Our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental!

Congratulations to our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental!

This month, we’re proud to share with you the story of Aurentz Family Dental — just like their patients are sharing it with their friends! After only about a year in business, this team is already outclassing their local competition in terms of patient reviews and online visibility.

Knowing that over 90 percent of consumers use social media and online reviews to make decisions about local businesses, Aurentz Family Dental has kicked off their practice’s growth by focusing on the most important marketing tasks first.

We reached out to the owner of Aurentz Family Dental, Dr. Keisha Aurentz, for her thoughts on how social media marketing has helped her build her new practice. What can you apply in your own office?

Q&A With Practice Owner, Dr. Keisha Aurentz

(Responses edited for length and clarity.)

What has been the biggest surprise of using social media in your practice?

“I have been very surprised at how many great reviews we have gotten so quickly! I am so grateful that patients have been willing to take the time out of their busy days to write a review. I have My Social Practice to thank for making the review process so user-friendly for patients!”

Which of your posts have sparked the most engagement from fans and potential patients?

“I have seen the most success with patient pictures. I have even had patients come in and say they scheduled an appointment because they saw a picture of a friend of theirs on my Facebook page!”

What are the biggest ways digital marketing benefits your practice?

“It gives patients a great way to let us know their honest opinion through reviews, and another way for us to spread the word about our practice! My practice is less than a year old and social media marketing has helped us reach more people quicker!”

What’s the biggest challenge of social media for you?

“Coming up with content for our Facebook page. Thankfully, My Social Practice has a ton of great post ideas to choose from, and we make an effort to post a team or patient photo daily. It helps people get to know us on a more personal level. Patients are always commenting on how cute one of our posts was or how much they love the Social Signs!”

What advice would you give to a dental practice just starting with digital marketing?

“I would tell them to utilize every aspect of My Social Practice’s services: blog content, Social Signs, campaigns, email blasts, etc. I have found reviews and emailing to be most helpful to my practice. And it all takes me less than three hours a week.”

Thank you for your stamp of approval, Dr. Aurentz! We’re so impressed with how much you’ve grown your practice’s online visibility in such a short time! We look forward to seeing how you continue to use our content and tools to help new patients find you.

Social media marketing doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. As social platforms continue to evolve, using them to grow your business is less about technical know-how and SEO tricks and more about simply creating engaging, shareable content that sparks interaction.

So even if you have little or no digital marketing experience, there’s never been a better time to start building your dental practice’s online presence. Request a free demo of our services and we’d love to show you step-by-step how to do it!

The post Our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental! appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

Dentists, Are You Making These Common Hashtag Mistakes?

Hashtags are everywhere, and for good reason. They’re one of the best tools harnessing the power of trending topics to spark engagement and deliver content to people who will care about it. But using them effectively is a balancing act: too many, and your posts look spammy and cluttered, too few, and you miss valuable opportunities to connect with patients and ideal potential patients in your community. Plus, keeping tabs on what’s popular and the associated hashtags takes a small daily effort.

But when dental teams use hashtags correctly in their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts, it leads to higher interaction and better reach among patients and ideal potential patients in their area.

Slave Lake Dental uses the #ShopLocal hashtag to grow their following.

Using hashtags effectively is simpler than you think. For starters, make sure you avoid these common hashtagging mistakes:

Mistake #1: Not Including Hashtags

A large portion of dental teams that don’t use hashtags probably don’t because they don’t know what they are or how to use them. It’s easy! A hashtag is simply a word, preceded by a pound sign (#), that groups social media posts under a topic.

For example, people posting their thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram about today’s Cavs game will include #Cavs somewhere in their post. Then, anybody who wants to check out the conversation about the game could simply search for or click on that hashtag and see all the posts that included it. It makes it easy to join popular conversations and get your content seen by more people. Studies suggest that posts with fitting and popular hashtags get twice the interaction as posts without.

We’ll go over how to choose good hashtags a little later, but for dentists, #(your city name), #dentist, #dentistry, and #dentalvisit are always good picks.

Mistake #2: Including Too Many Hashtags

On the other end of the scale, having too many hashtags in a post is counterproductive as well. It makes your post look cluttered and spammy, and it distracts from the key message. Plus, on Twitter, you only have a limited number of characters to use. No matter the platform, limit yourself to three or less hashtags per post.

