In the Digital Age, how effective is dental newspaper advertising? It’s common knowledge newspaper publishers worldwide are attempting to adapt to online publishing as their paper circulation subscription bases continue to shrink. Thus, it begs the question: Should you invest your advertising dollars in dentist newspaper ads? The short answer is ‘yes’.

For starters, print advertising and marketing are not dead. Far from it. Digital marketing is incredibly important to your overall marketing strategy, but just as television didn’t kill the radio, the internet has not rendered print media obsolete. In fact, according to a neuroscience study sponsored by Canada Post that looked at how the human brain retains information when consuming electronic versus paper-based media, paper-based content, ads, and direct mail are more memorable.

Statistics show printed dental ads and direct mail content marketing helps dental practices grow their patient rosters, and differentiate their services from the competition.

Whether placing a dental ad in a newspaper or magazine, initiating a direct mail campaign, or publishing a monthly newsletter, print marketing resonates with people. With most dental offices focused strictly on digital media options, committing some of your budget to print collateral and ads is a wise move.

While it’s highly recommended you consider aligning your practice with an experienced dental marketing agency, if you’re going to contact a publisher on your own to place an ad, we recommend you bear these important points in mind:

• Advertise in the right paper. What newspapers do the majority of your patients tend to read in your community? Survey them to find out and start reading them yourself.
• Advertise on the right page. As it is in real estate, it is in newspaper advertising: location is everything. Don’t allow your ad to be buried on the bottom of page 26 where no one will see it.
• Craft a compelling message. Writing compelling content that will speak to both your existing and prospective patients is hard work. Keep your messaging focused, concise, and think about your audience.
• Place more than one ad. One-hit wonders are only memorable in the music business. To realize a worthwhile return-on-investment, advertise consistently, and use a call-tracking number to monitor results. Amplify your tracing with a call-scoring service to ensure your dental office team is converting all incoming patient calls into appointments.

Need professional assistance marketing your dental practice? We can help. For more than 23 years, Patient NEWS has specialized in representing, promoting, and marketing dental offices across the U.S. and Canada. Find out why thousands of dentists rely on our services. Call us now at 1-888-377-2404 or request a callback.