Video content remains one of the fastest growing and most influential ways to share ideas and spur engagement on social media. In 2018, 45% of users watched one hour or more of video on Facebook and YouTube every week.1
However, native videos on Facebook have up to 86% higher reach than those posted on YouTube,2 and interaction with Instagram videos brings the number of users who are engaging almost level with Facebook.3 What does all this mean for your dental practice?
Committing to video
Unlocking the true power of video for your practice requires a dedicated approach. This means taking a step back from your practice marketing budget and determining where and how funds can be earmarked for video content on social media. Your commitment of time, money, and energy should be optimized to give your practice the highest possible return on investment.
What’s your plan for content creation?
While there is a time and place for impromptu, informal video content, your video marketing plan should be laid out like your other forms of marketing with clear, researched objectives. Ask yourself:
• What questions can I answer with a video?
• What services can I recommend with a video?
• What information can I share with a video?
• What technique can I demonstrate with a video?
You can create videos many different ways. While shooting a quick 10-second video on your phone can provide engaging content for organic social media use, a more professional approach will generate higher-quality video for use in video ads on Facebook, Instagram, or other platforms. There are many tools you can use to help perfect short videos, or you can hire a freelance videographer to come into your practice for a day to create on-point video content tailored for your desired platform and audience.4
Choosing a platform: where are your patients?
Your practice may already have an established social media following. If so, where to start with video may be obvious—you’ll want to target your existing audience and use your established presence to target more people in the same demographics.
If you’re just getting started on social platforms, a well-planned video campaign can be a good way to grow your presence on the platform and reach out to existing and potential patients with content that has maximum impact.
Facebook and Instagram have the greatest potential when it comes to social media video content. Either or both platforms can be a good place to start. Just pay close attention to video length, style, and presentation to ensure you are creating and delivering the type of content that resonates with each platform’s audience.
Types of videos
There are different types of videos, and each has a specific use and type of audience they appeal to.
Practice overview video
This video can be an introduction to your practice and team. Offer a quick tour of your practice before shifting the focus to you and your team. Here you must talk about your mission and values, enticing potential patients who are already interested in your practice and want to know more.
Doctor videos
Doctor videos can be shot at intervals, and they allow you to speak to your patient family or potential patients one-on-one. You can use these videos as short snapshots into your practice by sharing news about upcoming events or demonstrating a technique or new tool. Use this approach for team member videos as well.
Testimonial videos
Shifting from text-based testimonials to video testimonials can provide you with incredible visual content. Consider reaching out to patients on social media to obtain user-generated content (UGC) on topics such as what they like best about your practice or how their smile has improved. When they share their testimonials in video form, you can reshare them for added reach and attention.
FAQ videos
At your next team meeting, develop a list of the 10 to 20 questions that patients ask repeatedly. Each week use this list to create entertaining videos that answer these FAQs in an engaging way. This is an exceptional way to get regular video content online, and it maintains your digital momentum and keeps users engaged with your social media platforms.
Funny videos
Another option for short and easy video content is to capture the fun moments in your practice. Dentistry has long been seen as an anxiety-ridden area, so defuse and dispute that impression with content that presents you, your team, and your practice as a warm, inviting, and friendly place full of compassion for your patients.
Shared videos
Don’t depend solely on your own produced video content. Leverage great, engaging, and viral content from other sources as well. Make sure to vet everything you share, as well as the content creator, to ensure your shared content mirrors your practice beliefs and values.
Video placement for highest impact
Where do you place your videos for viewer consumption? Don’t use a five-minute practice intro video on Facebook. Leave that for your “About Us” page on your website or your video library.
As a general rule of thumb:
• Long, informational videos should be shared on your site and YouTube.
• Short, shareable content should go on Facebook, both for organic reach and in video ads.
• Extremely short, “snackable” content can be used on Instagram to spark interest.
Magic can happen during editing. Look for moments in long videos that can be pulled out to create short ones. String short videos into a small series for posting on YouTube or in your video library on your practice website. Add a video component to your blog posts and emails. The more video content you produce and disseminate, the more will be consumed.
What does the engagement on your videos say?
Track engagement on your videos to find out what resonates and what fails to hit the mark.
• Videos that fail to hold viewer attention for the entire length should be reimagined to deliver a hook that will capture and maintain interest.
• Videos that receive lots of likes but not many shares should be retooled to include a call to action that encourages sharing.
• Videos that result in clicks should be redeveloped for use on other platforms, such as landing pages. (Landing pages with video can generate up to 34% more conversions, which can mean more new-patient appointments.)5
Leveraging video content for your practice’s benefit
By 2022, video is anticipated to comprise 82% of all internet traffic worldwide.6 Facebook is already slotted as the second most popular destination after search engines for people to look for news, information, and lifestyle stories online.7
Tips for creating videos that will convert
When it comes to creating videos that will capture, hold, and leverage audience attention, follow these four steps:
Keep it short. While there is a time and place for long content, videos fewer than 60 seconds are more likely to be watched to the end.8
Have a hook. The first few seconds of your video should provide pertinent information, so don’t waste them. You can introduce yourself and your practice after you “set the hook.”
Provide value. A good belly laugh can be valuable to your audience, but information on your practice’s flexible hours is more likely to generate an appointment.
Use subtitles. In 2016, 85% of Facebook video was being watched without sound as people flocked to mobile for their video consumption while in public.9
Social media and video content go together perfectly. Committing to add video marketing to your overall digital marketing plan can give your dental practice that all-important edge you’ve been searching for and increase new and existing patient conversion in 2020 and beyond.
References
1. Lister M. 37 staggering video marketing statistics for 2018. WordStream website. https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/03/08/video-marketing-statistics. Published June 9, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2019.
2. Ayres S. Study proves: Facebook native videos have up to 86% higher reach! AgoraPulse website. https://www.agorapulse.com/social-media-lab/facebook-videos-reach. Published March 21, 2018. Accessed September 30, 2019.
3. L2 Inc. 3rd Annual Intelligence Report: Video 2017. PR Newswire website. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/l2-report-examines-201-consumer-brands-to-identify-effective-video-content-and-video-spend-strategies-for-driving-online-engagement-300483481.html. Published July 5, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2019.
4. Jenkins LD. How to improve your social video content: 10 tips from the pros. Social Media Examiner website. https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-improve-social-video-content-10-tips-pros/. Published March 11, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2019.
5. The benefits of using video on landing pages. Unbounce website. https://unbounce.com/landing-page-articles/the-benefits-of-using-video-on-landing-pages/. Accessed September 30, 2019.
6. Cisco visual networking index: Forecast and trends, 2017–2022 white paper. Cisco website. https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/service-provider/visual-networking-index-vni/white-paper-c11-741490.html. Updated February 27, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2019.
7. Google and Facebook lead for content. HubSpot research website https://research.hubspot.com/charts/google-facebook-content. Published November 6, 2017. Accessed September 30, 2019.
8. Daneghyan R. 9 top social media video tips you must know for 2019. Social Bakers website. https://www.socialbakers.com/blog/social-media-video-tips. Published December 6, 2018. Accessed September 30, 2019.
9. Patel S. 85 percent of Facebook video is watched without sound. Digiday website https://digiday.com/media/silent-world-facebook-video/. Published May 17, 2016. Accessed September 30, 2019.
KRISTIE NATION is the founder and CEO of myDentalCMO, a marketing consulting firm that provides strategic marketing “treatment plans” exclusively for dental practices. The firm was founded with a mission to prevent dentists from wasting countless dollars marketing their practices ineffectively. She can be reached at [email protected] or (877) 746-4410.
