Brand awareness is vital for the success for any company, including veterinary practices. But the reality is that most practice owners and managers don’t find the time for marketing. This work demands time, money, and regular monitoring to make sure it’s yielding positive results. Multi-pronged, sophisticated marketing tactics require significant input from the management team (always in short supply). Trying to get it all right slows down the whole process. My recommendation is to focus on a limited number of channels, giving the most attention to those that complement each other and yield the best returns.

Here are what I see as the best digital marketing tips for veterinary practices. Hit some aspect of these 5 throughout your year, and you’ll be in good shape.

Search engines decide what pet owners see when they go online to find a veterinary practice in their area. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the most important part of that process. In competitive markets, there’s a first entrant advantage that veterinary practices starting on this later need to counter tactically.

But SEO can cut both ways. If the tactics are appropriate and the message is appealing, you can get fantastic results in terms of new clients. But if you’re spending a lot of money in competitive environments, graduating to a higher website ranking and showing up earlier in search results can be a very slow process. SEO should be both on page and off page.

—what appears on your individual web pages—involves posting visually attractive, quality content and ensuring that your words are pithy and free of unnecessary repetition. Great care should be given to the process of tagging. Meta tags facilitate viewing for both search engines and pet owners, and offer a favorable experience once someone clicks through to a particular page on your website. Every page should have both a title tag (preferably fewer than 55 characters) and a meta description (preferably fewer than 150 characters). Structure your website and web page headings (H1) and subheadings (H2 and so on) carefully. you don’t want too many—just enough to honestly and helpfully highlight key aspects of your brand. Internal linking should be minimal (don’t go crazy with hyperlinks to other pages on your own website), and the site needs to be mobile-friendly (which makes sure it looks good on any size tablet or smartphone).

—which includes links to and from other reputable websites—should involve plenty of backlinks, especially to reputable ones such as educational and government domains. It’s better to have a few quality links to other websites than lots of low-ranking ones. 

Does this all sound overly complicated? Well, somebody you or a talented team member or an outside consultant or an outside service—needs to think about it. It’s not as hard it sounds, but it takes a bit of time to learn and understand.

This is advertising placed in search engines (eg, Google, Bing). Every time a viewer enters the relevant keywords or search phrases, the search engine results pages show up with your ad displayed. If the viewer clicks on your ad—moving to your website—you pay a charge. There are a number of pay-per-click options for you or your marketing person to choose from. a paid search can yield faster results than organic search. These ads are flexible and can be scheduled to be turned on and off so you advertise when you want.

Social media can enhance brand awareness, but the question is which platforms should you use? you need a presence on Facebook, but it could help to survey your current clients to find out where they are. Maybe they want to hear from you on Twitter. Maybe they want to see cute pet pictures (like theirs!) on a Pinterest board or Instagram.

The great thing about social media is that these platforms have access to users’ geographic location, age, gender, and interests. That makes it easier for advertisers (like you) to target audiences, and those interactions on the platform can provide testimonials as well.

Remember, though, digging into social media and building a presence on any platform isn’t just about throwing up some ads. at least 1 team member needs to be somewhat active. This takes time and effort as well as a sensitivity to the fact that social media users get irritated with pitches. your content needs to be heavily focused on interesting facts, pictures, videos, and helpful resources, distracting users from the overall pitch that you are the best veterinary hospital in the area and they’ve just got to swing through your doors.

Email continues to be a useful direct strategy to address prospects and nurture existing clients. It’s best to schedule promotional and educational messages with specific “calls to action” you need to inspire the email reader to do something after seeing your message.

Email marketing allows for specific messages for distinct categories, tailoring your pitch to different segments of your clientele or other locals if you’re paying to use someone else’s email list. Emails also allow for “word-of-mail” cascade for the brand, just as word-of-mouth publicity does for you now.

Would it be worth it to build a multimedia public relations (PR) campaign or contract with someone to do that for you? a multimedia PR thrust under the aegis of a reputable PR organization can definitely create a high level of brand awareness. If affordability is an issue, there are tools available that allow you to run your own in-house PR campaign, and it’s likely your local competitors don’t use them yet. Popular PR software tools allow you to write a press release and share your news with reputable news websites (eg, PressCable and PrWeb), enhancing brand awareness and developing valuable backlinks to your veterinary website.

