How to post on social media for dentists

Is social media important for dentists? 

Social media can play a crucial role in any dental marketing strategy. Social platforms can offer a direct line of communication between dental practices and their patients. It’s common for patients to only interact with an office once or twice a year when it’s time for a cleaning. This means that social media for dentists is a great way to stay connected with patients in-between visits!

Social media marketing can be a smart, inexpensive, and simple investment. A great social presence can help attract new patients! Not only can it be an avenue to get referrals and testimonials, but it’s also a place for you to share some “behind the scenes” of your dental practice. This is an important step in the new patient journey. 

Steps in the New Patient Journey: 

The new patient journey is one way to describe all the steps a new patient takes between finding your practice and coming in for an appointment. With the right strategy, a patient journey could look similar to this: 

• A potential patient Googles “dentist near me” 
• They find your practice (thanks to your great SEO score) and visit your website
• After scanning through your services, team information, and photos, they click on the social media icons to get an inside look
• On your social pages, the new patient finds testimonial videos, fun facts about the staff, an office tour, and helpful information about treatments
• Now that the patient can picture what it would be like to visit your practice, they are more likely to call to book an appointment!

Look. We understand that a dentist’s social media account is not the only (or most important) factor a patient considers before giving you a call. But, too often, a patient will stumble upon a practice’s social media page and it’s either blank, has inconsistent posts every now and then, or it’s full of stock photos and generic dental tips. That’s not going to convince someone to call you up to schedule an appointment.

How to Post on Social Media for Dentists

Even though most people have managed a personal social media account, managing one for a business can feel overwhelming. We want to help our dental clients create a cohesive brand on social media. But even more, we want to help them connect with patients and prove they’re more than a business. 

What can dental practices share on social media? 

We encourage our clients to post organic content that connects with patients, builds trust, and tells their story. Here are some ideas: 

• Staff spotlights 
• Birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays
• Share specials and promotions
• Information about treatments
• Smile reveals for a patient
• Patient reviews or testimonials
• Tour of your office
• Fun facts about the dentist
• Shout out to referring offices
• Community events or involvement

How often should dentists post on social media? 

There’s no hard and fast rule for when dentists need to post on social media. It depends on what type of practice you are, how your patients generally find you, and what your overall marketing strategy looks like. Generally, we have our clients aim to post engaging content a couple of times a week. 

More tips for posting on social media for dentists: 

Take great photos. 

Good lighting and angles can help your team look their best. Experiment with backgrounds, angles, poses, and settings on your phone to capture some great photos of your team. 

Not all of your photos on social media need to be taken by a professional photographer. Candid photos of the team having fun while working are great for showing office culture. However, having some professional photos in your arsenal can create a powerful brand aesthetic. We plan photo and video shoots for our clients to give them the brand assets that really level up their digital presence. 

Participate and celebrate. 

It’s National ____ Day! Happy birthday to ____! Whether you’re celebrating a major holiday or appreciating your hygienists, share the fun on social media. These are also great events to plan and schedule in advance. 

Educate and update. 

Take a photo of your technology and explain how it benefits patients. Describe a procedure or service. Share an article or statistic you find particularly interesting. Your new and old patients will love to see that they’re in good hands when they step into your practice. 

Social media is also a great place to share updates–from updated office hours, a freshly renovated lobby, new location, or new staff member. 

Start a conversation. 

Social media is all about creating connections. That’s why it’s so important to engage with your patients and followers. Polls or posts that ask questions allow patients to interact with you–and they provide helpful feedback. Don’t forget to reply to all comments and interact with local social accounts to continue to build those relationships. 

Share memories. 

Did you know you wanted to be a dentist when you were a kid? Are there photos of your days in college studying to become a dentist or orthodontist? Post a photo or share a little bit about your journey to getting where you are today! 

Plan and schedule. 

You are far more likely to be successful with your social media strategy if you plan some posts in advance. Holidays, promotions, events, and even informative content can be drafted and scheduled in advance. Platforms like Social Pilot, Hootsuite, Later, Sprout Social, and others are easy to use and often have free versions. 

Check out more social media tips for dental practices here! 

“Pain-Free” Social Media for Dentists

We work with dentists to elevate their social media presence as a part of their overall dental marketing strategy. We offer client support and call tracking, monthly content ideas, resources, paid advertising campaigns, photo/video shoots, and more. If you’re feeling unsure about what to post or how to bring your ideas to life, our team is here to help! Ready to take that next step? Let’s chat.