As major social media platforms have evolved, sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram have transitioned from simple, free communication tools to sophisticated, revenue-generating machines. In the early days, businesses that jumped into social media marketing often saw massive growth in followers, engagement, and community connections. Those who joined Facebook for business in 2010 might have felt like pioneers in a digital gold rush. While there is still potential in social media marketing in 2024 and beyond, finding success has become more challenging.

In the past, dentists often saw social media as the ultimate solution to attracting new patients. However, there’s been a growing realization that social media isn’t the replacement for traditional marketing tools, like the phonebook, that many had hoped for. Our goal is to help you understand what social media can and cannot do for your practice today.

It’s also essential to understand the difference between organic and paid social media: organic content refers to unpaid posts and the reach they generate, while paid social media involves paying for ads or boosting posts to increase visibility. Paid social can be quite nuanced and complex.

One key challenge with social media marketing is that these platforms were initially designed to connect friends and family. When businesses try to insert marketing messages into users’ newsfeeds, it can feel intrusive. Poorly executed business messages can harm both a company’s reputation and its standing on social platforms.

In the early days of social media, businesses could post generic, stock content and watch their following grow effortlessly. Those days are long gone. Today, simply posting something does not guarantee it will be seen by all your followers. Social media has become much more strategic—casually posting and expecting results is no longer effective. You must be intentional about your content, as modern algorithms penalize accounts that consistently produce low-quality posts. That’s right—if your content doesn’t engage or provide value, you could actually lose visibility to your own audience.

The Role of Social Media Today

Think of social media as an extension of your physical office—a platform to shape the perception and reputation of your practice in the minds of your patients. Use your social media pages to offer a behind-the-scenes look at your team and company culture. Share moments like team birthdays, vacations, or glowing patient reviews—anything that brings your practice to life. This type of authentic, engaging content helps set your practice apart from those that lack personality or involvement. A clean, professional, and active social media presence signals to your patients the level of care and attention they can expect from your practice.