In today’s world, online marketing holds the key for success across almost every industry, including the optical sector. Many businesses are continuing to unlock the benefits that come from a strong online presence, in particular across social media channels.
If you’re looking for new ways to try and attract new customers and grow your practice, social media might just be the perfect place to start. Here we take a look at what impact social media can have on your practice and why you should be taking advantage of it.
As an optician, you might often wonder what value social media could really bring to your practice, as well as worrying that managing a social media page will take precious time away from your current patients. The truth is that many of your patients, both current and new, are using the likes of social media to find information and learn more about the businesses they use. If you can’t be found on social media, you can bet your patients will find a competitor instead.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are becoming a popular way to communicate with existing customers, whether it’s to advertise an exclusive offer or inform patients of opening hours and contact details. However, the real value in social media is being able to reach a much wider audience and attract new patients.
Increasing brand awareness and traffic to your website are just some of the results you can gain from using social media, helping to reach your business goals through measurable methods.
Engaging with your customers is one of the most successful ways to instil loyalty, as well as making patients feel informed and valued. Keeping your social media pages up to date with advice, support, offers and other information can keep you in the forefront of patients’ minds and ensures you’re delivering a high standard of service both inside and outside of your practice.
Organic social media involves posting naturally on your page and sharing content with your current online following, and can be done for free. In this sense, utilising social media for the benefit of your practice will cost you nothing except your time.
You can also take advantage of paid social media, which promotes your posts to a wider audience for a fee. This can play a huge role in improving the awareness of your practice, with the ability to target a specific audience who might be looking for your services.
Increasing the awareness of your optical practice through social media can increase the number of people coming through your door. Instead of just relying on word of mouth or passers-by, you have the chance to take more control of growing your practice and reaching more people in your local area.
Social media gives you the opportunity to advertise your optical practice in a way that you feel best represents your business, as well as being able to maintain great customer relationships and forge new ones.