Everyone and their grandma is on Facebook. Having a strong presence on Facebook, especially in healthcare, is crucial. Patients no longer follow their practice on Facebook just to see the occasional closing or holiday greeting. They like to see a familiar face. Post a group photo each month. Update followers on the day’s whitest smile. Respond to reviews both good AND bad. Engage with patients who comment, or use virtual check in at your practice. Ask questions in your posts. Connect back to your website – link to your “request an appointment” form, or help patients prepare for their cleaning or filling. Facebook is a platform that helps you create a valuable relationship, awareness, and loyalty to your practice.
Facebook Live
Connect with your followers instantly with Live Video – give them the inside scoop on your new digital technology, post a FAQ session with a doc, or a sneak peek at the practice’s booth at your town’s annual founder’s day event.
Advertisements
Facebook ads appear in the newsfeeds of the audience of your choosing – regardless of whether they follow you or not. Facebook ads can be used for both branding and lead-generating purposes, and are targeted and trackable just like Google ads at a much lower cost. Your patients and leads peruse Facebook on a quiet Sunday evening as they are mentally preparing for another week… this is an ideal audience to target.
Boosted posts
Spend a couple of bucks to get your event or update at the top of users’ newsfeeds for a few days whether they are followers already or not! Your Facebook page is an extension of your business, and will likely show up in Google searches too.
Snapchat
One name: Dr. Miami. The (you guessed it) Miami-based plastic surgeon, whose real surname is in fact Dr. Salzhauer, got his claim-to-fame because of this unique, real-time app. Dr. Miami and his team of surgical specialists use Snapchat to record their surgeries – raw and uncut for all of Snapchat to see. Snapchat provides users the ability to snap a photo or video, choose from an array of filters, effects, or stickers, and send off to their friends or added to their “Story” for everyone to see at their leisure. The catch? The photo or video can be viewed for 10 seconds at most, and then disappears forever. Stories have a little bit of a longer life, expiring after 24 hours. Snapchat’s exclusivity makes it a foolproof content marketing tool.
Dr. Miami has gained an incredible following because of it – and an incredible patient base. Though Snapchat has no measurable or trackable ROI, the proof is in the pudding – one of his patients flew over 1,000 miles just to have Dr. Miami operate on her because of his Snapchat stories. “What’s wrong with transparency?” Dr. says. He’s right. And you don’t need shock-value content to gain a following!
Perhaps the most intriguing part of Snapchat is that in itself – the mystery. Snapchat allows you to open the curtains for an afternoon, or 5 minutes, and close them again. You can show off a slice of life working in your office. Follow a D.D.S. as he/she preps for surgery. See a crown fitting in action. Watch the team surprise a dental assistant on her birthday. Watch a post-veneer patient’s reaction to their brand new smile. The possibilities are endless.
At ProDental, we offer customized geofilters for our clients. Advertise your surgery days, holiday events, or simply get your practice name out there to those in your geographical target market. Take a photo of yourself on Snapchat in the geo-targeted area swipe right, and you’re done.
Instagram shows your visual identity as a dental practice. Many medical practices tend to ignore Instagram claiming their patient base is doesn’t use it. However, in an October 2016 report by DMR, a directory of social network and digital statistics, confirmed that there are over 89.4 million active Instagram users in the United States. 53% of all U.S. adults (ages 18-29) use Instagram.
The ultimate social media marketing goal: It helps your SEO.
Social media signals such as likes, comments, tweets, and mentions not only make your reputation solid, but they let Google know your site is being talked about… remember Google? Those likes and comments turn into shares that become a real value for your practice. The more people link to your site, the more likely your quality content will be bounced around the web.
A stronger presence on social media also makes for a stronger presence on page 1 of Google. Ideally, when a lead types your practice name into Google, you should appear in every position of page 1: your website, doctors’ Healthgrades profiles, profiles on third party review sites, and your social media accounts should dominate. Talk about a perfect first impression. Contact one of our SEO specialists to learn more about how to maximize these social media tools and grow your practice!