Facebook 103: Increase Engagement

In Part 1 of our Facebook series (Facebook 101), we learned all about the basics of Facebook including how it works and what type of content you should be posting using the 60/20/20 Rule. In Part 2 (Facebook 102) we learned about timing and frequency – what are the best days of the week and times of the day to post, and how often you should post to get the most engagement.

We hope you’ve taken some of our helpful tips and tricks and started using them in your own practice. If you’re still not satisfied with the level of engagement with your content (you should always be hungry for more), read on for more advice straight from the dental marketing experts at PDA on how to increase engagement and effectively market your dental practice on Facebook.

How can I increase engagement?

While one of the biggest factors that determine the success of a post is (obviously) the quality and the type of the content, there are things you can do to help increase engagement with your Facebook page.

Make It Count

When it comes to Facebook, every interaction counts. We highly recommend you respond to every interaction on your Page, including Reviews, Comments, Shares, etc. This not only counts as engagement and will push your content out to more people, but it shows your patients and followers that you really care and are paying attention.

Try to craft each response individually to make it as personal as possible, but it could be something as simple as “Thanks for sharing!” If possible, try and start a conversation. Ask questions that will encourage further engagement.

Keep in mind this rule does NOT apply to Likes. There’s no need to thank someone for Liking your post, that’s just tacky and unsustainable. And please, please don’t Like your own posts – can you say faux pas?

Team Buy In

If all that stands between the life and death of your post is one Like, your post should never die. I can think of a whole handful of people who would be happy to (or required to) Like, Comment or Share all of your content. Your team is your #1 resource and should be the driving force behind your social media efforts. If your team isn’t on board, how do you expect to get anyone else on board?

Patient Buy In

We know it can be a little cheesy and not everyone is into shameless self-promotion (with the exception of Millennials, of course), but your loyal and happy patients are one of your greatest resources when it comes to social media and marketing. If your patients are happy with you, they would be more than happy to Like your Page and engage with your content – all you have to do is ask. You can even post some simple signage around the office encouraging patients to Check In, Like your Page, and follow along.

Multi Media Content

Think about your interaction with Facebook – do you spend more time reading lengthy text posts, or watching videos? Video content is Facebook gold. The average number of video Shares has more than doubled in the last year, and is only expected to increase in the future. Here are some examples of video content to share:

• Patient testimonials
• Virtual office tour
• Meet the Doctor/Team
• Dental industry videos

While we highly recommend hiring a professional video company to shoot your in-office videos, we realize not every dental practice has this in their budget. If you’re shooting videos yourself on a smartphone, remember this rule:

Shoot side to side so the image is wide.

This is the standard video format across all platforms. Videos shot vertically look amateur and unprofessional, and can instantly discredit you and your practice’s marketing efforts.  If you shoot multiple videos at one time, make sure not to post them all at once. Spacing them out over time and interspersing them with other types of content will keep your followers engaged and ensure your Page stays consistently updated with quality multi-media content.

Now get out there and shoot some videos and encourage your team and patients to support your efforts. These are some of the most tried and true methods for increasing engagement with your Facebook Page and building your online reputation.

Keep an eye on your inbox for the final segment of our Facebook series – Facebook 200: Services & Ads – where you’ll learn about Facebook’s new feature, Facebook Services, as well as Facebook Ads and whether or not they’re right for your marketing your dental practice.