When you’re marketing your ophthalmology practice, connection is key. And one medium outranks the others in building trust and credibility: video.
One advantage that local practices have over other types of businesses is that they’re hyper local. You don’t need to outrank a practice three states over on Google, because your potential clients won’t be looking there. You just need to set yourself apart from the other options in your area.
But what you do need to focus on is authenticity, authority, and building a relationship with your audience - all of which video does really well.
Why focus on video in ophthalmology?
When you’re trying to promote your ophthalmology practice, your goal should be more about becoming a local authority than trying to put together a flashy marketing plan. Authenticity - and visibility - is key.
The best marketing plan for your practice is one that you can keep up with. Creating videos to share might sound intimidating, especially if you’re taking a DIY approach. The good news is that people respond well to more casual, relaxed videos. If you have a smartphone that takes decent video, then you have what you need to film and post marketing videos.
Video is also a great way to break down topics that might be more challenging to convey in something like a blog post. For example, think about the discussions you have with patients every day. What are their concerns? Which questions come up over and over again? Those are great places to start.
If you share a casual video about something like what to expect from a LASIK procedure, you’ll present yourself as a local authority while answering the questions that you know potential clients will have.
Getting started with video
Video production can be as simple or elaborate as you want for your practice, but it can be done successfully at pretty much any budget. However, it’s not enough to just film some videos and post them to your Facebook page. That can work, but you’ll need a plan to really maximize your marketing.
Creating videos does take some planning and strategy to get the most out of your efforts. Working with an agency partner can help you figure out what kind of videos your audience will love, and when and how you should share them.
Types of video production
A quick scroll through TikTok or Instagram proves that video production does not need to be polished to be effective. A video taken from your phone absolutely has its place, because it feels approachable. You can create simple videos that are funny, helpful, or instructional, as long as they fit into your overall branding.
But if you do opt for more casual video, that doesn’t mean you’re stuck there. Premium, high quality video is a great option for spotlighting your practice or patient testimonials. A mix can be a good thing, because one type of production level won’t work for every video you might want to use.
The bottom line
Video marketing is an excellent way to build trust and expand your ophthalmology practice. But it’s just any other marketing plan you might want to put into place: it requires planning, consistency and an awareness of what your patients need. A marketing agency can help you build a marketing and video strategy that will have the maximum impact for your practice.
