Facebook is becoming an increasingly popular way for dental practices to connect with patients. Here are some hints and tips to help you make your posts effective.
Consider your audience – what might they be interested in? What is in it for them?
See what others are doing – check out other practices’ facebook pages, especially the ones with large numbers of ‘likes’. Is there anything you can learn from them? What sort of posts are people interacting with?
Keep it short – facebook users are more likely to read short snippets of news and information than reams and reams of text.
Use pictures – using appropriate images with your posts can draw attention. This may not always be possible but it can work well in many cases.
Make it personal – include news stories from the practice such as a staff member having a baby, getting married or doing a charity event.
Consider the frequency of posts – there is a fine line between communicating regularly with your audience and bombarding them with too many posts.
Show off your work – upload before and after pictures of cases to show people the transformations that are possible.
Promote new treatments and/or special offers – facebook is a great way to get these messages out to people, after all it is free.
Encourage action – e.g. call to book an appointment, email us if you have any questions, or visit our website for more information.
Share oral health tips and advice – people will appreciate that you are passing on useful information and aren’t just using facebook as a sales tool.
Add a bit of fun – in addition to helpful tips and advice you might like to occasionally include a joke or a funny picture.
Include testimonials – if you receive a letter of thanks or a thank you card share it on facebook. This is a great way to promote yourself.
Ask questions & encourage interaction – as well as giving information, encourage people to get involved. The more interaction there is, the more people are likely to see your posts.
Grow your audience – ask fans to share posts with their friends and to ask them like your page.
Need more help?
Did you know that Blue Horizons offer a facebook management service? If you are interested in using facebook to promote your practice but don’t have the time to do it yourself please get in touch. We will be happy to give you more information about our service.
