8 Effective Marketing Strategies for Orthopedic Practices

There are many orthopedic marketing ideas available, but which ones work best? These eight strategies generally provide the most value to orthopedic marketing campaigns:
1. Use SEO to Reach Potential Clients via Google and Bing
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the most critical Internet marketing strategy for any practice. It enhances your online visibility by improving your rankings in search engine results for queries related to your services.

The first page of search results captures a significant majority of website traffic, while pages beyond the third receive minimal attention. Therefore, if you want your practice to be discovered online, it’s crucial for your website to rank on the first page of search results.

One of the key aspects of SEO is optimizing your content with industry-specific keywords. For example, using keywords such as “ruptured disk,” “rheumatoid arthritis,” or “torn ligament” can help draw in potential patients who are searching for these terms. This enables them to discover your website and learn more about your practice.

Once you've optimized your on-page content, off-page SEO involves earning links from other reputable websites.

Links from authoritative websites act as endorsements for your site, as they essentially refer their visitors to your content. Google interprets this as a sign that your site provides quality, helpful information, and will rank your pages higher in search results.
2. Equip Waiting Rooms with Helpful Videos that Feature Physicians
In addition to marketing your orthopedic practice online, it's important to implement some offline initiatives as well. Video can be a powerful tool to bridge digital and traditional marketing efforts. You can display helpful and informative videos in your waiting rooms and also make them available online.

Here are a few video ideas:

1. A testimonial or patient success story
2. A breakdown of a doctor’s professional career, education, and personal interests
3. A walkthrough of common procedures provided by the center

These types of videos can help put patients at ease and build their trust and confidence in your team. For people still researching your center, these videos can persuade them to call and schedule a consultation with one of your physicians.
3. Design a Fast, Informative, and Easy-to-Use Website for Leads and Patients
Web design is another crucial aspect of Internet marketing because it encourages visitors to stay on your site once they find it in search results. Your site should be unique, well-organized, and easy to navigate.
All too often, website visitors become frustrated when they can’t find what they’re looking for and leave to find the information elsewhere. To prevent this from happening (and losing potential patients), include an organized navigation bar at the top of each page.

For an orthopedic practice, some of your navigation bar tabs could include "About Us," "Locations," and "Patient Testimonials."

Additionally, use interactive elements on your website to entice visitors to stay and learn more about you and the care you provide. Videos of patients sharing their experiences or a slideshow of office photos are excellent strategies for keeping potential patients engaged on your site.
4. Volunteer in Your Local Community Throughout the Year
Like most orthopedic practices, your patients likely reside in the nearby area. That's why many orthopedic marketing strategies include local initiatives, such as volunteering, hosting educational events, or donating to local charities.
Your center can volunteer in various ways, such as:

1. Helping fundraise for a local charity
2. Volunteering at a nearby animal shelter
3. Sharing local fundraising events on your social media

Volunteering helps your center earn valuable goodwill and demonstrates your commitment to the community. While you may not see an immediate influx of patients, these actions can lead to people choosing your center when they need orthopedic care in the future.
5. Build a Lasting Relationship with Your Audience with Social Media
A strong social media presence is crucial to a successful Internet marketing strategy for your orthopedic practice.
Social media allows you to connect with current and potential patients, providing a platform to share valuable tips and give a behind-the-scenes look at your practice’s office and staff.

Facebook and Twitter are both great channels for sharing photos of your practice, giving potential patients a closer look at who they are committing to.

Additionally, you can provide helpful information and tips on social media that are easy for friends and followers to share with their networks.
6. Compile News Stories, Testimonials, and More into a Patient Newsletter
A newsletter is also an excellent orthopedic marketing tool. You can distribute it via direct mail and email. For reference, email marketing is highly effective, offering an average return of $44 for every $1 invested.

With a monthly newsletter, you keep patients informed and demonstrate your industry knowledge by highlighting recent advancements or treatments in orthopedics and showcasing your staff's accomplishments.

A newsletter keeps your center top-of-mind and builds patient loyalty. By providing helpful information and updates, you show (not just tell) patients that you care. This approach can significantly impact patient retention.
7. Launch Paid Ad Campaigns to Attract New Patients
PPC, or pay-per-click, is an advertising model that enables you to promote your orthopedic practice on search engines like Google and Bing. By placing ads for specific keywords and phrases (such as "orthopedic doctor [your city]"), you can target users who are actively searching for your services.
PPC ads operate on a bidding system where you determine how much you'll pay each time an ad is clicked. The major advantage of PPC is that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad and visits your site. This means you avoid paying for ad views from users who aren't interested in learning about your practice.
8. Track the Performance and Return of Your Orthopedic Marketing Efforts
For the best results with orthopedic marketing, it’s essential to track your strategies and their performance.

Launching a paid ad campaign, newsletter, or social media profile without setting up tracking features won’t benefit your center in the long term. Without data and tracking, you can’t assess the effectiveness of your strategies or make informed improvements.

By setting up tracking, you can gain insights into why a strategy performs well or poorly.

Take the initiative to ensure your orthopedic marketing campaigns succeed by tracking their performance. Use tools like Google Analytics for your online marketing efforts and leverage that data to make strategic decisions about your approach.