Nowadays, society is so technology driven that if you run a therapy practice but don’t have a strong online presence, you’re probably losing out on new patients and referrals.
That’s why developing a digital content strategy is critical for your business to foster relationships with current patients, improve satisfaction, and engage new prospective patients. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Create and Maintain Your Practice Website
It may seem obvious, but first and foremost you should have a website with a custom domain name, because if users can’t find you online then you don’t exist.
In this day and age, the first thing any consumer does when researching a company or looking for a service is search key terms on Google.
If you don’t have a website, then your practice will likely not show up and you have less chances of making an impression amongst Google’s rankings. In fact, there are many tools and resources available to help you easily create a website very quickly. Here are just a few:
- Wix
- Hubspot
- Squarespace
- Weebly
- GoDaddy
Local Search Optimization
Whether patients are trying to find the best physical therapist in their area or their doctor referred them to a specific clinic, you can almost guarantee they’re going to Google it.
Of course, you want your website to be optimized so that it shows up at the top of local searches. Additionally, having a Google listing is very important. This will allow Google to display your practice’s name, location(s), contact information, hours of operation, website and more. At minimum, make sure your practice has a Google page and the best part, having a Google Business Profile is free!
2. Boost Your Brand with Social Media
If you want to optimize your online presence, it’s just as important to proactively manage your social media accounts as well. Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram are great for providing valuable information to target audiences and connecting with future patients. Having business pages on all of these platforms will increase your visibility online and in turn result in more traffic to your website which ultimately means more business!
Don't Forget Online Directories
Another recommendation: List your practice on directories and review sites like ZocDoc and Yelp. Both Google and Yelp provide a resource for patients to post valuable feedback. Better yet, teamed up with a great engagement platform, you can enable more survey automation opportunities and give your patients the power to stay engaged throughout their entire journey. A great way to encourage this behavior is to share positive feedback to your sites and stories!
3. Create a Great Experience with Patient Engagement Tools
Once you’ve brought in new patients, make sure practice has the tools to be able to meet your their needs and expectations.
Digital Appointment Requests
The ability to request or schedule appointments is also a beneficial feature for both patients and providers. With the rapid growth of telehealth, patients expect simplified scheduling options and have created an industry standard for providers to continue offering seamless, personalized patient management and engagement. Therefore to ensure your website meets their evolving demands, self-scheduling is something of a priority.
Patient Portal Features
Offering a patient portal is an important criteria many patients look for when selecting a new healthcare provider, mainly due to the convenience of filling out intake paperwork, reviewing health records and requesting appointments all in one secure place. This means less work for your front desk and less risk of data entry errors that could lead to denials from insurance carriers.
Convenient Payment Options
Lastly, patients look for online financing options that allow them to electronically view their accounts in full, pay their bill, and enroll in payment plans. If you can leverage electronic statements (eStatements), you’ll not only streamline your patient revenue cycle and increase retention but you’ll also get paid a lot faster!
How to Attract New PT Patients: Final Thoughts
So, you know that your therapy practice’s online presence is just as significant as its physical one.
Ensuring that you have a comprehensive website, a consistent social media presence, and effective patient engagement tools are key not just for attracting new patients, but also for retaining and delighting the current ones.
Today, being digitally present and engaging is no longer just an option; it’s a necessity for thriving and standing out in the competitive physical therapy market. Do you have the tools that will help your practice thrive?
Read the Guide:
A Roadmap for Effective, Patient-Centered Marketing