Mistake #3: Only Using “Fluff” Hashtags

A trendy (although not very effective) way of using hashtags is making one up just to add some “flavor” to a post — kind of like a funny post-script. For example, ending a post with something like #DrJonesIsTheBest or #WeTakeCareOfPatientsAtDowntownDental. Sure, some of them are clever, but think about the purpose of hashtags: are you actually joining any conversations with hashtags like these, or is anybody ever going to actually search them? No.

Instead, choose hashtags that will actually help new patients find you. Along with the general-purpose tags like #dentist and #(your city name), find popular hashtags by browsing the trending topic lists of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Chime in with a post that includes the hashtag and relates the topic to dentistry or oral health. This is an excellent way to get more interaction and grow your audience.

Help New Patients Find You With Smart Hashtags

When choosing which hashtags to include in your posts, try to think like ideal potential patients in your area. What topics and conversations would they be interested in? Which hashtags might they realistically search for on social media? Create posts that show what makes your practice so great, and relate them to hot topics by including appropriate hashtags. Patients and potential patients will see you participating, keeping you at the top of their minds, and making them more likely to schedule an appointment or refer a friend.

The post Dentists, Are You Making These Common Hashtag Mistakes? appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

The Social Media Marketing Tools Dentists MUST Be Using

For many dentists trying to market their practices online, there’s a constant worry that they’re not “doing enough.” Learning what you MUST, SHOULD, and COULD be doing will help relieve that stress.

Most decisions are a matter of “good, better and best.” For just about any problem we face, there are multiple solutions, some better than others. And choosing between them usually comes down how much time and resources we have to make something work.

Dental digital marketing is no different. There are dozens of platforms, apps, and tools to choose from to help retain patients, and help new patients find you online. You don’t have time to use them all, so you’ve got to first focus on using the tools that will help you make the best impression with the largest number of patients and potential patients.

We’ve put together this useful list of digital marketing tools dental teams MUST, SHOULD, and COULD be using, and some resources on using them effectively. Use it as a guide to cover the most important items first in your digital marketing strategy, then implement additional items as you master the basics. So stop worrying about doing enough, and start prioritizing your efforts!

The “Musts”

The vast majority of dental practices we work with see significant results even if they only have the resources to focus on a couple of key things. If you’re just starting out with social media marketing, or only have a few minutes a day to devote to it, focus on these essentials:

1. Post something on Facebook every day.
2. Obtain one or two positive Google reviews from patients every week.
3. Send patients a monthly newsletter email notifying them of special offers and your practice’s most notable social media posts.
4. Set up a simple practice website that gives essential business details and links to your social media pages.
5. Set up a practice YouTube channel.

Check out our free new ebook for more actionable advice on how to cover the basics!

The “Shoulds”

Once you’ve established your practice’s online presence, consider expanding to these platforms:

1. LinkedIn. It’s not just for college students to find jobs any more. It’s a great way to connect with other dental professionals and get the doctor personally involved. These videos will help you get started.
2. Instagram. With one of the largest user bases, Instagram is a great choice for dental teams that like to take a lot of photos. Learn more about using Instagram effectively here.
3. Blogging. Even if you only have time to write short posts, blogging is an excellent way to help your practice website gain more traction. Learn more about how blogging builds your online presence.

The “Coulds”

While your efforts shouldn’t be centered around these tools, they can still help you build a vibrant online presence for your practice:

1. Twitter. It’s an excellent learning resource that can help you build your career. Check out these blog posts for more information.
2. Pinterest. These example ideas will help you get started.
3. SnapChat. SnapChat can help you reach younger demographics by posting fun, bite-sized content.

The post The Social Media Marketing Tools Dentists MUST Be Using appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

Our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental!

Congratulations to our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental!

This month, we’re proud to share with you the story of Aurentz Family Dental — just like their patients are sharing it with their friends! After only about a year in business, this team is already outclassing their local competition in terms of patient reviews and online visibility.

Knowing that over 90 percent of consumers use social media and online reviews to make decisions about local businesses, Aurentz Family Dental has kicked off their practice’s growth by focusing on the most important marketing tasks first.

We reached out to the owner of Aurentz Family Dental, Dr. Keisha Aurentz, for her thoughts on how social media marketing has helped her build her new practice. What can you apply in your own office?

Q&A With Practice Owner, Dr. Keisha Aurentz

(Responses edited for length and clarity.)

What has been the biggest surprise of using social media in your practice?

“I have been very surprised at how many great reviews we have gotten so quickly! I am so grateful that patients have been willing to take the time out of their busy days to write a review. I have My Social Practice to thank for making the review process so user-friendly for patients!”

