In today’s fast-paced digital world, navigating social media can feel like trying to sail through stormy waters. That’s where Brittany Miller comes in. As a seasoned social media and marketing consultant, speaker, and educator, Brittany helps businesses and personal brands find their way through the complex world of social media. Her approach? Making the complicated simple with clear, doable strategies.

The Reality of Social Media Challenges

If you’ve ever posted content online only to hear crickets, you’re not alone. Many business owners share the same frustrations when it comes to social media marketing. They spend hours crafting the perfect post, only to see little engagement. Some wonder if it’s all worth the time and effort.

You are not the only one who’s feeling frustrated because you spent all this time creating a post and no one engaged with it.

The truth is, these feelings are completely normal. Even social media experts like Brittany have faced similar challenges. With platforms constantly changing and new trends emerging daily, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed.

Understanding Time and Effort

One of the biggest myths about social media is that it should be quick and easy.

The reality is nowadays, social media does take time.

This honest acknowledgment helps businesses set realistic expectations. Rather than viewing time investment as a setback, it’s better to see it as a necessary part of building a strong online presence.

Industry-Specific Success Stories

Different industries experience social media success in different ways. Take, for example, a personal injury lawyer’s social media presence. While they might not get as many likes or comments as a fashion brand, their content serves a crucial purpose. When potential clients need legal help, they often check social media profiles to learn about the lawyer’s expertise and values before making contact.

Creating Your Path Forward

Success on social media isn’t one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur managing everything yourself or have a team to help, what matters is creating a strategy that fits your specific situation. This means looking at your industry, available resources, and business goals to develop a plan that works for you.

The key isn’t just about posting content – it’s about sharing value that resonates with your audience. Sometimes success means getting lots of engagement, and other times it means being there when potential clients are ready to make important decisions. By understanding these nuances, you can build a social media presence that truly serves your business goals.

Authentic Content Creation and Management

When it comes to social media management, many business owners face a common dilemma. With packed schedules and endless tasks, the idea of outsourcing social media seems like a perfect solution. But here’s what experience has taught us: the most successful social media presence comes from a blend of professional guidance and personal involvement.

Nowadays, social media is depending again on your practice and your brand, but, ultimately, a lot of it is we are our brand, and we need to bring that forward with our socials and with our online presence.

The Partnership Story

Think of social media management like tending a garden. You can hire the best gardener in town, but if you never tell them what you want to grow or help pick the flowers, you might end up with a garden that doesn’t feel like yours at all.

Social media managers often see two distinct types of clients. First, there’s the relieved business owner who hands over their social media keys with a happy sigh, saying, “It’s all yours now!” While this might feel good at first, it usually leads to generic content that doesn’t connect with followers. Without fresh photos, videos, or updates from the actual business, the social media manager can only do so much.

Then there’s the engaged client who sees social media management as a team effort. They ask questions like, “How should I take this photo?” or “What kind of videos work best?” They share regular updates about their office life and team activities. This partnership approach consistently leads to better results and stronger connections with their audience.

Creating Content That Feels Real

You might think you need expensive equipment or professional photography to create good social media content. The truth is much simpler – and it’s probably sitting in your pocket right now. Your phone is all you need to start capturing authentic moments that your audience will love.

Think about your own social media habits. When you’re scrolling through your feed, what makes you stop and engage? It’s rarely the perfect, polished stock photos. Instead, it’s often the real, human moments that catch your eye – a team celebrating a success, a behind-the-scenes peek at office life, or a genuine smile from someone who loves their work.

Making Your Social Media Feel Human

The key to authentic content isn’t perfection – it’s personality. Instead of worrying about finding the perfect stock photo of a dental office, why not snap a quick picture of your actual waiting room? Rather than using a generic team photo, share a candid moment from your last staff meeting.

Here’s a simple way to start: take out your phone (after cleaning the lens, of course), and look around your office. What would a potential client want to see? Maybe it’s the friendly face at the front desk, the comfortable consultation room, or the latest technology you use to help your patients. These real glimpses into your business create trust and help people feel connected to your brand before they ever walk through your door.

Building a Sustainable Approach

Remember, social media success isn’t about posting perfect content – it’s about sharing authentic moments that reflect who you are and what you do. When you understand this foundation, you can work more effectively with social media professionals, knowing that your role is to provide the authentic elements that make your brand unique.

