How to be Successful at Plastic Surgeon Marketing

Are you prepared for your 2021 plastic surgery marketing strategy? What strategies are you currently using to attract new patients to your practice? These days, the majority, if not all, of your marketing should take place online. This is also known as digital marketing for plastic surgeons. SEO Design Chicago can help you create a marketing strategy for your plastic surgery practice. In this article, we will outline the various digital marketing tactics you can use as part of your overall in your plastic surgeon marketing strategy, from your website, SEO, blog, testimonials, social media, paid digital ads, and more.

Why is Marketing Important for Plastic Surgeons?

The cosmetic surgery and procedure market is estimated to be worth $43.9 million by 2025, according to a report by Grand View Research. Most of these new patients will find their plastic surgeon online. That’s why it is important for you to meet your potential patients and clients when they are in the research phase of finding the right doctor for them. Today, most plastic surgery practices spend between $5,000 and $15,000 per month on their marketing services. Even if you are unable to spend that much on your own plastic surgery marketing strategy, there are a multitude of options (including free ones!) for how to market a plastic surgery practice.

What Should Your Plastic Surgery Marketing Include?

There are several elements that are each important parts of your overall plastic surgery online marketing plan. They include:

• Your website;
• Landing pages;
• A blog;
• Social media pages;
• Email marketing;
• Online advertising;
• Offline marketing;
• Reviews and testimonials from patients;
• Clinic sponsored events;
• And more.

Plastic Surgery Website

Your website is the first impression many people will receive of your practice, which is why it’s so important. It is, hands down, the best digital marketing tool available. That’s why you need a high quality, well-designed, and responsive website.

Plastic Surgery SEO

No matter how great your web design is, it won’t matter if prospective patients can’t find your site. But if you want anyone to find your website, you will need to focus on SEO. SEO is search engine optimization, and it is how you ensure that potential patients find your website and not your competitors’ on the search engine results page. Plastic surgery SEO can help your website reach the top of the search engine results page. No matter how excellent your website’s content is, it won’t matter if no one finds it. Our goal is to help your SEO improve so your site is found by potential clients in search results.

What Should be on My Plastic Surgery Website?

There are a few key elements that every plastic surgery website should have, and you may not have thought of all of them yet. Your website acts as a trust signal for potential clients, which means it needs to contain more than just basics like your contact information. For many, plastic surgery might be a big step. It is your job to educate them and make them comfortable with your practice in particular. What areas does your practice specialize in particular?

Here are a few examples of content that we recommend for all plastic surgery websites:

• Surgeon biographies;
• Landing pages for procedures and any special offers or discounts;
• Testimonials;
• Awards and accolades your clinic, practice, or doctors have received;
• Financing options, if available;
• Links to all social media pages;
• Any extra services offered or specialties; and
• A blog on plastic surgery-related topics that is updated consistently.

Plastic Surgery Blog Content

As we mentioned previously, it can greatly benefit your website to have a regularly updated blog with important information about procedures that are available for your clients. There are several reasons it is important to have a plastic surgery blog on your website. First, it helps educate your readers about procedures they might be interested in and make them feel more comfortable. A blog brands you and your practice as experts on the topics you write about, allows potential patients to familiarize themselves with you, your practice, and the procedures you offer, and to educate them about their options in regard to plastic surgery.

Second, a blog will greatly improve your website’s SEO and help attract more people to your site. On your blog, you can utilize keywords that are related to your practice and the kinds of services and procedures you offer. This will help people who are searching for those kinds of services and procedures find your website.

However, it is important that your content is written clearly for a non-doctor, surgeon, or plastic surgery expert to understand. You will need to avoid lots of medical jargon that the everyday person might not understand. Also, blogs are a lot of work to write professionally and maintain. That is where professional blog writing services come in. You don’t need to do all the hard work yourself. You can let the expert writers at SEO Design Chicago help you create fresh, new, customized content for your practice on a regular basis.

