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Optometry
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How to Network and Grow Your Practice Through Social Media 

Posted on
By Dr. Maria Sampalis

Maintaining a social footprint for your practice may seem like a large undertaking but by leveraging behind-the-scenes technology, personal knowledge, and a little effort you have the opportunity to grow your network and bring in new patients.

Utilize a Personal Brand
Think of creating a profile like having your resume all over the internet. It allows patients to search your name and see that you are qualified, that you are on advisory boards, and that you specialize in certain areas. You want people to know that you are an expert. Moreso, building a personal brand through social media posts or videos allows prospective patients to get a feel of your personality, to know that you are likable and approachable, so, when they make an appointment, they’re coming to see you, not just to see the practice.

Tip: Make sure to include a link to make an appointment on all your posts.

Optimize Social Media SEO
Creating and maintaining articles on your practice website is an established way of boosting your reach on search engines (and build your brand). The articles that you write don’t have to be Shakespearean if you are focusing on the things your patients and prospective patients want to know. That could be as simple as defining myopia or presbyopia or describing up-and-coming treatments that patients want to learn more about, like the new Vuity eye drops. Publishing just 2 of these articles per month will make a difference for the simple fact that many doctors aren’t writing and posting anything at all.

The next stop is optimizing this content throughout your social network. All blog posts that you write should be repurposed on your social media. Not only do you get more eyes on your name/brand, but you increase the potential for prospective patients to click through to your website to learn more about what you offer, and hopefully make an appointment.

Tip: Once your blog post has been pushed out on your social media platforms you can utilize behind-the-scenes tech (geofencing) to make sure it researches prospective patients.

Geofence Marketing
Bringing in new patients is at the top of most practice’s list. One of the best ways to do that is by utilizing the geofencing option on Google and Facebook. What does that mean? Simply put, only people in a pre-specified location will see your ad or sponsored content. If you are a doctor on the East Coast, your ads won’t be seen by patients on the West Coast. In fact, it can get even more personal than that. Customized geofence settings can enable it so only patients within the same city or within a 10 radius of the physical location of your practice will be severed your ads.

Tip: Don’t set your geofence location too wide; you want to make sure to be targeting people who are close enough to your practice to come in.

Dr. Maria Sampalis practices in Cranston, Rhode Island. She can be contacted at msampalis@hotmail.com