PT Marketing Unleashed » Physical Therapy Marketing

5 Reasons To Start A Physical Therapy Blog That Attracts Patient Referrals Than To Have A Boring Static Website

Samuel — Sat, 29 May 2010 06:09:29 +0000

If you haven’t noticed or payed any attention to the latest trends in the tech world, blogging has evolved quite a lot in the last few years. It has become a key part of Web 2.0. In fact, if you’re a super geek like me you probably are familiar with the more popular blogs like the Huffington Post, TechCrunch and Gizmodo, that have a huge user base, and are much larger than most websites. If not maybe you noticed sites in our own industry, like Advance For Physical Therapy starting to use blogs to manage more of their own content.

Why all the blog talk you ask? Well if your planning on building a website anytime soon for your physical therapy business, you may want to think about which direction you should be headed in.

With that said, I want to give you 5 reasons why you should consider starting a blog that can potentially generate patient referrals for your physical therapy practice versus having a boring static website. This can also be applied to those that have a physical therapy product and want to generate more buyers or if you have a physical therapy continuing education course and are trying to increase attendee enrollment.

So here are the 5 reasons to ditch your boring static website and get going with a new blog:

1. A blog is a more personal medium than a website: When your patients read your blog posts, they feel as if they are listening to your voice. They form a much deeper connection with you as they read more about what you write and learn more about you. The content on a static website can sometimes feel like it has no “voice”. It can come off like canned jargon with no personality. In my opinion static websites are dry, boring and can lose its appeal with your visitors.

2. Search engines like blogs: This is a known fact in the blogging community! By their very nature, blogs are updated frequently with new content, and search engines love websites with new content. Search engines, like Google, devour them like a slab of roast beef. Keep the content coming and you will have no problem having your content picked up by the major search engines.

You also have a lot of latitude about what you can write about, and can often leverage your patient’s common interests. I recently did a podcast interview with Monique Serpas, a physical therapist who blogs about injury prevention, conditions treated by physical therapists, descriptions of treatment techniques, and other helpful information mostly catering to the patients she treats in the clinic.

If you listen to the podcast, she mentions that she provides preventative tips, she references earlier blog posts she has written and uses the right keywords that is relevant to the search engines and her patients. Monique was able to do this all while providing valuable content to her readers. It’s a great combination that attracts patients and the search engines like bees to honey!

3. Interaction and community: Blogs are a lot better for interaction because they have a comments area below each post where people can leave comments. As a reader you can then respond to these comments and leave your opinion about the topic being discussed in the post. People are usually motivated to leave comments when they read something that strikes a chord with them. You as the blogger can respond to these comments and slowly build a community of loyal followers who will begin to like know and trust you based off of the interaction you have with your readers.

4. Blogging technology has come a long way: You can build a very professional looking blog with the technology that is around these days. I actually prefer using Wordpress which has many benefits over the other blog software I have come across. In fact, you can achieve all the features of a static website using a WordPress blog. I have seen a lot of websites that look like static websites but were actually built using WordPress. So if you don’t like the blog look, you can build a “static-like” site using the powerful features of WordPress and still get all the search engine benefits that comes with having a blog.

5. Repeat Visitors: If your blog content is compelling and provides value to your readers, they will come back hungry for more. This is great because it increases your traffic and gives you a higher chance of converting your reader into a patient referral, a buyer for your physical therapy product or having them become an attendee for your CEU course.

Providing quality posts and content is a recipe for repeat visitors and website traffic. It’s very hard to get repeat visitors with a static website because there is no real reason to go back and visit. The blog content, interacting through comments, and the relationship readers have with the blogger is what drives blog readers back to a site. This can be a powerful physical therapy marketing strategy and what you ultimately want to achieve if you have a blog online.

Hopefully I have given you a reason to ditch the thought of creating a static website and move towards creating a blog. As I mentioned before, a blog will help you drive a lot more traffic to your physical therapy business and this could translate into increased revenues and growth in your private practice, physical therapy product or CEU courses.

If you want to create a strong presence for your physical therapy business online, getting started with a blog is a move in the right direction. I cover a lot of how to set one up and promote it in the PT Marketing Academy. I will even host it for free! You can go here now to enroll and get started.

