Facebook has revolutionized how dental practices engage with their patients. Even though the medium is affordable and one can reach hundreds if not thousands of customers, many practices fail to implement this prevalent dental marketing tool. The lack of engagement could be because of unrealistic expectations or lack of training on how to make use of social media marketing.
In this article, we share crucial tips on how your team can use Facebook to boost your dental practice.
Facebook Dark Posts
Dark posts is an industry term used for News Feed style ads that aren’t published to your timeline or your fans’ organic feeds. They are referred to as dark posts because they are not posted on your Facebook page – thus they are unpublished to your page followers.
Facebook is one of the largest data collection companies available for small-business marketing use, and you can take advantage of this database with the features offered by dark posts. These paid ads – including photos, links, status updates, offers, and videos – allow you to implement targeted keywords and demographic information to reach your ideal potential client base.
To best implement this strategy, you must embrace ad variation as the platform demands fresh content in order to run optimally. Design a number of ads from the various mediums offered and frequently rotate them to maximize engagement. Once you find the set that performs best, you will see increase in traffic to your Facebook page and website, as well as a potential increase in the number of prospective patients.
Create a Vanity URL
Businesses that use a local business Facebook page or brand page have the choice to create a vanity URL. A vanity URL is a custom web address that is specially branded for the purpose of marketing, for example, ours is https://www.facebook.com/doctormultimediamarketing/
If you do not make a request for the vanity URL, an address is automatically assigned to you, but has a long series of numbers towards the end. Rather than using a long and complex URL to direct potential clients to your page you can easily make use of the vanity URL. A vanity URL serves as a clean, direct and sharable link that you can use to drive traffic to your page. Vanity URL are easy to remember, easy to share, and provide the ability to share your business page offline as well as online. Finally, a vanity URL can also assist in building brand trust through the visual association with your brand.
Facebook Check-In
This is among the most powerful marketing strategies that you can incorporate. Every check-in you get further legitimizes your business’ virtual online profile with the brick-and-mortar location that your business inhabits in the “real world”. This can go a long way – especially for young practices.
Some businesses like to offer small rewards for patients who check in – such as gift cards or special promotions. If and when your patients do check in on Facebook – all of their Facebook friends will get alerted that they are at your office. This will create social proof that your practice is popular and can also act as a reminder for others to set their dental appointments. Since they know a person who is already your patient they will be more likely to trust visiting your office, and this may increase their chances of booking an appointment with you.
Post Engaging Content
With any cursory examination of the online marketing world, you may see the mantra “Content is king” repeated. The development and promotion of engaging content could be one of the most important strategies that you could adopt. Avoid writing blogs or social media posts that are too promotional or too long since online users are less likely to engage with these types of articles, and therefore will not engage with your brand. This means they will not comment, like or share your posts which is what you are seeking. Best practice when it comes to content dictates keeping it relatively short – around 300-500 words for a blog post to share, or under 200 words for a social post – use appealing images, and link to stories that your target audience can identify with and care about. People use social media to take a break and have fun, so keep this in mind when you’re crafting your article and post ideas.
Facebook is a great way to market your practice but the key is to be consistent in your marketing and post on a regular basis. Tap into the power of social media and see your dental practice grow.
That’s pretty good advice for any industry, and it applies just the same to dental health professionals. You want your front desk and reception staff to welcome patients in a professional and friendly manner, so why aren’t the same principles applied to your clinic’s online presence? Many potential new patients are finding your 
Don’t let that happen to you. When you create a social media page, make sure you have someone dedicated to not only posting fresh content and responding to viewers in real time, but to growing your social media’s reach and effectiveness. It doesn’t do anything for your veterinary clinic to have a Facebook page unless someone is actively using it to your clinic’s advantage.
Do you provide spay and neuter procedures, or dental services? Does your hospital see equine patients? Do you live in a snake-bite risk zone? There are so many different services that your hospital can provide to pet owners, so why not use social media to show people how you can help their animals live a healthier, happier life?
Having a strong online presence is all about engaging with your patients. The internet can be a powerful tool for dentists who leverage the communicative power of the web – whether it be websites, social media, or blogs.
Today, more people are accessing the internet through their phones or mobile devices than ever before. That is why having a website optimized for the mobile viewing experience is equally as important as their desktop computer counterparts.
At Doctor Multimedia, customer service is our #1 priority. We believe that every client of ours deserves direct, individualized attention to their practice’s needs, and that’s exactly what we strive for.
With the prevalence of online review websites on the internet, having positive reviews can make or break your office. Great optometrists can have their reputations damaged by just a few bad reviews, whether they are accurate or not. More and more people are relying on online reviews to make their consumer choices, and they often form a client’s first impression of your office.
