When it comes to promoting your acupuncture practice via the web, there are a lot of options available. Sometimes the sheer NUMBER of options is overwhelming. One common question among acupuncturists is whether or not to pay to have your acupuncture practice listed in the various online directories.
There are dozens of online directories, each of which offers you the option of being listed in their online directory for only a nominal fee. However, if you list your practice in each and every online directory, you’ll soon find you’re spending hundreds perhaps thousands of dollars just on online directory listings. Which ones do you need to list your practice in?
In order to answer this question, you first must have a basic understanding of the process your potential patients go through when they’re tying to find an acupuncturist.
So let’s begin as many online visitors do. It’s been estimated that 4 out of 5 people begin their search for goods and services using Google. So, go to Google (www.google.com) and type in “acupuncturist” in [insert your location]. Notice, you need to enter your geographic location to this search. Don’t just search “acupuncture” or “acupuncturist” because that search is too broad. If you live in North Dakota and you’re looking for an acupuncturist – you really don’t care about the acupuncturists practicing in southern Florida. If you’re seeking an acupuncturist, you’re going to type in “acupuncturist” + the geographic location. The geographic location may be a city, a county or in some cases – a state!
Here’s where you’ll find the answer to the question, “Should you pay to have your acupuncture practice listed in an online directory?”
What online directories do you see listed when you type in that combination of words into Google?
If a directory is listed on that first page – then that is probably a good place for you to advertise. If you don’t see an online directory listed on the first few pages of Google – then that is definitely a directory you can skip.
However, it’s essential that you perform this exercise for YOUR geographic area. See, when you type in other cities, towns or locations, the results will be entirely different. The “right” directory listing for a practice in Vero Beach, Florida may not be the “right” directory for a practice located in Detroit, Michigan and vice versa.
You’ll find more tips and tricks like this in the resource, Organically Grow Your Practice Using the Web. It’s a 7 week internet marketing mastery course written in down to earth language just like this to help you learn how to attract new patients to your practice through the web.
