If you recently logged on to Facebook, you probably noticed the sidebar of ads on the right hand of your screen or a sponsored header at the top. These Facebook advertisements appear on your profile page and news feed on your desktop as well as on your mobile device. They are also often paired with news about the action items your friends have taken. These ads are a great way to advertise any business or service. If you are a dentist who is looking for a way to increase your client base and improve your marketing campaigns, you may want to consider using Facebook Ads to help.
Basics of Facebook Ads
When you look at Facebook ads, you will notice that they consist of three things: a headline, copy and a thumbnail image. The headline is what grabs your prospect's attention, while the copy gives them a short overview of what to expect when they click on the ad. The thumbnail is basically there as a way to draw eyes to your ad. Facebook ads work by pay per click, which means that you agree to pay Facebook a small fee every time someone clicks on your ads. You can also choose to pay per impression, which means every time Facebook shows your ad. You can choose what kind of marketing to use (per click or per impression) depending on your budget and your marketing goals.
Top Advantages of Facebook Ads for Dental Practices
There are several benefits dentists can get through Facebook Ads. These include:
A Large Audience Base
The first and most important advantage is that Facebook is an extremely popular social media website. As of 2014, there are over 1.35 billion active Facebook users around the world. Imagine if you can use Facebook ads to reach even 1% of that number – that’s 1.3 million people! No other advertising scheme in the world can give you that kind of reach for such a small fee.
Targeted Ad Opportunities
Once you have decided the type of Facebook ads to use, another advantage is that Facebook offers specialized advertising: targeted advertising. Instead of showing your ad to people at random, which is a waste of your time and your money, Facebook specifically shows ads to people who have already expressed an interest in your service. For example, if you are a dentist in Auckland, a Facebook ad for your dental practice pops up for people who Google the phrase “dentists in Auckland.” This kind of target marketing tracks people who search for a certain keyword, then shows them ads on Facebook connected to their searches.
Personalized Contacts
Another great advantage Facebook offers is it allows you to build a personal rapport with your patients, no matter how many or how far away they are. Patients can comment on your Facebook page, or send you a private message. You can reply to them instantly (as long as you are online). Building this rapport is important because it can increase your patient’s loyalty to your dental practice. You can also use Facebook to offer discounts, promotions or incentives for your patients.
Greater Sharability
Facebook ads tend to have a “ripple” effect. When one person clicks on your website and expresses interest in your services, there is a good chance their activity will show up on a friend’s wall. From there, their friends (many of whom will probably be in the same geographical location) can see the ad for your dental practice and click on the link for themselves. Now imagine if this process is repeated exponentially. The more people who share your link, the more of their friends click on the link and become aware of your services. It’s quicker, easier and more effective than any word of mouth!
Be Seen Across All Technology
Finally, Facebook ads can be seen on a wide range of platforms, whether your clients are using their laptops, their smartphones or their tablets. Your Facebook ads are easily visible and clickable. Your dental practice will have a better chance of getting noticed.
If you are looking to give your marketing strategy a boost and drive more traffic to your dental website you might want to give Facebook another look.