nowadays, if you aren’t on social media, you are missing out on a lot!

Such platforms as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest help people find out what is trending—and they also allow businesses to market their brand and increase their reach in a competitive world.

Each social media platform easily enables businesses to market to their specific demographic. And, for the world of optics, standing out and being proactive can drum up more business and help your practice thrive.

Here, you will find some tips on how to increase your presence through social media marketing.

About the authors: Our optical checklist is pulled together by the highly respected ECP team at Complete Family Vision Care Optometry in San Diego—including owner and optometrist Eric M. White, O.D., and staff Ashley Samuels, Julia Buchanan, Gloria Lopez, and Lorie White.

They’ve worked hard to create this optical checklist so you don’t have to. Dig in, tear out, and share it up with your team.

SEPTEMBER 2018

WEEK ONE

TIP: First things first, make sure your website is up to date, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to navigate—and features your social channel icons with links to those pages. This will ensure that all users (of all demographics) who visit your site are able to educate themselves on your practice and easily access and follow your social pages.

TIP: There are many options out there to meet people’s ophthalmic needs, so making your practice stand out from the rest is important. Consider differentiating yourself with platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

WEEK TWO

TIP: When setting up social media for your practice, define a consistent look and message for each platform you use for your business’s page.

TIP: Create an email campaign to alert your patients that you now have social media pages that will help keep them apprised of events, sales, and new ophthalmic lines you are carrying. Share your handles.

TIP: Make sure to utilize tags and hashtags to increase your scope and increase the possibility of your post being shared.

WEEK THREE

TIP: Plan posts of new merchandise weekly to grab your social media followers’ attention.

TIP: Plan an eyewear giveaway in your social media to increase followers and generate interest in your business.

TIP: Have the doctors in your office received recognition or awards? Plan to post them on your social media platforms to increase your business’ notoriety.

WEEK FOUR

TIP: Work with the doctors in the office to provide eye tips and statistics (about eye injuries, diseases, etc.) weekly, and post them on your social media platforms.

TIP: Plan posts with photos and quick summaries of the various state-of-the-art machines being used in the office—including what they are used for.