An Eye Care Advertising Guide: Effective Marketing Strategies for Optometrists
In the competitive world of eye care, practice owners know that they need to advertise to attract new patients and retain existing ones. When it comes to marketing and running ads, many eye doctors aren’t sure of things like how much to spend, what platforms to advertise on, and whether to take a bold or safe approach.
At Optometry Marketing, we’re experts on all things eye care digital marketing and have created a treasure trove of guides and resources to help practice owners grow their patient base. We’ve put together a master list of practical advertising ideas and tips for you to take your eye clinic’s ad campaign to the next level.
Why Optometry Advertising Matters
Eye care advertising can help you get in front of prospective patients who are
- Actively looking for an eye doctor
- Unhappy with their current provider and open to change
- Seeking a new optometrist due to a change in insurance
- Current customers who forgot about scheduling their next appointment
The bottom line is that if you aren’t taking steps to get in front of these people, the competition is. Here’s what advertising can do for you:
- Attract New Patients: Reach potential patients who may not be aware of your services.
- Increase Patient Retention: Keep current patients engaged and interested.
- Enhance Online Presence: Improve visibility by taking up digital real estate.
- Build Brand Awareness: Establish your practice as a trusted name in the eye care industry.
Now we can move on to action steps.
Understand Your Target Audience
Before executing strategies, it’s essential to understand your target audience so that you can maximize the effect of your efforts. This includes:
- Demographics: Age, gender, income, and location.
- Needs and Preferences: Vision problems, eye health concerns, preferred communication channels, preferred insurance providers.
- Behavior: Online search habits, social media usage, and response to digital ads.
Develop Your Advertising Plan
A well-rounded eye care advertising plan should cover both digital and traditional advertising methods. Key components include:
- Social Media Marketing: Engaging with patients on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Social media campaigns should align with your practice’s brand and showcase your expertise, friendly staff, amenities, insurance partners, or other key details that would get new patients in the door.
- Email Marketing: Sending targeted optometry emails to inform and engage patients.
- Google Ads and Display Ads: Running PPC campaigns to increase visibility (more on this later).
Set Clear Objectives
Determine what you want to achieve with your advertising efforts. Common objectives include increasing patient appointments, promoting new services, or enhancing brand awareness. Set tangible goals that you can compare ad performance to. Examples include:
- 200% return on a spend (ROAS)
- 6% click-through-rate by month 3
- $5 cost-per-click (CPC)
Choose the Right Channels
Select advertising channels that are most effective for reaching your target audience. Options include:
Print Media
If your target audience is 55+, newspapers, magazines, and flyers might be a good way to reach them. Consider renting a billboard on a busy highway, paying for advertisements on city wallscapes, or renting a spot on a digital advertising stand.
Radio and TV
2024 advertising spending on local news stations is predicted to reach nearly $19 billion. Local stations can help reach an audience in your area. When creating TV ads, don’t compromise on quality audio and video. Visual and clear messaging will reflect well on the advertiser. Make sure your phone number and address are clear so it’s as easy as possible to reach you.
Social Media
You may already be doing social media posts for your optometry practice, but paid social media ads are a great way to target users who’ve searched for an eye doctor, and are in your area.
Search Engine Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC advertising like Google Ads and display ads can be extremely targeted and effective. The price-per-click varies by industry and platform. Bing ads, for example, cost less per click than Google ads, but you reach a smaller audience.
Each time customers click on these ads, you incur a small cost, but they are directed to your website. When used effectively, these ads can lead to lifetime loyal customers and pay for themselves many times over.
It’s recommended to have a PPC ads specialist manage your campaigns because making sure they’re performing as well as they could requires many hours of work. We won’t get into the nitty-gritty of setting up and managing an optometry PPC campaign, but here’s an overview of what the process looks like:
- Choosing the Right Keywords
- Select keywords relevant to your services, like “eye exam,” “optometrist,” “eye doctor,” “glasses,” and “contacts.” Adjust these based on your business needs and campaign performance.
- Set a Localized Target Area
- Focus your ads on people within 10-20 miles of your main location. If you’re in a remote area, expand the distance slightly. If you’re in a densely populated city, start with a smaller radius.
- Determine Your Bid Price
- PPC ads operate on a bidding system. Your bid price will depend on the competition for your chosen keywords. Higher competition typically means higher costs.
- Write Compelling Ads
- Writing effective ads is crucial. Tips include:
- Highlight any unique offers
- Mention your positive online reviews
- Explain why you’re better than competitors
- State if you accept insurance or Medicare
- Writing effective ads is crucial. Tips include:
- Use a Landing Page
- Direct users to a landing page designed for conversions. Your landing page should feature:
- Persuasive copy explaining why users should choose you
- A clear call to action with a phone number and contact form
- Social proof, such as positive testimonials, to build credibility
- Direct users to a landing page designed for conversions. Your landing page should feature:
Creating Effective Ad Content
The content of your advertisements should be clear, engaging, and informative. Here are some tips:
Highlight Unique Selling Points
Emphasize what sets your eye care practice apart. This could be advanced technology, experienced staff, or specialized services. Maybe you offer in-house glasses fittings with speedy turnaround times.
Maybe your sunglass selection is above address. Highlight your strengths to make patients choose you over the next office!
Use Patient Testimonials
In one study with 500 U.S. participants, 71% of respondents reported using online reviews to determine their healthcare providers. Include quotes or stories from satisfied patients. This builds trust and credibility with potential patients. We wrote a guide explaining how to get more Google profile reviews.
Offer Promotions
Use promotions and discounts to attract new patients. Consider offering a discount on the first eye exam or a special package for families. For many patients, once they’re set up with a doctor, they only leave in the case of a bad experience.
Include a Strong Call to Action
Encourage potential patients to take the next step and make it easy for them. Phrases like “Schedule Your Eye Exam Today” or “Call Now for a Free Consultation” can prompt immediate action and increase your chances of converting.
Measuring Ad Campaign Success
Tracking the effectiveness of your advertising efforts is crucial for ongoing success and the smart allocation of resources. Key metrics to monitor include:
Response Rate
Measure how many people respond to your advertisements by calling, visiting your website, or booking an appointment compared to how many viewed it.
Conversion Rate
Track the percentage of responses that result in actual appointments or sales. This number typically ranges anywhere from 3%-7% for Google ads and around 11% for Facebook ads.
Patient Feedback
Gather feedback from new patients about how they heard about your practice and what prompted them to choose your services. We suggest gathering this data electronically for simple tracking.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Calculate the ROI of your advertising campaigns to determine their cost-effectiveness. This helps you allocate your advertising budget more efficiently.
Video Completion Rate (VCR)
This tracks the amount of viewers that finished watching (or at least playing) a video ad all the way to the end.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The number of people who clicked the ad divided by the number of people who saw it. This metric helps determine how well-written or persuasive ad copy is.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
SEO is the most effective long-term optometry marketing strategy and the only one that puts your practice’s name in front of potential customers without paying for each website visit. In a nutshell, SEO gets a website ranking first in Google’s search results (over half of all search traffic goes to the top 3 search results).
We surveyed to find out how optometry patients search for new eye doctors, and 36% of respondents said they used Google to find their first eye doctor. The only avenue with more responses was recommendations from a trusted friend or family member.
We wrote an in-depth guide that covers SEO for optometrists, but here’s an overview of how it’s done:
- Competitive Research
Find out the number of competitors in your area. If there are just a handful, the SEO process will be moderately difficult. Note the keywords that bring them traffic and which pages attract the most users. If there are 10+ competitors in your area, the process will be more difficult.
- Keyword Research
What terms are people in your area searching for? These keywords will be the basis for optimizing your content across platforms.
- Local Listings
Ensure you have a Google Business Profile set up. Include photos, a list of products and services, a link to your website, and reviews. Get your practice listed in local directories, too.
- Technical SEO
This step involves optimizing meta descriptions, title tags, and image alt text using your keyword research. Website speed and architecture should be user-friendly, and there should be a clear link structure that’s easy for Google to follow.
- Content Creation
Publish relevant, high-quality blogs that link back to your service pages. This boosts your site’s authority and drives traffic.
You can see how SEO is not just time-consuming but requires a level of training and understanding to do right. That said, SEO is a non-negotiable part of digital marketing.
Eye Care Advertising Ideas & Examples
Need some inspiration? Here are a few stand-out optometry advertising campaigns that stick in the minds of viewers and aren’t just cheesy vision slogans.
1. Play with visuals
Though they aren’t an optometry practice, this billboard from the Brien Holden Foundation creatively highlights the importance of having an accurate prescription. You could have some fun with captions, pictures, or video clips if you’re advertising on streaming or social media.
2. Local news spotlight
Take advantage of your local news station and schedule a feature during prime hours. This example establishes the optician as A)an expert in the field and B) locally invested.
3. Target local searchers
In this small town, two practices hold all of the digital real estate above the fold. When searching for an “eye exam” they take up the viewer’s entire screen before they even have to scroll down. That’s the power of search engine advertising.
A Few Tips to Make the Most of Website Traffic
Once patients or future patients reach your site, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to call in, make an appointment, or find whatever information they’re looking for. Providing an exceptional patient experience is key to retaining and attracting patients. Digital tools can help:
- Online Appointment Booking: Allow patients to schedule appointments through your website.
- Telehealth Services: Offer virtual consultations for convenience.
- Patient Portals: Provide access to medical records and personalized health information.
- Automated Reminders: Send appointment reminders and follow-up messages.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eye Care Marketing
How should I advertise my optometry practice?
Focus on a mix of SEO, content marketing, social media, and PPC advertising. Provide valuable content and ensure your online presence is strong.
How important is local SEO for an optometry practice?
Local SEO is crucial for attracting patients in your area. Optimizing your Google My Business listing and targeting local keywords is a good place to start.
What are some effective PPC strategies for optometrists?
Bid on relevant keywords, write compelling ad copy, and create dedicated landing pages. Monitor performance and adjust campaigns based on data insights.
Last Note on Eye Care Advertising
Effective eye care advertising requires a comprehensive and strategic approach. By leveraging SEO, content marketing, social media, email campaigns, and PPC advertising, you can attract new patients and grow your optometry practice.
Focus on providing valuable content, enhancing the patient experience, and continuously measuring and improving your marketing efforts to achieve the best results.
