“The days of social media are upon us. No longer is a website enough; businesses are now expected to have a Facebook page, Twitter feed, Pinterest boards and the list goes on. The little known secret of social media is that you don’t have to do it ALL to do it well.
There are plenty of best practices floating around on the web, but many of them focus on large companies with unlimited resources. That’s not very helpful for most dental offices wanting to jump-start their social media efforts. We know your time is important, so we compiled and condensed 5 of the best tips to help your practice become social:
- Facebook is a must. Since Facebook was the pioneer of the modern social media for business, it is highly recommended that you manage a Facebook page dedicated to your practice. When creating your Facebook page, make sure all your contact information and practice mission are included in the “About” section of your page.
- Post fun, lighthearted content. Social media is a great avenue to disclose details of your practice like changes in schedule, but it is also a great place to showcase your practice’s vibe and personality. Sharing pictures of your staff picnic, funny dental jokes, and interesting oral health information will help you engage socially with current and potential patients.
- Inform your patients of your social media outlets. Social media will only benefit your practice if you have an audience. Print fliers or small business cards with your social media URLs and staple them to your patient’s receipts.
- Beware of over socializing. Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram are just a couple of the big names in social media these days. If your social strategy is to join them all, keep in mind that social media is a beast that must be constantly fed. Depending on your resources, it might be best to choose 1 or 2 platforms to start with and evaluate your time commitment after a couple of months.
- Find 5-6 reliable content sources. Since you should be posting to your social media sites at least once a day, it is important to have blogs or websites you can visit to easily pull content from. To get started, visit Delta Dental of Arizona’s Facebook page and Twitter feed. We also have some great info scattered throughout this blog.