If you have a blog or a website for your physical therapy business and would like to share your thoughts on this topic, leave your comments below to share with everyone else.Similar Posts:

6 Reasons Why Your Physical Therapy Business Should Be In Google’s Local Business Search Directory

Samuel — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:29:38 +0000

Local search is one of the least talked about features of Google but it is one that is gaining popularity very rapidly.

Local search is catching on because search engines are getting very good in recognizing when people are searching for something locally. In most cases these local business listings are shown on top of the other search results. Do a search for “physical therapy rehab and (put your zip code)” and see for yourself which are the search results that Google will serve you on the front page. Is your physical therapy business listed there? If not keep reading on!

Local search is also catching on because of its ease of use, large number of results served, a Google map of the local listing being searched and the ability to read reviews about that local listing.

Do you remember the last time you opened up the Yellow Pages to look for a local business? Most people will tell you they are using phone books in their home as step stools to get into hard to reach areas. Everyone is using Google for search. This is a known fact. People are looking for all types of services online from haircuts to auto mechanics and of course physical therapists.

It is in your best interest to have a Google Business listing for your physical therapy business so that you appear on top when people search for such services. If done correctly, this can mean a large number of potential patient referrals, clients or customers without ever having to pay the typical cost associated with using traditional advertising .

Let me take you through six powerful benefits of listing your physical therapy business on Google’s local business search listings:

1. People are searching for your physical therapy business online: This is so basic it goes without saying but I need to say it anyway. A large percentage of searches on Google pertain to local search and out of these searches a good number of them can translate into new referrals, clients or customers for your business . If you are not present on Google’s local business search listings, you are missing out on a lot of new patient referrals, clients and customers. Think about that.

2. Results are near the top of the page: Study after study of search engine users show that they scan a triangular area which includes the area of the first result and then gradually diminishes as you go down the page. Most people never go beyond the first half of the first page. Putting your business listing into Google’s local business directory ensures that your listing will show up in the area where people have the maximum chance of noticing it.

3. Easier than getting on the first page of Google: In most cases getting a business listed in the directory and appearing on the first page for a local business search term is easier than paying high fees to an SEO consultant to have your website appear on the first page for a general search term. When you have your listing listed through Google’s local business search directory you still enjoy the benefit of a large number of views without having to go through the struggle of getting on the first page for your website and paying high fees to an SEO consultant to do it.

1. Google Provides A Map Of Your Business Location: Google will show a map of your business location to web users and even provide them with directions to get to your doorstep. Now that’s powerful! Your front office secretary can focus on coding and billing while Google handles the directions to potential new patient referrals and clients.

2. Google’s local search Listing is free: You don’t have to pay anything to get listed in Google’s business listing. There is absolutely no investment involved and the listing is working for you 24hrs a day all year long. This is a no brainer for anyone with a tight marketing budget.

3. Reach a large number of potential referrals or clients locally: The best part about this is people who engage in local search obviously have a need that has to be met. So when someone calls your physical therapy business through a Google business listing , there is a high chance that person contacting you needs your service and is ready to come through your door almost immediately.

If you take action on including your physical therapy business into Google’s local business search listings, you will enjoy the benefits of getting targeted local patient referrals and potential clients. Most importantly you will have done this simple inclusion of your physical therapy business into Google’s listings at no cost to you. This is a great marketing strategy for your physical therapy business and something you should consider doing soon.Similar Posts:

Podcast: Physical Therapist Monique Serpas Reveals How She Uses Her Blog And Social Media To Connect With Her Patients

Samuel — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:15:13 +0000

Press play to begin streaming the audio or right click the text link and choose save as or save link.

Monique Serpas is a physical therapist practicing in a general outpatient setting. She also writes for her blog called "Geaux To Physical Therapy" which serves as a platform to educate her current patients or anyone who would like to learn more about physical therapy.

She writes mostly about injury prevention, conditions treated by physical therapists, descriptions of treatment techniques, and other helpful information her patients and readers may find beneficial.