Which of your posts have sparked the most engagement from fans and potential patients?

“I have seen the most success with patient pictures. I have even had patients come in and say they scheduled an appointment because they saw a picture of a friend of theirs on my Facebook page!”

What are the biggest ways digital marketing benefits your practice?

“It gives patients a great way to let us know their honest opinion through reviews, and another way for us to spread the word about our practice! My practice is less than a year old and social media marketing has helped us reach more people quicker!”

What’s the biggest challenge of social media for you?

“Coming up with content for our Facebook page. Thankfully, My Social Practice has a ton of great post ideas to choose from, and we make an effort to post a team or patient photo daily. It helps people get to know us on a more personal level. Patients are always commenting on how cute one of our posts was or how much they love the Social Signs!”

What advice would you give to a dental practice just starting with digital marketing?

“I would tell them to utilize every aspect of My Social Practice’s services: blog content, Social Signs, campaigns, email blasts, etc. I have found reviews and emailing to be most helpful to my practice. And it all takes me less than three hours a week.”

Thank you for your stamp of approval, Dr. Aurentz! We’re so impressed with how much you’ve grown your practice’s online visibility in such a short time! We look forward to seeing how you continue to use our content and tools to help new patients find you.

Social media marketing doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. As social platforms continue to evolve, using them to grow your business is less about technical know-how and SEO tricks and more about simply creating engaging, shareable content that sparks interaction.

So even if you have little or no digital marketing experience, there’s never been a better time to start building your dental practice’s online presence. Request a free demo of our services and we’d love to show you step-by-step how to do it!

The post Our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental! appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

Our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental!

Congratulations to our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental!

This month, we’re proud to share with you the story of Aurentz Family Dental — just like their patients are sharing it with their friends! After only about a year in business, this team is already outclassing their local competition in terms of patient reviews and online visibility.

Knowing that over 90 percent of consumers use social media and online reviews to make decisions about local businesses, Aurentz Family Dental has kicked off their practice’s growth by focusing on the most important marketing tasks first.

We reached out to the owner of Aurentz Family Dental, Dr. Keisha Aurentz, for her thoughts on how social media marketing has helped her build her new practice. What can you apply in your own office?

Q&A With Practice Owner, Dr. Keisha Aurentz

(Responses edited for length and clarity.)

What has been the biggest surprise of using social media in your practice?

“I have been very surprised at how many great reviews we have gotten so quickly! I am so grateful that patients have been willing to take the time out of their busy days to write a review. I have My Social Practice to thank for making the review process so user-friendly for patients!”

Which of your posts have sparked the most engagement from fans and potential patients?

“I have seen the most success with patient pictures. I have even had patients come in and say they scheduled an appointment because they saw a picture of a friend of theirs on my Facebook page!”

What are the biggest ways digital marketing benefits your practice?

“It gives patients a great way to let us know their honest opinion through reviews, and another way for us to spread the word about our practice! My practice is less than a year old and social media marketing has helped us reach more people quicker!”

What’s the biggest challenge of social media for you?

“Coming up with content for our Facebook page. Thankfully, My Social Practice has a ton of great post ideas to choose from, and we make an effort to post a team or patient photo daily. It helps people get to know us on a more personal level. Patients are always commenting on how cute one of our posts was or how much they love the Social Signs!”

What advice would you give to a dental practice just starting with digital marketing?

“I would tell them to utilize every aspect of My Social Practice’s services: blog content, Social Signs, campaigns, email blasts, etc. I have found reviews and emailing to be most helpful to my practice. And it all takes me less than three hours a week.”

Thank you for your stamp of approval, Dr. Aurentz! We’re so impressed with how much you’ve grown your practice’s online visibility in such a short time! We look forward to seeing how you continue to use our content and tools to help new patients find you.

Social media marketing doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. As social platforms continue to evolve, using them to grow your business is less about technical know-how and SEO tricks and more about simply creating engaging, shareable content that sparks interaction.

So even if you have little or no digital marketing experience, there’s never been a better time to start building your dental practice’s online presence. Request a free demo of our services and we’d love to show you step-by-step how to do it!

The post Our September Practice of the Month — Aurentz Family Dental! appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

Dentists, Are You Making These Common Hashtag Mistakes?

Hashtags are everywhere, and for good reason. They’re one of the best tools harnessing the power of trending topics to spark engagement and deliver content to people who will care about it. But using them effectively is a balancing act: too many, and your posts look spammy and cluttered, too few, and you miss valuable opportunities to connect with patients and ideal potential patients in your community. Plus, keeping tabs on what’s popular and the associated hashtags takes a small daily effort.

