There’s no escaping it. It has taken over our lives to a large part and influences so many aspects of how we shop, interact, work, and more. Can you guess what we’re talking about? That’s right, social media. With the average American spending up to 3 hours a day on their social media, it is easy to see why it is such a powerful marketing tool.  

This is also why, now more than ever, successful dental and orthodontic practices need to be across the benefits of social media and how to leverage them to their advantage. Being seen, recognized and your work shared across social media offers exceptional opportunities to grow your patient list.

What Is Social Media?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re no doubt familiar with Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok among others. Social media is quite simply a platform for networking through the sharing of images, creation of video content, chat functions, and more. 

Social media facilitates the easy sharing of ideas, services, opinions, and recommendations, all of which can be used to grow your orthodontic practice.

Why You Need To Be Using Social Media

All of these social media platforms create opportunities to showcase your practice in its best possible light and demonstrate why a patient should choose you. Social media creates windows of discovery and education for potential and existing clients. 

Establish your practice as a leader in its field by showing your outstanding before and after photos – something that patients love and are inclined to seek out. Existing accounts on Instagram for example that deal with Orthodontics such as ‘The Braces Guy’ have upwards of three hundred thousand followers.

Social media isn’t just an incredible marketing tool, it allows you to meaningfully interact with and learn what your patients want. How better to grow your business than by identifying and delivering exactly what it is that patients desire?  

How Can I Use Social Media? 

There is no limit to how you can utilize your social media accounts, however, it is beneficial to have a clear goal in mind and plan for how you hope to achieve this goal. Creating focus and measurable goals also allows you to see how effective your orthodontic content is in relation to these goals. In terms of content consider incorporating:

Video

Nothing grabs people’s attention more than a well-put-together video. Depending on the platform and delivery method, video lengths can be as little as 30 seconds. Video is well suited for charismatic personalities that have a knack for making the video content fun and informative. 

Tik Tok is especially helpful for reaching a younger demographic who may require help from an orthodontist. Create fun videos and respond to questions posted in video form to widen your reach. Involve your staff and have fun with it. 

Video also allows you to introduce your staff, give tours of your practice, deliver short educational videos about orthodontic topics and so much more. Once your videos start trending, they are also more likely to pop up as a suggestion for potential patients who have viewed or searched for similar content. 

Here is a video we recently completed for Fishbein Orthodontics:

Live Chats  

Live sessions such as those available on Instagram and Facebook encourage followers to connect with you at a specific time and engage in a Q&A session. They can access advice and answers to their most burning questions that may give them the confidence to then book an appointment. 

Live chats help demonstrate your genuine care for patients and desire to connect with them in a meaningful way outside of the dentist chair. When it comes to treatments involving teeth, especially straightening teeth, so many individuals have significant anxiety. So this development of trust can be integral to securing future growth for your orthodontic practice. ​​

Curated Images

Avoid posting random images, always choose carefully and ensure it represents the message you hope to send. As mentioned earlier, before and after shots of teeth pre and post braces for instance always perform quite well. However, a diverse grid of images with well-thought-out captions is ideal. 

 

Providing visual examples of the exceptional orthodontic work your practice provides is one of the best tools you have for growing your orthodontic patient list. 

Clever Captions 

Informative, clever, and intriguing captions are a great way to entice viewers to comment and generate leads. Show your patients or potential patients how approachable your practice is and make orthodontic work sound less clinical or daunting and more fun. 

The inclusion of well-ranking hashtags can also work in a similar vein as SEO – helping match users on the platform with your page. Captions are limited on some platforms so keep them to the point and always include a call to action (CTA) to make contact.

A description of the image for those with vision impairments is also encouraged, this shows inclusivity and consideration of patients who may also be seeking your services.

Here are some examples of great posts from some of our orthodontic partners:

 

What Is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing is all of the above. It uses various, free platforms to market your orthodontic practice and support the growth of your patient list. Social media marketing is more than simply posting, however. It is a well-strategized and planned approach that uses analytics and research to help create a winning approach to using your social media accounts.  

Social media marketing is so beneficial as it delivers:

  • Increased brand awareness.
  • Lead generation.
  • Better customer satisfaction.
  • Provides a measure for your success.
  • Market insights.
  • Brand loyalty.
  • Recognition of authority in your field.  
  • Opportunities to share your story and build relationships.
  • Ways to remain connected with patients and remarket to them.

Social media is also an incredibly cost-effective way to grow your orthodontic patient list. While some platforms may push paid advertising, this is not always necessary depending on your desired outcomes. 

What If I Don’t Have Time For Social Media?

At HIP, we understand that seeing patients and running your practice involves significant time and dedication. This is why we offer comprehensive social media marketing strategies and implementation specifically for Orthodontists. 

Having lengthy experience in this area, our team is perfectly positioned to support you in managing your social media. We take the time to get to know you, help you identify your goals, and navigate the best way forward to achieve those goals.

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Helping you stand out from the crowd and show the personality, expertise, and trustworthiness of your orthodontic practice is something that HIP excels at. Learn how social media can help refresh the perception of your practice and orthodontics in general and deliver a profitable new chapter to your business. 

If you’re ready to embrace social media and leverage its benefits to the advantage of your orthodontic practice, contact HIP today on 833.975.2585.