Think Seniors aren’t online? Think again…


Think Seniors aren’t online? Think again…

 

Speaking with audiology and hearing aid practice owners everyday, I often come across smart, educated and otherwise savvy owners who still think their core demographic isn’t online. Due to their beliefs that many active adults aren’t spending time online, many have put in half-hearted efforts towards their internet presence. They have a website up; that’s all that is needed, right?

Unfortunately for these owners, they couldn’t be more wrong and their delay in embracing and focusing on digital marketing could cost them hundreds of patients for years to come.

The Stats on Senior & Baby Boomer Internet Usage

According to a study published by the Pew Research Center, 54% of Americans over the age of 65 are using the internet. Seniors are also increasingly going online specifically to research health issues and medical solutions, including hearing aids. And what about those long-coveted baby boomers?

According to Pew, 77% of 50-60 years olds are using the internet.

Some are even suggesting that baby boomers are, like other generations, becoming addicted to the internet.

 

The importance of digital marketing for a hearing healthcare practice

Practice owners who have embraced SEO and Internet strategies are bringing in younger patients than their counterparts. Furthermore, they are bringing on patients with higher lifetime values (CLV or CLTV) than their peers. If you think about it, it makes sense. A new 85 year old patient acquired carries a much lower potential on future purchases than your 55 year old patient does.

 

So with this knowledge, what should an independent audiology or hearing aid practice do to compete in the digital space? The answer is clear. Practices need to spend more time, effort, focus and budget (yes, budget) on digital marketing. For these practices embracing this new reality, there are clear benefits. Unlike traditional marketing expenditures, digital marketing efforts do not disappear the next month. Once all 5,000 pieces of direct mail are sitting in recycling bins or landfills, they cease to benefit your organization. If you upload good content, build links or create a social media pages, these activities stay with the practice and continue to draw patients well after the initial investment was made.

 

Bottom line – just putting up a website is not enough. Practice owners looking to grow need to invest time and money into an ongoing digital marketing strategy.

Not pleased with the search rankings for your practice website? We can help! Contact us today to learn about how we can help your practice succeed in attracting new patients from the internet.
Call us: 1-800-269-5433