Sorry, Facebook Will Not Get You New Dental Patients
Are you a dental professional struggling to attract new clients? You may have tried various methods to improve your patient base. Facebook Ads are one of the most powerful marketing platforms available. Unfortunately, it will not produce a stream of new patients. While it may not be the best way to get new patients, it encourages referrals, retention, and upselling opportunities. However, if you are not well-versed with Facebook marketing, our experts at One Stop Dental Marketing help in marketing for dentists using content, web development, dental SEO, and so on.
The most common misconception in online marketing is that the Facebook page creates leads. Many online marketers wonder why they need a practice website if they have a page. But is that the truth? Though Facebook advertising and other social media platforms are crucial to any successful dental marketing strategy, it’s important to have genuine expectations about new patient performance. And, realistically, one should expect zero new patients every month. There are reasons for this-Don’t treat Facebook as Google
When patients want to locate a dentist in the nearest area, they Google it and get the results list. Users search for keywords like “dentist in Melbourne” or “dental clinic in Sydney” to get results.
They can discover many practices from search results by clicking on their interests’ results. They can view various websites and explore different pages. They understand special dental techniques and procedures and learn more about the dentist. They even read blog posts that give them an in-depth idea about the practice.
The user cannot get the same results from Facebook. If a patient wants to go to your page, they must know your exact practice name to find your page in a Facebook search. How would new dental patients already know your name? And if they land there, what would they find? Facebook is not designed to post articles or blogs, so you’re restricted to status updates to display what your practice Offers. Thus, marketing for dental clients can be tricky in Facebook.
If you want to know more about how advertising works on both platforms, read our blog on Facebook Ads vs Google Ads which one is best for your dental practice is best for your dental practice.
Facebook has smaller reach
Focusing your dental marketing efforts on your Facebook page rather than a website, will greatly reduce the new patient reach you have. A post shared on Facebook will be seen by a couple of people who like or follow your page. If your page has 600 fans, just 100 people will read your post. And remember, those 100 people are probably already your patients.
Content for Facebook and Google is different
The content used on Facebook for branding for dentists is quite different from content posted on a dental practice website. Facebook is designed to connect its users to people they know or practices they’ve visited. Most Facebook posts are shorter (just a few lines) with an image. That isn’t enough to encourage a new patient to select you.
With a proper website, you can better explain why your dental practice is the best choice. Also, websites can be optimized for search engines using dental SEO, allowing your content to show in search results, whereas Facebook posts don’t.
Genuine expectations for dentists on Facebook!
Now that you understand Facebook and Facebook marketing, we can analyse what it can do for you and how it can help you with your dental practice. Dental Facebook marketing can be considered an internal marketing tool. It’s a powerful way to nurture existing patient relationships. Using Facebook, you can increase referrals and remind your existing patients about them.
You can achieve this by following the below-mentioned options:
- Keeping your page active and alive: Make it a habit to share one post each day. This is the best way to engage your new dental patients and fans. Create a post asking a question, sharing some daily tips on dental hygiene, or information about an upcoming promotion. Your daily post on your Facebook page may be just the reminder a patient needs to book their next appointment.
- Be Interactive: People who ‘like’ or follow your page can leave comments on a post, images, status updates, and even share reviews. Notice this type of activity on your dental page and respond when required. This interaction will help them better understand their queries and apprehensions about your dental practice Social media is a social entity so stay active and engaged with your followers.
- Ensuring correct information:Make sure that your page is accurate. Your practice phone number, website URL, address and map listing are correct. Suppose a patient shares an upcoming promotion post with their friends on Facebook. In that case, you need to be sure that those potential referral patients can contact you without difficulty and confusion.
- Brand your page: Having a consistent branding is very important whether it is about the graphics, tone, postings, and so on. Every advertising material that you post on Facebook should have a specific branding. If one of your patients visits your Facebook page after visiting your dental website, they should know that they are in the right place.
- Personalise: Your Facebook page should reflect your personality. Be creative and breathe life into your page by keeping your patients in the loop. Have a forthcoming event, or a new team member? Let your followers know.
Conclusion
Facebook is not a prime driver of new patients. It encourages referrals, improves retention, and provides upsell opportunities. Not sure about your Facebook marketing strategy plan? Contact us by filling out our Contact us form, which is available online. Facebook marketing experts at One Stop Dental Marketing can offer you a free consultation on improving your dental set up and generating more referrals. We also provide dental SEO, PPC and website design services. To know more call us on 1300 867 699.
