Digital marketing is a key tool for opticians and eye care professionals to reach potential customers and stay ahead of the competition. With over 5 billion people online in 2023, you have access to an incredible number of consumers—use it!
While traditional marketing still has its place, online marketing provides added accuracy and detailed analytics to ensure your efforts are being used efficiently. With so many users online at all hours, digital marketing means it’s easier than ever to be in the right place at the right time.
Why Market Your Business Online?
Whether you’re a family-run, local optical boutique or a larger practice that’s growing, online marketing tactics give you an opportunity to compete with the big guys. Perhaps the most significant benefit of online marketing is that it’s dynamic and versatile—you can reach people in any place, change your ads whenever you like, and invest as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.
What You Miss Without Online Marketing
Digital advertising offers the benefits of detailed analytics. This gives you information about who is seeing your ads and how often they’re leading people to your website, opening a well of information that traditional print ads can’t give you. With analytics at your fingertips, you can easily track how well your ads are doing, what kind of return you’re getting, and adjust your approach as needed.
The Basics of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing usually begins with a website. You have a physical address where people can find you—think of your website as your cyber location. This is the first point of contact for many, so having a professional, easy-to-navigate website that your customers can trust is essential.
On average, your audience will make a judgment about your website within the first second of viewing. That means good design is important, and so is high-quality content. Your website should act as a resource for your customers—whether you’re selling glasses and contacts online or simply sharing basic information about your business, your website should offer something valuable to your target audience.
Once you have a website you love, you can start working on marketing strategies to make your website visible, drive traffic, and share what makes you stand out.
Opportunities for Online Marketing
One of the best things about digital marketing is that there are many ways to do it. You can promote your business through a variety of strategies, including content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) ads and more.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is the process of creating and sharing content to engage with potential customers, build relationships, establish authority and drive traffic. The content you create could be a blog (like this one!) that provides value to your customers by sharing useful info, an email campaign or even the copy on your website.
SEO
SEO is the process of optimizing a website to improve its rankings in search engine results pages. Techniques like keyword research, content optimization, link building and technical optimization can be used to boost visibility and organic traffic from search engines. SEO can help level the playing field for businesses of all sizes, as anyone can use it to compete and potentially reach the top spot on Google when someone searches for their product or service.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is a great way to promote your products, reach potential customers and foster brand loyalty. It involves creating visual content that resonates with users, but it’s also a great place to use targeted advertising campaigns. With platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, you have the opportunity to reach a wider audience and build relationships with your customers.
PPC Ads
With PPC advertising, you can bid on keywords relevant to your industry and target potential customers actively searching for them. When the keyword is clicked, you pay for the click—hence the name. This cost-effective marketing tool helps drive targeted traffic to pages on your site, which can be tracked with analytic tools like Google Ads.
Progress Over Perfection
If you’re only just beginning your foray into digital marketing, the options may seem overwhelming. No matter where you’re at on your marketing journey, remember that choosing the perfect strategy is impossible, so prioritize taking the first step.
Even making small changes, such as creating or refreshing your website, can make a big difference. There are plenty of online resources and agencies that can help you understand the various marketing strategies available, so don’t be afraid to explore your options. With some simple campaigns and tactics, you can help your business stand out from the competition.
Written by Tyra Rexin