You could pay hundreds or maybe thousands a month on dental billboards. But do they bring in patients? If not, there may be a better way through digital marketing.
Before you spend one more cent on billboard ads for your dental practice, give Dental Marketing Guy a call.
Justin and his team have a remarkable aptitude for understanding what it takes to market a dental practice online. We have really been impressed by his expertise in the field and delivery of top notch services without the pressure to buy expensive, hard to understand marketing tools. Justin is extremely responsive and insightful when it comes to revamping a business. We appreciate his willingness to help us navigate the transfer of our website and to quickly build a new one. The analytics Justin offers along with his time gives us extreme confidence in our decision to work with him. Highly recommend scheduling a free consult with him!
Modern dental marketing has changed faster than many dentists expected. Digital platforms now dominate attention.
Many practices still consider billboards due to habit or tradition. This article explores whether dental billboards still justify their cost.
It compares billboards, traditional advertising, and digital marketing. The goal is clarity, balance, and practical guidance for every dental practice.
Dental billboards once defined local dental advertising. Billboards promised instant visibility and broad exposure. Many advertisers believed repetition created familiarity.
That belief shaped decades of dental practice promotion.
Every dental practice wants consistent visibility. Dental billboards offer visibility tied to location and traffic patterns. But this visibility lacks precision.
Imagine yourself speeding down a highway when you spot a billboard advertising a practice specializing root canals or extractions?
Certainly the location of this advertising seems perfect. The practice's advertisement is located on a high volume thoroughfare with plenty of traffic.
But the advertisers spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month for these billboards face significant challenges.
What are the odds a motorist speeding down that highway will have need of those services at the moment they see that random billboard flying by?
Billboards still exist. Yet advertising expectations today feel very different.
Dental practices advertising their brand on billboards cannot control who sees their advertisement - or when.
Think about the motorist speeding down the highway past a billboard advertising a practice's root canal prowess.
A month or a year later when they get a hot tooth, they will never remember a web address or a phone number from that advertisement.
And even if they manage to recall the practice's brand, they will need to go to their computer or phone to research more details. By contrast, digital marketing offers targeted visibility.
Find a digital marketing partner to create and optimize your business website. You will save yourself the cost and production required for billboard advertising.
Revenue growth depends on marketing performance. Dental billboards involve high fixed costs. Billboard production usually involves printing your design on durable vinyl.
This vinyl then gets mounted on steel frames anchored with concrete footers. Even with the introduction of large scale printers and digital display, this remains a major undertaking.
The whole production process may take 2 to 4 weeks. Compare that to setting up a digital advertising campaign in an afternoon. It can also cost substantially less.
Digital marketing scales with budget. Practices can pay and adjust constantly. That flexibility protects revenue during slow periods.
It seems obvious advertising habits have changed. Consumers now research before choosing dentists. Practices now demand clearer performance data. Google Ads fill that need.
Google Ads change how dentists reach potential patients. Dental billboards display one message repeatedly. Google Ads adapt messaging based on search intent.
When parents research a dentist for their kids, ads from the nearest pediatric practice should appear. And the dentist's business website should also appear in organic search.
In this way, Google Ads respond to life. They keep your team top of mind when patents most need their help. Ads appear when users actively seek care. That timing improves effectiveness.
Many dentists now favor Google Ads for control and tracking.
Dental services vary widely across dentistry. Billboards struggle to explain services clearly. A short message limits detail.
Websites explain dental services fully. Digital marketing supports service pages and educational content. Patients understand offerings before calling an office.
Use your dental website to build your brand. Create pages to introduce members of your team. Use it as a way to express treatment philosophy or services that set your practice apart.
Finally, a website offers a great place to add a new patient sign up form. This shortens intake time during that initial appointment.
Organic traffic supports long term marketing success. Dental billboards do not generate organic traffic. SEO builds organic traffic steadily. Websites optimized for search grow visibility daily.
This approach benefits practices consistently. It allows your team to develop a process to respond to each new referral. It avoids the challenges a company faces from sporadic growth.
Online advertising campaigns supplement SEO efforts. This marketing approach brings you to the attention of patients at the moment they need your services.
