Social media is constantly changing. So to keep your posts relevant, you need to keep up with the changes. While stories have been used on other platforms such as SnapChat for several years, they are now available on Facebook, and people love them. If you’re new to the concept of stories, there’s no better time than now to learn the basics so you can start using them to market your practice.
What Are Stories?
Stories are picture-heavy, text-light posts that are only available for 24 hours. They can also include videos and, thanks to fun filters and stickers, are almost always whimsical. Unlike other posts that auto-play in their news feeds, users have to intentionally click on a story to see it. However, not all posts in your newsfeed are shown to every follower, which is not the case for stories. Your story will appear for all of your followers and give them an option to watch.
Stories are great for:
- Sharing short-term events such as a holiday open-house or obstructive sleep apnea awareness seminar.
- Letting your followers see your silly side, which humanizes you and makes the idea of dental care far less intimidating.
- Providing you with almost immediate feedback on what your followers like or do not like to see.
They’re not so great for:
- Anything text-heavy; people are interested in stories for the pictures and videos.
- Educating your patients about dentistry or dental treatments.
- Sharing information that you want to keep in your feed.
How To Get Started
You already use Facebook to promote your practice, so implementing stories will be simple. Here’s how to get started:
- From your practice’s page, click on the plus symbol on the profile picture.
- Select “Create Story.”
- To capture a picture, tap the round button towards the bottom of the screen. To record video, hold the button down while you film.
- Click the effects button (it looks like a magic wand) to find the perfect filters and stickers to add interest to your image.
- Once you’re satisfied with what you’ve put together, press the downward facing arrow button to share it to your story.
As people view your story, they can react and comment just as they would a post in their newsfeed.
Stories are a great way to keep your Facebook content fresh. If used in addition to your regular posts, stories will keep your patients interested and help you spread brand awareness. Now hop on that phone and get started!
With more than a decade of experience in corporate dental laboratory marketing and brand development, Ms. Ulasewich decided to take her passion for the dental business and marketing to the next level by founding My Dental Agency. Since starting her company, she and her team have helped a wide variety of business owners all over the nation focus their message, reach their target audience, and increase their sales through effective marketing campaigns. She can be reached at (800) 689-6434 or via email at jackie@mydentalagency.com.
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