It may come as a surprise to you that social media are more favorable then websites when it comes to dental practice marketing. Then again, that may not be such a shocker considering we are all aware of how obsessed and addicted we all are to social media. Although having a well-optimized website is important (and we’re taking note here that we don’t discourage websites at all) because they provide the potential clients all the information they could ever want about your practice, social media can help you connect more with patients in a deeper and more personal level.
Social media help you reach out to potential clients who are not actually looking for your dental practice. It’s hard for a client to stumble across your website. They have to use specific keywords and key phrases to land on your page.
On the other hand, social media can reach out to them through your posts and your engagement with clients and other social media accounts. When they do find your page on Facebook, for example, you will have the golden opportunity to leverage the social proof on your page to win them over.
Put yourself in this situation: you already have a dentist, one that you go to every time you have a dental emergency for the past decade. But then, a friend or a family member suggested you try this other dentist because he’s better at what he does or he gives a great discount or his clinic is so much nicer. Do you try the new dentist? Most of you will do simply because you trust your friend or family. That’s essentially what social media do for your dental practice marketing. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, or what not… they act as trusted mediums that people listen to.
The community of your past and present clients can converge on your Facebook page to leave glowing positive reviews about your products and services. They can engage with one another, post on their own pages their recommendations, and invite others to like your page. This is all the social proof you need to encourage potential clients to check out your dental services.
It is also easier to keep up and build relationships with established patients on social media. You can like their posts (even non-dental-related posts) and be “friends” with them. They’ll keep your dental practice in mind when they need your services and that reduces the likelihood of them jumping ship to another dental practice.