Know your Audience
‘Know your audience’ is wise advice. Rishi Sunak should have taken heed when, on his first day on the election campaign trail and sitting among Welsh voters, he asked if they were looking forward to the Euro 2024 football tournament this summer (for those who don’t know, Wales didn’t qualify). The lesson learned is that to engage with people successfully, you should at least take time to understand them.
Dentists and their teams appreciate the importance of authentic personal connections better than most (including politicians). Understanding patient demographics, clinical needs and expectations to elicit trust is the cornerstone of excellence in dentistry – and the making of a successful dental business. Creating a close association between dentist and patient boosts patient satisfaction and loyalty. [1]
Clinical practice and dental marketing closely correlate. Both depend on the collection and interpretation of data – one is to ensure optimum care, and the other helps attract new clients.
The data that provides the basis for developing tailored care is a comprehensive clinical assessment with detailed records. In contrast, digital data informs marketing decisions to enhance its online presence and effectively engage with potential patients.
Evidence suggests ‘there is an opportunity for dental practices to trade upon a more active social media presence for enhanced patient interaction and engagement’. [2] Analysing social media data allows practices to refine online strategies, connect better with patients and, ultimately, drive business growth. Here’s how focusing on key data points can inform – and transform – your social media activity…
- Improved content strategy. Understanding what resonates best with a target audience helps match content with any patient base (existing or potential). By analysing engagement metrics – likes, shares, comments and click-through rates – a practice can identify posts that pique interest and those that fail or may need refining. Do followers prefer patient testimonials and behind-the-scenes reels with the team, or are they engaging more with your treatment walkthroughs and top oral health tips? Encouraging repeat interactions is crucial, so find your style and stick with it!
- Enhanced audience understanding. Demographic data provides invaluable insights into the age, gender, location and interests of engaged followers. This means practices can tailor content to meet the preferences of audience segments. For example, if your data reveals a significant portion of young adults interested in aesthetic dentistry, create content focusing on smile makeovers, teeth whitening or clear aligners. These posts are far more likely to resonate than showcasing successful implant cases or reels about your child-friendly waiting area.
- Optimised posting times. When is your audience most active online? Posting at optimal times can significantly increase the visibility and engagement of your content. Once you understand scrolling habits, you can strategically schedule posts to maximise reach and interaction. That way, content is noticed and will be seen by those you wish to target. Social media analytics tools often provide insights into peak engagement times, but these can change. There are also algorithms to navigate. Instagram, for example, looks at information about content (reels, feed posts, and stories) and users (interests and behaviour on the platform, such as interaction history) to match content with people, so it is worth reading around the topic. [3]
- Targeted advertising messages. Data-driven insights can also enhance your advertising strategy with precise targeting. Once you have a steer on the type of content and messages that perform best, you can create more effective ad campaigns. Targeted advertising, informed by demographic and engagement data, ensures adverts reach the relevant people, increasing the likelihood of conversions and making better use of your advertising budget.
- Competitor analysis and benchmarking. Analysing competitors’ social media activity can help identify gaps in your own marketing strategies. Benchmarking your performance against others lets you understand where you stand and what areas might need tweaking. This ongoing analysis also ensures you keep up with industry trends and allows you to set new standards in your activity.
- Measurable goals. Setting aims based on data analysis can significantly enhance your social media strategy. Whether you want to drive traffic to your website, increase an event’s bookings or grow your followers, data helps track progress and allows for adjustment of tactics when needed. Regularly reviewing performance metrics against your goals means you can refine your approach.
Ultimately, using data to guide your social media strategy enables you to make informed decisions that lead to greater success. From improving content and understanding your audience to optimising posting times and refining advertising, data-driven strategies ensure every action you take is backed by evidence (and we know how important that is to clinicians!). This will then lead to more effective and efficient outcomes. Just remember to stay consistent with your messaging and that authenticity is key!
