A Collection of the Most Effective Social Media Posts for Dentists
Appealing to a Scroll-Addicted Culture
Competition online is fierce today, especially for dentists. Our culture is impatient and scroll addicted, so attracting viewers long enough to highlight a dental practice brand is difficult. Images and videos bombard our lives in an endless stream. There’s always another post to see and more content to review. We scroll on and on, until, that is, something unique catches our eye. Only then do we stop and take the message in. Marketing your dental practice, therefore, is a lot like fishing: unless your bait (or strategy) is different, people won’t notice it and engage with it. Therefore, all social media posts for dentists must be unique; the posts must stand out and find a different angle in order to grab attention online.
Below, I expand on my first blog “Engaging Social Media Posts for Dentists [4 Best] (Vol. 1).” Again, I focus on posts that attract the most attention. As with all marketing strategies, however, variation is key. You should avoid sharing the same type of post over and over; this variety can be achieved by creating a social media calendar that plots out your posts a year in advance. Such planning allows your dental team to discuss all the particulars: What type of educational videos need to be created? How about promotions? Are there any holidays to be recognized? By planning ahead, your dental practice can produce rich and varied content, month after month.
Collect for a Local Food Pantry
One of the best ways to give back and demonstrate your team’s commitment to the community is by holding a food drive around the holidays. Like other local businesses, your dental practice can accept non-perishable items and report the progress of your efforts on social media. They say an image is worth a thousand words, and when you see a dentist’s reception area filled with donated food, it’s clear this practice is eager to help those in need. A successful food drive also suggests that your patients respect the practice and dental team; when they respond to such a call, it highlights your genuine relationship with them and their trust in you.
Make People Laugh
Laughter is powerful because it releases endorphins, lowers blood pressure, and improves oxygen flow. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that laughter actually helps us live longer, healthier lives. Therefore, it shouldn’t be a surprise that some of the most memorable and effective social media posts are humorous. Funny posts are also shared often online, so they should definitely be part of your repertoire.
Sharing posts works, but the best type of humorous post is an original post that you and your team create. Coming up with good ideas can be a lot of fun at staff meetings. No doubt there are creative people in your office who can think up ways to make people laugh. Reviewing what’s been done already is a great way to find inspiration.
Educational Posts Support Patient Care
Education is a critically important part of delivering the highest level of patient care, and social media is a great way to reinforce all the advice you provide at appointments. For example, videos of your staff demonstrating proper brushing and flossing are very effective online. Current patients stop scrolling when they see their dentist or hygienist on the screen, and prospective patients will note how your brand stands apart from other local practices. There are so many topics to explore in these short informative videos, such as the benefits of mouthwash, dental procedures, and the latest news about implants. As with humorous posts, there’s plenty of content to share on your page, but the very best type of educational post is one that features your dental team. Original content will always attract more engagement.
Promotional Offers
One of the greatest benefits of social media is, of course, the ability to market dental services and promotional offers. In the past, dentists were limited to expensive postcards and ads in local mailings, but now, with targeted social media marketing, dentists can maximize their budget by dialing in on specific demographics. Some of the most common promotional posts are new-patient exams, implant discounts, and whitening; such campaigns are very effective when they coincide with demand. For example, a whitening special will be much more successful during prom and wedding season. It’s tempting to use social media to drive sales, but overselling causes people to unfollow your account. Advertisements should make up less than 10% of your content. Instead, the bulk of your social media should focus on entertaining, educating, and—most importantly—sharing the spirit of your dental practice brand.
