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Are you looking for proven LASIK marketing strategies to help you market your ophthalmology practice and surgery center?
If so, you've probably noticed that you're not alone.
The market for LASIK eye surgery is exploding, both globally and nationally. One forecast predicts the market will grow by 4.52% in the next 8 years alone. That's an increase from $3.2 billion to 4.6 $billion.
Clearly, LASIK surgery is on the rise, and individuals are searching for providers now more than ever. With this increasing demand comes untapped marketing opportunities to share your specialty service and attract prospective patients. The question is: Are you making the most of these opportunities?
If your practice offers laser vision correction surgery, you’ll want to invest in specialized online marketing and advertising. Our team of agency experts handles everything from website design to content marketing and paid search ads.
As a premier LASIK marketing agency, it is our job to know your market and deliver data-driven results. That's why we've put together our top proven tips to market your practice, based on 15 years of experience working directly with doctors and the latest market research.
You can't improve what you can't measure. And you can't meaningfully address things you're unaware of. This is why the first tip is to get some facts about your market and your patients.
Let's start with your market.
In 2019, OptiCall conducted a large research survey on eye patients. They found that word-of-mouth referrals, positive online reviews, and an SEO-optimized online presence led to the most leads and sales.
Now, let's talk about your patients.
Patients who have a positive experience give word-of-mouth referrals and good online reviews (how many reviews do you have on your Google Business Profile?). And these are two things that lead to the most bookings and appointments. So, focusing on patient experience is paramount.
Patients who have a positive experience give word-of-mouth referrals and good online reviews (how many reviews do you have on your Google Business Profile?). And these are two things that lead to the most bookings and appointments. So, focusing on patient experience is paramount.
We're going to go into more detail about this, but for now, remember that getting data about patient experience is the only way to track and improve it.
You could store some of this data in a database. Or perhaps some of it could be in an email marketing server. But one of the best LASIK marketing ideas to gather and harness this data is through a healthcare-focused medical CRM.
A stunning website is the first building block to any well-rounded marketing plan. That’s where patients go to learn about your practice, see what services you offer, and decide whether to book an appointment. In some ways, your business rises and falls with your website.
Aesthetically pleasing and highly functional websites draw in potential patients. Conversely, poorly designed websites can instantly turn patients away. You don’t just need a website — you need a website that leaves a lasting impression to best position YOU as the expert.
As you consider updating your current website or building a new one, consider several factors:
Overall design: Does your website align with your brand identity? Does it have high-resolution images, readable text, and an eye-catching color scheme?
Navigation: Is it easy to navigate your site? Does it effectively guide users from point A to point B and prompt them to take the next step (contacting you, scheduling an appointment, etc.)?
Engagement: Is your content marketing reaching the right audience with the appropriate message? Does the web content resonate with your ideal patient?
Of course, there’s a lot more to creating a spectacular website, but these fundamental questions will help you get started.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the heart and soul of every well-built website. As the term implies, it “optimizes” your website so that more patients can find you using search engines like Google and Bing. Practically, it involves technical processes like the following:
Using relevant keywords to match search terms like “LASIK provider” or “LASIK surgeons near me”
Building and repairing links, avoiding issues like 404 errors
Improving page load times
Organizing the site’s backend
Creating mobile-friendly content
With proven SEO techniques, your website can rank higher on the search engine results pages. This means potential patients and their family members looking for a LASIK provider will find you sooner, translating into more clients, more appointments, and higher revenue.
Building a great website with a strong SEO backbone is essential. However, your marketing game plan cannot stop there. You can use many other LASIK marketing strategies to help your practice reach its business goals.
Social Media Ads
The key to a robust marketing strategy is using multiple channels to reach a target audience. Most of that audience probably spends a large part of the day reading Facebook posts and scrolling through Instagram. Therefore, it makes sense to utilize social media marketing.
Facebook and Instagram advertising use insights from various platforms to connect with your desired audience. For example, potential clients may use mobile devices to do extensive research on a LASIK medical procedure. You can speak to their needs using well-placed pay-per-click LASIK advertising on social media.
LASIK ads on Facebook or Instagram aren’t always pay-per-click advertising. If you’re offering a discount or highlighting a specific service, feel free to post about it. The post should include a link to your website or a landing page, prompting potential patients to action.
Although not a social media platform, YouTube is a fantastic medium to reach your “perfect patient.” Both with text and video ads. Turn your i-Phone around and shoot that video content!
