s web traffic, telling you what campaigns are working, and what is not. (GA) goes far beyond showing the number of people clicking on your link. They also break this number down by age, gender, location, how long they stayed on your site, the first and last page they viewed on your site, and the pathway they used to click around your site. Who stopped by your website and their behavior shows you, completely for free, what users are drawn to your services and specials. Each practice should be reviewing some of the data available in (GA) every month, looking at trends and comparing data to the previous month and/or year.
Google Ads
Think about this: every second there are more than 2.3 Google searches, many of which result from Google Ads AKA Pay-Per-Click. Businesses can pay for ads or use pay-per-click to show up in relevant searches, or as one of the top links appearing at the top and bottom of the search result pages. How do these ads connect to searches? Google AdWords uses many factors including relevant keywords that are the most likely to appear on your page. Google then uses an algorithm that combines a variety of factors including quality score, keyword relevance and historical account performance to decide who shows at what time. Google’s AdWords Performance Grader offers a free breakdown of how you are using key AdWords on your content every month. While all of the variances in Google Ads may sound confusing, it is worth understanding and should be an integral part of your marketing plan.
Google Trends
Google Trends shows you, in an easy to understand manner, what the hottest words and topics are that are trending right now. In November, ‘Thanksgiving’ is going to be a trending word, as will ‘turkeys’. If Kim Kardashian just had a nose job, the trending word of ‘Rhinoplasty’ could be very important to you. The data can be extremely important in SEO and content marketing, giving you some ideas about ‘buzz topics’ that you may want to include in a seasonal blog or a Facebook post, increasing your advertising engagement. In addition, Google Trends should be used to identify patterns of demand, if you look at the data for CoolSculpting for the past few years, you can see a decline in Q4, which should help with planning and promotions.
Google Drive
While many of us are having a hard time getting away from Microsoft Word and Excel, the time has come to look into Google Drive. Google’s file storage program allows users to store all their documents and synchronize across devices. Allowing multiple people access to your file means immediate editing of documents by anyone you have ‘allowed’, which all users can see immediately, and with no threat of lost files, as the work is saved immediately. You and your user group can log into the documents from anywhere; from your desktop at home, your iPad, your phone at the grocery store, and or even on someone else’s computer when on vacation in Aspen. Even better, Google Drive not only offers Google Docs, the suite includes Google Sheets and Google Slides (similar to Excel and PowerPoint). Google Sheets is an excellent place to keep your marketing budgets and monthly promotion calendars.
We know how busy you are running a cosmetic practice, with little if any time to focus on online marketing. Let MDIM help your practice grow by providing online marketing management, organization and support formaximizing your potential. Call MDIM at (954) 993-5154 or fill out our online contact us form. We can discuss your marketing plan and add value to your current marking endeavors.