Social media for dental practices

Aug. 25, 2011
Danielle Walton discusses the benefits and disadvantages of various social media platorms that can be utilized by dental practices.

by Danielle Walton, co-founder of Adept Marketing

Friend. Like. Tweet. Follow. Status.

Just a few short years ago, these run-of-the-mill words wouldn’t give anyone much to talk about. Today however, we’re told that these words have social currency and that we must be part of the social media conversation or risk being left behind. The proliferation and adoption rate of social media in our culture has signaled that it is here to stay — at least for the foreseeable future. Consider this data point from a recent study:

In 2011, 63.7% of U.S. Internet users will use social networks on a regular basis, amounting to nearly 148 million people. Although the pace of growth will be less dramatic in the next few years than it was in 2009 and 2010, usage will remain strong and shows no sign of declining. Marketers and media companies alike now know that in order to reach their audience, they must have a presence on social networks.
Source: “U.S. Social Network Usage: 2011 Demographic and Behavioral Trends” eMarketer, Feb., 2011

While the numbers are staggering and undeniable, it’s the last sentence that throws many small business owners, including dentists, into a panic much like the idea of an I.R.S. audit once did — “…in order to reach their audience, they must have a presence on social networks.”

As a marketing professional, I don’t subscribe to the “must have” proposition, but rather the “what works” and “what provides value” approach, which can include social media. But to many people, perception is reality, and absence from the social media conversation can deceptively reflect your so-called relevance despite state-of-the-art facilities, array of dental offerings and commitment to patient care and relationships.

This leads a lot of dental professionals to ask — what do we do about social media?

While there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach for dental professionals when it comes to social media, here are some considerations regarding the most popular platforms — Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn — and a few important insights every practice should consider before getting started.

Facebook

Facebook pages are as common as company websites, and many companies are quick to lead consumers to a Facebook page over their website for the “like me” factor. It’s also the best place to start considering this is the forum of choice for millions of people. As a consumer-based online tool, Facebook is a good way to stay engaged with existing patients by providing relevant updates including insights on your practice, new service offerings, and valuable insights on oral health. It will be important for anyone responsible for posting updates to ask — What would patients want to know? How does this post reflect on our practice and our people? Is our personality the same online as it is in person? Developing a social media strategy that carefully considers these questions will be important to ensure the best face of your practice is represented on Facebook.

LinkedIn

More professional in nature, LinkedIn has its own unique advantages. You can post a practice profile page as well as individual expertise through personal profiles. Word-of-mouth marketing and referrals have always been strong business development tools, and LinkedIn provides a forum to share credentials, your practice philosophy, and other key characteristics about you and your practice in a professional manner. As an online business application, LinkedIn should be used more as a credibility booster for your practice. You also can provide a window to your network of trusted connections in a social media context for others to see. And just like Facebook, LinkedIn lets you post updates, allows your connections to follow you, and gives you the ability to post video or presentations through plug-ins such as SlideShare.

Twitter

At a mere 140 characters per tweet, Twitter is about brevity and in-the-moment updates. It’s also the least likely of the three social networks to be valuable to dental practices interested in exploring social media, and a primary reason why I would not recommend dental practices engaging in Twitter. If your purpose for being on social media is engagement, then you’ll want to use a forum that is less limiting to ensure you’re communicating the messages you want.

Before your practice goes social

Remember that, first and foremost, this is about your dental practice. So before you sign on to any social media platform for the good of the practice, you’ll also want to consider these implications that come with social media engagement.

Know your purpose. Avoid the temptation to jump on the social media bandwagon just because other local practices are on social networks. Start by determining your business rationale for engaging in social media — is it for relationship management, to recruit new patients or something else? With a clear purpose in mind, the right strategy can be developed and pursued with metrics in place to determine the value of your social media investment.

Consider the cost. Yes, basic social media accounts are free, but remember that it will take time for you or staff to manage, monitor and respond to inquiries in a timely manner. This has time and cost implications that often aren’t considered immediately. Consider your time investment and plan accordingly. There’s also a reputational cost for what is and isn’t said in a social realm. Remember that you are representing the practice and, like it or not, everything said — or left unsaid — is a reflection of your practice.

Keep it professional. Individual users on social media are informal. But there’s still an expectation for businesses to remain professional. While professional doesn’t mean boring, it must be consistent with the personality of the practice and its professionals.

Question the coupon. Giving services away at deep discounts is a tactic employed by some practices in the age of Groupon and deals of the day. Think twice about using social media as a platform for couponing your practice. It will send a message about your practice and isn’t likely to build lasting patient relationships with those driven solely by discounted services.

Social media platforms can serve as additional tools to help build awareness for your practice and foster lasting relationships with patients. But just like any investment you make for your practice, whether it is new equipment or a new hire, just make sure your rationale for this new strategy is carefully considered and thoughtfully implemented.

Danielle Walton is co-founder of Adept Marketing, an Internet Marketing firm that specializes in delivering performance-driven metrics for small to mid-size businesses. In addition to working with promising start-ups, Adept has developed a practice with dental expertise and serves multiple dental clients across the country. Connect with Danielle at [email protected] or visit www.marketingadept.com.