How to Utilize Pinterest for Your Dental Practice
When social media platforms are presented as excellent marketing tools for dental practices, Pinterest isn’t often at the top of the list. In fact, you may be, right now, considering breezing right past this blog. Don’t do it. Pinterest’s user-base has nearly doubled in the last two years, boasting over 322 million people that use the social platform each month. How many people are viewing your Pinterest board? Read on for tips on how to use Pinterest to win patients.
WHY Pinterest Matters
Much like Instagram, Pinterest appeals to the human tendency to respond favorably to images. Reading long-form content is important, but there’s something magnetic about visual communication that subtly captivates an audience and keeps them returning for more. Image-based content is among the most prominent trends today, and Pinterest is an excellent place to use visuals to attract and engage with potential patients.
WHO is on Pinterest
Did you know young females and, more specifically, millennial moms are on Pinterest more than any other demographic? Since converting parents (who will bring their families) is a key part of your practice’s marketing strategy, creating content that engages local moms will significantly up your game.
WHAT to Post on Pinterest
When it comes to dental practice marketing, Pinterest is about pinning items on boards that will generate responses from your local community. Articles, movies, apps, recipes, and places are the most popular types of posts that lead to engagement. When pinning these types of posts, create descriptors that include terms, such as “DIY, cup, recipe, idea, hair, use, pretty, baby, love, or great.” Research has shown these words produce the most interaction.
Looking for specific dental ideas that potential patients may use to pin on their vision boards?
- Dental Pinterest—Post before and after images of whitening treatments or veneers.
- Pediatric Pinterest—Post a list of tips of how to get your toddler to brush their teeth, how to wean your baby off a bottle, how to soothe a teething baby.
- OMS Pinterest—Post a wisdom teeth removal diet, a post-oral surgery health regimen, a post-wisdom teeth removal kit.
- Perio Pinterest –Post a meme on how to combat bad breath or of flossing hacks.
HOW to Increase Engagement on Pinterest
Like all good marketing tools, calls-to-action (CTAs) compel viewers to act immediately. In fact, studies show that pins with CTAs have an 80% increase in engagement over those without. Use phrases like “read more here” and reroute your readers to your website. CTAs also have the potential of making your content look more like an advertisement which isn’t ideal. To avoid this, use them in one of every three posts.
WHERE to Focus Your Pinterest Efforts
Dental practices rely on local audiences, and one way to truly connect with the locals is to create a local board where you can post your activity around town. When you visit a local restaurant, art gallery, or park, share your experiences on your local Pinterest board. This enables you to connect with your community while increasing your exposure.
Social media has become an integral part of mainstream marketing, a must-have tool for connecting with patients and attracting new ones. If you are short on the time and attention it takes to manage your social media platforms, learn more about our PBHS social marketing packages by clicking here. We would love to help you out!