The coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented time of uncertainty and change in our society. To help navigate this time, Bryant Consultants has already released a coronavirus dental practice plan. Although your patient schedule may not be as busy as usual, there is still plenty of work to do! Social media is an excellent way to remain social and engaging with your patients even though you aren’t seeing them face-to-face. We’re going to give you some tips on the best ways to employ social media during COVID-19.
Social distancing means more usage of social media
With many of us staying at home right now, people are using social media more than they ever have. You should utilize your business’s social media platforms as a communication tool. Strategic use of social media means that you connect to current patients as well as reaching out to new, potential patients who may become clients once normal routines resume.
Our Social Media Tips
- Use the Right Tone: It’s not just about regular posting, but what you post and how you say it. There’s information about coronavirus everywhere, and many people right now are afraid. You don’t want to add to those fears. Make your communications inviting, short, and simple. This also will encourage greater engagement with your audience.
- Post Responsibly: There’s an abundance of information about coronavirus to be had right now, but much of that is misinformation. Never post anything on your practice’s social media channels that have not been thoroughly fact-checked. As a general rule of thumb, you want to look for at least two other legitimate sources that corroborate or validate the information you’re posting.
- Be available: Make sure each of your social media pages has clear information about the best ways to contact your practice during this time. You also want to respond promptly to any direct messages. By “promptly,” we mean as soon as possible. Leaving a message unanswered for even an hour is too long during this time of social distancing, even if that means dividing up social media maintenance duty with several members of your team.
- Be Relevant: Don’t feel compelled to share or re-post every time news breaks about the coronavirus. Instead, ask yourself if the post is relevant to the micro-community to which your practice belongs?
- Be Real: Not every post has to be a serious update about COVID-19 and your office policies. People are looking for diversions right now as well. Some fun options include personal videos, whether that means recording something and posting it later or going live on Instagram or Facebook. A live video also represents a chance to answer any questions and concerns from your community of patients.
- Be Active: These are strange and uncertain times. Think about how different things are today than they were a week ago, much less a month ago. Your practice’s social media channels need to reflect that with frequent posts. Regular updates can be a comfort to nervous patients in a tense time. Even if they’re short and silly, daily posts can let people know you’re there for them. Frequent posting also encourages an atmosphere of availability and communication and helps you build a virtual community with your patients.
Even if you’re not seeing patients right now or you’ve restricted your availability to essential care, you can still be there for your patients. We understand you probably have questions during this time, so feel free to contact Bryant Consultants by calling (877) 768-4799. We’re here to serve dental practices just like yours, all throughout the United States.
