Fortune Doesn’t Always Follow Fame: A Quick Case Example of Doctor/Physician Marketing Neglect

This little saga – based on a true story – is about an ophthalmologist, but we routinely hear the same tale of opportunity lost in nearly every healthcare profession. (Insert if you like: group practice, hospital physician, cardiologist, urologist, rheumatologist, dermatologist, or any–ologist.)

The lesson for doctor/physician marketing is that being good – even great – as a doctor doesn’t mean that new patients will find their way to your front door. And they are probably trying to find you.

Here’s the quick background. See if any of this applies, even a little, to you. A leading ophthalmologist that we know is widely regarded among his peers as being the best cataract surgeon in town. Professionally, he’s respected as one of the top people in his field. In fact, he’s nationally known. And when he speaks at national conferences his sessions are packed.

That’s high praise, and no doubt well deserved. But the problem is that prospective patients in his own hometown can’t find him online. He doesn’t show up in a Google search for “Littletown cataract doctor.” We tried, and as it turns out, the surgeon that a lot of people want to see is nearly invisible online. That’s lost opportunity for both the practice and for the public.

There’s a healthcare marketing diagnosis for these problems, of course, and proper Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and a well-considered marketing plan is part of the solution. This same story comes to us fairly regularly, and we’re always pleased to help anyone who doesn’t want to continue to be the best-kept secret in town.

You might want to do a reality check; being good at your work and respected by your peers doesn’t mean that the public you want to reach can find you. If you’d like help with having fortune follow fame, look for more about SEO and Medical Internet Advertising on the Healthcare Success website.