Two statistics to get your attention:
- 80% increase in conversion when using video on landing pages
- 64% increase in product purchases after watching a related video
A few tips:
Tell your story clearly – A clear, compelling story is essential in video. Consider your audience and how your practice solves their problems, issues, or challenges. Then make the connection between the patient’s challenge and your practice’s solution. Keep your message very short; avoid rambling. You want to address the patient’s “pain point” or primary interest, then show the solution.
Create stars – As the practice’s healthcare provider, you can certainly star in your videos. But why not let your dental hygienist explain cleanings or whitening? Let your satisfied patients tell their stories; video testimonials are very effective in marketing (just make sure patients sign a release form).
Your “stars” must be able to clearly deliver the message; that’s the only requirement. Coach them in advance to fine-tune their message, so they don’t ramble. If it’s a patient, simply ask:
- How do you feel about the procedure you had?
Keep the message simple – Outline a few points you want to make. Focus on what’s most important. Be as direct as possible. Keep the wording simple, without technical jargon. Keep other aspects simple as well, including cameras and lighting. Don’t use special effects, as they can be distracting.
Use your cell phone – Award-winning movies are being created on today’s cell phones. So your marketing videos are perfectly suited to cell phone production. The latest model cell phone will always provide the best picture, as the technology continues to improve. But very likely your current cell phone is very well suited for your videos.
Learn a few basics – You’ll find plenty of online resources to help you shoot basic videos. Amateurs can easily get access to how-to information that provides a good foundation.
Lighting and sound are vital – You don’t want overly bright or dark lighting. And your audio must be very high-quality. Before you shoot, consider how you will control these elements. If they’re not on point, your video will suffer. Your research will offer simple suggestions on best practices for both lighting and sound.
Editing is essential: While the raw video must be good quality, editing (or “post-production”) can transform it into an excellent piece.
Reasonably priced editing tools like iMovie or others are either free or reasonably priced — and work well for most basic videos. You can certainly find pricey software, but you won’t need it. Learn a few basic principles before you start editing to ensure a high-quality video.
Posting your videos: YouTube is certainly a proven and inexpensive venue; Vimeo, Wistia, Vidyard, and TikTok are also popular. Upload your video to your website; WordPress themes also have video player options for uploading videos.
Some platforms make sharing videos easier via embeds or social integration, but there are plenty of inexpensive, easy to use options available.
Start modestly, use your phone, some basic lighting, audio and editing software and distribute through one of the many inexpensive platforms and you can make video work for your healthcare practice.