It creates a personal connection that will make patients more likely to contact you when they do find your practice.
Marketing requires balance and focus. Dental billboards represent traditional marketing. Digital marketing provides measurable outcomes. Practices often blend approaches.
That blend must respect budget and goals. Marketing decisions should follow data.
Billboard advertising may provide some brand recognition. But it also represents higher advertising costs and a lengthy production cycle. And results remain hard to quantify.
Contact the Dental Marketing Guy to learn how digital advertising and SEO can change your business and take your dental practice to the next level.
Justin is an expert amongst experts. Super knowledgeable and always willing to share his knowledge. I run our practice and and am very tech and marketing savvy so I’m pretty good at vetting the “experts”. Justin is the guy I respect the most when it comes to SEO. The other thing about him is that he always gives more than he gets so no matter what the cost the value he provides is greater. There was a time when we were 4th in the maps 3pack and so not visible. He gave me one tip that instantly got us on the 3pack. That one tip proved invaluable for our business and since then I’m a fan!!
New patients drive practice growth. Dental billboards may spark curiosity. But they rarely drive immediate action. Digital marketing attracts new patients with urgency.
Whether its parents trying to find a pediatric practice for their kids or someone with a toothache in urgent need of relief makes no difference.
Making sure your practice pops up in search when patients need you remains of greatest importance. Search and digital ads reach patients seeking appointments now. That makes all the difference.
A website anchors digital marketing. Sure, dental billboards can promote a website address. But few consumers can recall a web address they saw while driving. Digital ads link directly to a website.
The connection improves engagement and conversions. Websites support testimonials and video too. This gives you or a satisfied customer the option of speaking directly to potential new patients.
Just make and post a video of yourself or of a patient (with permission) communicating the benefits of your practice.
Print advertising shares some of the same limitations as billboards. For example, print lacks the targeting and feedback that set digital advertising and SEO apart.
Certainly newspapers and magazines offer data from surveys on audience behavior. And businesses like dental practices can measure new patient or customer growth during advertising campaigns.
But print cannot replicate the real time analytics possible with digital marketing. With digital, clicks, impressions and other actions can be easily tracked.
Audiences have also changed their preferences. Media consumption has shifted online. Consumers now scroll rather than flip pages.
Print still appeals to some demographics. However, its effectiveness continues to decline
Leads matter for growth. But dental billboards rarely generate clear leads. Tracking remains elusive. Where as digital tools track leads precisely. Google Ads report calls, forms, and clicks.
This allows practices to assess cost per lead easily. Clear communication of value explains the growing popularity of digital marketing with dental practices.
And, of course, as audiences spend more and more time online, this becomes the best place to connect with potential patients.
Facebook and other social media platforms also offer targeting that billboards cannot match. Dental billboards show one message. Facebook allows segmentation by age and location.
Dentists create engaging posts and video. This approach builds brand familiarity and trust. Parents seeking a pediatric dentist see posts and videos of smiling kids with your team.
Patients nervous about dental visits see content related to sedation and the empathetic care your staff provides.
Search behavior defines modern consumer habits. Patients search before choosing dentists. With proper optimization, your dental practice then appears in search results.
Billboards cannot respond to patient behavior. They only expose your practice to potential patients in a very passive way while they speed by on the highway.
Google reveals your practice in search results at the moment a patient is seeking your services. That visibility outperforms passive exposure any day.
Media habits continue to evolve. Consumers spend hours on their phones daily. So it makes sense you should engage them there.
Billboards compete briefly for attention as motorists speed by them on the highway. While digital media allows repeated engagement. Marketing messages reach patients multiple times online.
So digital advertising and marketing wins out on two levels. First, ads and content provide a much greater saturation of your target audience.
But second, they also reach your potential customer at the precise time they plan to make a decision.
When making investment decisions, take the time to assess which options seem to offer the best ROI for your business.
Dental billboards demand long contracts. And they cost hundreds or thousands of dollars a month based on location.
Because of lengthy production times of 2 to 4 weeks, tweaking messages based on results becomes impractical. And this presumes you possess the analytics data necessary to know you need to change.
By contrast, digital marketing allows short tests - and the real time analytics to know how your campaign is working.
