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Use social media to get social

 

Social media may be one of the quickest and easiest ways to reach an audience. Forget the days of looking up local dentists in the yellow pages. Today most people go online. Although word of mouth can be one of the best forms of marketing, a social media presence can boost your private practice.

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are our generation’s chosen platforms for advertising. The majority of patients will have an online presence, which makes it easier for us to connect with them in a more personal way. According to Kurt Stadelman, a social media manager for EA Sports, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the three main channels you should participate in.

Facebook has more than 890 million daily active users making it the channel to reach the most people on. Facebook has key elements to help promote your practice such as creating an official office page, using the geo-target feature to target users in your area, and providing personal information about the dentist and staff. Dr. Drew Brynes, a dentist in Winter Park, Florida, said, “sharing original content about myself, my office, and my staff seemed to work very well. People are more interested in those things and more inclined to engage with those posts.”

Twitter is another important outlet that can be used by a dental professional. Twitter allows you to engage with other dental brands and companies as well as engage in conversation with our own patients. Twitter is used mainly as an information source so tweeting about the office, dental fun facts, and re-tweeting other dental-related posts would be beneficial.

Instagram shares photos from a mobile device and can be used to humanize the office. Instagram would be great for sharing before and after photos, videos of dental procedures, and giving patients a glimpse into your personal life.

There are many features that allow you to measure what content patients relate to the most, which posts get the most “likes,” and how many people view a photo or post. There are companies for hire to manage marketing and social media content for a dental office but I believe it is best done from the office staff or the dentist. Generic content will only get you “unfollowed” while a more personal touch will allow you to engage with patients.

Spring13 MouthLooking for more tips on marketing? The spring 2013 issue of Mouth was all about marketing your dental practice! Click here to read the issue.

~Jessica McMann, Pittsburgh ’16

Jessica McMann

Jessica McMann is a third year dental student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. She is a Florida girl who enjoys the beach, good food, and yoga. Jessica graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences.

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1 Comment

  1. I agree with this article. Social media has now become the new channel of reaching out to everyone’s attention. Having thumb-stopping posts must be the goal. Studies say that the posts with images and videos are more likely to catch the attention of the audience. A dental marketing expert will be a great help in setting up your social media posting calendar, and you are rest assured that you will have a quality post that earns a thousand share, likes, and comments. http://www.spargoconnect.com.

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