But when dental teams use hashtags correctly in their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts, it leads to higher interaction and better reach among patients and ideal potential patients in their area.

Slave Lake Dental uses the #ShopLocal hashtag to grow their following.

Using hashtags effectively is simpler than you think. For starters, make sure you avoid these common hashtagging mistakes:

Mistake #1: Not Including Hashtags

A large portion of dental teams that don’t use hashtags probably don’t because they don’t know what they are or how to use them. It’s easy! A hashtag is simply a word, preceded by a pound sign (#), that groups social media posts under a topic.

For example, people posting their thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram about today’s Cavs game will include #Cavs somewhere in their post. Then, anybody who wants to check out the conversation about the game could simply search for or click on that hashtag and see all the posts that included it. It makes it easy to join popular conversations and get your content seen by more people. Studies suggest that posts with fitting and popular hashtags get twice the interaction as posts without.

We’ll go over how to choose good hashtags a little later, but for dentists, #(your city name), #dentist, #dentistry, and #dentalvisit are always good picks.

Mistake #2: Including Too Many Hashtags

On the other end of the scale, having too many hashtags in a post is counterproductive as well. It makes your post look cluttered and spammy, and it distracts from the key message. Plus, on Twitter, you only have a limited number of characters to use. No matter the platform, limit yourself to three or less hashtags per post.

Mistake #3: Only Using “Fluff” Hashtags

A trendy (although not very effective) way of using hashtags is making one up just to add some “flavor” to a post — kind of like a funny post-script. For example, ending a post with something like #DrJonesIsTheBest or #WeTakeCareOfPatientsAtDowntownDental. Sure, some of them are clever, but think about the purpose of hashtags: are you actually joining any conversations with hashtags like these, or is anybody ever going to actually search them? No.

Instead, choose hashtags that will actually help new patients find you. Along with the general-purpose tags like #dentist and #(your city name), find popular hashtags by browsing the trending topic lists of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Chime in with a post that includes the hashtag and relates the topic to dentistry or oral health. This is an excellent way to get more interaction and grow your audience.

Help New Patients Find You With Smart Hashtags

When choosing which hashtags to include in your posts, try to think like ideal potential patients in your area. What topics and conversations would they be interested in? Which hashtags might they realistically search for on social media? Create posts that show what makes your practice so great, and relate them to hot topics by including appropriate hashtags. Patients and potential patients will see you participating, keeping you at the top of their minds, and making them more likely to schedule an appointment or refer a friend.

The post Dentists, Are You Making These Common Hashtag Mistakes? appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

The Social Media Marketing Tools Dentists MUST Be Using

For many dentists trying to market their practices online, there’s a constant worry that they’re not “doing enough.” Learning what you MUST, SHOULD, and COULD be doing will help relieve that stress.

Most decisions are a matter of “good, better and best.” For just about any problem we face, there are multiple solutions, some better than others. And choosing between them usually comes down how much time and resources we have to make something work.

Dental digital marketing is no different. There are dozens of platforms, apps, and tools to choose from to help retain patients, and help new patients find you online. You don’t have time to use them all, so you’ve got to first focus on using the tools that will help you make the best impression with the largest number of patients and potential patients.

We’ve put together this useful list of digital marketing tools dental teams MUST, SHOULD, and COULD be using, and some resources on using them effectively. Use it as a guide to cover the most important items first in your digital marketing strategy, then implement additional items as you master the basics. So stop worrying about doing enough, and start prioritizing your efforts!

The “Musts”

The vast majority of dental practices we work with see significant results even if they only have the resources to focus on a couple of key things. If you’re just starting out with social media marketing, or only have a few minutes a day to devote to it, focus on these essentials:

1. Post something on Facebook every day.
2. Obtain one or two positive Google reviews from patients every week.
3. Send patients a monthly newsletter email notifying them of special offers and your practice’s most notable social media posts.
4. Set up a simple practice website that gives essential business details and links to your social media pages.
5. Set up a practice YouTube channel.

Check out our free new ebook for more actionable advice on how to cover the basics!

The “Shoulds”

Once you’ve established your practice’s online presence, consider expanding to these platforms:

1. LinkedIn. It’s not just for college students to find jobs any more. It’s a great way to connect with other dental professionals and get the doctor personally involved. These videos will help you get started.
2. Instagram. With one of the largest user bases, Instagram is a great choice for dental teams that like to take a lot of photos. Learn more about using Instagram effectively here.
3. Blogging. Even if you only have time to write short posts, blogging is an excellent way to help your practice website gain more traction. Learn more about how blogging builds your online presence.

