Learn Web marketing

Sep 28, 2008

Editor's note: Helaine Smith's column, The Mouth Physician, appears regularly on the DrBicuspid.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion.

When I attend dental conferences, much of the talk is on social media and online marketing. Many of my dental colleagues are just waking up to the power of marketing yourself on the Web.

Over two and half years ago, I read an article about search engine optimization (SEO). I knew nothing about SEO, but I did know I wasn't getting the traffic I knew I could get. So I hired an SEO marketing specialist and in the past two years have ended up developing YouTube videos, redesigning my Web site, starting an e-newsletter, and writing articles plus another e-book, which is in progress.

The cost has more than paid for itself -- which you can read about in this Forbes article, "Try These Innovative Marketing Techniques," by Maureen Farrell.

In it, Farrell talks about tactics small businesses can use to market themselves -- and one of them is using an e-book to spread your message, which is what I did with my Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex! e-book.

More importantly, however, I've become quite knowledgeable about online marketing and now read books like David Meerman Scott's The New Rules of Marketing and PR and articles I find in Investor's Business Daily and other publications.

Becoming knowledgeable about online marketing has also had an unexpected result: when I attend dental conferences now, I often know more than the presenters touting their marketing expertise -- much of which is dated. And, I've found that many dentists still carry a misunderstanding about the Web and SEO and are hesitant to embrace social media.

So here is my advice: learn about Web marketing and social media from marketing experts who work with many types of companies, not the "experts" in the dental industry. Take some chances, spend some money, and develop a name for yourself online. Yes, it does take time and effort, but the result is definitely worth it.

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.