How to be human on social media

19 July 2016 | | Blog

Setting up social media accounts and gathering faceless followers who never interact with your page isn’t going to help your dental practice flourish. What you really need are followers that engage with your practice’s page and become an audience of loyal patients.

Unfortunately, many dental practices treat their social media accounts more like advertising channels than vehicles to create lasting and honest relationships with patients. In response, people have learned to tune out promotional messages and accounts that talk only about themselves.

Pause for a second and think about your own personal social media accounts. Do you interact with people who constantly self-promote or post run-of-the-mill status updates? The answer is probably no. You likely interact with people who are real. People who make you laugh, or have legitimate questions or recommendations you feel you can be a part of.

If you treat your followers like friends, it can make all the difference.

#1: Use a conversational tone

Corporate-speak, medical jargon and lifeless posts can make your dental practice come across as boring and unfeeling.

Talk like a real person and don’t shy away from humour, emojis, and a little informality when it comes to punctuation and grammar.

As long as you have clear standards for what’s appropriate to post on social media, you shouldn’t have any problem using a conversational tone, and your audience will appreciate the personal touch.

#2: Stop being self- centred

For dental practices, highlighting user-generated content (such as reviews and before and after pics) not only brings you closer to your patients, but it also offers a non-aggressive way to promote your products and services.

To find content from your audience that’s worth sharing, regularly search social media platforms for mentions of your practice, your social media handles, or any related hashtags you use.

#3: Listen and Respond

The problem with looking at social media as a one-way communication channel is that you may miss patients’ attempts to contact you; whether to solve a product-related problem, leave a complaint, ask a question, or congratulate you on a job well done.

Address complaints or praise in a public space. Instead of cold, canned ‘PR’ type answers, match your patient’s voices in your responses, like a real person would.

#4: Be funny!

Social media doesn’t always have to be straight-laced and focused on making sales and getting leads. The best way to form a real connection with your audience is to let loose once in a while and show your fun side!

Everyone knows that dental practice staff aren’t always serious, so there’s no reason for your social media accounts to be formal at all times.

In conclusion, be funny, weird, charming, silly, cheesy, or whatever best captures the real, human side of your practice.

If you would like help getting the tone right, speak to a member of our social media team today on 01202 677 277 who will be happy to help you.

Thanks to social media examiner for the inspiration for this post.

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