Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Is Chiropractic Marketing with Pay-Per-Click a Waste?

By Matthew Loop DC

Every time I have a chiropractor come-up to me at one of my live events, going on and on about how great pay per click is for advertising on Yahoo and Google, I just chuckle to myself. Its common for chiropractors or other business newbies to internet marketing to get really excited about these paid mediums for marketing themselves. Just marketing on the internet feels like a huge new step to them that theyre proud of. Im not saying its impossible to have a great Google Adwords campaign, but in reality youll waste thousands of dollars on this form of marketing with absolutely no returns. So much for being a newbie!

Personally, I am known throughout the chiropractic marketing world as the social media expert, YouTube chiropractor, video marketing and social networking authority. I choose to take advantage and teach others how to mine these free websites for tons of new patients and create multiple sources of income. But, in lieu of this I have a confession.

I need to confess that for a very long time I was running pay per click marketing. I was using it, as well as starting amazing campaigns that raked-in nearly 15 new patients each month. Was this success instantaneous? No! I dished-out $10,000 on this type of marketing before I found what was really cost effective. I luckily had the money to lose that allowed me to learn these tips and tricks, but if you dont have money to loose, I say stay away from pay per click like the plague.

So, what can you do if you're trying to get the most bang for your buck in this economic crisis that we are facing? Well, I strongly feel that harnessing free mediums of chiropractic marketing and advertising first is where you should begin. One of the main reasons is because there is no financial risk, period! Another reason is because websites like YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace are in the top 8 most popular and visited websites in the world.

You are simply putting your message and your story in front of masses of targeted people. You can meet people that have the exact same interests as you along with tons of members in your local community. With a simple click of a mouse you can be spreading your chiropractic message and promoting your practice like wildfire.

In 2009, video marketing is going to completely take over the marketing world as we know it. Videos on Yahoo and Google already comprise about 50% of the material youll find online, and that number is going to increase exponentially in 2009. When you create videos that show you in your office, telling your story, giving patients a tour of your facilities, these potential patients will begin to feel that they know and trust you, even before stepping through your door.

If you want to take the same route using pay per click (PPC) then no one can stop you, but keep a close eye on how much youre spending each day and create a limit. This was the huge mistake that I made when I blew all my money 5 years ago. If you specify ahead of time that you only want to spend $20 a day, then Google will respond to that. I was spending nearly $130 a day by not setting any limits.

There are some benefits to PPC, dont get me wrong. Im not sure youll get the upwards of 30 new patients per month that some chiropractors boast, but its worth a shot if you have the money. Know ahead of time that you have to be prepared to pay $1-5 for every click. Use a term in the headline that is accessible like neck pain, as opposed to the name of your chiropractic practice. Chiropractic marketing isnt about your ego, so focus on the patient and their potential needs and concerns. This will guarantee a more significant return on your initial investment. - 16651

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