Advertising your independent pharmacy is an ongoing task that can feel monotonous and exhausting. Some things draw people in, and some don’t. Plus, while you know it’s important for your pharmacy, you may not know where to start.
Promoting your pharmacy through more traditional channels can reach some people; however, nowadays it’s best to go the digital route. Digital marketing offers targeting opportunities and increased reach. You can advertise on websites, mobile apps, and even social media networks. When your pharmacy stands out, you have a unique selling point, such as cost, convenience, or specialty services or products.
If you’re interested in advertising your pharmacy more effectively this year, give some of these advertising ideas a try:
Update Your Website
How up to date is your pharmacy website? If you haven’t updated it in the past two years, it’s time to make some changes. Your website is crucial for search engine optimization (SEO) along with helping people find you online as well as your digital marketing campaigns. You can boost your website traffic a lot by creating great social-media campaigns. However, if you want those campaigns to convert traffic into customers, your website needs to have all the perks and the foundation that will bring you success.
Ready to convert your pharmacy’s website? Here are some great tips to help you:
- Your audience is your first priority, so think about how you can set up webpages to answer any and all questions they may have.
- If you don’t have strong call-to-action buttons on your current site, now is the time to add them. Be sure you have them in the proper places, such as an easy-to-see “Contact Us” button on your home page.
- Customer testimonials and reviews are vital information your website should have in more than one location. Display them around your site.
Update Your Directory Listings
Is your pharmacy on Google My Business? If not, Google My Business is an important part of local search engine optimization (SEO). It offers brick-and-mortar businesses a free online profile to help in attracting local foot traffic. Anyone looking for local pharmacies will be able to find you. Be sure to encourage patients to write a review about your pharmacy on Google. That way their referrals will show up on your profile.
Google isn’t the only directory for local businesses. There are hundreds of other options, including Bing, Yahoo, Facebook, and business listing sites like Better Business Bureau and YellowPages. You should add your pharmacy to as many as possible. Also, there are sites like Yext and Moz Local that can help manage and update your listings in all major directories from a single platform. This means the more directories you show up on (especially those that are high-traffic directories), the more your local SEO will improve.
Be sure to include the following items in your listing:
- Business name and logo
- Location and contact information
- Hours of operation
- Website
- Products and services
- Storefront photo
It’s important to keep your pharmacy’s information consistent across all platforms. Check and update your listings regularly, especially if there’s a change in your hours or you have special offerings.
Advertise on Social Media
If your pharmacy isn’t on social media, what are you waiting for? Facebook is one of the top 10 most visited sites in the world along with YouTube, Instagram, and X (Twitter). You can build a following by creating and maintaining active social media accounts. Here’s how:
- Create accounts on all major platforms to claim your business name and direct people to your website.
- Stay active on one or two social media platforms. Especially those where your patients are most likely to visit the most.
- Be sure your posts are quality and consistent. Post health content that’s up to date and useful for patients. Share images of new products, sales items, and pharmacy staff at work; and don’t forget to post both fun and serious videos to see that you’re not only professional, but fun! Don’t be afraid to be silly sometimes. It’ll show your pharmacy’s personality!
- Use your social media platforms to advertise upcoming sales or events. Again, be creative! Photos and video will grab your audience’s attention.
- You can also try out Facebook Ads Manager to advertise your pharmacy to potential patients using highly targeted ads.
While creating effective ads does take some getting used to, Facebook’s paid campaigns are an effective way of reaching a much larger online audience. Plus, each ad campaign can be created for and shared with a pre-selected audience. Facebook’s ad network also extends to Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and Audience Network. This will allow you to expand your reach.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and run by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited warehouse with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
