It’s not always easy for new patients to locate you for their hearing aid needs. Medical service providers like you can run into unexpected obstacles. One of those obstacles being the hearing aid industry itself — it's seriously competitive and keeps growing.
How do you stand out in the crowd and get new patients at your clinic fast? Start marketing online. After all, it’s where your patients are looking for and finding their hearing aid providers. Still, gearing up for digital marketing can feel overwhelming. Will it work, and is it worth the investment?
It is absolutely worth it, and we’ll explain why and what digital marketing strategies work best for audiologists in this blog post.
[Related: 5 Types of Digital Marketing That Get Results For Small Businesses]
1. Get found in search results fast
You know those search engine results that say “sponsored” before the link? These are businesses that pay for ad services so that their website appears higher up on the page. And search marketing is a highly effective strategy for audiology digital marketing.
You’re immediately more visible when your hearing aid products and services pop up in those early search results. More than 16 billion searches happen every day on Google alone.
Search marketing is so effective because it’s targeted — keywords (like your audiology services) and your location come together. So, when local users search for “hearing aids near me,” your chances of earning clicks rise.
Search marketing (like Google Ads) is also a cost-effective way to catch potential patients’ eyes. You pay only when someone clicks your practice’s link — a system called pay-per-click (PPC). If you’re new to digital marketing, paid search ads for your audiology practice are a great first step!
[Related: The Complete Guide to Where You Should Advertise Online]
2. Show up naturally with search engine optimization (SEO)
It’d take us a while to fully explain how SEO works — it’s part science, part art. In short, words that people look for (keywords) direct how and where you appear in results according to search algorithms. SEO services help you align with those algorithms so that the right people find your practice more often.
Audiology SEO is crucial as a marketing strategy because it touches every part of your online presence. Unlike paid ads, SEO improves your organic (non-paid) visibility, which is huge considering that organic search drives about 60% of the world’s website traffic.
Whether you’re new or experienced in digital marketing, look into local SEO. It’s a type of SEO that (you guessed it) focuses on your area and target demographic.
Local SEO is especially valuable for hearing clinics because nearly half of all Google searches are for local services. Strong local SEO helps you appear in both map results and “near me” searches. It’s one of the best ways to bring nearby patients right to your door.
[Related: Podcast: The Importance of Small Business SEO]
3. Meet people where they spend tons of time: social media
A formal Facebook page might not be on your radar when it comes to marketing your hearing aid services, but it should be! Facebook (Meta) has more than 3 billion active users, and you can’t reach them without a social presence.
Establish your audiology practice on Meta (Facebook and Instagram), then branch out to other platforms. You get many benefits and opportunities that you otherwise wouldn’t have:
- Access a wealth of users
- Build community connections
- Show off your staff, services, and products
- Cement your reputation and trustworthiness
- Personalize how users see you and your staff
- Drive traffic to your website
It’s wise to get on Meta, verify your official audiology practice, and then spend some time on posts daily. Set aside just 30 minutes if you can — 78% of social users say your presence influences their trust.
Run social ads for a much more potent punch. Targeted social ads remind users you’re right in town and that you have the hearing aid services they want.
[Related: The Smart Business Owner's Guide to Social Media]
4. Capture potential patients’ attention with display ads
Have you ever noticed an ad on a website that happens to apply directly to your life? That’s display advertising in action. Visual ads appeal to people who may not be looking for hearing aids…yet.
Your digital marketing partner designs attractive imagery when you use display ads via Google, Meta, and/or Amazon. These show up on websites, apps, and social platforms based on many user factors, from age to interests to location. Or maybe a user has visited your audiology website but didn’t book an appointment.
All told, the data shows they’re likely to need or want audiology services, and then your hearing aid ad appears. Display ad retargeting is a gentle way to remind users you’re there and one click away. (Video ads are especially effective.)
Paired with search ads, display ads are a powerhouse for your audiology practice. You reach both groups: people who are actively looking for hearing aids and people who aren’t!
[Related: Digital Marketing Musts That Most Local Businesses Overlook]
5. Let reviews build trust for you
Nine out of 10 people check out reviews before making a purchase. They’re a major deciding factor for 75% of people searching for medical services like audiology. Your competitors may have larger marketing budgets, but positive reviews can make all the difference.
Lean on reviews for all they’re worth — start soliciting them regularly:
- Hand out physical cards requesting online reviews
- Send automated texts and emails asking patients for feedback
- Place a review form on your audiology website
- Use all-in-one review management software
- Tell patients in person that you’d appreciate a review
Once you have reviews, work with your marketing partner to post them everywhere. They’re priceless on your Google Business Profile (GBP), website, ads, and more. That’s your digital word of mouth, and you can’t get better fuel for smart, successful hearing aid marketing.
Pro tip. Respond to any negative reviews, too. People notice your professionalism.
[Related: Five Reasons Why Reputation Management is Crucial for Your Local Business]
6. Be consistent in directories and maps
Speaking of your GBP, pay close attention to your business listings — they’re not just on Google. Your practice can appear in search engines and directories, including Yelp, Yahoo, Bing, and Healthgrades. It’s critical that your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across them.
Why? Potential patients lose trust in a business, health-related or not, when your info doesn’t match up. On the practical side, you want people to be able to book appointments. Your NAP data has to be correct for them to reach you!
Do a deep dive to check whether your audiology practice has autogenerated listings. Fix any missing or mismatched info if you spot it.
It’s smart to optimize your online business profiles. They’re often your digital first impression when potential patients scroll through local search results. With that in mind, fill out all the fields available to you, from images to reviews to Q&A sections.
Pro tip. SEO specialists can make sure your listings are primed for local search, enhancing your audiology marketing. “Near me” results have a higher likelihood of showing your practice.
[Related: Why Brand Consistency Matters for Local Business Marketing]
7. Polish your website for maximum impact
The drive behind digital marketing is to convert — to turn potential patients into regular patients. It all leads to your website, the backbone of conversion.
Hearing aid marketing solutions link to your website or generate enough interest to prompt clicks to it. When users do, the site they land on should be stellar. With 75% of users judging your practice’s credibility per your website, an “it’ll do” experience doesn’t make the cut.
Your audiology website has to have certain aspects to help it convert leads:
- Mobile-friendly design
- Voice search capability
- Fast loading with smooth navigation
- NAP on every page
- Contact forms
- Reviews and testimonials
- Audiology SEO and content
That’s only the beginning. Speak with your digital marketing partner to see what else gives you an advantage. The better your website engages users, the better their user experience is. This builds trust and legitimacy, nudging casual visits toward conversions.
Your website shoulders that responsibility. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a smart site or build one yourself!
[Related: 5 Things Customers Want to See on Your Local Business Website]
Amplify your audiology practice with Hibu
Hearing aid digital marketing gets your practice real results! These strategies synchronize to increase your online presence. You can find new patients now and compete with big-name practices in the long term.
At Hibu, we’re here to help! We excel in helping medical service providers thrive, and we build our custom solutions to work together seamlessly.
When you trust us with your audiology marketing, we will partner with you to find the strategies that work best for your unique practice. Then, you leave the digital marketing to-do list to us!
Call us at 877-237-6120 or complete our short Get Started form for a free, no-obligation consultation.
