What do Disney, Zara, and Tastemade have in common? They have Facebook pages with over 20 million fans and they share more than one post per weekday. Posting often isn’t annoying when it’s done right.
A common concern we hear from dental practices looking into our service is “You want us to post to Facebook every day? Won’t that bother people?” The short answer is this: Your fans followed you because they want to stay in touch and hear what you have to say. When you provide content that is meaningful and valuable to your audience, you shouldn’t hesitate to share something daily.
In fact, a study showed that the most popular brands on Facebook average one post every day. And on other platforms where frequent posting is more expected, they do even more — it’s not uncommon for brands to share something on Twitter every couple hours! On the other hand, if you post infrequently and inconsistently you risk losing that connection. Without recent and relevant content, you miss opportunities to get fan interaction and turn patients into advocates for your practice.
What patients and fans find annoying, and what causes them to unfollow, is generally not the frequency of posts, it’s the content. If your pages look like they only exist to sell services or solicit Likes, people will see right through it and disengage.
Post Smart, Post Often
Here are a few simple tips on how you can post every day and avoid boring or bothering fans:
1. Follow the 5 Fundamentals of Great Posts
First and foremost, create posts that makes your page worth following. Don’t post just to “fill your weekly quota.” Learn more about the 5 principles of great posts in our blog post, which include:
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- Provide Value
- Make It Personal
- Invite Interaction
- Use Interesting Visuals
- Have Fun Together
2. Use Sales Language Sparingly
While social media is a great tool to tell potential patients about your services, seeing phrases like “call today” or “schedule an appointment” gets old fast. Focus your efforts on building relationships and participating in your community, and occasionally share about the benefits of products and treatments you offer.
3. Talking Is Fine If You’re Listening Too
Fans of your pages are much less likely to stay engaged if they feel like they’re only be talked at, not having a conversation. In your posts, express your desire to hear your patients’ and fans’ questions and feedback. Then, make sure to respond to EVERY comment, review, and visitor post you receive. Demonstrating that you are present and listening makes a huge difference in social media marketing results.
4. Keep It Short and Sweet
Generally, Facebook posts should be no longer than a paragraph. If you can’t convey what you would like in three to four sentences, consider putting your thoughts into a blog post and then sharing a link to it. Also, avoid tacking on an excessive amount of hashtags to the ends of Facebook or Twitter posts.
5. Vary Your Content
Sharing only one type of post is sure to bore fans and discourage interaction. A good content mix is essential to a strong social media presence. Make sure videos, practice photos, links to articles, polls, and perhaps the occasional prize giveaway all have a part in your social media schedule.
Post Consistently and Grow Your Practice
As with many aspects of social media, there is no hard rule about exactly how often you should post, and your audience may vary. Use each platform’s analytics tools to see which of your posts get the most engagement and gain insight about your optimal posting schedule.
As you provide content that is relevant and valuable to your patients and fans, you’ll find that they’ll not only look forward to hearing from you every day, they will be more likely to introduce your practice to family and friends.
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Find New Patients Now With Help From Dental Marketing Experts?
About the Author: Blake Hadley is a dental marketing expert and one of the founding members of My Social Practice. My Social Practice is a dental marketing company located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Blake is passionate about helping dental practices grow. If you’d like to book Blake or one of the other members of My Social Practice’s speaking team, you can do that HERE. Interested in learning more about the benefits of SEO for dentists or our dental websites service, learn more here.
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