I was very excited to have found her and wanted to share her story with other PT’s who maybe considering taking the plunge into blogging and social media. Especially since blogging and social media will be one of the ways you will need to market your physical therapy business online today. Show Notes

Monique shares what encouraged her to start her blog and how she embraced the technical challenges to get it started.
We learn the benefits of her blog to her patients and her online readers that seek out her information.
Monique explains how she leveraged social media to connect more with her patients, readers, PT’s and other healthcare professionals.
We learn what impact blogging has had since she got started and the attention she is receiving in the online world and in the clinic.
Monique breaks down why blogging should be part of your marketing strategy if you want to get noticed and brand yourself in your area of expertise.
She shares her thoughts on the impact blogging and social media will have on the physical therapy profession and for PT’s who are in business for themselves.

Click Here to Download the MP3 [ 38 Minutes - 17 MB] Similar Posts:

The Benefits Of A Facebook Fan Page For Your Physical Therapy Business And How To Create One

Samuel — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:33:06 +0000

If you didn’t know already Facebook is one of the top social networks in the world. They average over half a million new members joining every single day and currently have over 400 million members. Those numbers are amazing! That is enough members to populate a country the size of the United States don’t you think? Imagine the connections that are being made on a daily basis.

Facebook has helped many people reunite with family members, old friends, colleagues, and even business associates. What’s even more interesting is that very few physical therapist are not taking advantage of Facebook’s popularity to grow their physical therapy businesses. Well that is going to change because I’m here to share with you the benefits of having a Facebook Fan page and the steps you need to do to create one today. Let me break down some interesting statistics for you about the average Facebook user:

Currently there are more than 400 million active users.
50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day.
The average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook.
More than 5 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) are shared each week.
More than 1.5 million local businesses have active Pages on Facebook.
More than 20 million people become fans of Pages each day. ( That is a lot of fans!)
Average user becomes a fan of 4 Pages each month. (One of those pages could be yours.)
Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans. (Some of those fans could be yours.)

These Facebook statistics should not be ignored. Facebook offers many ways for your physical therapy business to interact with your local online community and the best way to do it is by creating a Facebook Fan page. I will take you step by step on how to create a Facebook Fan page for your physical therapy business but first let me highlight the benefits of having one:

1. Explain You’re Business: People join your fan page because they want to know more about your physical therapy business. This is the place where you can highlight what your company is about and how it can serve them. Do this by posting quality content articles on your fan page wall that is relevant to your physical therapy business. Add photos of your staff and place of business for fans to see. Post the expertise level of your staff in specialized areas of physical therapy. Send out informative and funny physical therapy videos so fans can connect with you more. Most importantly hold discussions on your fan page to engage in conversation with your fan members.

2. Announce Events And Updates To Your Fans: One of the greatest features of fan pages is you can send updates or announce events whenever you have something planned. For example, if you are having a learning event at your clinic or announcing a new product soon to be released then you can announce it on your fan page. It is a great way of building a list of interested users for your product or potential referrals for your private practice.

3. Interaction: When your fan page reaches a critical mass of fans you will find that they are interacting with each other and giving you great feedback and word of mouth advertising. This is invaluable and although it takes a little time to build, once done it is the greatest asset you can have.

Now that you know the benefits of creating a Facebook Fan page let us look at the step by step tutorial below to create your own.

1. Visit the Facebook Fan page website and select “Create Page” http://www.facebook.com/pages/

2. Enter your business category and the name of your fan page.

3. Enter your Facebook Account Information. If you don’t have an account you will need to create a new one.

4. Congratulations! Your Facebook Fan page is created. Now it’s time to customize it.

5. Start entering information about your physical therapy business to share with your fans.

That’s about it folks. Real simple steps to create your own Facebook Fan page. If you would like more in depth training on creating and promoting your Facebook Fan page, you can enroll in the PT Marketing Academy. We have live online workshops that show you how to create and promote your Facebook Fan page for your physical therapy business. Please leave your comments below if you have any questions about this tutorial. Re-tweets on Twitter and social bookmarking are always appreciated.

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How To Select An Unforgettable Domain Name For Your Physical Therapy Business

Samuel — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:58:44 +0000

Picking a domain name is the first step to creating your online presence. It is also what you will need to tell your patients, clients, & customers how to find you on the web. In this video tutorial I will give you some tips on how to choose a domain name your patients, clients & customers will remember even when telling their friends. You can watch the video above or view the slide presentation below.

