Eyeworld

10 Ophthalmology Business • September 2018 smallest of businesses is expected to build a website, it casts doubt on a provider's credibility. For this reason, a website should be priority number one. A website also allows a business to position itself as a trustworthy medical authority. Persuading site visitors of this authority involves pro- viding the answers to the questions potential patients are going online to find. The previously mentioned dotHealth survey revealed that the most common health-related activity online was researching a specific dis- ease or medical condition, followed closely by researching symptoms, specific treatments, procedures, or drugs. For an ophthalmic business, this means incorporating educational information about the eye condi- tions it treats within the pages of its website. It should be sure to include keywords related to its services that patients are searching in order to attract the most web traffic. Google Ads can help advertisers select these keywords and much more. To better understand how these four digital marketing tools strengthen each other and a business, examine the unique benefits of each individually. Website A website is the tool at the core of a business's digital marketing strat- egy. It is where the other digital marketing tools point to and is the professional destination that per- suades visitors they have found the most qualified business to meet their needs. Of the four tools discussed here, a website is the nonnegotia- ble must-have for an ophthalmic business. While some businesses may be able to get away with a digital marketing strategy driven only by a casual Facebook page, medical providers do not have this luxury. In addition to the fact that the internet has significantly increased competi- tion among all businesses, potential patients expect a higher level of pro- fessionalism from a medical provider. If a potential patient cannot find a provider on the web, where even the together properly and flexed regular- ly, they are most effective, attracting more patients and contributing to a business's financial stability. There are four essential digital marketing tools: • Website • Google Ads • Social media • Reputation management Many ophthalmic businesses choose to focus only on a website, maybe a few social media channels, and leave the other tools entirely untapped or insufficiently utilized. Depending on a business's economic needs and strategic objectives, this selective usage may be adequate. However, a business that decides not to "flex" all four digital muscles forfeits the full benefit of these tools. When used together, each plays a part in the effectiveness of the others. Most ophthalmic businesses will see the greatest ROI when they invest in a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. continued from page 8

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