Internet Marketing Research – “97% now use online media when researching products or services in their local area”

In February 2010,  ConStat and BIA/Kelsey conducted an on-line survey of 1,002 consumers.  The results of this survey have implications for internet dental marketing.

ConStat and BIA/Kelsey posted a news release on March 9, 2010 stating their research findings:

• “90 percent (of the respondents) use search engines, 48 percent use Internet Yellow Pages, 24 percent use vertical sites, and 42 percent use comparison shopping sites.”
• “58 percent of respondents report using an online coupon when shopping for products or services in their local area in the past year.”
• “19 percent of respondents report making an appointment online in the past six months for a service other than a restaurant reservation (e.g., business appointment, health-care appointment, auto service or personal service such as a beauty shop).”

This research has direct application for dental marketing.

• Patients are on-line using the Internet search engines to find  services near their home.  Your dental practice must be listed prominently on-line so prospective patients can find you.
• Patients use Internet yellow pages to find the service they are looking for.  Yellowpages.com, yellowbook.com and dexknows.com are just a few on-line commercial phone books that patients use to find a dental practice in their neighborhoods.  I urge you to pay the extra money to link your website.  That link will help convert that new patient prospect.
• Patients do comparison shopping on-line.   You must have a dental website in this market environment.  Furthermore, your website has to project the right image to allow you and your dental practice to compete with the other dental websites in your locale
• Patients use on-line coupons when shopping for services.  Post offers on your website to give a patient a reason to try your dental practice rather than someone elses.
• Patients are willing to make appointments on-line for healthcare services.  Include an on-line form that a new dental patient can complete and send to your practice 24/7.  The Internet is open even though you are not.

Contact Sharon Kantor Bogetz at  Midwest Dental Solutions, LLC for more information on dental marketing and ways you can market your dental practice to attract new patients with your new dental website.

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