We can talk about whether Facebook and Twitter are good for dental marketing all day long, and everyone has an opinion…
The reality is, you have to ask yourself if social networking:
Will meet your dental practice’s marketing goals
Will work for your dental patients
Will complement your dental practice’s marketing strategy
Will be something you (or your team) can keep up with
Your Goals
Social networking is not going to bring you a ton of new patients. If that’s your main goal, don’t waste your time. However, if you want to keep in contact with your current patients and foster a friendly, personal relationship, Facebook can help. Twitter can give current patients an update on what’s going on in your office.
Your Patients
Do your patients use Facebook and Twitter? Do they use the computer? How often? Studies show that Facebook is most widely used with a very young population. And, of course, patients in a high income area will be more likely to use social networking. How many of your patients have smart phones? Do they even want to hear from you on Facebook? You can always ask! Survey your patients before they leave the office.
Your Marketing Strategy
Do you blog? Is your website optimized? Are you really on top of your game with Internet marketing, or do you just have a website because you don’t think the phone book has any future? If you’re serious about online marketing and fostering a community in your practice where patients and team members feel like they know one another, social networking may suit your strategy. If you and your staff don’t like the computer, there’s no reason to try to force a Facebook peg into a traditional marketing hole.
Your Busy Life
Keeping up with Facebook and Twitter takes time. If you don’t check your FB account every day now, what makes you think you’ll do it for the office? You may have a front office person who could maintain a Facebook Fan Page, with a little training. Or maybe social networking just isn’t where it’s at for your dental practice.
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