Originally intended as an online platform for people to connect worldwide, social media has quickly evolved to something even bigger: a marketplace. Without leveraging the low-cost advertising opportunities that social media offers, businesses like dental practices can struggle to increase their brand awareness.
Does your dental office need social media? Absolutely! Read on to learn how using sites like Facebook and Instagram as part of your digital marketing strategy can boost visibility, build community reputation, and lead to conversions when prospects visit your site.
Who's on Social Media? Everyone!
From family members to business partners and old classmates, the potential for bringing in new patients on social media is a given. But only if you know how to edge out your competitors who are also using online community platforms to connect with prospective clients.
You know you aren't the only dental practice in your city or service area, so chances are good that they are marketing their office through these channels. However, if you haven't tapped into the online business advertising features these sites offer, your competitors have probably already gotten a head start on getting in front of the very patients you're looking for.
That's right. Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram are a few of several popular social media platforms that have turned into battlegrounds for dentists trying to increase their customer base and improve their online ranking on search engines. You may not have realized, but yes, Google does crawl these communities and the posts that get made!
So, if you haven't taken advantage of this enormous business opportunity, check out these social media marketing ideas for dentists that will get your practice the boost it needs!
Boost Your Social Media Page with Patient Reviews
The lifeblood of your practice is your patient base. To grow and sustain it, you have to develop trust with your clients and establish your credibility to attract new leads that convert. Social media is probably one of the ideal platforms to accomplish this because you will be able to deliver a targeted brand message that resonates, highlight your expertise, and prove your authority in the dental industry. How? Through patient reviews.
The majority of prospective dental patients first look online for recommendations and research more about a practice they're interested in scheduling an appointment with. Many will rely on reviews found during their Internet search and through social media pages of their friends and family. If you build on this praise with a practice page chock full of helpful information, welcoming messaging and patient reviews, these leads are more likely to become patients.
Use Social Media to Make Your Brand Relatable
You may have countless awards for your exceptional dental services, but this doesn't mean your brand is relatable or inspires trust. Help your audience get to know your message and vision more personally that your website can't convey.
Social media helps reveal the more empathetic and everyday adventures within your practice. Share moments between you and your patients (with their permission, of course) where you achieve something for your community. Show off your outstanding team and office staff so that they already feel like an extended family when patients come for appointments. Personally acknowledge compliments and concerns alike when visitors post on your dental practice page. All of these opportunities help make your practice more than just a dental office but part of the community you serve.
Social Media to Share Relevant Content About Your Dental Practice
It's not only seeking providers that patients go online. From learning what causes a toothache to find out the safest way to brighten their smile quickly, people want information at the tip of their fingertips on sites they enjoy. As a result, social media has rapidly become an online resource for dental patients seeking answers to essential questions about their oral health.
Grow your reach and brand influence by sharing value-added content that funnels them back to your website to book a dental appointment. Making your page a haven filled with professional insights and informational content they are searching for will boost your community's reputation.
Social Media Marketing is a Cost-Saving Opportunity You Can't Afford to Miss
Traditional advertising methods such as newspapers and radio announcements have long been popular for dental practices to attract new patients, but it was never efficient and often overly expensive. In addition, ROI would always be low because the message sent was universal and not customized to the listener.
Social media changes this entirely by making it possible to create targeted ads that can be customized to different audiences at a much lower cost than traditional marketing options. Some of the demographics you can customize your advertising campaigns include:
- Age
- Income
- Dental need
- Location
- Product type
- And more!
Since their inception, social media platforms have relied heavily on business advertising revenue to help pay for their services. However, the marketing tools and insights provided by Instagram and Facebook show how essential to today's marketplace these online communities have become.
Discover New Social Media Marketing Ideas for Your Dental Office with Adit
With all of the options for digital marketing at your fingertips, you may be wondering how you will find the time to handle it all while running a busy dental practice. The good news is you don't have to handle this undertaking alone. Adit has a team of social media experts available to assist you and take care of these opportunities for you.
From creating your dental practice page on sites like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to setting up ad campaigns that incentivize leads to convert, we have the marketing expertise you need to succeed. Learn more about how Adit can increase your online presence and generate new revenue through state-of-the-art marketing tools designed especially for the dental industry.
