Common sense dictates that the right images for dental marketing should be of high quality and should be consistent with the brand. And yet, many dentists still fail at choosing the proper images for their marketing strategies. Why is that?
The dental profession is a local business. This means that they rely heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations. They let the quality of their service speaks for itself. When they provide good service to their patients, they think it is natural for their patients to recommend them to their friends and family.
But the marketing world has changed over the past decade. No longer are dentists a local profession. It has become global, too. Patients can now consult with dentists over the phone and on the internet. Dentists are allowed to give basic dental diagnostics to patients. And they do this as part of the overall marketing strategy of their dental practice.
Before reaching this point, however, these dentists wrote blog posts, signed up for social media accounts, published photos and videos, and engaged with their clients. It’s a different kind of industry out there and without knowing the proper way to market your dental profession, you will be left eating dust.
Create Your Own Photos
This cannot be highlighted enough. As much as possible, if you have the budget and the skills, create your pool of photos. Instead of paying for premium memberships to access stock photos and look like any other website, organize a shoot and save as many photos and videos you can. You can use these in the future to create more impact with your blog posts.
Maximize User Content
So okay, you don’t have the budget for an actual shoot, but you do have patients who have taken photos of themselves before and after the dental procedure? You can use these photos on your website and blog site as long as the patients gave their permissions. You can offer to give them discounts on their next appointment if they allow you to use their images.
Use Crowdsourced Media
If you neither have access to stock photos and original images, you can use crowdsourcing. Think of it this way: others use crowdsourcing to raise funds for a variety of reasons. Why not use crowdsourcing for your dental marketing? The crowdsourced photos and videos don’t necessarily have to come from your patients.
The images can be of students, aspiring models, friends, and children who had their first teeth show up. If the owners will allow you to use their photos for your marketing materials, then it’s a win-win situation. They get the exposure they want while you get your content for free (or for a minimal fee).