When things change in the dental social media or local search world we usually don’t hear about it until after the changes have been unknowingly thrust upon us.
Whether its Facebook rolling out a new Timeline feature or Google Places metastasizing into Google+ Local, one thing is certain; customers (read: patients) of local small businesses (of which your practice is one) usually know about the social media or local search changes – and participate in them – way before the local business (read: dental practice) has had a chance to digest what the actual changes are, and how these changes will potentially impact new dental patient (read: customer) acquisition.
Here are 5 Facebook changes we noticed having a particularly beneficial impact with our socially savvy member dental practices… All of these changes rolled out in 2012, some over 6 months ago – and there will be more changes in the future, but let’s see if any of these really matter toward the ultimate goal – new patient acquisition.
1. Is Your Dental Practice ‘Nearby’?
We now have a reason (at least knowingly) to checkin on Facebook…in the latest version of its iOS and Android App, Facebook now allows users to find local businesses with the help of their Facebook friends by accessing the recently announced ‘Nearby’ functionality.
This is probably the #1 most advantageous Facebook change made in 2012 with respect to local businesses.
Facebook users that access their profiles via Android or iOS mobile phones (most…ahem) can now see suggested places nearby that perhaps their friends have liked, commented about, or checked into…or not. Mobile users can also search specific categories for local businesses…vets, pizza parlors, beer gardens, florists, restaurants…even dentists!
Essentially Facebook dove in the deep end of social search by combining businesses with which your friends have interacted, with search functionality based on the location whenever users enter the ‘Nearby’ realm.
Facebook has merged social activity – our friends liking, commenting, checking in, or sharing info about specific local businesses – with search functionality. This is H U G E…and could be a sign of more business- friendly things to come in 2013.
PS – if you’re still running a PERSONAL PROFILE instead of a BUSINESS PAGE (TIMELINE) you are SOL…your practice WILL NOT be represented in the ‘Nearby’ functionality. So go start a page NOW or keep suffering the consequences!
2. Page Post Scheduling
Since you’ve been diligently tracking what types of content are most engaging, and what times of the day or days of the week generate the most comments, likes, or shares…now you can use this gently used Facebook feature to optimally target those best types of content to the best day and even the best time of day to post your most enthralling dental Facebook status update, video, picture, or post – here is how easy that is:
“But wait, even if I do know what days and times and types of content generate the most social response (likes, comments, shares), we still only reach about 10% of our audience.”
Yes it’s true, with EdgeRank changes affecting audience impressions we now have to get a little creative and maybe start reaching in our pockets to ensure our most important messages reach the dental masses.
Facebook now offers the ability for page owners (you or us) to target all – or a significantly larger portion of our fans, followers, and dental pied pipers, how you ask?
Tune in next week for that $64,000 answer…and the rest of our 5 point dental practice Facebook plan to acquiring more new patients.
To save your eyes from reading a 1200 word blog post we decided to split this peek into successful social dental Facebook phenomena into two parts – tune in next week to grab a gander at part deux!
Wishing you all a Happy New Year!!!
How will you use these 2 Facebook page attributes to acquire more new patients in 2013?
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