Common Mistakes Dentists Make On Social Media

A Dentist’s Guide For Correcting Social Media Marketing Mistakes

When it comes to social media, dentists are a breed apart from their non-dentist colleagues. Often, this is because of the nature of the practice itself: many dentists work in highly technical fields and have to communicate with a lot of different people. As a result, many of these professionals have developed extremely in-depth social networking skills. Even so, there is a reason why many of these professionals have chosen this career path in the first place: one that is specific to the online world. That’s because it is one of the only places where you can communicate with people from all walks of life, from all over the world, and from a wide variety of backgrounds. However, social media isn’t always natural for dentists to follow and implement throughout their practice. The overall question of “does it really matter if your dentist is on social media?” can be scary to face. Therefore, it is essential for dentists to know how to navigate social media without making a common mistake such as the ones listed below.

What’s considered a mistake on social media

For dentists, social media is key to promoting your practice. You want to make sure you are showing up online and engaging with other local businesses as well as potential patients. However, dentists can make a common mistake on social media that can halt the growth of their practice. The top three mistakes dentists make online are posting unflattering photos of the mouth, not engaging on the platform, and not talking about their services.

Posting photos of unflattering teeth

One of the most common mistakes dentists make on social media is posting photos of their own teeth, which can be unflattering. In fact, many dentists are able to share their work with their patients and show them how they do it. They might have pictures showing a tooth before and after a filling, or they might have pictures showing what it looks like when a tooth is consumed by decay. People are often interested in seeing those types of pictures on social media because they want to know what goes into restoring someone’s smile. However, it is not appropriate for some professionals to share those types of images for their own business purposes. And this includes dentists! For example, one dentist might post an image from her mobile phone without realizing that the photo quality isn’t good enough for public viewing. Photos like this may also include blood and unflattering matter.

If you do want to show off your work and post photos of procedures or before and after shots, consider creating something like a carousel on Instagram where the first thing you see if a graphic before any unflattering teeth or gums photo. You can make graphics like this inside Canva!

Not engaging with others

If you are going to put yourself out there on social media, it is essential for you not just to post but to engage. It is an opportunity to show off your personality and connect with others. If you are just posting and not actually engaging with people, they will soon lose interest in what you have to say altogether. A lot of dentists will make the mistake of posting only on social media. Instead, consider engaging with other dental brands and with other local businesses. This is a great way to promote your practice and boost your performance inside the social media platforms.

Not posting about your services

When it comes to social media, it is important not just to post about your dental practice but also to mention the services that you provide. This is because many people are only on social media for a specific reason and simply want to know who can solve their problem. If you don’t post about your services, you may miss out on opportunities. Believe it or not, patients do look at social media for niche dental services. And a common mistake that dentists make is not talking openly enough on social media about what they specialize in.

Be sure your services are clearly listed inside your bio link as well. This can be very helpful when a potential patient lands on your profile and wants to ensure you are right for them, just by one click!

Not staying consistent with posting

One of the most common mistakes dentists make on social media is not staying consistent with posting. Dentists, like other people, need to be active and get their content out there in order to establish themselves online. That’s because consumers are more likely to follow a company or individual if they stay active on social media. The mistake that many dental professionals make is that they post too much on their personal accounts, but not enough on their professional accounts. To avoid this mistake, you should schedule posts for both accounts ahead of time and then just post them at set intervals throughout the day. Another way to remain consistent is to use a popular hashtag as it will remind you each time you log onto your account and will also inspire others who are using the hashtag as well.

Final Words: Avoiding Common Mistakes When Using Social Media

Social media can be a fun and useful tool for any dental professional to use for business. And avoiding common mistakes like these can be simple! Social media takes time to refine and get just right. So take your time walking into it and know that you should be leaning into your dental themed social media account, not away from it.

If you’re interested in learning more about social media, especially for dentists, then explore Get Social School. Get Social School is an online course made for dentists, by a dentist, that completely breaks down just how to use social media to promote your dental practice and drive your ideal patients to your chair. If that sounds like your next step, click here to explore Get Social School.

For more information on social media for your dental practice, be sure to check out these blog posts as well!