Dental Social Media Marketing: Top 5 Twitter Questions Answered

According to the Oxford Dictionary, “tweet” is defined as “a post made on the social networking site Twitter,” as well as “the noise a bird makes.”

Based on this evidence alone, it is fair to say Twitter has become a part of modern life. Dental social media marketing is continually evolving, and it might seem overwhelming to keep up. However, we’re here to assure you it’s not a waste of time! If you’re still not convinced, as of July 2015, there are more than 300 million people following their friends, celebrities, and favorite brands on Twitter to back this up.

As a healthcare expert in your community, you have valuable information to share! Do you have a Twitter account? If so, are you actively using it?

To help you get started tweeting for your own dental practice, here are answers to dentists’ top five Twitter questions:

Question 1: What is the best profile picture to use?

Answer: Use an image of yourself or something that represents your brand. Make your brand instantly recognizable by using a consistent image across all social media pages, such as your logo, headshot, or a photo of your team.

TOP TIP: For SEO purposes, name your profile picture image file after your page name (for example, our profile image file would be named roadside-multimedia).

Question 2: How can I get more followers?

Answer: Be proactive. Follow other people and they will follow you back. One way to find interesting people is to use a hashtag (#), then enter your industry sector (e.g. #dental). Join conversations on Twitter and connect with industry leaders. You might be surprised to see how many of your colleagues are active on Twitter – connect with them!

Retweet trending topics and any content you believe would be relevant or interesting to your followers. It is very important to respond to mentions and tweets directed at you. Show people, you are interactive and care what they say.

Finally, spread the word to your own patients!

• Invite others to follow your Twitter account on your other social media pages, including Facebook, Google+, and Instagram.
• Link to your Twitter account in your email signature and include a link inpatient email correspondence.
• Place informative displays throughout your practice with a “hook” for patients to follow you, e.g. “Follow Dr. Roadside on Twitter for exclusive special offers!”

Question 3: What is the best content to tweet?

Answer: There is no simple answer to this because each business and its audience is different. However, there are a few guidelines you can follow:

• Tweet in real time about real events happening in and around your practice! Sign in to your Twitter account on your smartphone and be ready to share what’s going on at the practice, quick pics with the team, a real patient transformation, a snippet from a patient’s testimonial, an upcoming event in your neighborhood, your review of the restaurant your team had lunch at…. and so on and so on! The possibilities are endless!
• Tweet your blog posts and link regularly to informative and educational information on your website.
• Share photos; images are up to 15 times more engaging than text-only posts. Tweet photos of yourself, your family, your team, new technology, real patient case studies, your office… again, the possibilities are endless!
• Retweet content that would be of interest to your audience.
• Keep tweets regular, consistent, and post on a variety of topics. 

Question 4: Whom should I follow?

Answer: First and foremost, follow your own interests! This will make it easier for you to keep up with Twitter and to post regularly.

Additionally, find and follow:

• Influencers, educators, and brands in the dental industry (other dentists, dental educators, dental associations, dental products, etc.)
• Friends, colleagues, and patients
• Local businesses and programs in your community
• Brands and products you use in the practice
• Local news outlets for your local area, including TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and popular blogs

Question 5: Would I follow myself on Twitter?

Answer: This is a personal question for YOU. Look at your page, including your background, profile picture, cover image, and content. Then ask the question above. What do you think? Ask yourself this question on a regular basis to make sure your account is fully optimized and achieving results. If it is not, then it’s time to make some readjustments.

We want to hear from you regarding your own dental social media strategy: Do you use Twitter to promote your dental practice? What tips would you share with our followers?