The “Coulds”

While your efforts shouldn’t be centered around these tools, they can still help you build a vibrant online presence for your practice:

1. Twitter. It’s an excellent learning resource that can help you build your career. Check out these blog posts for more information.
2. Pinterest. These example ideas will help you get started.
3. SnapChat. SnapChat can help you reach younger demographics by posting fun, bite-sized content.

The post The Social Media Marketing Tools Dentists MUST Be Using appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

Great Dental Social Media Content Earns Engagement Naturally

There are dozens of ways to optimize dental social media content for engagement. But most of all, it just has to be worth your readers’ time! Create content that connects with patients and fans on a personal level, naturally leading to more Likes and shares.

When you’re researching social media marketing for your practice, you’re going to hear a lot about “hashtags!”, “keywords!”, and “search engine optimization!” Now don’t get us wrong, knowing how to use these technical features is important, but many social media marketers (and dental teams) get so wrapped up in it that they don’t answer this basic question first: “Is my content actually something anyone would be happy to see on their timeline?”

Search engines and social media platforms are becoming smarter, and trying to manipulate them into giving better visibility to subpar content is increasingly ineffective. Instead, they’re giving priority to content that meets people’s needs, connects with them on a personal level, and is relevant to their interests and communities. And when people come across that type of content, they’re more likely to engage with it — meaning more Likes, shares, comments, and reach.

Creating Naturally Engaging Content

For dental teams, better content means more engagement, and your name in front of more of your patients and ideal potential patients. How can you create naturally engaging content for your dental practice’s social media pages? To help answer that, let’s look at a series of Facebook posts from one of our great clients, Slave Lake Dental.

Along with their other posts, every couple of weeks, one of their team members creates a post highlighting one of their favorite local businesses:

They’ve chosen flower shops, restaurants, and other types of businesses.

Each one has a healthy amount of engagement, which signals to Facebook that their content is worth showing to more people.

Why are these such great posts, even if they don’t really have much to do with dentistry? Let’s break down some of the reasons:

• They show the team’s human side. Time and time again our clients tell us “We were so surprised about how much our patients actually want to get to know us as people!” Sharing your team’s personalities, interests, and background stories builds trust.
• They demonstrate a strong connection to the community. By tagging the businesses and encouraging people to shop local, they show that they know and care about their city.
• They share things they think patients will love. People love to share about things that have improved their lives, and others are grateful to be let in on the secret! This goes for dental products and procedures you offer, too.
• They’re fun and unexpected. Occasionally including posts that AREN’T about dentistry is a great way to grab attention!
• They invite interaction. Start talking about your interests and favorite things, and fans are sure to chime in with their own thoughts and suggestions.
• They utilize Facebook’s features to get more engagement. On top of having engaging content to begin with, they remember to tag team members and businesses, as well as include hashtags.

Grow Engagement and Your Audience With Great Content

Creating engaging dental content isn’t about seeing how much “optimization” you can jam into a post. It’s about giving people a look into your practice culture, and inviting them to be a part of it.

My Social Practice clients have access to the world’s largest library of dental-themed social media content, making daily posting a snap! Learn more by requesting a free demo of our Publisher app, and check out our ebook below for more great strategies and examples to help you create content that will build your practice.

The post Great Dental Social Media Content Earns Engagement Naturally appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

The Social Media Marketing Tools Dentists MUST Be Using

For many dentists trying to market their practices online, there’s a constant worry that they’re not “doing enough.” Learning what you MUST, SHOULD, and COULD be doing will help relieve that stress.

Most decisions are a matter of “good, better and best.” For just about any problem we face, there are multiple solutions, some better than others. And choosing between them usually comes down how much time and resources we have to make something work.

Dental digital marketing is no different. There are dozens of platforms, apps, and tools to choose from to help retain patients, and help new patients find you online. You don’t have time to use them all, so you’ve got to first focus on using the tools that will help you make the best impression with the largest number of patients and potential patients.

We’ve put together this useful list of digital marketing tools dental teams MUST, SHOULD, and COULD be using, and some resources on using them effectively. Use it as a guide to cover the most important items first in your digital marketing strategy, then implement additional items as you master the basics. So stop worrying about doing enough, and start prioritizing your efforts!

