Engage Your Audience with Instagram Stories

Since its launch  August 2016, Instagram stories have become a popular way to keep your followers in the know, in real time. You can add photos or videos to your story, and it will disappear within  24 hours of posting. Your followers can view your story in the 24-hour window and even have the option to reply to you directly.

On a personal level sure, Instagram stories are a good way to share your meal with your viewers, or put up a temporary video of your kid or dog. However, there are also a few ways that you can use this powerful tool for the benefit of your dental practice:

• We Want Fun: Instagram stories are an easy  way to add some personality to your page. For example, you could share a photo of a patient in a cool shirt, everybody around a  cake singing Happy Birthday to a staff member, or pets hanging out in the office. Anything that shows your followers that you’re having a blast at your practice.
• A Day in the Life: Stories are also a fun way to show the day-to-day operations of someone from your staff. Follow a hygienist as they go through appointments and show  what’s it really like to prep and see a patient. An expose (exposé?) can be entertaining and you can even create a mini series of staff highlights!
• Proceed to the Procedure: What does a dentist do to prepare to see a patient? Maybe show the doctor getting ready to go in for an appointment. This gives your followers a backstage pass to your business.
• Create Live Tutorials: The one dreaded question we all get at the dentist, how often do you floss? Using an Instagram story is a great way to address frequently asked questions and debunk dental myths  to patients. how to properly floss your teeth.

With backing from Facebook and over 375 million active users, Instagram isn’t going anywhere any time soon. That said, embracing some of the new features and trends within the app is highly recommended. It  shows your followers that you are ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest in social media.

—Scott George, Marketing Coordinator, Sesame Communications