Facebook and Instagram are social media platforms that have over a billion active users every single month. That means that a billion people are logging in and browsing through posts consistently each month! With an ever-increasing number of people relying on recommendations when choosing healthcare providers, can you afford not to market your dental practice on Social Media? Here are some of our best tips to help you take advantage of your social media profiles and maximise patient intake through these channels.

Create a cohesive brand for your dental practice

Your brand is essentially the personality of your practice, so you want to make sure that every single contact point offers your patients the same character. You can brand your practice as high-tech, modern, friendly, professional, or family-oriented, but try not to choose too many traits, or your patients could become confused.

The aim of forming a brand is to make your prospective patients feel like they know what to expect from you, so they are more comfortable scheduling appointments with you. 

Once you’ve chosen your practice characteristics, all media, images and text related to your practice should be in line with those traits.

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to practice branding, give us a call. We’ve helped hundreds of dental practices develop and evolve their brands.

Share original social media content

Anyone can share an article – but there are some real benefits to producing original content for your website and social media accounts. Try blogging once or twice a month and sharing your blog posts to your social media accounts. 

Try to write original posts and share your own images as often as possible. Patients will not only appreciate your efforts, but they’ll see that you know what you’re talking about and consider you an expert in the dental field – making them more likely to book an appointment with you.

Creating great original content regularly is a huge commitment. If you need any help creating engaging posts or informative blogs, give us a call! Our content team runs many successful dental practice blogs and social pages and are never out of fresh ideas.

Engage on social media where appropriate

You don’t need to respond to every comment or review, but engaging with your prospective patients will give them a sense of personal connection which will create a sense of loyalty. 

There are a few rules when it comes to engaging with your audience:

1. Respond as often as you can, but prioritise questions.
2. Follow HPCSA Guidelines. These guidelines prevent you from giving medical advice or diagnoses through social media or guaranteeing results, so take a look through the regulations before you post. 
3. Manage your reputation. When people post negative reviews or comments about you or your practice, try to address them constructively. Some people attribute random things to their experience so be open-minded and respond with the intention of better their experience.

Use paid social content to promote your dental practice

Pay for sponsored posts! They work wonders to draw in new patients and increase your following. Try to boost educational posts, and not posts that advertise your dental practice outright. People will like an advert, but they’ll believe they get value out of your page if you’re consistently teaching them.

Boosting a post isn’t as easy as it may seem though. You need to select a target audience made up of people who are most likely to take the next step and like your page or follow you. Otherwise, you’re wasting your money.

Avily has years of experience in determining the perfect target audiences for dental practices across the country so if you would like some assistance with your paid content, feel free to give us a call and chat with our expert social media consultants.