Using Creative Social Media Ads to Increase Website Traffic and New Patient Calls
Best Social Platforms for Dentists
Despite the growing number of social media platforms, Instagram and parent company Facebook (or Meta) command the largest user base because they have developed a variety of free services. Not only do account holders log in to share social posts, but they can also sell items on Marketplace, keep in touch with Messenger, etc. As a result, the masses are using Facebook without necessarily posting anything; millions routinely access their accounts for other Facebook services, which contain local ads, like dental practice social media ads.
The Perfect Facebook/Instagram Ad
Creating a social ad campaign can feel overwhelming. What type of ad should you create? What is the best way to brand your practice? Should you make your own ad or hire a professional? There are no absolute rules for marketing your practice online, but a few guiding principles can steer your efforts in the right direction.
Static Ad or Motion: There are two main types of ads on social media. The first is referred to as static or flat; these advertisements consist of fixed graphics like photos and vector art. The second type of ad is made up of animation and video. Of course, the easiest route will always be a flat social ad that features a picture of your practice or dental team with some contact information; this approach isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the better question is how flat ads compare to your competitor’s video ad.
We’ve reached a point in digital marketing where ads with motion are expected and, therefore, generate more clicks and traffic. Our culture scrolls all day, so it’s becoming increasingly difficult to capture attention long enough to impress a brand. There’s really only one type of ad that has a chance of grabbing the attention of our media-saturated world: a short, creative video ad.
Tone: Generally speaking, lighthearted and funny wins online. A serious ad with a dentist talking into the camera about routine dental cleanings won’t be as successful as a creative, positive approach. If you can get your audience to smile, they will remember your brand. In many ways, people today relate funny and creative to quality and trust. Perhaps there’s so much bad news reported today that positive energy is welcome and appreciated. So instead of a pediatric dentist sitting behind a desk and talking about routine cleanings for children, create some smile superhero outfits and stage a fun video about fighting tooth decay. Your social media audience will appreciate the effort and equate your time and enthusiasm with quality dentistry and patient care.
Contrast: As a rule of thumb, contrast is your friend when designing ads for social media. What you want to avoid is the same tired ad where the patient and dentist fake talk in the operatory as a voiceover lists services and convenience. Every dentist is making that video, so people scrolling online think instinctively, Oh, another one of those staged, fake dental ads…. The key is doing something that creates contrast, something that your competition is not doing. Your ad should be like a blue fish swimming in a school of yellow.
Different Dentists Attract New Patients and Build Successful Practices
Why Your Dental Team Must Stand Apart from the Crowd “Different Is Better Than Better” — Sally Hogshead I’ve always believed it is good practice to reduce complex ideas into concentrated, general truths. In this way, it becomes easier to apply grand concepts to everyday scenarios, which are always unpredictable
Production Value: Another essential element in your social media ads is quality or production value, which refers to the technical aspects of your advertisement. Does the camera shake? Is the sound quality poor? What about lighting? You can have a brilliantly creative idea that gets lost in distracting footage and lousy audio. By working with a professional videographer/content creator, you should be able to avoid common mistakes. Ultimately, you want your idea noticed—not the fact that you’re filming in a dimly lit supply room with tinny, weak sound. Ideally, your dental practice should employ a full or part-time social media coordinator who is also a content creator. You’ll only be producing more videos in the future, so it’s a wise investment to add this skillset to your dental team.
Engaging, High-Quality Video Content Is the Future of Dental Marketing
Why Your Dental Practice Needs a Media Specialist The Past and Future of Dental Marketing Marketing a dental practice has certainly changed over the years. Early in the twentieth century, dentists built their practices with door signs and satisfied patients. Referrals were the primary practice builders back then, so growth happened
Audience: Thankfully, finding your target audience is getting easier on Facebook. For most dentists, setting rough demographic parameters is the best option. First, limit your geographic location to 7-10 miles from your practice. People are looking for a dentist close to home. Next, consider what your social media ad is promoting. Are you running a campaign about implants? Limiting your reach to an older age group might yield the best results. How about orthodontics? Consider narrowing your scope to parents (25-55). Think about your ideal audience for a particular ad, make adjustments, and pay attention to the results. Analytics and engagement (clicks, comments, and shares) should drive your decisions.
Strategy: Many dentists produce one social media ad and run it into the ground. The local audience gets tired of seeing it week after week, and soon the ad might actually work against the practice. The key to ongoing engagement is variety. You want to present your brand in a fresh way with new ads. Sure, this means more production costs and time, but it’s the only effective strategy to dominate your local area and stay top of mind. There are so many ways to promote dental care. You can create an ad that focuses on one particular service, like veneers, or you can remind viewers about routine dental visits. Not every ad even has to promote dental services directly. You might create some ads that are more educational, about proper brushing and flossing, etc. Anything positive and engaging that includes your brand will drive traffic to your website and attract more new patients.
