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social media calendar

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How to Create a Social Media Plan for Your Practice – And Stick With It!

by Naomi Cooper March 5, 2018

Nearly every dentist is online these days, but there are far fewer dentists who approach online marketing with a serious strategy, especially when it comes to social media. It’s one thing to set up a Facebook page for your practice; it’s quite another thing to update it with fresh and relevant content on a regular basis.

So what’s the secret to social media success?

Create a social media calendar – and then stick with it! No matter how often you decide to post – daily, weekly or even monthly – the key is to keep it consistent. And here are 3 expert tips to help you make it a habit within your practice:

  • Brainstorm ideas ahead of time

Get in the habit of collecting links to relevant articles and headlines that you come across all month long. Copy and paste those links, saving them in a “library” of content that you can then turn into social media posts. Also, get your team involved. Encourage them to share anything they come across that would be good additions to your Facebook page, and ensure there is a wide variety of content for your feed.

  • Start using an online scheduling tool

There are several free social media management platforms (Hootsuite and Buffer are two of the most widely used) available that dentists can use to help keep their Facebook pages updated automatically. Once you have the content you want to use, you can upload it all to tools like these and choose the day and time you would like them to post. In just an hour or two, you can have your Facebook feed (and multiple other social media sites) filled and scheduled every month.

  • Keep the content timely

Creating content that is relevant to the time of year is a great way to ensure your posts remain fresh and relatable. Ideas like sharing summertime sports injury prevention tips, Halloween candy tips in the fall or benefit expiration reminders near the end of the year will not only keep your social media content engaging and practical.

For more expert tips into how to outsmart your competition online, check out my recent article featured in Dental Products Report.

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Quality, Not Quantity, Is the Key To Success in Social Media

by Naomi Cooper May 27, 2013

Quality, Not Quantity, Is the Key To Success in Social MediaThere are endless ways to participate in social media: various sites, videos, comments, sharing, blogging…the list goes on and on. For dentists, and business owners in general, who are looking to get started in social media, the sheer volume of the opportunities to engage can be overwhelming.

There is no need to get frustrated before even starting. Participating in social media is all about connecting with your patients, friends and colleagues. For example, it is better to regularly engage on Facebook (for instance) a few times every week, than to sporadically post random information on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. Find one or two sites that are most comfortable for you, and that you know your patients are also engaged in, and start there. As your comfort level increases, you can start to branch out to more sites.

Varying your content will also help to increase the quality of your activity. This will help to keep your content fresh and engaging. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Sharing links to trade-related articles
  • Posting a thoughtful comment on others’ posts
  • Uploading a video to YouTube – the brief video could offer a tour around your office, or an update on the latest technology in the office
  • Commenting every blog that you read
  • Posting photos
  • Responding to patients’ feedback when shared online

And one more aspect of Quality as it relates to social media would be Consistency. Posting one article every few weeks is not going to build your audience. Create a social media calendar for your office, and continually engage on a regular basis. Your audience will start to know when to expect to see your information, and you will be building credibility along the way.

Getting started in social media can seem daunting at first. By putting a little thought into your strategy, and creating a plan of action, you will be on your way in no time at all.

Have you integrated a social media marketing plan for your practice? What were some of your initial successes? Do you have any advice for those looking to get started? Please share your ideas below.

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6 Reasons You Need a Social Media Calendar for Your Practice

by Naomi Cooper October 23, 2012

6 Reasons You Need a Social Media Calendar for Your PracticeTaking part in social media is becoming an increasingly vital aspect of dental practice marketing. However, engaging in social media can be overwhelming, especially if you are just getting started. There are numerous sites for dentists to choose from (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest to name just a few), and I often hear from my clients that they don’t know on which sites they should engage, and what they should be doing on each of the sites. Not to mention, finding the time to consistently log on and interact can be difficult to fit in an already busy schedule.

To help streamline your social media activity, I recommend implementing a social media calendar. It is a strategic tool that will help you in the following 6 ways:

  1. Plan your communication – For most dentists, engaging in social media is a new habit you need to form. If you don’t take the time to develop a plan for your social media posts, it will most likely fall to the bottom of your to-do list.
  2. Keep you organized – If your social media is organized, it will be easier for you to implement on a consistent basis.
  3. Personalize your content – Planning your social media ahead of time allows you to personalize your posts, instead of relying on generic content you may randomly come across.
  4. Simplify social media – Social media shouldn’t take a lot of your time, so the easier it is to implement, the more likely you will continue to use it.
  5. Create accountability – When you have a plan down on paper, the likelihood of getting it done increases exponentially. Having the calendar is a great way to hold yourself, and your team, accountable.
  6. Build momentum – This is one of the most important results of the social media calendar. When you have a plan to post relevant information to your audience on an ongoing basis, you will increase your audience and reach more and more people.

Creating and using a social media calendar will help you to build a strong online presence for your practice. Remember – marketing is a process, not an event! Take the time to develop a strategy for your social media and integrate it into your existing marketing plan.

If you would like more in-depth information on creating your social media calendar, click here for my free webinar to learn step-by-step on how to implement one in your practice.

Do you currently plan your social media strategy? How do you believe a social media calendar would impact your practice? Please share your thoughts below.