Is your social media marketing plan working for your dental practice? That's a question you need to raise periodically to make sure you are maximizing your marketing efforts. Social media is an effective channel for directly influencing your market, but only if you keep your content fresh and engage with your followers. Here are considerations to help you focus on getting the most out of social media platforms.
Review Your Social Media Pages
Make it a practice to review all your social media pages to gauge which ones work for promoting your dental office. Don't feel obligated to join every popular social network, since if you spend too much time on platforms that aren't working for you, it can lead to diminishing returns. The key is to experiment with various platforms then focus on the ones that work and don't waste much time on the ones that don't work.
Ask yourself: is the content, look and feel what you really want for your social media channels? Be open to revamping your social platform pages as you review your images and topics. Here are some other key questions to ask during your evaluation process:
- Is your Facebook cover (top image) eye-catching and does it paint a clear picture of your dental business?
- On Instagram are you using filters or a certain look for all the images?
- Do you have enough endorsements on your LinkedIn page?
- Is your content updated on a daily basis?
- Have you answered all your patients' questions?
Select Eye-Catching Images
It's no secret anymore that more people pay attention and respond to posts with images than just plain text. The reason is simple: most people don't have time to read every post on their news feed, so as they scroll through it, images stand out more than text. Facebook and Google+ allow for lengthy posts, so there may be times when you can utilize that strategy. Keep in mind that a mix of images and about 2-4 lines of text will likely get the quickest feedback.
Mix up your strategy so that posts don't fall into a predictable pattern. Don't keep posting the same type of photos over and over especially if you are using Instagram as part of your social media dental marketing plan. Colorful and clear high resolution images from a modern smartphone are the standard for attracting eyeballs.
Engage With Dental Patients
Posting content regularly on social media is essential, but you must also make sure to create content that interests your followers. You must also engage with them, since it's meant to be an interactive platform and interaction attracts more attention than non-interaction. Many times patients and prospects want to know more information about your services. It's important to use a personable approach instead of dry short answers, since they are likely looking for experts they can trust.
Consider the wide range of knowledge about your dental practice that you can share with followers to establish yourself as a thought leader in your local market. If your dental practice has a certain niche in treatment, don't hesitate to provide extensive information on it in your social media dental marketing plan. The use of cutting edge technology in your business will certainly be of interest to a sector of your following.
The Power of Video
YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat make it easy to share videos online. In recent years a wide array of businesses have invested in video promotion marketing because of its growing popularity on websites and social media profiles. Not only does video save people time from reading long threads, it has a more personal effect. A useful approach to video is to showcase testimonials from your patients. You can also take visitors on a virtual tour of your facilities. Another captivating type of video is to have an interviewer ask you questions about your services.
Add a Blog To Your Strategy
Your social media dental marketing plan will work best if you use social media to promote deeper more in-depth content on your website. Offering a blog series not only gives prospects much more information, it is favored by search engines. Google particularly prioritizes authoritative blogs in its search rankings. Here are some of the keys to creating a successful blog:
keep updating the content with fresh information- discuss innovations in dental treatment
- make sure the content is completely original
- avoid short blogs or fluff to meet a certain word count
- link your blog to your social media platforms
- look at your competitor's blog and find holes they ignore
- allow for follower feedback at the end of your blog
Social media provides you with cost-saving marketing channels that give you direct connection with your target market. Even though updating content and engaging with followers can feel overwhelming, it can be an effective way to build a branding strategy, generate leads and set appointments. Think of social media as word of mouth marketing at your fingertips. If you do not have the time for this effort, consider outsourcing to an experience digital marketing agency that specializes in delivering an appropriate social media dental marketing plan.