Attract and Keep New Patients

Having quality before and after photos can be a way to draw in potential patients. You will want to be sure to take photos in the same place with the same background so they are uniform and ensure that you have good lighting that will not wash out the results. After all, people’s visual senses are the most active, and our brains are wired to react to bright colors. This is why quality, eye-catching photos can set you apart from the competition.

Patient Education

Before and after photos are a great way to educate your patients regarding what to expect with different procedures. With a photo, you can point out what part of the body will be worked on and describe the differences between the before and after photos to best educate your patients.

Understanding Anatomy

Showing patients before and after photos of previous procedures is a great way to explain how the procedure of their choice will change their anatomy. By having a visual to use, it can be easier to explain what they should expect and how the body will be altered.

Keeping Track of Progress

Before and after photos are a great way for you to assess your own work and keep track of the procedures you have performed. It is also a great way to track your progress. The ability to look back on procedures you performed years ago compared to today is a great way to measure your improvement in skill and technique.

Evidence for Insurance Claims

Because most insurance claims will only cover procedures that are deemed medically necessary, before and after photos may act as visual evidence to process a patient’s claim. This is just another example of how before and after photos can be helpful.

Reach Out Today

At DLM, our teams of skilled team of graphic designers, content writers, and account specialists will work with you to help you achieve your unique advertising goals. Give us a call today or schedule a 15-minute demo online to get started.

The post Why Before and After Photos are Important for Your Practice appeared first on Digital Limelight Media.

1. High-Resolution Photos

If you plan to use before and after photos as a focal point in your marketing campaign, you might want to invest in a good camera that has a least 1080p resolution. Look for a DSLR camera (digital single-lens reflex camera) that will be easy to use and give you high-quality photos. Some affordable, quality options include the Nikon D3300 or Canon Rebel T6S.

2. Use One Location

Consistency is key because you and your patients want an accurate depiction of patient results. Pick a spot in your office and take a few test shots to ensure there is good lighting and a background that isn’t too distracting. Once you have your spot, you can mark the floor with tape so that both your camera and patients will be positioned in the same spots for every before and after.

3. Proper Lighting

Good lighting is a balance. If there is too much light (like in front of a window), your subject might appear washed out. This can make the beautiful results you are trying to highlight almost as difficult to see as if your subject were standing in a shadowy corner. Be sure to pick an area with optimal lighting that shows off your results in a flattering way.

4. Consistent Angle

This is another aspect of consistency that will make your website appealing to look at and best show off your results. In both the before and after photos, have your patient turn 360 degrees so that you have options and can show your results from all angles. Match up the images so that the angles in your before and after are as close to identical as possible.

5. Edit Distracting Features

Before posting your images, edit out all the unnecessary components of the image. This does not include scars or anything related to the surgery and results. Editing scars, marks, redness, or any other side effects creates unrealistic expectations and can lead to trouble. The unnecessary components we are talking about are IVs that might pull the viewer’s attention from the results you are trying to show off. You should also consider editing out tattoos and blocking out the eyes, when possible, to protect patient identity.

How to Use Before and After Photos in Your Marketing Strategy

Before and after photos are a representation of your work and your brand so you want to make sure you are sharing them as much as possible. Before and after photos can be shown on your website, shared on social media, and included in promotional content such as email newsletters.

Let’s Chat

The marketing team at Digital Limelight Media has extensive experience with each of these platforms and knows the importance of self-promotion. To learn more marketing techniques and how you can build your brand, check out our many services online or give our office a call at 616-222-3735.

The post A Quick Guide to Before and After Photos appeared first on Digital Limelight Media.

What is a Photo Release Form?

A photo release form gives you, as the photographer, permission to publish the images you have taken of your client. Publishing a photo also includes posting it on your website or social media. When in doubt, it is best to get a photo release form to protect your clients’ privacy and keep your business secure.

