Simple Facebook & Dental Instagram Story Ideas
What kind of dental social media post consistently gets the most engagement? Custom content that showcases your practice culture and helps patients and fans get to know you and your team on a personal level. Things like team videos, patient spotlights, and glimpses behind-the-scenes build trust and make people more likely to introduce your practice to family and friends.
The problem is that creating this type of content often takes planning and time you just don’t have in your schedule at the office. Facebook Stories addresses this by providing the perfect tool to create casual, spur-of-the-moment photo and video content and easily distribute it to your friends.
Like Snapchat and Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories are collections of photos and short videos that are added to throughout the day, then disappear after 24 hours. They appear at the top of the of screen when using the Facebook mobile app.
To add to your own story, simply tap the “Your Story” button, which will take you to your camera. From there, you can shoot a photo or video or select one from your library, and add text, filters and special effects.
Then, choose to add the photo or video to your story, add it to your timeline as a post, or both. You can also send your story updates directly to your friends, which will be visible for 24 hours after they first view them. Friends can also leave comments replying to any of the moments of your story.
Currently, Facebook Stories are only available to personal accounts, not business pages, but we anticipate that will change soon.
The Unique Advantages Of Facebook & Instagram Stories
Similar to Snapchat and Instagram Stories, the format of Facebook Stories — including the 24-hour limitation — can actually help you create more engaging content. Here are a few reasons why:
- Be more spontaneous. Got an idea for a post but not sure if it will work? A Facebook Story is a perfect way to experiment. If it’s a hit with fans, you can continue adding to the story, and if not, it won’t stick around long.
- Take fans along for the ride. Facebook Stories offer a unique way to make day-to-day events interesting. Running practice errands or unboxing a new piece of equipment? Share an interesting snapshot from each step of the process, resulting in an easy-to-follow montage of moments.
- Never worry about over-posting. Because stories can be completely separated from regular Facebook feeds, you can post as much as you want to a story and never annoy your followers or clog their feeds.
- Less polished = more authentic. In the context of a story, a less-curated, more fun look at your practice is a better approach — and requires less effort on your part!
5 Facebook And Dental Instagram Story Ideas
The temporary nature of Facebook Stories provides great opportunities to try new post ideas in a spontaneous, low-pressure environment. This kind of lighthearted, behind-the-scenes-style content is a powerful way to strengthen relationships with patients and fans, making them more likely to share your practice with friends and family. Try one of these simple story ideas this week:
- Create a dental hygiene skills tutorial. Use multiple photos to show step-by-step the correct way to brush, floss, or clean your tongue.
- Provide an exclusive offer. Shoot a short video notifying fans of a prize or discount they can obtain for mentioning this Facebook Story. Tell fans to keep an eye out for additional giveaways available only through your Facebook Stories.
- Take a poll on your waiting room magazines. Shoot a video showcasing the features of your waiting room, and tell fans to leave a reply about what magazine they would like to see there the next time they visit.
- Share team members’ answers to an interesting question. Ask team members throughout the day about their dream vacation or something on their bucket list, and add each answer to your story as a short video moment.
- Post some team photos from a recent continuing education trip. Not everything in a story has to be recorded live. Select some photos already in your phone’s photo library to show fans how much your team loves working together.
Creating Facebook Stories is a simple, low-stress way to experiment with creating content and see what resonates with your fans. And because updated stories appear front and center whenever someone opens the Facebook app, it’s a great way to maintain top-of-mind awareness with your patients.
Need more ideas on how to create share-worthy content that turns patients into advocates for your practice? Check out our free ebook below!
About the Author: Adrian Lefler is a dental marketing expert and a key member of the dental social media team at My Social Practice. My Social Practice is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Adrian is passionate about helping dental practices grow. Interested in learning more about the benefits of social media for dentists please schedule a complimentary consultation. And, don’t forget to read our Google My Business reviews.
