More and more users are turning to Social Media to find out what the different brands offer and to search for information related to the world of health or for specific disorders, treatments, therapies, health facilities. It is therefore essential for you to take care of the image of your dental structure on the web and on social networks to confirm the trust of the “old” patients by now loyal and attract new ones. Maintain a presence on Social Media that provides useful information, updates on your practice and objective and respectful answers to patients’ questions and even thought leadership.
Today, 31% of healthcare workers have already turned to Social Media for professional networking . Over 40% of patients report that social media influence their choice in a healthcare provider and facility.
Social Media is a high-performance tool capable of generating high-quality contacts (if the right Lead Generation activities are planned ), attracting new contacts in the sales structure of the healthcare facility. Thanks to advanced targeting, Social Media allows you to focus on highly qualified profiles: there is, in fact, the possibility of coming into contact with a vast audience and with a myriad of information, which is shared voluntarily.
There are 4 types of interesting content for the social channels that dental structures can use to get the most involvement on their Social Media platforms.
1 – Informative
We talk about information content when your patients follow the dental practice on social media to get useful information on oral health and to learn more about dental care from an expert source – that’s you. Many videos and useful information on the importance of oral health run on the internet: you could share them with your patients or create mini-guides yourself, perhaps explaining how to recognize the first symptoms of a dental ailment. Do not forget that, if you are good at posting videos/images on your site and on social networks, you will be able to increase visibility thanks to users’ satisfaction, comments, and sharing.
Before publishing, be sure to ask yourself if the content is useful and relevant to your audience and make sure your followers can capture some tangible value from your image/video. If your image makes people react, they are more likely to share it, exposing your dental practice to potential new patients.
2 – Funny
If you want to use social networks effectively, you will have to invest a lot, especially in terms of time. You must do this job unless you want to delegate management to a specialist, who will want to be paid for his work.
We also emphasize an interesting aspect: almost 40% of Facebook users regularly share a funny post. This means that humor is an important aspect when you publish valuable content for your dental practice and want it to become shareable.
3 – Imperatives (ask your followers to do something)
A call to action (CTA) offers your audience clear indications in the text of your post and asks them to act in a specific way. CTAs can be as simple as “Share“, “Book” or a larger question like “Publish your favorite photo with the hashtag #HappyTeeth”.
Whatever your CTA, make sure it is clear and easy to implement. We suggest you create a link between your image posts and your dental practice website, a simple way that can increase engagement and convince them more to make an appointment at your facility.
4 – Personal photos of staff or patients
Photos of real people – your staff and the patients themselves – are much more likely to be appreciated and shared than stock images. Sites like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are by far the most common Social Media sharing platforms, and everyone can help make your dental practice known to a wide audience. Using your photos can take some work (and financial investment), but sharing your images on multiple platforms gives your dental practice a more valuable local exposure and can make you earn more patients not just in the long run.
Satisfied customers are your key resource: that’s why you should ask them for a reference! Many clients like to show friends and acquaintances certain dental treatments (especially if they are successful): ask them to tell their story and how they found your dental care on your social pages: they will be enthusiastic and at the same time they will help you to increase the trust and empathy of other patients towards you . Always remember that word of mouth made on the internet and on social media is the best form of promotion and communication for a job like yours!