Medical Photographs

Getting consent is especially important in the medical industry since you are working with sensitive content and patients expect complete privacy. However, medical professionals often like to post before and after photos as a testament to their work and to encourage other people to schedule appointments at their office. Photos may also be taken for teaching purposes or documenting during treatment progression.

If you work in the medical industry, a photo release form or written consent is crucial. To make sure you have HIPAA compliance, it is also important the patient knows they are free to say no without this preventing them from receiving treatment. You should also make sure your patient knows exactly where their photos will be posted and how they will be used.

Considerations for Photos in Advertising

When you put patient photos on your webpage or social media, you are essentially advertising your skills, and this is great for your practice! When you do take photographs of your patients, maintaining anonymity as much as possible is important, even though you have their consent. You should try not to include eyes in a photo, unless necessary, and if the eyes are not showcasing a surgical procedure, blur them out completely. You should also avoid tattoos and birthmarks that are recognizable and be sure hospital name tags or other identifying materials are not within the frame.

Grow Your Business with Digital Limelight Media

At DLM, we understand that your business’ reputation and client’s privacy are of the utmost importance. Let us support you by developing a marketing strategy, creating advertisements, and offering the best advice to help your business grow. Give us a call at 616-222-3735 or schedule a 15-minute demo to learn more about our services.

The post Do You Have Consent to Use Photos? appeared first on Digital Limelight Media.

In addition, images make up a large category of searches. We have all used Google Images before, and you may have seen featured images in a standard search. Ranking highly in these image searches can help boost the number of organic leads to your site.

So, what is considered best practice when it comes to gallery images, and how many images should you include in your gallery?

Quality is King for SEO

You may assume that more images are always better, but our SEO expert and CSO Ryan Rogers explains that “I am a bigger fan of best work as opposed to quantity.” This means that you want to put your best foot forward when you are sharing your before and after photos. Rather than trying to hit a certain number, choose the photos that best represent your work and the results you know patients are looking for. Prioritizing quality also means that you should make sure you use clear, high-resolution photos.

After you have selected your initial gallery photos, be sure that you are continuously updating your gallery with new images. Just as you want to keep up with fresh written content, adding new photos to your site will improve your overall SEO.

Organizing Your Gallery Images

Once you have selected your before-and-after photos, it’s important to consider how to organize and present them. Ryan explains that “every once in a while, you will see an image that is either a before or an after, but those don’t ever get clicked on. The ones that do get clicked on are the ones that show both the before and the after.” So, it’s best to edit your images so both the before and after are visible in a single file. Save your file with a descriptive name that includes the procedure and your city. For example, a good file name would be “Botox Before and After Grand Rapids.” This way, when someone Googles this phrase, your photo is more likely to show up. As a medical practice, it’s also important to rename your files to ensure that no private patient information is disclosed when you’re uploading before and after photos.

Using Alt Text for SEO

Alt text is another SEO consideration you should take into account with your photos. An accurate image description in alt text serves two purposes. First, it makes it easier for search engine crawlers to index your site and improve your overall SEO. Next, alt text improves user experience and accessibility. With descriptive alt text, your images are accessible for visually impaired users relying on screen readers or simply users whose devices failed to load your image properly.

DLM’s Gallery Plug In

Consistently uploading new images to your gallery can be a daunting task. Using DLM Insight, our clients can simplify the process with our gallery plug in tool. This tool allows users to make simple edits to photos such as blurring tattoos or other identifying features or adding your logo as a watermark. Next, you can easily change alt text and file names to improve SEO. Once you complete these steps, the gallery plug in can automatically add your new photos to your site in the corresponding category. If you have questions about this tool, you can call your marketing specialist for a quick demo.

Curious About SEO? Give Us a Call!

To learn more about best SEO practices and how they can help attract new patients to your practice, contact Digital Limelight Media. Call (616) 222-3735, contact us through our site, or email hello@dlmconversion.com.

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