Plastic Surgery Testimonials

One of the most important marketing strategies a plastic surgery practice can include on its website is testimonials from former patients who are happy with the results of their services or procedures. A particularly effective tactic is to post patient testimonials including before-and-after visuals (photos or videos) of your patients so your potential patients can see what a procedure could do for them. If you use this tactic, try to include patients with a variety of different looks. This strategy works best if your potential client can find a patient who looks like them. They will identify most with that person. It is best to plan testimonials ahead of time with patients and take professional photos and videos in excellent lighting.

Social Media for Plastic Surgery Practices

An integral part of a plastic surgery marketing plan is social media. Social media networks give you another opportunity to reach out to and educate your potential clients. It also helps you build an audience in your particular area.

These days, everyone (including your competitors!) is on social media, so it’s necessary that you be, as well. If you don’t have the time or knowledge to put into Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, don’t worry. You always have the option of finding a company like SEO Design Chicago that specializes in social media management and outsource those duties.

Here are some ways your plastic surgery practice can utilize social media to promote yourselves:

• By promoting special offers and discounts, like for new patients;
• Providing links to blogs and other content on your website;
• Answering questions from potential clients related to plastic surgery procedures;
• Displaying your testimonials and before-and-after visuals from previous patients;
• Run surveys and contests; or
• You can use social media to even implement a targeted ad campaign.

There are also various specific ways you can use different platforms. For example, you can use Instagram to promote cosmetic healthcare products your practice sells. Or, you can use Twitter to post links to your blog and other quick announcements. Facebook is best used to invite followers to events. SnapChat, Instagram, and YouTube are all excellent platforms for videos. Videos are excellent for explaining how a particular procedure works to possible clients. However, make sure not to video any procedures themselves!

Influencers for Plastic Surgeons

A newer trend in the world of plastic surgeon marketing is influencers. Influencers are an excellent way for cosmetic surgeons to market their practice. You can provide influencers with discounted procedures or services in exchange for them sharing their experiences and their before-and-afters with their followers. Influencers have numerous followers. The best way you can utilize influencers is to find ones who are a part of the demographic in which you are targeting.

Email Marketing for Plastic Surgeons

Though some might say that email marketing is on the way out, we (and many other professional marketers) disagree. Email marketing is a classic and well-used marketing tactic for a reason: because it is effective. It is a way to stay in contact with previous clients, and to entice them into coming in for another procedure. The most important part of your email marketing is your subject line.

Paid Ads for Plastic Surgery Practices

Beyond the free digital marketing tactics, you also have the option of using paid online ads to promote your plastic surgery practice. One way you can use paid ads to promote your practice is with pay-per-click ads. The benefit of pay-per-click ads is that you can target the ideal audience for your practice.

Non-Digital Marketing Tactic for Cosmetic Surgeons

In addition to digital marketing tactics, there are also non-digital marketing tactics you can try to promote your practice, too. Here are a few examples:

Word of Mouth

The best marketing tactic of all for marketing tactics is word of mouth. The best recommendations come from prior patients who share their experiences with their friends and family, or even on their social media.

Manage your Reviews Online

Another way to market your plastic surgery practice is to stay on top of your online reviews. This strategy is referred to as reputation management in the marketing world. The more reviews your practice has, the better. It is important to make sure you have listings on all local review sites that deal with plastic surgeons in your area. This is a proven local SEO tactic. One way to obtain more reviews is to put up a sign in your office and ask patients to post a review. You can also solicit reviews from patients with a text message or email follow-up after their procedure is complete. If you ever get any negative reviews, you will need to respond to these people right away and offer to fix their issues.

Plastic Surgeon Marketing at SEO Design Chicago

If you require help with your plastic surgery marketing strategy, contact SEO Design Chicago today! We have proven experience helping plastic and cosmetic surgeons grow their practices.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plastic Surgeon Marketing

1. How much should I budget for plastic surgery marketing, and what’s the best way to allocate my marketing spend?

Most plastic surgery practices spend $5,000-$15,000 monthly on marketing, though you can start with a smaller budget and scale up. Allocate 40-50% to digital advertising (Google Ads, social media ads), 20-30% to SEO and website optimization, 15-20% to content creation and social media management, and 10-15% to reputation management and email marketing.

