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Facebook for dentists

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Facebook for Dentists: Boosting Engagement through Contests

by Naomi Cooper June 4, 2014

Facebook for Dentists: Boosting Engagement through ContestsIf you are looking to spice up your Facebook dental practice page, think about running a contest. Facebook promotions are a fun way to increase your engagement with your followers and keep your dental practice in the minds of your patients.

Running a Facebook promotion isn’t difficult, but it does require planning ahead. A recent article from the experts at MarketingProfs, 6 Newbie Tips for Running a Successful Facebook Timeline Promotion, outlines exactly what you need to do to set up contest for your dental practice Facebook page.

If you aren’t sure this DIY approach to Facebook promotions is the right option for you, Sesame Communications could be the solution. They offer a Sweepstakes package for dentists which is a full-service management of Facebook promotions including design and execution of a campaign, marketing the campaign both online and providing marketing emails, newsletters for patient outreach as well as ensuring the contest/promotion is compliant within all Facebook, state and local regulations.

Whether you do it yourself, or you take advantage of Sesame Sweepstakes, a Facebook promotion will increase your online engagement, yielding positive results for your dental practice, including increased patient loyalty, patient referrals and even treatment acceptance.

Have you run a Facebook promotion for your dental practice? What advice would you have for a beginner? Share your experiences below!

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Cultivating Online Synergy for Your Dental Practice

by Naomi Cooper July 16, 2013

Cultivating Online Synergy for Your Dental PracticeWith dental patients becoming increasingly reliant upon the Internet for healthcare information, a dentist’s online reputation is more important than ever. Just a few years ago, it was enough for dentists to have a static website that was nothing more than an online version of their practice brochure. These days, the website is a powerful marketing tool, functioning best when supplemented by online efforts such as social media and online patient reviews.

According to recent whitepaper on social media marketing by Dr. Lou Shuman, DMD, CAGS and Diana P. Friedman, MA, MBA, respondents to a national survey of 88 dental and orthodontic practices administered by Sesame Communications confirmed that social media continues to provide a strong driver for practice website traffic. In fact, more than 91% of dentists surveyed agreed that social media helps drive traffic to the practice website.

And one of the most crucial things a dental practice website needs is third-party validation from around the web to give it additional credibility. When patients “Google” their prospective new dentist’s name, they will not only find that dentist’s website, but also all the other websites in those search results that feature information about that dentist. This is what constitutes “social proof”.

Content on social media and online patient review sites plays an important role in building social proof and driving traffic to a dentist’s website. Social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter give dentists multiple opportunities to stay connected with patients on an ongoing basis. And patient reviews on Yelp! and Google+ Local carry at least as much, if not more, weight than the information on the dentist’s own site because it’s ostensibly from a neutral source. These types of social proof from other places around the web serve to corroborate the information provided on the practice’s own website, giving prospective patients a well-rounded picture of the dentist and the practice.

It is essential for dentists to have a strong online presence in order for patients find them when searching online. A dentist’s website, social media profiles, and online patient reviews work cohesively to create online synergy. They provide more ways for patients to connect with the practice—and learn about the services available that might help them achieve their ideal smile.

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Social Media 101: Best Practice Tips for Your Facebook Dental Practice Page

by Naomi Cooper January 28, 2013

Social Media 101: Best Practice Tips for Your Facebook Dental Practice PageIn our previous post, we talked about the reach of Facebook, and how to set up a page for your dental practice. Social media is all about engagement, so simply having a page is not enough. Updating your page with consistent posts and a variety of relevant information is what will help you get the most out of your social media experience.

Here are 3 Best Practice Tips for your Facebook page:

  1. Importing your business contacts to Facebook will help to spread the word to your associates of your new page, and will encourage everyone to “Like” your page. Once a user “Likes” your page, your posts should appear in their News Feed, prompting more interactions.
  2. Take the time to “Like” your friends’, family’s and colleagues’ pages as well. This will foster goodwill among your business contacts, and will help to expand the reach of your own page.
  3. Keep the information on your page fresh and current. Ideally, aim to post content a maximum of 3 times per week to your page. Each day, try to log on for just 15 minutes and interact with your “Friends” by liking, sharing and/or commenting on their posts. The more interactive you are, the better!

For more information on how to maximize the reach of your dental practice Facebook page, click here to read a brief post on Facebook Insights.

If you feel like updating your Facebook page is too time consuming, check out my previous post on creating a social media calendar for your dental practice. It is a great tool to use to keep your Facebook, and all social media profiles, updated without taking up too much of your valuable time.

In our next post, we will dive into Google+ and how this social media site impacts your dental practice website’s SEO.

Have you set up a Facebook page for your practice? Please feel free to share any comments, questions or experiences below.

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Social Media 101: 7 Tips for Setting Up a Facebook Page for Your Dental Practice

by Naomi Cooper January 22, 2013

Social Media 101: 7 Tips for Setting Up a Facebook Page for Your Dental PracticeUnless you’ve been living under a rock, you are probably aware of Facebook and the effect this social network has had on our culture. According to Mashable.com, as of October 2012, Facebook has approximately 1 billion active users who access the site each month!

While you may already be comfortable using Facebook on a personal level, it’s important from a business owner’s perspective to know that having a Facebook business page for your dental practice is a great way to increase the reach of your online profile – and to connect with patients and your community. If you do not yet have a Facebook page for your practice, now is as good a time as any to start.

Here are 7 simple ways to build a page for your dental practice:

  1. Go to www.Facebook.com and set up a personal profile (if you do not already have one). Establishing a personal profile is essential before building your business page.
  2. Set up a business page (in the name of the practice): https://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
  3. Add a cover photo by clicking “Upload Cover Photo” where prompted. This image should be representative of the practice: the logo, photo of the exterior/interior of the office, staff photo.
    **Per Facebook policy, the cover photo cannot be used to promote discounts or include a call-to-action.**
  4. Upload a profile photo by clicking “Upload Profile Photo” where prompted. Again this would be a great spot for a photo of the dentist or possibly the logo.
    **Be aware that the cover (aka background) photo and the profile (aka thumbnail) photo should not be the same.**
  5. In the “About” section, include a brief description of the practice and pertinent information, such as address, website, phone number, etc. This would also be a great place to include the practice philosophy and/or practice mission statement.
  6. If you have pictures available, uploading photos of the practice (interior and exterior) and pictures of the dentist(s), hygienist(s) and staff members are great ways to personalize your fan page.
    **Be sure to hold off from uploading any photos of patients until you have received in writing from each patient a Photo Release Form (link to form with disclaimer to check with an attorney to ensure it’s sufficient).**
  7. Preview the page several times to be sure that all typos and errors are corrected. Once it looks exactly like you want it, hit “Publish” to make the Page public.

Now that you have set up your dental practice business page, it’s up to you to keep it updated. Posting often and consistently will help to build your Facebook following. For more ideas, be sure to check back here for our next Social Media 101 posting on the 3 Best Practice Tips for Your Facebook Business Page.

Do you use Facebook for your dental practice? Why or why not? Start a conversation below.