Most dental offices have a Facebook page. And while I have yet to find any data that compares the number of dental professionals who use Facebook to the number who use Twitter, it’s safe to say the latter is considerably less than the former.
What we do have access to, however, is data that tells us the number of all Facebook users vs. Twitter users nationwide, as well as projections for user growth in the years that follow:
This data may indicate that, although Twitter is growing exponentially as a social media platform, most Facebook users don’t see the potential benefit of creating a Twitter account. Or maybe they simply don’t feel they have the time to add and maintain another social network to their already extremely busy lives. I frequently have conversations about social media with people of all walks of life, and most tell me they have a perception that, as a social media channel, Twitter is confusing or not as user friendly as Facebook. Whatever the reason, many are simply apprehensive about “tweeting.”
My intention with this post is not to try and sway anyone needlessly – if you truly don’t have the time during this season of life and work to venture out into the Twitterverse and explore how this platform can benefit your practice, don’t create an account; it’s better for your business to not be present on a social site than to create an account and be visibly inactive in the space. I repeat: make sure you or someone from your practice has the time to maintain activity on Twitter before you create an account.
But if you are curious about and see the potential in Twitter as a tool for marketing your dental practice, connecting with your patient community, networking with other dental professionals around the globe and staying informed of industry trends and updates, I encourage you to pursue it.
Remember, dentistry is a business, and the number of businesses large and small leveraging Twitter for business growth and professional development is ever increasing. If you are thinking about creating an account, or have created one but aren’t yet active, click here to read an entry level tutorial that will help you get started.
I’ve recently created a simple model for success that can be applied not only to Twitter, but every social media platform. It’s called “The Four E’s” and I will share it with you next Monday on Off the Cusp, so stay tuned!
If you have specific questions about social media marketing, feel free to contact us either by sending a direct message on Facebook, Twitter or an email to socialmedia@pattersondental.com. We’re here to help in any way we can.