Bellyflop has been creating video content for independent opticians since 2009, and during that time, we have made hundreds of films for the sector.
In recent months we have seen considerable shifts in the marketplace.
So many businesses are now investing in their marketing with video content. Bizarrely some companies are stopping their marketing activity!
Businesses are citing a downturn in trade as their reason for cutting their spending on marketing.
A downturn in trade is precisely the reason to increase marketing efforts.
I doubt any of these businesses have considered that their downturn in business may be down to their competitors increasing their marketing activity.
5% of all Google searches are health-related. Google is a trusted resource for people worldwide to get answers to health-related questions and find providers. (Source: Google)
When it comes to marketing, social media and video content for websites and social media, we have seen how communication with clients and patients has evolved over the years.
Films and social media content has broadly developed from focussing on specialist services and the length of the Optometrists experience.
Current trends highlight exceptional frame choices and quality as more and more patients view their spectacles as fashion accessories that reflect their personalities.
The Role of Video Marketing
If you are keen to improve your bottom line as an independent optician, then video marketing is the way forward.
A video can provide a range of benefits for opticians and patients.
A video that is beneficial for clients with valuable content will often benefit the optical business as the Optometrist or Optician highlights their expertise, thus building trust and familiarity with their audience.
Video can be used to show demonstrations, e.g. effective cleaning of spectacle lenses.
This is ideal for educating and training patients to care for their lenses.
This will also highlight the practice as genuinely caring for their clients as they are supporting them to extend the lifespan of their spectacles.
Another practical use of video is to leverage online advertising to promote specific product ranges you may have in practice.
The obvious choice is the range of frames available, but this could also be used to highlight other options such as prescription ski goggles, safety glasses, sunglasses and spectacle cases.
You may choose to feature your patients providing video testimonials in your video content too.
Whichever video content you decide to make, aim to inspire your viewers to share your videos on social media.
This will help increase your reach and help your video get seen by people who may not yet be your clients who are inspired to book an appointment due to seeing your content and how friendly you seem.
How Video Marketing Benefits Independent Opticians
The video marketing field is now a competitive place for independents for many reasons.
The main one is that it works, so businesses are spending more and more on producing regular content.
There are hundreds of opticians, the majority of whom will have websites and a social media presence.
Whilst not all of them will be local competitors to you, they may still be talking to your potential customers.
We have not yet considered the rise in online spectacle retailers who flood social media with paid ads to promote their low-cost fashion eyewear.
According to the Vision Council, there was a 600% growth in prescription eyewear purchased online between 2007 and 2017, and in 2017 there was nearly $600 million spent on online eyewear.
My optician of choice is over 170 miles away from home.
I appreciate that not everyone will make that journey but, I do not feel I am unique.
Suppose the proposition is attractive enough, either in terms of range, service or personalisation.
In that case, many people are increasingly prepared to invest time in a purchase that they are likely to have to live with for the next year or two.
Building and developing an effective online presence with a comprehensive video marketing strategy can help grow the reach of your business and put you and your business out there, and help you demonstrate that you are a market leader.
43% of Millennials are likely to switch practices in the next few years. Providing a top-notch experience for this demographic is essential for your growth and patient retention. (Source: SolutionReach)
When you build your website, you should think carefully about the impression you are creating.
It should be a continuous evolution of your practice, much like your social media feeds.
At Bellyflop, we work closely with a web developer who shares our values and vision.
Instead of a one and done approach to the website with a hefty lump sum to pay for the site, our partner provides a continuous development option for a modest monthly fee.
The benefit of this is that the website evolves continuously, keeping pace with the vast amount of competition, so you are left competing with the best of the breed.
We recognise that small businesses lack purchasing power which often leaves them with tight budgets.
It means that not every marketing strategy is viable, even if the business owner has the appetite for it.
We firmly believe that video should be affordable, achievable and accessible for all businesses regardless of how big or small they are.
Why Video Marketing?
Overall, video marketing has seen increased adoption by opticians and for a good reason.
More than one in two consumers, 55%, now turn to online video channels to make purchasing decisions.
More than 95% of millennials will look for reviews before committing to a purchase, and 89% will believe whatever they read.
Consumers researching physical therapists, nursing homes, and optometrists are the most likely to use search engines. In most major healthcare verticals, over 60% of consumers run a search before scheduling an appointment. (Source: LSA)
Video marketing helps independent opticians and is by far the most effective means of communicating, engaging online.
It all starts with that great idea, but research and development cost time and money.
That may put some off who feel it’s all a little bit too much work.
Most opticians rely on traditional marketing, tried and tested and, in some cases, stale marketing techniques.
Many don’t have the budget to spend on researching new markets and ways to improve their visibility.
One of the biggest challenges is working out how to get customers to watch your video.
The duration of your content is critical to its success.
Not everyone has the time or patience to watch a 5-minute video, whether that’s on their computer or their phone.
Video is one of the best tools for communicating with your audience.
It allows you to be able to tell a story in the best way possible, whether it’s your client’s experience of buying their first-ever pair of spectacles or a patient explaining how a pair of glasses can be critical to a safe commute home, perhaps referring to anti-glare lenses specifically designed for driving.
You can communicate all of the information that your marketing/advertising needs in a way that you can’t quite get across by text or email.
Independently-owned businesses with a brand associated with trust are more likely to achieve additional business by implementing a video marketing campaign.
The cost of getting started with video has never been lower.
You are likely to have a reasonable video camera within your smartphone, which means you can start experimenting with content.
As you build your confidence and see the effect and reach of your video, it is at that point that you will begin to consider hiring a professional video production company.
When you get to that stage, we would be delighted to talk to you about your ideas and to help you share the best parts of your business online with video content.
What are you waiting for?
Please reach out to me and even schedule a call if you’d like to discuss anything I have mentioned in this blog; I’d be delighted to help.
