Your LASIK practice is probably well established on Facebook by now, but should you consider adding Instagram to your social media marketing? You often hear Facebook is for business and Instagram is for people, but how better to tell your LASIK story practice by using people at the forefront. Here is one more social media tool to add to your online toolbox. Instagram can assist your practice in attracting and discovering new patients.
Instagram has a total of over 700 million active users, increasing by 100 million additional users in just four months. The Facebook-owned company attributed the skyrocketing increase to several reasons, which include the ease of finding friends on the platform and the simple sign-up process.
Pew Research Center’s February 2018 Social Media Fact Sheet reported: 64 percent of adults age 18-29, 40 percent of age 20-49, 21 percent of age 50-64, and 10 percent of age 65 and older are Instagram users. The same report also said 31 percent of US women and 24 percent of US men use Instagram on a regular basis.
Another fact that shows the importance of getting your Instagram account up and ready: 75% of Instagram users take some action, like visiting a website, after seeing a post.
Opening an Instagram account costs, you nothing. Downloading the Instagram app from the app store is simple. It is viewable from a desktop browser, but options are limited. The best way to sure the app to the fullest is on a tablet or smartphone.
Once your LASIK practice is set up on Instagram, there are several tactics you can use to help your practice be visible, increase the number of followers, and attract more patients. Here are a few tips:
Business-to-business networking
Networking is always vital to good business practices, and Instagram is a way to ramp up socializing for professional gain. Follow local businesses, comment on their activities, and like the pictures they post. Your followers will be notified of your actions like, “Jones LASIK Practice commented or liked so-and-so’s post.” This is virtual handshaking and door knocking that only costs a small amount of effort, energy, and time, with great reward. It gets the word out about your LASIK practice and brings in more patients.
Invite patients to follow you
There are several ways to let your patents know you are on Instagram.
- Invite your Facebook followers to follow you on Instagram.
- Add the Instagram logo and link the practice website and any other online profiles.
- Make sure the Instagram logo is on all business cards, marketing material, and reception signage.
- Offer your patients a small gift when they follow the practice on Instagram. Be aware to heed all of the anti-kickback laws.
- “Nominal” as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General means a retail value of less than $15 per item or $75 per patients yearly for Medicaid or Medicare beneficiaries.
- Share your Instagram account in your e-newsletters.
Include hashtags
Add your location and practice name as a hashtag to every post. Although there are jokes and funny sketches about the overuse of hashtags, when they are used in the right way, they are an indispensable part of digital marketing. Followers can cut through the clutter and find precisely what they need.
Take advantage of sponsored ads or posts
By using the option to pay for sponsored ads or posts, it will increase your practice’s visibility in specific demographics and zip codes. Facebook even offers ads that will automatically populate your Facebook ads to Instagram. The options are as little as a few dollars a day.
Contact Patient Pipeline today for help with your LASIK social media accounts
Instagram is an easy way to grow your online visibility and attract more patients when done correctly. To create or maintain your social media presence, get in contact with your LASIK marketing experts at Patient Pipeline to help.
