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Quick Bite: Seven Tips to Grow Your Practice Using Social Media by Dave Kerpen

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by Dave Kerpen

Here are seven tips to be more likeable and ensure greater success using social media.

1. Listen first and never stop listening. Before your first tweet, search Twitter for people talking about your practice and your competitors. Search using words that your prospective patients would use.

2. Don’t tell your patients to like you or follow you, tell them why and how they should. Give your patients a reason to connect with you on social networks. Note the difference between these two calls to action: “Like our page on Facebook” versus “Get answers to your dental and oral health questions at Facebook.com/LikeableDentists.”

3. Be authentic. Your patients don’t want to read impersonal posts about the importance of seeing a dentist every six months. Instead, be human and be yourself. Write posts that show your practice’s personality and watch your online community engage and grow.

4. Ask questions.  If a dentist posts on Facebook, “Call and make your next appointment today,” nobody will comment, and nobody will call to make that appointment. If that same dentist posts a question as simple as, “What’s your favorite brand of toothpaste?” people will be more likely to comment online and engage with the practice.

5. Surprise and delight your patients. Offer contests and raffles or encourage your community to join the conversation for a chance to win a year’s worth of free toothpaste and floss. Better yet, offer a free visit for a lucky patient who calls and makes an appointment that day!

6. Share pictures and videos. People love photos. The biggest reason Facebook skyrocketed to a billion users in seven years is photos. Photos and videos tell stories about you in ways that text alone cannot. You don’t need a big production budget, either. Use your smartphone!

7. Spend at least 30 minutes per day on social media. Spend time each day reading and learning, listening and responding, and truly joining the conversation. The more time and effort you put in to social media, the more benefits your practice will receive.

Remember to follow the golden rule: Would you click the Like button if you saw your practice? Would you want to be friends with your practice at a cocktail party? Just how likeable is your practice?

Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
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