Dental Social Media Marketing: Helping Dentists Engage with Potential Patients

Say what you will about social media, it’s hard to downplay its effect on marketing strategies. With an estimated 4.9 billion users worldwide, social media is one of the biggest weapons marketers have in their arsenal.

Now, dental social media marketing seems like a no-brainer for promoting your practice, right? It is! Social media marketing for dentists is no longer optional. In fact, it is an essential way to connect with your patients, gain valuable insights, and grow your brand.

Need more convincing? We’ve got you. In this post, we’ll walk you through six undeniable benefits of social media for dental practices.

 6 Reasons Why You Need Dental Social Media Marketing

It’s safe to say that Facebook Twitter, and Instagram aren’t just channels for sharing cat pictures- they’re a powerful tool to grow and transform your practice. 

If you’re not already taking advantage of social media, you’re missing out on a fast, effective, and inexpensive way of reaching almost half the world’s population. Let’s look at the six ways dental social media can help you touch base with more patients.

1. Increased Visibility

Social media platforms serve as virtual marketplaces where potential patients search for information and recommendations. While paid ads promote the pros of your practice, dental social media offers patients some insight into you and your team. This, in turn, can establish a rapport even before they set foot inside your office.

A robust social media presence can also help ensure your practice is easily discoverable for a wider audience. Consider sharing engaging and informative content to position yourself as an industry expert, increase credibility, and attract new patients. Or, hand over the reins to a reliable dental social media marketing agency!

2. Attract New Patients

Most people take healthcare decisions very seriously- and some turn to social media for research. According to statistics, 11% of Americans use their socials to seek reliable health information. 

When patients look for dentists, they’re not just searching for a one-off interaction. Instead, they want someone they can commit to for the long haul- someone they can trust to keep them feeling their best. 

Social media marketing for dentists lets you use advanced targeting options to reach your ideal patient demographic. With precise audience segmentation based on age, location, interests, behavior, and similar factors, you can tailor your social media ads to specific target groups. 

If you’re active on socials, interacting with people who engage in your dental social media posts can cast a positive first impression on new patients, making you more credible.

3. Build Patient Loyalty

What’s better than building brand loyalty for free? Nothing, we say. Nearly 90% of people buy from brands they follow on social media. And if you’re a dentist, a fun social media presence will likely bring more people through your doors.

It’s an obvious correlation. If patients follow you, they’ll choose you over your competitors. They might even refer you to friends and family.

But this isn’t automatic, you’ll have to put in the work to keep your audience engaged and happy. Here’s how.

• Offer special discounts to your social media followers
• Start a meaningful discussion in the comments
• Give away tokens of appreciation like free dental care samples to make a long-lasting impression

4. Nurture Better Relationships

For many, going to the dentist is a nerve-wracking experience. Some even avoid it altogether. Between 9-20% of Americans are afraid of going to the dentist due to dental anxiety. 

You could say marketing in favor of this experience is like pulling teeth. Luckily, social media allows you to create fun relationships with your patients through client reviews, testimonials, friendly images, and the results of your work.

Several patients might hesitate to ask oral health-related questions while in the chair. Encourage them to reach out to you on your socials or share dental facts on social media. This way, you can show you’re there to help- and they have nothing to fear.

Creating an open and interactive dialogue is a great way to foster relationships with patients, offer support, address concerns, and celebrate milestones. This personalized approach helps establish lasting connections, resulting in increased patient loyalty and referrals.

5. Spend Less, Gain More

Back in the day, dentists had no choice but to invest in traditional marketing options like TV, radio, print, and billboards to promote their practice. 

While these platforms are somewhat effective, they can cost a pretty penny. Additionally, there’s no guarantee they will reach the right people- the ones who need dental services and credible information on oral health.

In this regard, social media is an exceptionally economical way of putting your clinic in the spotlight. Extensive reach aside, it also enables you to target the right market at a lower cost than what you would spend on old-school marketing channels.

6. Drive More Traffic to Your Website

Although search engines are great, they aren’t your only source of potential web traffic. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn have massive user bases and a wealth of opportunities for you to reach your target audience. A few of them include:

• Engaging content, such as posts, images, videos, and articles, that encourage patients to click on links leading back to the website.
• Clear and enticing calls to action that create a sense of urgency and direct patients to take appropriate action.
• Paid ads, that allow practices to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.

But wait, there’s more. Humans aren’t the only ones keeping an eye on your activity on social media. Things like sharing content, gaining followers, and connecting with patients can indirectly impact a website’s SEO. When social media signals indicate a website’s content is well-liked and valuable, search engines may rank it higher on the results page.

That said, you must consider not only what to post on your social media, but how often to post as well. The last thing you’d want is to come off as an overbearing marketer.

The Bottom Line

Social media marketing for dentists is non-negotiable. From enhancing visibility and building trust to strengthening patient relationships and educating the community, dental social media can let you connect with your target audience in unprecedented ways. 

So, go ahead, leverage social media to unlock smiles, attract new patients, and establish yourselves as trusted oral advocates in the digital landscape!

Do you need help with social media for dental practices? Denta Marketing can help! As a trusted dental social media marketing agency, we have the knowledge, tools, and skills to fine-tune your social media game. Get in touch with us for more information today!