Social media continues to hold the attention of people worldwide as 2023 marches into its second half. Over 4.5 billion individuals maintain an average of 8.8 social media accounts each, and social media engagement has tripled over the last decade. This engagement opens the door to valuable influence over dental patients, too. Interestingly, healthcare-related social posts seem to enjoy a significant level of trust among users. It’s a little frightening, but 33% of Gen Zers trust Tik Tok for health-related information than their doctors. This trend has not gone unnoticed by dental practices that recognize the power of digital connectivity. It’s essential that healthcare providers position their brands in the spaces that people use. Practices that consistently embrace healthcare social media marketing prove it’s an essential tool in a multi-platform strategy. As people increasingly dedicate more time to their online presence, capturing their attention becomes paramount. A few seconds of exposure can make a significant difference in heightening brand awareness. Here are Method Pro’s top 10 dental social media tips for the year 2023 for innovative dental practices:
1. Be Consistent
One of the most important things you can do for your dental social media marketing efforts is to be consistent. This means regularly posting and engaging with your followers. If you only post once in a blue moon, your followers will forget about you. But if you aim for 2-3 posts weekly, they will be more likely to see your content and interact with you.
2. Use Video
Video engages your audience and shows off your dental space, team, and personality in a way nothing else does. People are more likely to watch a video than read a text post, so make sure to include videos in your social media marketing strategy. You can create videos about your dental procedures, your staff, or your community.
3. Run Contests
Running contests helps get people excited about your dental practice and generates leads that lead to more productivity. You can run contests for free dental care, gift cards, or other prizes. Just make sure that your contests are easy to enter and that the prizes are valuable. Plus, stay in compliance with any rules required by the platform you’re on.
4. Mix in Non-Dental Content
Not every post on your dental social media account needs to be about teeth. In fact, it’s a good idea to mix in some non-dental content. This will help you to connect with your audience on a more personal level and to show them that you’re more than just a dentist. You can post about your favorite hobbies, your family, or your community.
5. Use Social Media Analytics
Social media analytics can help you to track the performance of your social media marketing campaigns. This information can help you to see what’s working and what’s not, so that you can make adjustments to your strategy. You can use social media analytics to track things like the number of followers you have, the number of likes and shares your posts get, and the amount of traffic your website receives from social media. Method Pro runs more complex analytics for our clients to help increase the effectiveness of social campaigns.
6. Promote Your Blog
Your dental blog is an effective way to share valuable information with your patients and to build your authority as a dental expert. Make sure to promote your blog on your social media accounts so that your followers can see your latest posts. Also, make sure blogs are optimized for SEO so that they help increase your organic search results. We optimize all blogs that we create and manage for our clients.
7. Highlight Patient Testimonials
Patient testimonials help show potential patients that you’re the best dentist around. Make sure to collect testimonials from your patients and share them on your social media accounts. Automated tools can be used to generate requests after patient visits, and a consistent flow of new reviews carries extra weight, too.
8. Use Social Media Ads
Social media ads help your practice reach a wider audience with your marketing messages. You can target your ads to specific demographics, interests, or even past website visitors. Repeat exposure is vital to nurture patients towards action, and social media is the perfect place to build brand awareness and encourage the next step towards an appointment.
9. Be Social
Sounds obvious, right? Unfortunately, many businesses ignore their digital contacts. But social media is all about being social. So, make sure to engage with your followers on a regular basis. Respond to their comments and questions, and participate in conversations.
10. Use the Right Tools
There are numerous tools that can help you to manage your dental social media marketing efforts. These tools can help you to schedule posts, track analytics, and measure the performance of your campaigns. But our clients enjoy a team that keeps the consistency of social media going with a “hands-off” approach.
Bonus Tip: Get Help
Dental practices often get in the trap of sporadic social media activity, and that can undermine brand credibility. Think of social media like a drippy faucet that constantly drips out small exposures to your brand. Steady saturation keeps your practice top-of-mind for patients and potential patients who are more likely to choose you in the future.
By following these tips, you can create a successful social media marketing strategy for your dental practice that integrates with your overall efforts. Patients are exposed to many brands, and it’s never a good idea to drop off their radar. A dozen monthly posts along with targeted social media ads is a cost-effective way to nurture consumers into new patients. And it’s also a way to stay engaged with your existing patient base.
Method Pro can keep you front and center with your target market by integrating strategies, including social media. Reach out if you’d like to talk about taking social media, and your dental practice, to the next level!