How much time do you spend every day improving your dental practice’s online presence?
If you are anything like any other small business owner with a myriad of tasks to attend to, you probably let your digital marketing needs slide. And, that’s not good at all.
Here’s the thing: 81% of online consumers perform online research before deciding which brand can help them best address their needs. If your business doesn’t show up anywhere, then the chances of bringing in new patients are extremely slim.
We get it: digital marketing is a job in and of itself. It requires constant work, focus, and a lot of time – and you’ve got enough to take of already.
The good news is that you can improve your dental practice’s online presence in just 20 minutes a day.
Do you find this hard to believe it?
Well, the truth is that you only need one channel to see a significant change: Facebook.
Here’s Why Facebook Is So Great:
Let’s look at the data for a second. Facebook has over two billion users, 66% of whom check it daily. If this were a country, it would be the most populous nation on earth. Chances are, your audience members use this channel too.
Another reason Facebook is the platform you should be focusing on is that it’s the go-to social media channel for recommendations. In fact, it even has a recommendation feature that encourages people to share their positive experiences. And, since people tend to trust their friends and acquaintances more than they do your marketing messages, you can use this fact to your advantage.
But, most importantly, as we mentioned before, people tend to go online to do their research before acquiring a product or service, especially if it’s a medical one. One of the first things they look at are the reviews your practice has received, which is where Facebook can come in handy once again. You can install a plugin to display Facebook page reviews on your website, and this is not to mention the fact that this social media platform now allows users to rate business pages and comment on their experiences.
Now, the question you may be asking is how can you improve your dental practice’s online presence using Facebook.
Luckily, it’s not that hard:
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Post Consistently
The logic is rather simple: prospective patients will judge your practice based on your online presence, and, as you’ve learned, Facebook can play a vital role. If your page is active and has interesting, relevant content, then prospects will be able to get a better sense of who you are.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to post something on Facebook. Just think of what your potential and existing patients might find interesting and go with that. For instance, you can make announcements about special offers, team presentations, or even dental care tips. Even team pictures could be used to give your audience a sense of familiarity and make you seem more approachable.
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Engage With Your Audience
Another thing people might be looking at is how you interact with your audience. When you take the time to answer a message or a review or engage in any way with the people who follow you, it shows you aren’t just providing a service, but also forming a bond.
Prospective patients care about that. They have to like you before they can decide if they want to make an appointment. The same goes for your recurring patients. They feel a lot more satisfied with your services when you engage with them on a personal level.
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Encourage Patients To Follow You
The first step to building your Facebook audience is to go to the people who already know you. Encourage your patients to like your official page, and maybe even leave a review. 7/10 people will do it, so don’t be too worried about getting shut down or nagging.
Especially if they’ve been with your practice for a long time, patients will happily lend a hand in boosting your visibility. Reviews from satisfied patients can help you seem more trustworthy to those who don’t yet know you.
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Stay Up To Date With The Latest Trends
Using trending hashtags or posting about current topics can help drive up your page’s engagement rate, as these posts have a better chance of being seen, liked, and even shared. Try, however, to stay on topic and share things that are relevant to your practice – or at least link them to dentistry.
For instance, don’t miss any of the national holidays. Post a nice greeting on your Facebook page and encourage people to respond.
If you’ve been under the impression that a dental practice isn’t the easiest thing to promote online, we hope this article changed that view.
In truth, it’s essential for practices to have an excellent online presence. Most people won’t be convinced just by the posters or flyers they get in their mailbox but will look for more information on their own. Facebook is a great way to build trust with prospective patients and help your practice grow.
