Marketing For Eye Care Practices: Micro-Target Your Advertising For Maximum Impact

Many independent eye care practices are spending their hard-earned dollars on marketing. But how effective is it? Recognizing that knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), impressions and click-through rates is not part of most practice owners’ core training, PECAA has collaborated with digital marketing experts to offer a turnkey, artificial intelligence-driven solution — PECAA Ads.  

Getting new patients is essential to a thriving eye care practice, but it can also be challenging. PECAA Ads automatically delivers micro-targeted digital advertising to users actively searching for eye care related topics and drives them to your website — freeing up your time to focus on patient care. Since its introduction, PECAA Ads has successfully driven a significant volume of new patients into participating practices. Early adopter, Eric White, OD, of Complete Family Vision Care in San Diego, California, found the results to be immediate and impressive, with a 20% to 25% increase in new patients every month since he started. "I'm convinced that PECAA Ads is the reason we are seeing such a large increase in new patients," he says.

Micro-targeted digital marketing offers versatile solutions for specific practice needs, moving away from mass marketing. Campaigns can focus on precise goals, such as:  

• Acquiring new patients 
• Driving patients to schedule an eye exam 
• Shifting patients to an associate doctor 
• Promoting specialties or in-office technology 
• Targeting specific local employers through geofencing 

Targeting potential patients requires a more nuanced approach than traditional marketing — that integrates both clinical and consumer perspectives. Understanding the stages of the consumer/patient journey from initial need to selecting an eye care provider can ultimately result in tailoring your messaging for the establishment of long-term patient loyalty and retention. This adaptation is crucial as the decision-making process for eye care is often driven by vision concerns, insurance coverage and the trust established with the optometrist, necessitating specialized marketing and communication strategies at each stage. 

How PECAA Ads Initiates the Process 

• Awareness: Digital advertising can be used to introduce potential patients to eye health conditions they likely aren’t familiar with, such as childhood myopia, dry eye or presbyopia. 
• Knowledge: Private practice eye care professionals build trust by educating patients about eye health conditions and issues they care about. Digital marketing helps establish this trust even before a patient visits the office. 
• Likability: Digital advertising can highlight a practice's culture or unique features, increasing its appeal and helping patients choose your practice over another. 
• Preference: The preceding steps drive potential patients to call or schedule an appointment via the website portal, selecting your practice as their chosen provider of care. This is the stage where they commit their time and/or money to your practice. 
• Commitment: The patient's commitment is reinforced when they recognize their eye health issue as a problem and view your practice as the solution. 
• Sales: This step typically concludes the in-office experience, but certain sales, such as contact lens reorders, can happen remotely. 
• Support: Patients and customers expect continued support even after the sale or exam — following up with patients is essential. 

PECAA Ads utilizes a practice-designated monthly budget for digital advertising efforts. Program participants receive a LocalEyes report, a detailed eight-page market analysis specific to their ZIP code. This customized report includes competitive local businesses, general demographics and traffic data, as well as insights into local purchasing habits. It also analyzes interest levels in specific eye care services and eyewear, offering demographic data to support practice specialties, and identifies the types of advertising effectively reaching that market. Following this, PECAA's Marketing Business Advisor, consults with the practice to review the report and determine how PECAA’s marketing and other services can best support their business goals. 

 “PECAA Ads is providing me with the peace of mind that I can continue focusing on patient care without having to spend the time or more money building an external marketing strategy."  
-Eric White, OD, Complete Family Vision Care 

Successfully tested and praised by PECAA Max members, PECAA Ads offers your practice a sophisticated, exclusive solution to precisely target new patients, increase top-line revenue and enjoy dedicated support for a customized marketing plan. To get started today, contact PECAA's Marketing Advisor — a complimentary benefit with your PECAA Max membership! Not a PECAA Max Member? Contact us to learn how PECAA can help your practice thrive.