Marketing your vetpractice online

The why and the how

60% of people on Facebook use it to stalk their ex...

there are 5 million facebook users in

Australia

if Facebook was a country…

it would be the 5th largest in the world

the average computer user blinks seven times per minute...

less than half the normal rate of 20

Google’s AdWords revenue in 2009 was

US$23,000,000,000

that’s just under A$23 billion

you’ve got just 8 secondsto grab a reader’s attention.

otherwise they’ll…

digital is now

Agenda

• Who am I?

• Digital marketing explained

• Your Web Site

• Social Media

• The Punchline

Who am I?

• I am the only Simon Elleway on the planet

• Once upon a time, 5 years ago in the US…

• Now, digital strategist with ninety four digital

Who are you?

I’m guessing, one of three things:

1. What on earth is this all about?

2. I have a web site, and I vote

3. I give it a nudge (the online gig that is…)

Digital Marketing (DM)

DM - A text book definition

• There are other words, mine is DM– Online marketing– Social marketing– Inbound marketing

• DM is all about getting found online– What’s your Unique Selling Point?

• Interrupt Vs. digital – check it• Who found who?

DM - Benefits

• Inbound Vs. outbound

• Reduce costs with improved targeting

• Provide better response and alternative advice platforms

• Build closer relationships through a new channel

• Be available to potential customers when they need help

• Provide services outside the geographical reach of your clinic

• Increase customer billings at a lower cost per acquisition

DM - What does it comprise?

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

• What’s your Unique Selling Point?

2. Search Engine Marketing (paid search, PPC…)

3. Communications (Electronic Direct Mail {EDM}, Blog)

4. Social (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, flikr…)

DM – What does it require?

• Commitment (it won’t happen overnight…)

• Time (this is not a spare time add on)

• Money (it’s just another channel)

• Skills (DIY Vs. outsource)

• Content (it’s king)

• Responsiveness (you need a pulse)

DM – Why do it?

• Reputation? Maybe.

• Brand awareness? That’s part of it.

• Commercial success? Yes.

The online market place is not overrun with high end vet clinic web sites.

The sales funnel

Digital mucks about down here

When people search in Google - they are “giving you permission” to talk to them

Q & A

• How many of you have a web site?

• Do you attribute sales to it?

• ROI Vs. other marketing activities?

• Could it do more for your business?

DM – Do I have to do it?

• The 90%+ rule

• Your DM efforts are easy to measure

• Market profiling made easy

• ID and own your niche

• Complimentary to other methods

DM - A SERP tour

DM – Things to watch for

• Organic results

• Business listings

• Sponsored listings

• Business directory listings

• Organic result paired with paid

• Action oriented copy

• Customer commentary (UGC)

DM – A live experiment

• Vet clinic <<suburb>>

• After hours vet clinic <<suburb>>

• Emergency vet clinic <<suburb>>

• Pet medicine

• My dog is limping

Analytics

• Think

• Activate

• Review

• Repeat

Analytics

Your Website (YW)

YW – Hot or not?

• Results against trial searches

• The skin– Navigation– Copy– Functionality– Design

YW – Hot or not?

• Under the hood– Site structure (metadata – information

about information)– Analytics– Web master tools– Content management system

YW - 5 things it must have

1. A reasonably modern appearance

2. Strong call(s) to action (Contact Us)

3. Logical arrangement of minimal information (irreverent and friendly)

4. Properly defined metadata

5. Properly structured navigation and content (puppy school)

YW - Homework…

• Review your site’s visibility against logical keywords

• Check for metadata

• Check your “cached date”

• Check for Google business listing

• Check for other business listings

• Check for products, services, team member profiles,

location information

Social Media (SM)

SM - A text book definition

• Social Media is all about finding and engaging with your

customer community, in a commercially viable way, online.

It’s a cocktail party out there

SM - Business Directories

• Google business listing (Google Places)

• Yellowpages.com.au

• HotFrog.com.au

• TrueLocal.com.au

• Other vet specific directories and forums

SM - Electronic Direct Mail

• Take your current newsletter to the next level

• HTML – looks good, efficient and effective

• Real time feedback on open rates and interactions

• A note on auto-responders (immediate and scheduled

reminders)

SM - Blogging

• Own your chosen keywords

• Establish and control your reputation

• Engage your community

• Feel all warm and fuzzy

SM – The usual suspects

• Facebook (Salisbury Hwy, ParaHills)

• Twitter (limited vet clinic visibility)

• YouTube (schools and hospitals…)

• flikr

• Digg

• Etc…

The Punchline…

• As a minimum…– Get yourself a solid web site– Lock in your business directory listings

• Beyond that, choose your strategy carefully• Plan it• Up-skill and resource it• Activate• Monitor• Change and re-activate