Start with the highest ROI activities like Google Ads for immediate leads and SEO for long-term growth. Track your cost per lead and patient acquisition cost to optimize spending across different channels.

2. What are the most important pages to include on my plastic surgery website, and how should I organize them?

Essential pages include: detailed surgeon biographies with credentials and experience, individual procedure pages for each service you offer, before-and-after photo galleries organized by procedure, patient testimonials and reviews, financing options and payment information, contact information with multiple ways to reach you, and a regularly updated blog. Organize procedures by category (facial, body, breast) with clear navigation.

Each procedure page should include detailed information, expected results, recovery time, and costs when appropriate. Make scheduling consultations easy with prominent contact forms and phone numbers.

3. How do I handle before-and-after photos legally and effectively for marketing purposes?

Always obtain written consent from patients specifically allowing use of their photos for marketing purposes before taking any pictures. Use professional photography with consistent lighting and angles to showcase results effectively. Include a diverse range of patients so potential clients can find someone who looks similar to them.

Follow HIPAA guidelines by removing any identifying information and consider using model releases for additional protection. Organize photos by procedure type and update regularly with fresh content. Avoid over-editing or filters that misrepresent actual results.

4. Which social media platforms work best for plastic surgery marketing, and what type of content should I post?

Instagram and Facebook are most effective for plastic surgery marketing due to their visual nature and targeting capabilities. Instagram works well for before-and-after photos, procedure videos, patient testimonials, and behind-the-scenes content. Facebook is ideal for educational content, patient stories, live Q&As, and community building.

Post educational content about procedures, recovery tips, skincare advice, and practice updates. Avoid graphic surgical footage but include time-lapse healing videos when appropriate. Maintain consistent posting schedules and engage authentically with followers’ questions and comments.

5. How can I improve my plastic surgery practice’s local SEO to attract patients in my area?

Optimize your Google My Business listing with accurate hours, location, contact information, and regular photo updates. Encourage satisfied patients to leave Google reviews and respond professionally to all feedback. Create location-specific content on your website mentioning your city and surrounding areas. Build local citations by listing your practice in medical directories and local business listings.

Partner with other local businesses for cross-promotion opportunities. Use location-based keywords in your website content and blog posts, such as “plastic surgeon in [city name]” or “cosmetic surgery near [area].”

6. What’s the best way to encourage patient reviews and manage negative feedback online?

Create a systematic approach for requesting reviews: ask satisfied patients in person, send follow-up emails 1-2 weeks post-procedure, and include review requests in your patient communication materials. Make the process easy by providing direct links to your Google, Yelp, and Facebook pages.

For negative reviews, respond quickly and professionally, acknowledge concerns, offer to discuss the matter privately, and show you’re committed to patient satisfaction. Never ignore negative feedback or respond defensively. Use negative reviews as opportunities to demonstrate your customer service and commitment to improvement.

7. Should I work with influencers for my plastic surgery marketing, and how do I choose the right ones?

Influencer partnerships can be effective when done strategically and ethically. Choose influencers whose audience demographics match your target patients and who have authentic engagement rates (3-6% is typical). Prioritize micro-influencers (10K-100K followers) in your local area over mega-influencers for better engagement and cost-effectiveness.

Ensure all partnerships comply with FTC disclosure requirements and medical advertising regulations. Focus on influencers who align with your practice values and can authentically share their experience. Always have clear contracts outlining expectations, timelines, and disclosure requirements.

8. How long does it take to see results from plastic surgery marketing efforts, and what metrics should I track?

Digital advertising can generate leads within days, while SEO and content marketing typically take 3-6 months for significant results. Social media growth and engagement usually improve within 1-2 months of consistent posting. Track key metrics including: website traffic and conversion rates, cost per lead and patient acquisition cost, phone calls and consultation bookings, social media engagement and follower growth, online review ratings and quantity, and search engine rankings for key procedures.

Set up Google Analytics and call tracking to measure ROI accurately. Review metrics monthly and adjust strategies based on performance data.