As the veterinary marketplace becomes more competitive, it’s harder and harder to ignore marketing efforts. Practice owners and managers should learn a little about digital marketing and then decide how deep to go themselves with or without outside help. But if you include these 5 items in your marketing strategy over the months and years, you’ll be way ahead of most of your local competitors for a long time to come

Naren Arulrajah is president and CEO of Ekwa Marketing, a complete internet marketing company that focuses on SEO, social media, marketing education, and online reputations for practice owners.

Articles

Want to build brand awareness and increase your patient roster? Here are the 5 things you (or an affordable marketing person) should be doing.

5 Marketing musts for every veterinary hospital 

The road to veterinary medicine is not always linear, especially for first-year veterinary student Stacey Thomas. Unlike many of her peers, she entered the profession later in life.

“It’s [been] a bit of a winding road. It’s not a straight shot in comparison to many of my classmates…this will be a second career [for me], as I am starting veterinary school at the young age of 43 after having a very exciting career in human medicine,” she explains. “I’ll be looking at 46 when I graduate, but that’s okay because I don’t feel like that’s a bad thing.”

In this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, talks with Thomas about her transition from human to animal medicine, the life-changing moment that sparked her switch, and what it’s been like starting veterinary school during a pandemic.

Thomas tells Christman that an incident back in 2008 was the driving force behind her career change. She and her partner at the time, were on their way to a New Year’s Eve party when the car in front of them hit a dog and left it for dead. Wrought with emotion, Thomas was bombarded with thoughts like, “How do I help this dog?” and “Is there someone I can call to get help for this dog?” She realized there was no ambulance for pets, so she and her partner took the dog to get care. Fortunately, the lucky pooch made a full recovery.

Soon after this life-altering event, Thomas and her partner started a nonprofit pet ambulance service. After learning animal first aid and CPR, she decided to take veterinary school prerequisite courses. Her life, however, took a few unanticipated turns, so she wasn’t able to start veterinary school until last year.

So far, Thomas says veterinary school has been both a rewarding but challenging experience. “It’s a mixed bag of everything that I thought it would be, and nothing of what I thought it would be.” She didn’t anticipate starting school in a pandemic and taking all courses and exams from home. But overall, she says it’s been a great experience. Between the copious amount of coffee she’s been drinking, the lack of sleep, and late-night studying, she’s been working on finding a balance.

Listen below to hear more about Thomas’s unconventional journey.

Podcasts

In this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Dr Adam Christman is joined by first-year veterinary student Stacey Thomas, who shares how and when she discovered her calling in veterinary medicine, and what it’s been like starting school during the pandemic.

Episode 38: From human to animal medicine: One vet student’s unique journey

Veterinary clinics dramatically shifted their protocols during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, most notably with the implementation of curbside care, according to Mary Lopez, hospital manager at Hendricks Veterinary Hospital in Boise, Idaho.

Although a 2020 survey showed that most people prefer curbside service,

Lopez says that in veterinary medicine, this sudden shift in protocols presented unique challenges. Appointment times are staggered , services are limited, and cleaning protocols have increased, resulting in more frustrated clients, she told attendees at a recent Fetch dvm360® virtual conference.

Additionally, there has been a spike in pet adoptions, significantly increasing clientele. With an ongoing shortage of veterinary staff across the nation, many clinics are struggling to meet these new demands, says Lopez.

To help improve patient care, enhance client experience, and reduce burnout and compassion fatigue among staff members, Lopez and her team made adjustments to curbside protocols.

Here are 5 strategies Lopez implemented at her clinic that you can incorporate in your practice to provide a gold standard for curbside care.

Paper forms are tedious and time consuming for clients and veterinary team members. To reduce check-in times, try converting to digital forms. At Lopez’s hospital, clients complete forms digitally using SnoutID (a pet health app) before the appointment, saving her team 30 minutes during the check-in process. SnoutID also allows clients to review payment estimates, limiting the sharing of pens and direct contact with paperwork. Other digital signature platforms include JotForm and DocuSign, says Lopez.

