According to Statista, Facebook is the most popular social network worldwide, with roughly 2.85 billion monthly active users. And while your veterinary practice may only serve a fraction of those billions of users, you can guarantee that the vast majority of your clients use Facebook. If your veterinary practice is not on Facebook, you’re missing out. Plain and simple.
But creating and maintaining a quality Facebook page for your veterinary practice is easier said than done. The platform itself is constantly evolving and changing. But fear not. You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.
So here we go, some of your biggest Facebook questions answered.
Do I need a Facebook business page for my veterinary practice?
The short answer is yes.
If you have time to create a page and monitor it on a regular basis it’s worthwhile investing some energy and resources into creating a dynamic Facebook business page. If done well it can show off the features of your practice to bring in new clients and it can maintain relationships with current clients and your community.
There is one caveat — the social media landscape is changing.
It’s no longer necessary to be everywhere online. We are all limited on time and resources, so pick the social media platform(s) you have time to manage. We’ve all had the experience when we try to connect with a business online, through their website or social media page, and never get a response. This is a huge turn-off for prospective clients so don’t stretch yourself so thin that you can’t respond quickly.
What should I include on my Facebook page?
If you’re going to have a Facebook page be sure to optimize it to include your most current hours along with your address and best contact information.
An About section that features information about your practice team is a bonus and it will help to build relationships with prospective customers who check out your Facebook page before contacting you directly.
You can also set up Facebook Messenger to have an automatic response that lets people know when they can expect to hear back from you.
▶ Here’s a video on how to set up your Facebook Messenger automatic response.
How can I easily make shareable pet content for Facebook?
If you are like most veterinary practice managers, you don’t have time to create and post new content every single day, but if you want to make the most of Facebook, fresh content is important. A social media scheduler can help you plan your posts and publish them across a span of a week or a month. Keeping your content fresh really means ensuring that your most recent post isn’t from months ago.
Think about what you look for when you land on a Facebook business page for the first time. Content should be customer or patient-focused and show off the personality of your practice.
When it comes to your practice’s content, look for low-hanging fruit.
✓ Cute animals? Check!
✓ Fun work environment? Check!
✓ Passionate staff members that clients should know and trust? Check!
How often should I engage with Facebook?
You must have someone in your practice who can regularly check on your Facebook page. You want your social media presence to be a reflection of the amazing service you provide in your practice, so please ensure there is someone responsible for responding to messages and comments at least once per day. This only takes a couple of minutes, as long as you don’t get sucked into the endless scroll that is so addicting.
You may notice when you post on your Facebook page only a handful of your followers see your post. One easy way to increase this number is to share the post with your teammates and encourage them to like and share the content on their own pages. The mysterious FB algorithm will see this engagement, identify your post as good content, and then share it with more of your followers. #Winning
How can I use my Facebook page to generate client leads?
If you really want to dig in and use Facebook as a tool to generate reviews, asking for current clients to give you a review is another must. Google Reviews are most powerful, but Facebook reviews will also have a huge impact on someone’s decision to choose you over another vet practice.
If you’re a new practice or actively looking for new clients, consider creating and optimizing your Facebook page, adding some relevant content, and then running some ads to let your local community know you are open for business. One thing Facebook truly knows how to do is ad targeting. It can be a little intimidating at first, but with some time and energy, you can master Facebook Ads and increase awareness very quickly.
Facebook is one tool in your customer service toolbox
Facebook is not the end-all, be-all when it comes to customer service and client engagement but it is one important tool in your customer service toolbox. You can even use Facebook to recruit staff members and foster an online community.
So, what additional questions do you have about Facebook and other social media platforms? Reach out to Vetsource and let us know.