Email Marketing Campaigns
In today’s world of ever-evolving communication, emailing is still highly effective. Emails have been around for decades, and most of your patients likely use them on a daily basis. With this in mind, you’ll want to incorporate email marketing into your marketing strategy.
One email’s objective might differ from the next. Here are some common types of emails a LASIK surgery practice like yours may send:
Welcome emails: These types of emails function like a virtual handshake with patients. They give you a chance to provide accurate information about your practice and start the conversation about scheduling an appointment. Consider turning your i-Phone around and shoot a quick welcome email like this.
Reminder emails: Getting clients to book a LASIK surgery can be challenging. Ensuring that they follow through is a whole other challenge. With reminder emails, you can keep your existing patients in the know and reduce the number of no-shows and cancelations.
Follow-up emails: Checking in with your patients after LASIK eye surgery is vital to establishing long-term relationships. Follow-up emails function like patient phone calls, helping you understand the patient experience and find ways to improve your services. They also show you care about and prioritize your clients.
A notable advantage to email campaigns is trackability. You can see past patients who opened your email, when they opened it, and how they engaged with it. Data like this will help you optimize your campaigns and make the most of your marketing efforts in the future.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
Are you struggling with patient acquisition in the competitive LASIK market? It could be due to poor visibility. If no one knows you exist, no one will be able to find you.
Google Business Profiles (formerly Google My Business) help many healthcare practices stand out from the crowd. They often work like billboards, letting potential patients know what is available and who offers it.
If you don’t already have a Google Business Profile, consider setting one up. Our team can help you every step of the way, ensuring everything goes smoothly. This process boosts visibility like Google ads and puts your practice on someone else’s radar.
Beyond discoverability, GBPs make it easy for patients to find information about your practice. They don’t need to click on a bunch of links to view your ratings, see what your physical location looks like, and get in touch. Your profile can store all this and more in one convenient place.
Online Patient Reviews
What do you do before driving to a new restaurant or buying something online? Look at reviews. People rely on customer reviews to inform their purchase decisions.
Highlighting the patient experience through online reviews is an often-overlooked aspect of LASIK marketing. However, it’s one of the most effective methods because it offers a human touch. Patient success stories give prospective clients a sense of what to expect from your top-quality LASIK surgeries.
Many healthcare organizations have a review solicitation process but don’t publicize reviews. Adding five-star reviews from actual patients demonstrates honesty and reliability. It’s what every patient wants in a LASIK surgeon.
Landing Pages
Outdated or poorly written content on your website is a major turn-off. Missing or hard-to-find information could be even worse. Visitors rarely become clients if they have trouble finding info about your practice or LASIK procedures.
Creating an entire page dedicated to LASIK surgery is always a good idea. Better yet, you can design a landing page for this specialty service. This will ensure that patients can easily find information and not exit your site frustrated.
A landing page is a one-stop shop for visitors looking for a laser vision correction procedure. You can link to it from social media, paid search ads, and other online marketing channels to greatly increase web traffic and boost conversion rates.
Blog Posts
Last but not least, a time-tested marketing strategy involves blogging. Writing articles for your website might seem like overkill amid other online marketing efforts, but it’s worth the investment. Blog posts help you achieve your business goals in numerous ways, including:
Increasing online reputation: Publishing content about LASIK eye surgery displays your knowledge and authority in the industry. It also helps your website climb the search engine rankings list and stand out from competitors.
Informing LASIK patients: Articles may discuss common Google search results like “What happens during LASIK surgery?” and “Can a LASIK surgeon help with improved vision?” New patients have many questions — a blog can provide answers.
Keeping your website up to date: SEO and website maintenance are ongoing processes. You won’t land at the top of the search results pages overnight or double your customer base in less than 24 hours. However, regularly updating your site with fresh content can keep you on the right track.
Does adding LASIK marketing strategies to your lengthy to-do list sound overwhelming? Don’t worry — you’re not alone.
At PracticeVIP, we specialize in reputation management and digital marketing for medical practices. Our experienced team understands the LASIK industry and can customize a plan to meet all your preferences and needs. We’ll handle the marketing so you can focus on what you do best.
Our founder and CEO, Jeff McGeary, walked into LASIK practices for years as a sales representative for Allergan Pharmaceuticals.
Accelerating growth at your practice doesn’t need to be complex or expensive. Take the information in this post and begin to implement what you’ve learned.
If you are ready to take the next step forward, please reach out for a complimentary LASIK marketing consult right here. We look forward to hearing from you!
