Social Media for Optometrists: Creative Ideas to Use

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• Social Media for Optometrists Creative Ideas to
  Use
• Social media lets people interact with each
  other.
• So, why not let it help your optometry practice
  engage with your patients? Using some of these
  tactics could humanize your optometry practice
  and assist your patients.
• Include how-to videos
• Who hasnt visited YouTube to learn how to do
  something?
• Since people are already going online for that
  reason, optometry practices should consider
  adding some how-to videos to their social media
  platforms to attract viewers.
• Optometry-related content might include videos
  about how to
• Insert contact lenses correctly and how to clean
  them.
• Choose the right protective eyewear for different
  activities.
• Log onto and use the practices online patient
  portals to see, share, and use information.
• Videos provide visual images that could make it
  quicker for people to grasp certain concepts,
  especially if they learn better by seeing things.

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Beyond those basics, optometry offices could also
consider providing all sorts of content. For
example, we often celebrate special days, weeks,
and months. Why not acknowledge those times in
social media posts? On Valentines Day, we could
explain how making optometry appointments and
taking other steps to protect our eyes could show
how we care about ourselves and the people we
love. This post might include helpful tips for
talking with friends and family members who are
reluctant to see eye doctors or pursue other
sorts of assistance. Another post could explain
how the month of May is Healthy Vision Month. To
discuss this link, you could link to reputable
sites like the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and its facts about eye health
and disease. Some of these facts are startling
and discuss what happens when people dont
receive proper eye health. While youre not
trying to scare people, a few sobering statistics
from an authoritative source might be what it
takes to nudge people to find assistance. Discuss
current events. Acknowledging whats going on
in the world could be another timely way to
engage on social media. During the pandemic,
weve faced shutdowns and multiple changes
regarding safety measures. If optometry practices
are experiencing those kinds of developments,
they could talk about them prominently on social
media. Offices that are already posting how-to
videos about eye health and eyewear might want to
add instructional videos that teach people how to
sanitize items or why face masks could protect
against COVID-19, the flu, and other conditions.
They could add updates from the CDC and other
health officials that provide the latest, more
accurate information. By discussing other
current health-related issues, you could help
patients relate to your social media platforms
and your practice. Such messages indicate that
patients overall health is important, not just
their vision and eyes, and that you care about
all of them.
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Answer questions Another way to incorporate
videos and education content into optometry
social media platforms is by answering
questions. Tell readers on social media sites
that youre going to make videos to answer any
questions they post or address questions they
might have. Then, create an area on your sites
where youre going to post these videos. Make
and post videos at regular times. You could post
videos of you answering questions every other
Monday, for instance, and call the segments
something catchy and memorable, such as Monday
Mailbag. The videos might include addressing
specific questions and concerns about your
optometry practice and how it operates. They
might include answers to more general queries
about eyes, vision, and health in general. As
youre providing answers, make sure that youre
being discreet and following privacy regulations
to protect patients health-related information
and their identities. Whatever you discuss, it
could serve as evidence that youre listening and
responding to current and potential
patients. Ask questions to start
conversation Answering questions engages
patients who are using your social media
platforms. So does asking them. You could use
the questions and answers in upcoming videos, for
one. When you ask questions, youre encouraging
people to think about things. The questions could
prompt them to think about things with new
perspectives or things theyve never heard of or
considered at all. This is also true for you.
Your patients feedback could spur you to think
of things in a new light or about entirely new
things. Patient responses could help you
determine if you and your patients are seeing
things similarly and have similar goals. If there
are differences, your patients comments could
provide guideposts on what changes you might need
to make and how to make them.
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Make things fun Optometry sites dont have to be
entirely serious. Incorporating some fun and
games into your social media platforms could
interest current patients and potential
ones. Think about including some contests. For
example, around Halloween, you could fill a large
see-through jar with several small pieces of
wrapped candy. Be sure to count the pieces as you
fill this jar. On your practices Facebook site,
post a photograph of this jar. Ask readers how
many pieces of candy are in it. The person whose
guess is closest to the actual number could win
the jar (and the candy) or another prize, such as
a small gift card to a local coffee shop. With
this post, youll be acknowledging current
happenings (Halloween) and including readers in a
fun game. Youll be showing that your practice
has a fun side in addition to a competent side
that addresses their medical needs. If you need
assistance yourself, contact Eye Care Leaders.
Well help you develop technical and management
solutions that will help your optometry practices
and the patients you serve.