The value of unique content, video and sponsorships
By Andrea De La Cerda, Scorpion
With new features introduced every year, knowing the best way to use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can feel like a moving target. Here are a few quick tips to maximize your presence on social media and drive the most engagement for your orthodontic practice.
Tip #1: Keep Content Unique
To save time, it can be tempting to craft one post for all of your social networks. But keeping your content unique to each platform will improve your user engagement. For example, Instagram is a visual platform and plays well with content that is casual, fun and lighthearted. Office parties, community events and holidays are great opportunities to capture fun photos and videos to share with your Instagram followers. Try to keep your posts to updates that you think people would enjoy viewing. If you are promoting a patient special, try to do it visually and creatively so as not to seem like a sales pitch. And don’t forget the hashtags. Hashtags are especially effective on Instagram, so use them liberally to maximize your audience.
Facebook on the other hand, can be effective at featuring content that is more educational in nature. For example, content that teaches the importance of jaw alignment to avoid speech issues is an easy read on Facebook. And features like Facebook Live and Instagram and Facebook stories can give your followers an instant behind-the-scenes look at any exciting events in your office as they happen.
Tip #2: Use Video
Video is engaging and can be very effective for sharing educational content, your brand story and building trust. Some social media platforms know that users prefer to interact with video. As a result, adding video to your social media posts can increase your organic engagement. Concerned about budget? Videos don’t have to be expensive. A smartphone and simple video software or mobile application is all you need to create an engaging video as long as the content you’re delivering is valuable to your audience.
Read more: Five Ways to Leverage Digital Marketing to Grow Your Orthodontic Practice
Tip #3: Leverage Sponsorships
Social media is also highly targetable if you’re willing to invest some money. For example, to promote a new patient back-to-school offer, you might create a post on Facebook or Instagram targeting moms within a 5-mile radius of your practice with an interest in mommy blogs, local schools, and the PTA. And by keeping your audience highly targeted, you can use your marketing dollars more effectively by making sure you only reach the types of people you want to attract as new patients.
Social media can be an effective, simple way to reach new audiences with relevant content that is both educational and entertaining. But it does take time to do it right. Enlist a professional partner if you need help. But with patience, persistence and consistency over time, your investment will pay off. Utilizing different social media channels with unique, valuable content tailored to your audience can improve your brand awareness, build trust with your audience, and separate your practice from other orthodontic practices. OP
Andrea De La Cerda is the director of vertical marketing at Scorpion. De La Cerda leads Scorpion’s strategy for the medical industry and enjoys educating practice owners about digital marketing solutions to grow their businesses. She brings more than 20 years of award-winning national and international marketing expertise to the Scorpion team.
