Top 9 Marketing Tactics Rehab Centers Need to Have In Place

Running an addiction rehab center comes with unique challenges, especially in the field of marketing. You have to understand what marketing means for this kind of business and the marketing tactics that will draw in more patients.

Unlike many other types of businesses, rehab centers are not focused on getting returning patients. After all, the goal is to help people recover from their addiction and continue on their recovery journey. That is why you have to be creative and find ways of marketing that will attract new patients who are interested in your programs.

Keep reading to find out what marking tactics rehab centers need to have for better reputability and a consistent flow of patients.

1. Social Media Marketing

With so much of the world being online, moving your marketing strategy into the digital world is more important than ever. Even though you are most likely trying to find local patients, your marketing strategy should still rely primarily on digital resources. One of the best examples of this is using social media marketing.

Social media platforms provide free sources of marketing that any rehab center can take advantage of. These platforms are home to millions of users and often allow you to specifically target those in your area. You can give your social media marketing a boost by posting things like:

• Success stories

• Free content

• Photos and videos

• Treatment announcements

2. Reviews

Because so many people research rehab centers online, having a credible online reputation is important. One of the best ways to have a positive online reputation is to have an abundance of positive reviews. This is easier said than done, but there are many ways you can encourage patients to leave a review, such as through an alumni program.

Once you have enough positive reviews, you can also include these on the rehab center website and post them on your social media profiles.

3. Content Marketing 

A very underlooked form of marketing for rehab centers is content marketing. Content is any kind of written material that is educational in nature or helps answer a question that a potential patient has when they go to your site.

If you are interested in content marketing, you need to have a blog established on your rehab center website where people can easily navigate to the content. This can help you show up organically in Google search results and establish yourself as an expert in the field of addiction recovery.

4. SEO

Having a website is no longer enough when it comes to marketing rehab centers. You also have to understand what search engine optimization, or SEO, means for your website.

SEO is a strategy that helps businesses rank on Google when someone is searching for specific information. It involves having keywords on your website that align with search terms people type into Google. It also includes other SEO tactics, such as backlinks, website reputability, and page speed.

Understanding SEO and using it on your website can help you naturally appear in search results, helping more potential patients find you.

5. Outreach

A great way to expand on your marketing strategy is to include outreach by working hand-in-hand with other individuals in the addiction recovery space. For instance, you can partner with community events and treatment conferences to spread awareness. You can also reach out to local physicians and therapists to put your name out there as a resource. 

Some treatment centers may also be able to direct patients to you if they do not provide the resources the patients need.

6. Alumni Program

Aside from having different treatment programs, you also need to offer an alumni program for patients. This is a program that continues to help patients on their road to recovery even after completing their treatments.

The alumni program also helps with community outreach and fostering more engagement and awareness, which provides another natural form of marketing.

7. Pay Per Click

Marketing can feel complex, but there are a few simple ways of breaking it down. One marketing tactic all rehab centers should use is pay-per-click advertising. This is a form of advertising that shows up as an ad that people can click on to be redirected to a landing page. The main benefit of this kind of advertising is that you only pay when someone clicks on the ad.

Pay-per-click advertising is very accessible for all kinds of rehab facilities and offers a more affordable option. It can also help you to gain better awareness online if you want to reach those outside your local community.

8. Landing Pages

Having a professional website is incredibly important for rehab centers, but you also need to focus on the individual pages. Landing pages are specifically designed to provide a solution to the patient’s problem and direct them to something you are offering. This takes the guesswork out of the deciding process and showcases why your center provides everything they need.

Landing pages are also very important if you use pay-per-click advertising or want to direct potential patients from your social media platforms.

9. Email Marketing

Something often overlooked in terms of marketing is using email. Although this is an older form of marketing, it is still very prevalent and useful for rehab centers. Things like monthly newsletters and email marketing campaigns are affordable and provide a trustworthy way of advertising.

Email marketing also helps you to establish a community as you build an email list. It is a great way of keeping in touch with past patients or giving updates about new and improved treatment options or discounts.

Conclusion

Rehab centers need to have a stronger focus on marketing, especially since the competition has become so great. With so many resources online, this has completely changed how marketing is done and opened up the door for more opportunities.