2. Collect medical history prior to appointment

During the pandemic, phone lines and email inboxes have been jammed, delaying communication with clients, says Lopez. To help facilitate prompt communication with pet owners, Lopez and her team decided to collect medical history before appointments, using SnoutID. This app has its own staff of veterinarians and technicians who handle data consents for records transfer, she says. The platform also helps retrieve health records throughout the United States, she adds.

Busy phone lines have made it difficult for clients to alert staff to their arrival, says Lopez. Trying to locate cars in a packed parking lot is challenging without proper labeling. “Sometimes, we would get clients that would call to check in and they would say, ‘I’m in the silver car.’ How many times have you been out and looked for silver cars? That can be a little confusing,” says Lopez.

To help standardize arrival, Lopez has clients click the “I’m here” button or send a message on the Snout ID app, and the team is immediately notified of the client’s arrival. Lopez also recommends labeling parking stalls. She says a staffer’s husband built labeled parking signs to help locate clients.

Collecting payments over the phone can present security concerns, including credit card fraud, and clients can easily dispute charges without the backup of a signature. “It was very vital that we created a secure payment system for our clients, to make their safety and ours,” says Lopez, who recommends the following secure payment options:

Use card readers like Clover or Square. Make sure you have strong Wi-Fi because you must go to your client’s vehicle.

Utilize digital invoicing systems such as PayPal, for example.

Collect payments ahead of time using an app like SnoutID.

“It’s so important to effectively communicate with your clients. You need to explain the new process to them because if you don’t communicate, it’s going to be very difficult for you and your staff,” says Lopez, adding that you should regularly update all of your communication platforms.

Be sure to send a mass email to all clients and update them once a month. You can also utilize 2-way texting to keep pet owners informed. Additionally, make sure your latest updates are pinned at the top of your social media pages. To accommodate your less tech-savvy clients, add signage to your practice door. Put up banners to let clients know you are offering curbside service, including contact information. Make the text large and use an easy-to-read font style and color.

Finally, educate your customer service representatives and your technicians about all new protocols and how to best discuss them with clients.

“Clients were anxious at first. We had to deal with a lot of emotion. So, I had to create these talking points or scripts for my team so that they have a professional way to respond to these clients,” Lopez says.

COVID-19 & the future of commerce: a look at the dramatic shifts in consumer shopping behavior. Medallia Zingle. Accessed January 19, 2021. https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/393073/2020%20Consumer%20Report/MedZing2020-Future-Of-Commerce-Report-FNL.pdf

One veterinary hospital manager shares key strategies for enhancing curbside protocols at your practice.

5 ways to establish a gold standard for curbside care 

 is proud to announce that in collaboration with DVM Project, Vets: Stay, Go, Diversify and Veterinary Careers, we have joined forces with the Association of Veterinary Students UK and the Students of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association to host our first-ever virtual global student career fair. The Big Student Careers Fair, a one-day live student-led event that will span across 3 continents, will be held on February 6, 2021.

“We couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to partner with DVM project, VSGD, and Veterinary Careers and take part in their first global virtual career fair led by students,” says president and CEO of MJH Life SciencesTM, Mike Hennessy Jr, in a 

. “This incredible event is a one-stop-shop that will help veterinary students grow their careers worldwide. It is full of leading global speakers, panelists, and networkers ready to support them in their next career chapter.”

At this exciting event, attendees will have the unique opportunity to gain crucial skills tailored toward their career and job search goals while building an international network. Additionally, this career fair will feature informative workshops, tactical and practical talks for career building, a networking happy hour session, job boards, digital swag, Q&A sessions with potential employers, and much more.

“I am honored to be speaking and inspiring out future veterinary colleagues among an enormous talent of thought leaders in the industry,” says Chief Veterinary Officer Adam Christman, DVM, MBA. “We look forward to future collaborations with our friends both domestically and internationally.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, go 

dvm360 is partnering with the Association of Veterinary Students UK and the Students of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association to host The Big Student Careers Fair.

dvm360® to host inaugural global virtual student career fair

Looking to learn the latest on veterinary cardiology, feline hyperthyroidism, or chronic kidney disease? Maybe you’re interested in making dentistry more profitable in your practice or want to know the best ways to serve your millennial clients. We’ve got you covered with 5 free 1-hour webinars coming soon to a screen near you.

