There’s no denying that social media is a necessity for your practice these days. But are you using it effectively?
You might be proficient with your personal social media, but for a business owner, it’s a little more complicated. Rather than simply posting photos on Instagram or sharing a funny story on Facebook, you’ll need a rock-solid strategy and carefully curated content.
Read on to learn about the mistakes most practices — and your competitors — make with their social media strategy.
Ignoring Your Target Audience
You can’t aim for a target without seeing it clearly. When it comes to social media, you’ll need to identify your ideal customer — that’s your target audience. Your posts need to aim for their eyes.
It’s impossible to craft an effective social media strategy without knowing who you want to reach. You can start with broad categories like “families” but then you’ll need to narrow it down even further. Is it young families with children under the age of 6? What other interests do they have? What is their spending power?
You might be getting hundreds of impressions on your posts, but if the people viewing your content aren’t in your area or don’t have the budget for your services, there is definitely room for improvement in your strategy.
Understand exactly whose attention you want to capture. It’s the starting point for your entire strategy. Narrow your focus and watch your reach expand!
Turbulent Timing
The timing of your posts matter, especially if you’ve accurately narrowed down your target audience. If you’re looking to attract young families to your practice, maybe 3 AM isn’t the best time for a post. On the other hand, if you’ve identified recently off-shift bartenders as the demographic you’re looking for, it may be ideal.
In all seriousness, you should be posting when your audience is online and engaged. Timing is everything. Connect with patients when they’re actually online. As a general rule, experts have identified late morning to early afternoon as the best time to post.
There’s plenty more detailed information available online, broken down by platform and even specific industry. Dig into that data and get ready to connect.
Giving Content the Cold Shoulder
Words matter and your audience definitely notices when there’s too much — or too little — written in your posts. They also notice when there are grammatical or spelling errors so proofreading posts is key.
Keep it simple and catchy. Giant blocks of text will make people move on to something more easily digestible. Social media content can drive traffic to your website if more in-depth information is what’s needed.
Content is also a fun way to use your brand’s voice. It doesn’t need to be all business all the time, unless that’s your vibe. Use your social profile to show your audience who you are.
Not Calling Your Audience to Action
Sure, you might be getting plenty of eyes on your social media posts but what is your audience supposed to do with the information?
You can offer up interesting content, but if it doesn’t inspire the reader to act, you’re missing out. Include a call to action at the end of every post. It doesn’t need to be an elaborate sales pitch. It can be as simple as “Learn more on our website” or “Visit us” — just tell your audience what you’d like them to do next.
Skipping the Strategy Altogether
Social media is only as effective as the planning put into it. Don’t skip the strategy and post scattershot at random times. Know your audience, know when they’re online, and put social platforms to work for your practice!
