According to Betsy McLeod of Blue Corona, “The average solo dental practice needs more than 20 new patients per month (at a minimum) to grow and succeed.”
For years, dentists have relied exclusively on reputation, and they are able to build their practice successfully through word-of-mouth marketing. The problem is that traditional marketing is less likely to help a dentist achieve that number.
It is 2019, and their audience is more likely to be on social media.
Whether its video marketing, blogging, paid social ads, dentists need to learn the specifics of social media marketing at the very least.
Luckily, there are effective ways to attract, retain, and ultimately, market your products. In this post, we will talk about the ways how dentists can take advantage of social media marketing.
Share valuable content
When people are looking for dentists, they are searching for everything that they need to have a great smile.
Meaning, they are looking for services and products that can help enhance their oral hygiene. They also want to know how to keep oral diseases away so that they can protect their teeth.
So what you can do when posting on social media is to show your authority, your expertise in the industry. Give them helpful tips on maintaining their oral hygiene.
The moment people find these posts helpful for them, they are more likely to share your content with their personal network. As a result, you will have better engagement in your dental practice.
In fact, 49% of people share various content online because they think that it is valuable and informative. Crafting high-quality content gives you a chance to show off your skills, knowledge, and expertise.
Engage with your followers
The essential thing that you should remember about social media is that you need to learn how to connect with your audience.
Do not just passively post information. Instead, try to generate a response by crafting content that encourages people to click, share your post, and comment.
Here are some ways you can engage social media users to your dental practice:
- Educate: Post social media content that educates your followers and patients about anything and everything dental health. For example, you can post a video about how many times should an adult brush his teeth daily.
- Ask: Both Facebook and Instagram offers a “poll” question feature. You can leverage this by creating a poll about oral hygiene. For example, how many use a mouthwash after brushing their teeth versus those who do not.
- Feature: Did a patient gave you a positive online review? Did he sent you a private message to say “thank you”? Then share it on your timeline! Just remember to ask for your patient’s permission first before doing so.
Generate reviews and referrals
Online reviews are an excellent marketing tool that you can use. Why? Because 90% of consumers are influenced to purchase your products and services once they read positive reviews online.
The more testimonials that you get from happy and satisfied clients, the better will prospects feel in choosing you over your competitors. Check out the 2019 Top Dentists in Guelph.
However, if you have trouble getting online reviews in the first place, you can boost your chances of earning these positive testimonials from clients by offering discounts on your products and services for those that will give their feedback.
Invest in social media ads
Facebook Ads are a valuable feature because it is quick and easy, and there is a great chance of selling them your service. Additionally, all the information is already there, so it is already a one-step process for prospects.
It places you in front of your target audience, and you are in control of the demographic that you want to target. As a result, it is easier to find your target audience online.
It also lets you pick zip codes, as well as target your audience via their interests in a certain geographical area. You can also utilize your email list, and then compare it to Facebook’s database.
Once Facebook Ads finds a similar audience, then your ads go directly to them with such precision. It is also not merely targeting likes. Instead, it is targeting interests that equate to thousands of people.
Go heavy with branding
If you want your posts on social media to stand out, then you should also focus on branding. For instance, you can pick the same color scheme or aesthetic on all your images. Similarly, you can also use the same font style or wording, so that your posts are better recognizable.
Optimize your social media pages
When people are looking for a dentist, they either look through various social media pages or do a Google search online. The goal is to find the best practice in the area, get the contact number, and book an appointment.
That’s why you need to optimize your social media pages so that it is easier for prospects to find you. Once they do, it is your job to help them contact you immediately.
Business pages on Facebook let you add your phone number, physical address, website, and other relevant information about your dental practice. If you fail to complete this information, you will be missing the chance for them to contact you.
Final Thoughts
Although some of these tips are relatively simple, ask yourself if you are testing and implementing them all in your current social media plan. It is best to experiment with different methods first so that you will stand out from your competitors, and build a more interactive communication with your patients.