The “Musts”

The vast majority of dental practices we work with see significant results even if they only have the resources to focus on a couple of key things. If you’re just starting out with social media marketing, or only have a few minutes a day to devote to it, focus on these essentials:

1. Post something on Facebook every day.
2. Obtain one or two positive Google reviews from patients every week.
3. Send patients a monthly newsletter email notifying them of special offers and your practice’s most notable social media posts.
4. Set up a simple practice website that gives essential business details and links to your social media pages.
5. Set up a practice YouTube channel.

Check out our free new ebook for more actionable advice on how to cover the basics!

The “Shoulds”

Once you’ve established your practice’s online presence, consider expanding to these platforms:

1. LinkedIn. It’s not just for college students to find jobs any more. It’s a great way to connect with other dental professionals and get the doctor personally involved. These videos will help you get started.
2. Instagram. With one of the largest user bases, Instagram is a great choice for dental teams that like to take a lot of photos. Learn more about using Instagram effectively here.
3. Blogging. Even if you only have time to write short posts, blogging is an excellent way to help your practice website gain more traction. Learn more about how blogging builds your online presence.

The “Coulds”

While your efforts shouldn’t be centered around these tools, they can still help you build a vibrant online presence for your practice:

1. Twitter. It’s an excellent learning resource that can help you build your career. Check out these blog posts for more information.
2. Pinterest. These example ideas will help you get started.
3. SnapChat. SnapChat can help you reach younger demographics by posting fun, bite-sized content.

The post The Social Media Marketing Tools Dentists MUST Be Using appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.

Great Dental Social Media Content Earns Engagement Naturally

There are dozens of ways to optimize dental social media content for engagement. But most of all, it just has to be worth your readers’ time! Create content that connects with patients and fans on a personal level, naturally leading to more Likes and shares.

When you’re researching social media marketing for your practice, you’re going to hear a lot about “hashtags!”, “keywords!”, and “search engine optimization!” Now don’t get us wrong, knowing how to use these technical features is important, but many social media marketers (and dental teams) get so wrapped up in it that they don’t answer this basic question first: “Is my content actually something anyone would be happy to see on their timeline?”

Search engines and social media platforms are becoming smarter, and trying to manipulate them into giving better visibility to subpar content is increasingly ineffective. Instead, they’re giving priority to content that meets people’s needs, connects with them on a personal level, and is relevant to their interests and communities. And when people come across that type of content, they’re more likely to engage with it — meaning more Likes, shares, comments, and reach.

Creating Naturally Engaging Content

For dental teams, better content means more engagement, and your name in front of more of your patients and ideal potential patients. How can you create naturally engaging content for your dental practice’s social media pages? To help answer that, let’s look at a series of Facebook posts from one of our great clients, Slave Lake Dental.

Along with their other posts, every couple of weeks, one of their team members creates a post highlighting one of their favorite local businesses:

They’ve chosen flower shops, restaurants, and other types of businesses.

Each one has a healthy amount of engagement, which signals to Facebook that their content is worth showing to more people.

Why are these such great posts, even if they don’t really have much to do with dentistry? Let’s break down some of the reasons:

• They show the team’s human side. Time and time again our clients tell us “We were so surprised about how much our patients actually want to get to know us as people!” Sharing your team’s personalities, interests, and background stories builds trust.
• They demonstrate a strong connection to the community. By tagging the businesses and encouraging people to shop local, they show that they know and care about their city.
• They share things they think patients will love. People love to share about things that have improved their lives, and others are grateful to be let in on the secret! This goes for dental products and procedures you offer, too.
• They’re fun and unexpected. Occasionally including posts that AREN’T about dentistry is a great way to grab attention!
• They invite interaction. Start talking about your interests and favorite things, and fans are sure to chime in with their own thoughts and suggestions.
• They utilize Facebook’s features to get more engagement. On top of having engaging content to begin with, they remember to tag team members and businesses, as well as include hashtags.

Grow Engagement and Your Audience With Great Content

Creating engaging dental content isn’t about seeing how much “optimization” you can jam into a post. It’s about giving people a look into your practice culture, and inviting them to be a part of it.

My Social Practice clients have access to the world’s largest library of dental-themed social media content, making daily posting a snap! Learn more by requesting a free demo of our Publisher app, and check out our ebook below for more great strategies and examples to help you create content that will build your practice.

The post Great Dental Social Media Content Earns Engagement Naturally appeared first on My Social Practice - Social Media Marketing For Dentists, Orthodontists, & Optometrists.