Practices assess effectiveness quickly. They change course rapidly with campaigns to find a successful approach. That flexibility reduces risk. Investment choices should reflect this.
Effectiveness depends on goals. Dental billboards can support brand awareness. But they rarely drive measurable growth alone. Digital marketing delivers consistent performance.
The right digital marketing partner can help you build your visibility online. This starts with creation of a website featuring your dental practices. A good website should also introduce your team.
A good SEO and digital advertising campaign ensures potential patients will find your website and practice when they need it.
Most importantly, an effective digital marketing campaign scales with your budget to meet your goals. SEO builds organic traffic over time. Practices expand reach predictably.
Contact the Dental Marketing Guy for more on how digital marketing can provide an excellent replacement for more costly traditional alternatives.
Justin is fantastic. I've worked with him in the past and he's been able to help me with a few issues I had with my web site (built by someone else.) Very quick to respond and easy to work with, and he knows this industry probably better than anyone else I've ever met. I'm looking forward to my new site with him.
Focus on digital ads that capture high intent. Search engine ads, like Google Ads, work best. They target people who need a dentist now. Social media ads build brand awareness.
Specifically you should target audiences based on needs. Video ads showcase your friendly office and staff. Use retargeting to remind visitors to book. And always track which ads lead to new patients.
Digital ads offer superior targeting and tracking. You reach your precise audience instantly. You also easily measure every dollar spent. Traditional ads, like print or radio, are far less precise.
They often cover a large, general area. Their results are much harder to track. And digital ads offer flexible, real-time adjustments.
Patient testimonials build immense trust. Feature them prominently on your website. Use video testimonials for greater impact. And share review snippets on social media.
Always link back to your full review profiles. Testimonials prove your quality service. Focus on reviews that mention specific treatments.
Target parents directly with your ads. Emphasize a friendly, gentle environment. Promote first-visit specials for children. And use images of happy, smiling young patients.
Highlight services like sealants and fluoride. Partner with local schools and parent groups. And above all show that your office makes dental visits fun.
Define your unique selling proposition. And focus on a specific specialty like implants. Highlight exceptional patient amenities. Then emphasize your years of experience.
Show off your advanced technology. But also share personal stories about your team. Offer flexible hours or payment plans. Finally, clearly communicate what makes you different.
Launch a strong local SEO campaign. Create a compelling new patient offer. Build partnerships with non-competing businesses. And run targeted Google Ads in your local area.
You should actively collect and promote early reviews. Also think about hosting an open house or community event. Focus on excellent patient experience from day one.
Dentists should look for partners with proven dental experience. Check their case studies and success metrics. And make sure they understand healthcare compliance.
Look for marketers who specialize in local search and PPC. And choose a partner who offers transparent reporting. This is absolutely imperative!
Ask for their patient acquisition cost goals. This will tell you what you need to budget to reach your business targets. And select a firm that aligns with your practice values.
Customers' needs vary. But certainly, they want to know your quality of care. They seek clarity on accepted insurance plans. And they will want to check your professional credentials.
Patients want to see your actual pricing options. So be as transparent as possible here. They look for reviews about your staff and atmosphere. They need to know if you offer emergency service.
Provide all this information clearly online. It will give your website and practice more appeal than competitors who don't provide these details.
Dental billboards still exist in dentistry for a reason. They can supplement awareness in specific locations. However, their benefits remain limited.
Modern marketing prioritizes intent, data, and performance. Google Ads, SEO, and Facebook deliver better targeting. Websites convert visitors into patients efficiently.
Billboards struggle to compete with digital tools. The truth seems obvious for many dentists. Digital marketing now defines success.
Dental billboards may assist branding occasionally. But they should never replace focused digital investment.
Justin & his team took me from stone age to warp speed with a website refresh and SEO package. If you are a dental office that has dealt with prior SEO service companies, then you know all the pitfalls and lack of accountability. Dental Marketing Guy is different. Justin outlines what he will or can achieve and then does it.
Thank you for your support and help Justin, glad I took the step!
Are you watching hundreds or thousands of dollars fly out of your practice each month for billboards that return no patients? Contact the Dental Marketing Guy for a better strategy today.