And that’s exactly where FTA Media can help. Via their social media management service, the expert team provides comprehensive and consistent support that you can count on. If you’re looking to boost your online presence but you’re struggling to find the time to manage this alongside your everyday practice responsibilities, FTA Media can take that burden off your shoulders. With expertise in performance analytics, strategy planning, effective content creation and consistent posting, FTA Media can work with you to transform your social media and increase your online visibility, leaving you free to focus on running your business.
To find out more about this service, please call 0330 088 1156.
References:
Practice - Kent
Practice location: This practice is situated in one of the most popular areas of Kent and captures both the commuters and the local residents. Great transport connections, road and rail, and continuing development means an ever-increasing population.
Practice type: This is a two-surgery predominantly private practice of which 18% of the income is generated by an NHS- GDS contract with a UDA rate of £28 per UDA. It is being sold as freehold. The practice occupies a shop fronted premises and is very well presented.
Practice financials: The gross fee income from management information for the past 12 months is in the region of £550,000 per annum and is generated by the principal working four days a week, one full time and one part time associate, supported by five full and part time dental nurses/receptionists.
Price achieved: A price of £1,500,000 was achieved which was in line with the asking price.
Agent's comments: The location of this practice generated much interest and is of the size that it was attractive to many first time buyers, particularly as there is room to expand and ample evidence that demand is there for additional services not currently on offer, such as aesthetics.
Number of people looking in the area: 1,014
Practice - Cambridgeshire
Practice location: This practice is situated in a vibrant area of the county and benefits from excellent local amenities. The area has a rural feel despite being close to major towns, so benefits from the best of both worlds.
Practice type: This is a very well-established three-surgery fully private practice and is being sold to facilitate the retirement of the principal. The practice occupies shop-fronted premises with a large car park and free on street parking.
Practice financials: The gross fee income from management information for the past 12 months is in the region of £950,000 per annum and has been generated by the principal working three days a week and three associates working a combined five days a week and a hygienist working two days a week. The team are supported by a part-time practice manager, three part time receptionists and two full time and three part time nurses.
Price achieved: A price of £1,140,000 was achieved which was slightly in excess of the asking price.
Agent's comments: This practice has an incredible reputation within the area and there has been little need for marketing as the existing patient base appears to be the best advert and actively refer to the practice! The incoming principal has moved into the area with a young family and feels this could be the “forever practice” which is rather lovely to hear.
Number of people looking in the area: 784
Practice - Essex
Practice location: The practice is situated in a popular and bustling town with a population of over 35,000. There is a healthy mix of residential and commercial properties and a great selection of primary and secondary schools. The practice is located close to the high street of the town centre, is well connected with public transport and has the benefit of ample parking around the practice.
Practice type: This is a three-surgery, fully private practice that is being sold to facilitate the retirement of the current principal. It has been established for over 40 years and is being sold as a leasehold with a new 20 year lease in place.
Practice financials: The gross fee income is in the region of £550,000 and has been generated by the principal working five days a week, an associate working two days a week, and two hygienists working a combined three days a week. The team are supported by a practice manager, two part time receptionists and two nurses who work full-time.
Price achieved: A price of £875,000 was achieved which was in line with the asking price.
Agent's comments: With a reconstituted net profit of 43%, this practice had great appeal to our buyers. It is in a great location, has a chair occupancy in the region of 75% and offers an opportunity to grow and develop with additional services and longer opening hours.
Number of people looking in the area: 1,773
Practice - Central London
Practice location: This practice is situated in the heart of London, in a very affluent area that is a mix of high-end residential properties, cafes, restaurants and shops. It is a popular area for tourists and locals alike.
Practice type: This is a two surgery, fully private practice being sold as leasehold. It has been established for over 15 years and is being sold to reduce the responsibility of the current practice owner.
Practice financials: The gross fee income from management information for the past 12 months is in the region of £1,000,000. The income is generated by the principal working two days a week and a part time dental therapist and is supported by two dental nurses and a receptionist.
Price achieved: A price of £1,250,000 was achieved and was in line with the asking price.
Agent's comments: This practice was only ever going to appeal to a certain buyer, and in this case, we had a buyer who already had a practice in the area and was looking for a way to expand so this fitted the bill perfectly.
Number of people looking in the area: 2,264
