Social media and the digital revolution have changed how companies do business and market their products and services, and this applies to chiropractors as well. Customers care about what is online; an estimated 61% of them will use the internet to research products online before they make a purchase. People use the internet to find reviews, track down addresses, find contact information, and just to learn more about a business. These same statistics also apply to the chiropractic industry. We find that focusing on three key areas can help companies build this presence and grow toward success. Blogging When people venture online, they tend to spend a significant amount of time doing research. The internet has become most people's primary source of information about everything from the latest trends to finding companies. A blog will help a chiropractor capture some of this traffic in the local market and begin to grow his or her own clientele base. To understand why blogging can be so beneficial, it is necessary' to understand the thinking behind inbound marketing. According to the inbound marketing idea, customers use the internet to learn about different industries. When they find themselves returning repeatedly to a single company, they begin to trust this company as an industry authority and believe it can best meet their needs. When the time comes for them to make a purchase, they will be much more inclined to turn to the business they already have begun to trust. A blog can help chiropractors accomplish these goals. Blogs will naturally be a display of industry knowledge, while also being a wonderful way to incorporate keywords and advertise promotions. Blog updates can attract the attention of those looking for answers related to health topics and convert them into customers. Webpage Enhancement Online marketing techniques can help encourage visitors to come to a business's web page and convince those visitors to convert into new customers. Primarily, using blogs and informative service descriptions can inform readers while also incorporating relevant keywords that will help search engines index the page and list it higher on the results page for the local area. Another area where chiropractors should focus is the usability of the website's layout. It should not be difficult for visitors to find their way around the website, especially if they are looking for an address or a contact number. The website should also be easy to read, which means using bulleted lists, headings, or a similar way to break up text and make it easy for visitors to see the purpose of the content. Chiropractors should also consider using techniques such as videos on their pages. Videos are wonderful tools that allow practitioners to speak directly to their page's visitors, give them tours of the facility, provide demonstrations of techniques, and more. They help take basic website communication and make it more personal. It also becomes easier to engage a different segment of the population because those who do not want to read a long and lengthy description now can just watch the video to get valuable information that the chiropractor wants them to know. Social Media There are numerous options for companies looking to establish a social media presence. Those who do not have as much experience on social media can easily be overwhelmed by the various options. Getting started on social media means taking the time to focus on a few key social media areas and developing these platforms fully. Google+ and Facebook tend to be great starting points for those looking to create their social media presence. Google+ Google+ is a fantastic tool for chiropractors because it ties in closely with the rest of Google's programs, including Google Maps. Google is great at locating small businesses and putting them on the maps, so bolster the existing listing by claiming the business and then linking it to the Google+ page. Chiropractors can add photos, customer reviews, service descriptions, and more to encourage customers to try the business. Facebook Nearly half of all business-to-community organizations have said that they gained a customer through Face book. The social media site helped start the entire digital trend and continues to remain the leader in the eyes of many. An estimated 80% of US social network users prefer to connect to brands through Facebook. Use Facebook to invite conversation with the community, post pictures and videos, advertise website content and coupons, and write product descriptions. Building a strong web presence can help chiropractors grow their business and interact with the community and potential clientele. Creating a successful online presence requires approaching the project from a number of different directions with the goal of getting the brand in front of customers and encouraging them to reach out and interact. Those who are ready to get started should focus on these three areas and begin building a successful online presence today. Patrick MacNamara, DC, teaches chiropractors how to successfully market their practices using the Internet, social media and email. He blogs over at http://www.nextgenerationchiropractor.com/ and is the founder of Chiropractic Marketing Websites, a full-service marketing agency for chiropractors. Learn more at http://www. chiropracticmarketingwebsites.com/.
