Word of Mouth vs. Online Advertising: Which is More Effective?

Posted on January 16, 2023

Advertising is key to getting more patients to walk through the doors of your orthodontic practice. After all, how will people know you exist if they don’t hear about you? You have to invest in orthodontic advertising. If you’re just starting, you may wonder whether word of mouth or online advertising is more worth your time. Read on to find out.

Online Advertising Helps You Reach a Larger Audience

People spend a lot of time online nowadays. To reach the majority of targeted audiences, that’s where you need to be. Word of mouth limits your client base because you depend on people your patients know. With online advertising, you can reach more people, even those with no relationship with your current loyal clientele.

Online Advertising Is More Engaging

Compared to word of mouth, online advertising is more engaging. For instance, you can use social media platforms to interact with your targeted audience. Being able to interact with patients lets you know what they like about your practice and which areas you can improve on.

Online Advertising Lets You Choose Your Target Audience

Online orthodontic advertising lets you target a specific group of people. Through the collection of data from online users, you can have ads that target people looking for orthodontic services. This makes it easier to reach many people than if you were depending on word of mouth alone.

Online Advertising Creates More Trust

While word-of-mouth advertising creates trust, people still rely heavily on online resources. According to Markets Insider, patients now depend on online resources nearly twice as much as they do referrals. A friend may suggest a particular practice to you, but you’re likely to also go online to see what other people say. That’s why you shouldn’t just depend on word of mouth to advertise your practice.

Online Advertising Allows You to Be Present at All Times

People try to find solutions to their problems when they need them most. This can be in the middle of the night or on the weekend. When patients need orthodontic services, they will go online to look for dentists or orthodontists near them. If you have an online presence, they will find you at whatever time they need your services.

It’s not just enough to advertise your practice. You also need to choose the most effective orthodontic advertising medium. Are you having trouble wondering which one is right for you? Give us a call, and let us help you put your practice out there.