All dvm360® webinars are free and offer 1 hour of RACE-approved continuing education credit. The lineup is impressive, the speakers even more so. Take a look at the offerings and register today!

Identification of inflammation and cardiac disease in everyday practice: CRP, SAA and NT-proBNP

In this webinar, veterinary clinical pathologist 

, will explain how C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) function in the body, the pathogenesis of their increased values, and how these biomarkers can be used to diagnose inflammation in the correct species. She will also discuss appropriate handling of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), critical to correct measurement and potential error due to transport. Current information on decision thresholds specific to the Bionote NT-proBNP assay will be reported. This event is sponsored by Bionote.

 Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 8:00 pm EST

20+ Ways to make your dental practice more profitable

, as he shares a host of tips for making dentistry more profitable in your veterinary practice. Bellows will review where the profession is now regarding dental fees and percentage of practice revenue, discuss how to dramatically increase the perceived value of dental services in the eyes of your clients, and explain how to properly treat all levels of periodontal disease, which affects more than 80% of dogs and cats seen in practice. This event is sponsored by Vetoquinol.

 Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 8:00 pm EST

On the border: Recognizing and confirming today’s hyperthyroid cat

, the “Pragmatic Professor,” as she discusses the various thyroid hormone tests, including the total T4, free T4, canine thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and the up-and-coming feline TSH. Using case-based examples and recent literature, Kvitko-White will discuss occult hyperthyroidism and the effect of nonthyroidal illness on thyroid diagnostics. This webinar will increase your comfort in diagnosing not just the routine, but borderline, occult, and atypical hyperthyroidism, plus hypothyroidism in cats. This event is sponsored by Zomedica.

 Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 8:00 pm EST

Catering to millennial pet owners: How to treat them, how to keep them coming back

Millennials in the US now own more pets than any other age group. To get the best from your millennial clients and capitalize on this growing market segment, veterinary clinics must understand the characteristics and motivations that drive these pet owners. Join millennial veterinarian 

as she shares her insight into the mind of the millennial pet owner by answering 3 vital questions: (1) How do millennials spend for pet health care? (2) How should you adapt your marketing and management for millennial pet owners? (3) How can you deliver the best clinic experience to your millennial clients? This event is sponsored by Servistree.

 Thursday, February 4, 2021 at 8:00 pm EST

Chronic kidney disease: Changing a terminal disease to a chronic disease

CKD is among the most common chronic diseases seen in cats (primarily) and dogs. In this webinar, 

, chief medical officer at Rx Vitamins for Pets, will explain how early intervention, using the IRIS staging system, and the use of specific supplements can help manage this common but complicated chronic disease. This event is sponsored by Rx Vitamins.

 Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 8:00 pm EST

Our webinars help you practice better veterinary medicine and run a more successful veterinary business. 

Up your game with these free webinars from dvm360®

One in 54 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While studies have long shown that companion animals, especially dogs, can help provide emotional and social support for these children and their families, little is known about the impact of cats on this population.

According to a new study published in the 

, cats may increase empathy while decreasing separation anxiety in children with ASD. These findings can potentially benefit families considering the adoption of a companion animal for their child.

“Previous research has shown parents of kids with autism are more stressed than parents of kids with any other disability,” says lead investigator and former pediatric nurse Gretchen Carlisle, in a University of Missouri 

. “If a family is considering adopting a companion animal, we want to provide the best evidence-based information possible so they can make an informed decision, and cats might be more beneficial than dogs to some families.”

To explore the impact of shelter cat adoption on children with ASD, Carlisle and her team recruited families of children with ASD between the ages of 6-14 from the MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. All families were monitored closely after adopting a cat into their home; each cat was screened for temperament to ensure they were a good fit.

According to study results, cat adoption was associated with improved empathy and reduced separation anxiety for children with ASD, along with fewer problem behaviors including externalizing, bullying and hyperactivity/Inattention. Additionally, families reported a strong bond between their child and their new cat.

“We found the main benefit of these companion animals is their unconditional acceptance,” says Carlisle. “Some children with autism may have sensory issues or be sensitive to loud noises, so a cat may be an appropriate, comforting pet for some families due to their calming presence.”

A recent study suggests that shelter cat adoption may be beneficial to both children with autism spectrum disorder and their parents. 