By Dr. Greg Grillo
Some aspects of dentistry haven’t changed much in decades. We still use x-ray heads, handpieces, and spoon excavators, but other materials and techniques look much different than in the last century. Our dental forefathers relied on simple advertising like yellow page listings and baseball team sponsorships. However, this approach evolved into a multi-platform marketing strategy that’s essential today. Regardless of how we view social media, it’s not going away. As a dental practice, we must be where people spend their time. People spent more time than ever scrolling feeds during the pandemic. In 2020, the average person invested 2 hours and 33 minutes using social platforms. But you and I don’t have time to produce a steady stream of posts for any platform, and we can’t ask our teams to do so. Everyone’s doing more with less, and social media takes creative time and talent to master. So, how do you keep social media working for you without interruptions? Start with these three pillars to build your strategy around, add the right tools, and people will stay engaged with your brand.
#1 Pick Your Stage
You don’t need to drip on every social media stage as a dental practice. Instead, pick out the most effective platforms for healthcare. Facebook established an audience and never looked back. With over 2.7 billion active monthly users, it remains a mainstay with an average user age of 40 . Instagram
#2 Show Up Regularly
Effective social media dances in front of viewers at the right tempo. If you post once a month, your followers forget you exist. However, if you overdo it, your posts can annoy your followers. As a dental practice, 3-4 quality posts each week help keep you connected. A brand that stays top-of-mind remains relevant to followers.
#3 Mix It Up
Social media platforms build relationships with quality graphics and short, catchy text. Facebook allows lengthy posts, but followers are most likely to read content that’s around 40 characters. We only improve oral health after we’ve established a connection with people. Give people a reason to laugh, learn, or feel inspired. Build a relationship with your followers. Your brand becomes memorable, and people remember your practice when they need dental care.
Lead With Dental Social Media Content
Over the years, a strong Facebook presence has been a critical extension of my practice. We’ve run promotions, contests, and spotlights on specific people. One of my favorites was a picture I took with a WWII veteran for Veterans Day just before he passed away. People loved that picture, allowing us to honor him through our practice. Showing up regularly with dental social media content takes a lot of effort. It’s ok to move through stages where you run contests and then pause for a while. However, it’s not ok to go dark on the social media stage. It reflects poorly on your brand when a new patient checks your Facebook page and doesn’t see any posts for the last three months. Take advantage of done-for-you dental social media posts, and you’ll get the constant exposure you need. The ideal strategy involves setting up a steady drip of patient-centric posts while mixing it your own whenever it’s possible. Adding just a couple of personalized posts during the month increases engagement and helps boost an already active page. Legwork Campaigns delivers a multi-platform approach that creates a good social media flow. Each month, they offer three types of dental blog posts and 12 social media posts in General Dentistry, Orthodontics, and Pediatric Dentistry. Plus, by linking a post to an article, you can drive traffic back to your website and add more fuel to your endeavors with minimal effort.
Dental Marketing Campaign Ideas For Social Media
Look at ways to add your own flavor with dental social media content from your team. When you want to open the faucet a little, consider a couple of these ideas every month for personalization:
- Educational Posts: Offer a favorite tip in your own words that helps patients own their health.
- Inspirational Posts: Use thoughtful quotes over eye-catching graphics to give people a boost during their days.
- Support Posts: Highlight a local charity or cause and encourage others to support it.
- Hero Posts: Pick local heroes across the community, including your staff, and give them a shout (with their permission).
- Caption Posts: Take a fun picture in your office and ask people for their favorite caption. You could turn this into a contest with a random drawing, but make sure to follow Facebook contest rules .
- Video Posts: Add a short video post from your office. Phone video is just fine for social video.
- Before/After Posts: Show a case you did with photos (with written permission!)
- Product Review Posts: Share your thoughts on a new dental product, and consider making a video on it.
- Offer Posts : Highlight a promotion for new patients or a specific service.
- Giveaway Posts: Consider giving away tickets to a local performance or event through a giveaway. (Follow Facebook’s contest rules .)
Dental Practice Social Media Marketing Without Stress
Mental real estate is a valuable space with many brands competing for it. Social media offers a ready-made environment to help our practices stake a claim. With the right tools, we stay engaged with existing patients and help direct people toward our practice. Legwork Campaigns take the strain off our teams and make us stand out in a multi-platform world. Start with social media, add done-for-you blogs, and amplify your brand’s voice across the landscape.