If your practice is looking for new patients, or trying to win back inactive ones, a marketing tactic that might work for you is retargeting. Retargeting is the practice of showing ads across the web to users after they have been to and left your web site.

Statistics indicate that 98% of the visitors to your site will leave without doing anything. They won’t book a new appointment or reschedule. However, with Facebook and Google retargeting, you can grab 17-27% of them back.

Second Exposure

So in the case of Facebook, say a potential customer navigates to your site, reads a little but then navigates away to another site. Eventually they wind up on Facebook, and while there, they will see an ad for your practice in the sidebar. This happens because you put a little bit of Facebook code on your site so that it knows when someone visits. When they come to Facebook, an appropriate ad is displayed. A good tactic is to format the ad in such a way that it reminds them who you are and to schedule an appointment and come back. These ads are effective because you know a user has expressed interest in your practice already by visiting your site. Your ad will—at a minimum—be a second exposure to your practice.

This is in contrast to ads on the radio, TV or print that will go out to everybody. Retargeting is highly focused on consumers that are already introduced to what you have to offer, which is evident since they have already visited your website. This beats even traditional banner ads, which are shown to everyone as well.

How It Works

Even if you aren’t a programmer, the idea behind the code is simple to understand. Facebook calls the code a “pixel.” There is an audience pixel and a conversion pixel. The audience pixel is a little bit of code that goes on your website. This code allows Facebook to track viewers of your website, using that information to then show them your ad. The conversion pixel allows you to track the specific action of a user such as clicking on your ad then scheduling an appointment.

To make this work, you of course need to get the patient to your website in the first place. That means having engaging content and a useful site for them to visit. It means all the hard work of guest posts, social media, email outreach and networking. Retargeting gives you a second chance to convert them to a customer or get them to subscribe to your email list. It also increases your chances of getting greater patient retention, higher average case fees, easier patient acquisition, and ultimately higher return on investment (ROI).

To get the most out of your dental marketing strategy, retargeting needs to be part of your arsenal. If you are already using retargeting as an advertising tactic, consider spending even more in this area. It’s a great way to get a second chance at winning new patients and winning back inactive patients, which will be healthy for your bottom line.