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Improve Your Online Physical Therapy Marketing By Understanding Basic Keyword Research?

Samuel — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:05:35 +0000

Keyword research is very important for marketing your physical therapy website or blog online. A lot of PT’s get websites or blogs developed and do not consider how people will find their website online. Unfortunately what ends up happening is you have a nice looking website that no one can find. So it sits abandoned in cyberspace waiting for someone to visit.

When you optimize your website or blog with keywords you have researched you make it easier for online visitors to find you through the search engines.

Let’s take a deeper look at this topic and explore it further.

What is a keyword?

A keyword is a phrase or word that readers are most likely to use when looking for a certain product or service. For example: “Atlanta pediatric physical therapy” is a keyword because it is a popular phrase that people use when they are looking for a pediatric physical therapist in Atlanta.

Keyword research is finding out words or phrases that your potential reader will use when they are searching for something on the web. These keywords or phrases are also located on website or blog content.

Keyword research is especially important if you are in a niche of physical therapy where a lot of jargon is used. People who work within an industry tend to use a lot of jargon and fill their content with that. But, people who are looking for your products or services are most likely not familiar with the industry jargon and must be using their own phrases for searching a product or service. You have to make sure your content is using keywords or phrases that will relate to the people who will be using your product or service.

For example: “Atlanta Pediatric Physical Therapy” might be the right phrase when it comes to the location and service of your pediatric physical therapy private practice but how do you know that your potential visitors are also using the same term to find you? Isn’t it more likely that parents of children needing physical therapy maybe using search terms like: “physical therapy for kids” or “physical therapy for children”? The only way to know is by doing proper keyword research for your target audience.

You are much better off doing keyword research and finding out what phrases your readers are looking for instead of guessing what they use, or even worse fill up your content with jargon. Doing keyword research helps to laser target your visitors directly to your website.

Why you should use keyword research for your website or blog?

Keyword research simply helps you speak the language of your patients, clients and customers so you are able to connect with them better. These people are trying to seek you out and the only way they can find you is if you have optimized your website or blog with the keywords they type into Google, Yahoo, or MSN.

When you do keyword research on “Atlanta pediatric physical therapy”, you will find that people are also looking for “physical therapy for kids” , “occupational therapy for kids”, “physical therapy for kids with developmental disabilities” and etc. So now you have more topics that your potential reader or visitor are looking for. This gives you the opportunity to create more content on your website or blog to draw them in.

If you don’t do this kind of research it is very difficult to know what you should write about and how your content should be framed in order to get potential patients to find your website. Connecting visitors to your website or physical therapy blog is the biggest benefit of doing keyword research and it increases the chances of having a visitor turn into a patient, client, or customer.

There is another powerful benefit of keyword research which I almost forgot to mention. That is knowing specific search terms which are more likely to bring laser targeted visitors and have your website or blog rank high in the search engine result pages. This is usually because there is no competition for these keyword terms.

Let me explain. Knowing that people are looking for “Atlanta pediatric physical therapy” is great because it is a widely used search term and a lot of people are looking for it locally in Atlanta. But because it is a popular keyword, a lot of websites are already optimized for it and you might find it difficult to rank at the top of search engine result pages for such keywords. Instead, if you know specific keywords which don’t have a lot of competition it would be easier for you to get on the top of search engine results. Examples would be “ Atlanta Orthopedic Pediatric Physical Therapy”, “Atlanta Pediatric Physical Therapy Sports Injuries”, “Atlanta Pediatric Physical Therapy Splinting And Casting”. This is also useful because if a patient is looking for something specifically and your web page is optimized for that specific keyword term, it will satisfy that web visitor doing the search and will result in a better experience for them.

These are the top reasons for you to seriously consider keyword research as an integral part of your online physical therapy marketing campaign. Think of it as serving your potential patients, clients, or customers by speaking their language.

Hopefully this post was of benefit to you. Please leave your comments below or share this post with a colleague on FaceBook or Twiiter.Similar Posts: