5 Digital Marketing Mistakes That Hurt Your Veterinary Practice
As small businesses, it takes more than excellent veterinarians and medical care for veterinary practices to attract new clients and engage existing ones. Marketing is often an afterthought for practice management personnel in busy veterinary clinics, but the right digital marketing plan can help you and your team thrive. If you aren’t thinking about marketing carefully, you may be making one of several common mistakes that could hold you back. Here’s how to identify what you’re doing wrong and get back on track.
1. Your website is ancient
Your veterinary website is the digital front door to your vet clinic. Clients might turn around and walk away if it gives off an outdated vibe. Pet owners won't book visits if your contact information is hard to find or your site isn’t mobile-friendly. Your website should also use search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to rank in local searches. If you aren’t sure where to start, hire an outside company to overhaul your website and provide fresh content about pet health to improve your SEO.
2. You avoid social media
Social media is a powerful tool for veterinary digital marketing. Many pet owners, especially those from younger, tech-savvy generations, use social media to get a feel for who you are and what your clinic offers. Ignoring social media or posting only sporadically is a vet marketing mistake that results in missed opportunities for engagement.
Use social media marketing to build relationships by sharing patient stories, highlighting team members, posting pet care content, and creating fun polls. Consider what your target audience—pet owners—wants to see, and make your content for them.
3. You bought ad space but aren’t tracking it
Paid digital marketing campaigns like pay-per-click (PPC) ads or boosted social posts are only worth as much as their return on investment. If you jump in without understanding how the ads fit into an overall digital marketing strategy or don’t track results, you could be wasting money.
Start tracking your results with built-in analytics tools, which are available on Google, Facebook, and other platforms, to see how many clicks and conversions the ads receive. You can experiment with different options or content to see what works best.
4. Your online reputation isn’t ideal
Potential clients check online reviews before deciding on a vet clinic. An online presence that is sparse, outdated, or filled with unanswered complaints is a vet marketing mistake. Ignoring reviews or responding to them poorly can make you look defensive or dismissive, two qualities pet owners want to avoid.
Basic online reputation management is critical to a veterinary marketing strategy. Start by soliciting client reviews through email or text, and ensure you respond to every review—positive or negative. When clients complain, do your best to resolve the situation and ensure others see your effort. A simple apology and request that the client reach out to you can go a long way.
5. You don’t have a plan
Treating marketing like an afterthought instead of a strategy is another vet marketing mistake. The occasional social media post, ad, or website update done when business is slow is unlikely to have the same impact as a robust digital marketing strategy. A strong plan should be multifactorial and include content marketing, social media, paid ads, and community outreach. You don’t have to implement them all at once, but you need a plan.
Consider your target audience to create a digital marketing calendar that outlines when and what you’ll post. Think about educational blog content, quarterly newsletters, seasonal promotions, website updates, and anything else your clientele values. The goal is to attract new clients and retain existing ones.
Avoiding common mistakes can help your veterinary hospital create sustainable small business growth and strengthen relationships with pet parents. Evaluate your marketing efforts honestly, and take steps to improve your digital and community presence. The best vet practice marketing strategy is intentional, consistent, and focused on the pet owners who trust you with their beloved companions.
