By Misty Absher Clark of Jameson Marketing
Reprinted with permission from Jameson Management
With so many people searching on Facebook for your business instead of traditional searches, are you where they can find you? If your name is mentioned online, are you responsive and personable? Social utility networks are certainly changing the rules for some marketing and patient education endeavors. Here are some tips to consider as you make the most of your online name.
- If you don’t yet have 100 "likes" on your Facebook page, name it something relevant to your business and to your area; i.e., Smith Dental – Family Dentistry in Flint, Texas.
- Make sure you have a places page and combine that with your Facebook page.
- Have reviews on your site by using software such as Smile Reminder, Demandforce, or Lighthouse.
- Make your posts early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
- Make sure your posts are limited to 80 characters or less for a greater response.
- Post pictures of your patients, team members, and different CE events you attend.
- Valuable content reigns supreme. Make sure your posts are informative and personal. Minimize promotions to 20% of your posts.
- Promotions of your practice should be specific to your medium (Facebook or Twitter) and not found on other advertisements.
- Link back to your website when and where appropriate.
- Use the discussion link as a way to write a blog. Link it on your home page.
- Have a landing page to give people a relevant place to click to and to give you tracking information about who clicks from your social media to your page.
- Ask people to "like" your page.
- Donate to a charity for every new "like".
- Offer people an opportunity to take advantage of deals through check-in.
- Ask your patients in person and through a marketing campaign to "like" your page.
- Use Facebook ads.
- Post at least once every day.
- Respond to posts made by others on your wall.
- Create short videos with a flip camera (or similar camera) to your page. Videos should be 60 seconds or less.
- Videos can be of team members, patients, or the doctor.
- Tag local businesses in your posts.
- Review your Insights panel to see the progress you are making.
- You or someone in your practice should manage your social media — not a third party.
- Remember that social utility networks are about engaging and building relationships — not talking at people.
- Promote your social media inside your practice with signage and verbal skills.
- Promote your page and profiles on your website with a Like button and a link back to your page.
- Create a personalized URL; i.e., www.facebook.com/JamesonManagement.
- Put your Facebook icon and vanity URL on everything just as you would your website address. This includes business cards, ads, brochures, letterhead, etc.
Author bio
Misty Absher Clark is vice president of Jameson creative services. For more information, call (877) 369-5558 and visit www.JamesonManagement.com.
