How to Get New Dental Patients with Retargeting Ads
Many dental practices are using pay-per-click (PPC) and other online advertising to reach new patients. But not many are leveraging retargeting to re-engage potential patients and referral partners — despite nearly limitless opportunity and significant ROI. In this blog post, we’ll share why retargeting should be part of any dental practice’s online marketing mix, and 3 easy ways to use retargeting to grow new patient volume and increase referrals for your dentist office.
But before we get into that, let’s take a closer look at retargeting — what is it, and why should dentists care?
What is Retargeting?
Retargeting — sometimes known as “remarketing” — is a type of online advertising designed to re-engage a specific audience. There are two common types of retargeting:
- Event-based retargeting — This type of retargeting relies on a “pixel” and/or “cookies” to serve ads to users who have engaged with your practice (e.g., they visited your website, or began filling out a contact form).
- List-based retargeting — This type of retargeting matches contact information (e.g., email addresses and phone numbers) with users online and serves them ads. Your dental practice must have an existing contact list in order to take advantage of list-based retargeting.
Retargeting is an option offered by all major online advertising platforms, including Google, YouTube, Facebook (and its affiliate platform, Instagram), LinkedIn, TikTok, and others. Because setting up and managing an effective retargeting campaign can be complicated, we generally recommend that an agency with experience in PPC and online ads for dentists assist with retargeting campaigns.
3 Ways to Use Retargeting for Dentists
There are many ways to leverage retargeting to re-engage potential patients, referral partners, and even current patients using retargeting ads. Here are three of our favorites:
1. Drive New Patient Appointments
Patients are picky, sometimes visiting multiple dentist websites before making a decision to book an appointment. But just because a potential patient visits your website and then leaves doesn’t mean you should give up — you can use retargeting ads to bring them back and win them over.
Here’s how it works:
When a potential patient checks out your dental practice’s website, let’s say they poke around and decide to look elsewhere. Don’t give up! With a “pixel” (a tiny piece of code hidden on your website) or by placing a “cookie,” you can follow that user around the internet and serve hyper-targeted online ads, drawing them back to your website. At DentalScapes, we find it’s most effective to develop a landing page on you website specifically for these not-yet-convinced potential patients. When a previous visitor clicks on the retargeting ad, they’ll be routed to a page full of content meant to “close the deal,” like video testimonials, Google reviews, and even a special message from the dentist.
2. Re-engage Current Patients
Have your patients “ghosted” your practice? When patients skip their regular cleanings and check-ups, or put off recommended treatment, it doesn’t just impact their overall health — it affects your practice’s profitability, as well. That’s where list-based retargeting comes into play. By uploading a list of patients into an ad platform like Google, Facebook, or TikTok, you can serve targeted ads to those specific contacts, reminding them of the importance of preventive oral health care, or letting them know about specific services like Invisalign or tooth whitening.
At DentalScapes, we call these “reactivation” campaigns, and they’re a great way to keep your existing patients engaged and coming back to your dental office again and again.
3. Cultivate New Referral Relationships with Other Dentists
Referrals from other dentists are fantastic, but good ol’ fashioned “boots on the ground” relationship-building is time-consuming — especially when you’re providing clinical care and running your practice. List-based retargeting is an effective way to introduce your practice to potential referral partners without wasting time and money you don’t have.
How does it work?
With an existing list of contact information for other dentists you’ve connected with previously, or a newly compiled list of dentists in your area, you can serve targeted online ads to potential referral partners, directing them back to your website where they can learn more. At DentalScapes, we develop customized web pages specifically for practices’ potential referral partners that introduce them to the provider, services offered, and the “personality” of the practice. With a call-to-action urging potential partners to set up a phone call or meeting, you’ll be growing your list of referring dentists in no time.
Ready to Grow Referrals for Your Dental Office?
At DentalScapes, we specialize in online referral marketing campaigns designed to grow new patient volume with referrals from current patients and other dentists. If you’re interested in driving more referrals or your dental practice, book a free strategy call and let’s see how we can help!