The crux of the problem is this: Online advertising does work, but it isn’t designed to be easy.
In fact, the vast majority of businesses that get involved with online advertising lose money.
Advertising gets real eyes on your ads. But if those eyes belong to the wrong people, you won’t grow your bottom line. Instead, your advertising budget will drag down your financials. That might put you into a “defensive” frame of mind in your future marketing efforts – and that’s a recipe for disaster.
Plastic Surgeons Get Above Average Results With Online Advertising
Not all industries are well-positioned to make waves with online advertising.
But plastic surgeons are.
The two biggest online advertising networks are Facebook and Google. While Google can line right up with your SEO strategy by associating your ads with specific search queries, Facebook requires a lighter touch.
Facebook users aren’t looking for your services. So, you need to entice them.
But you’re in luck. According to the latest advertising data from SEO software firm WordStream, the beauty industry receives ad click-throughs of 1.16% on average. Healthcare, although lower, is still ahead of most other industries at 0.83%. This gives you your first indication of a winning strategy:
Position your ads within the beauty niche, not solely as a healthcare decision.
When you make this choice early on, you’re much more likely to get attention on your ads.
But that’s only one piece of a complete online advertising strategy.
Make sure you and your digital marketing team are making the most of your unique position as a local plastic surgeon. Your ads have the potential to be among the most compelling and trustworthy that your prospective customers will see all day, but only if they are done right.
Let’s dive in to some other techniques that can help plastic surgeons strengthen their results:
1. Use Faces In Your Advertising Creative
Plastic surgeons are all about faces and their customers’ relationships to them – so use them! Each of your customers has a personal vision for the “perfect” face. Using high quality photography of aspirational faces will help your ads stand out. On most ad platforms, this is a superior approach compared to using a “before and after” photo, which may be hard to see on mobile. Leave those photos for your landing pages.
2. Separate Your Ad Groups By Gender
It’s true: A lot more opportunities for plastic surgeons are opening up in the world of men’s procedures. But your ads will always be more effective when they target by gender: Not only because you can use the right photos for the job, but also so you can speak to your prospects in their language.
3. Promote Doctor-Led Video Content In Your Ads
As a doctor, your expertise is one of your biggest selling points. You can get more people to pay attention to what you have to say by saying it in your own voice. Short videos that answer common questions will help you build a human connection and assuage doubts on the way to that consultation call.
4. Refresh The Appearance Of Your Ads Regularly
Banner blindness is a cognitive quirk that affects virtually anyone who sees many digital ads in a day. Users get more likely to ignore advertising elements as they encounter the same designs over and over. While using faces in your ads appeals to their brains, you should still update your ads a few times a month.
5. Use A/B Testing To Select Ads That Resonate
A/B testing is one huge reason to choose a digital marketing firm for plastic surgeons. Set up correctly, it will automatically serve two versions of your ads to your target audience. In a short time, the one that gets the most engagement becomes the “control,” so your ads gradually perform better.
6. Leverage Limited Time Offers (LTOs)
Your digital marketing team can get data on when your potential customers are most active. Launching ads with LTOs during those times can get more people to call your office and make an appointment. For example, if you offer Botox, you could provide it free with purchase of a surgical procedure.
7. Sell The Lifestyle, Not Just The Procedure
The difference between positioning as a beauty brand versus a healthcare brand – and netting a nearly 40% increase in ad clicks – is to advocate a lifestyle of “looking and feeling your best.” You can empower your ads with the right vibe by taking care with how your ad headlines and text are crafted.
8. Connect Your Ads To Great Landing Pages
Ads that go right to your homepage lose attention fast. Ads that direct users to a procedure page are slightly better. The high performers go to a specialized landing page that matches the colors, wording, and graphical elements of the ad the user responded to.
9. Have A Complete Digital Marketing Strategy
Remember, online advertising is just one plank in digital marketing for plastic surgeons. To get superior results, you want to provide the kind of digital experience that builds trust and positions you as an expert. That touches on every aspect of your website design, content, and user experience.
New York Ave makes digital marketing easier – ensuring you get results from your ads and motivate people to register for their consultation. To learn more, contact us today.