Take a few minutes each day to capture something real from your business. It could be as simple as a team lunch photo or a quick video tour of your office. These authentic moments, combined with professional social media management, create an online presence that truly represents your brand and connects with your audience.

By embracing this partnership approach to social media management, you’ll create content that not only looks good but feels genuine to your followers. After all, your brand isn’t just about what you do – it’s about who you are and how you make people feel.

Visual Storytelling and the ACS Framework

Picture walking into a dental office for the first time. What makes you feel at ease? Often, it’s the warm smile in a photo, a friendly video tour, or an engaging post that first helped you trust this practice. This is the power of visual storytelling in healthcare.

Visual storytelling is ultimately utilizing any sort of imagery, graphics, photos, video to be able to communicate your brand’s values and message in a visual format to your followers and to your audience with the goal of being able to create some sort of emotional response.

The Heart of Healthcare Storytelling

When a dental practice shares a video of a dentist gently showing parents how to brush their toddler’s teeth, they’re doing more than teaching – they’re building trust. These visual stories help turn complex medical information into simple, friendly advice that connects with people on an emotional level.

The ACS Framework: Your Story Guide

Think of the ACS Framework as your roadmap for sharing your healthcare story. It helps you create content that builds trust, connects with people, and grows your practice.

Building Authority Through Stories

Imagine a dentist creating a quick video about new cavity-prevention technology. As they explain how it works, they’re not just sharing information – they’re showing their expertise in a friendly, approachable way. This is Authority content in action. It might show:

• A simple demonstration of proper brushing technique
• A tour of their modern office technology
• A celebration of the team’s latest training certification

Creating Connections That Matter

Behind every healthcare practice are real people with real stories. Connection content lets these stories shine. Picture a day-in-the-life video of your dental hygienist, Lisa, as she prepares for her first patient. Her genuine smile and caring approach show patients the real person they’ll meet at their appointment.

These behind-the-scenes glimpses help patients feel more comfortable before they even walk through your door. They see the human side of healthcare, making their first visit feel less intimidating.

Turning Stories into Success

The final piece of the framework focuses on helping patients take action. But instead of just saying “Book Now,” you might share a story about a patient’s smile transformation, naturally leading to an invitation for others to start their own journey.

Crafting Your Visual Story

Every good story needs a structure, even in healthcare. Whether you’re creating a 30-second social media video or a longer website feature, remember these key elements:

1. Start with something that catches attention – maybe a common dental concern many parents share
2. Share valuable information that helps solve a problem
3. End with a clear next step, like booking a free first visit

Making It Work for Your Practice

You don’t need fancy equipment or hours of free time to tell your story well. A smartphone and a few minutes can capture authentic moments in your practice. Maybe it’s the gentle way your pediatric dentist explains procedures to kids, or how your team celebrates a patient’s last orthodontic appointment.

Remember, the best healthcare stories aren’t perfect – they’re real. They show your expertise while letting your humanity shine through. Whether you’re recording a quick tip about dental care or sharing a behind-the-scenes moment, keep it simple, authentic, and focused on helping your patients.

The most powerful stories in healthcare aren’t just about procedures and treatments – they’re about people helping people. By sharing these stories visually, you help patients see themselves in your care, building trust one image, one video, one story at a time.

Content Strategy and Implementation

In today’s digital world, standing out means more than just having a social media presence – it’s about sharing your unique story in a way that truly connects with people. Let’s explore how to build a content strategy that showcases what makes your practice special while creating meaningful relationships with your audience.

Finding Your Voice in the Digital Space

Really thinking, what would my potential followers be interested in? How can I showcase the personality of our office and our dental practice team?

Think of your content strategy like a conversation with a friend. Just as every friendship has its own special dynamic, your practice has unique qualities that set it apart. Maybe it’s your warm, family-friendly atmosphere, your expertise in handling dental anxiety, or your innovative approach to dental care. These distinctive features become the foundation of your content story.

Weaving Together Your Content Tapestry

Imagine your content strategy as a carefully woven tapestry, where each thread serves a purpose but works together to create something beautiful. When you share an educational post about proper brushing techniques, you’re not just teaching – you’re showing your expertise while caring for your community. When you post behind-the-scenes glimpses of your team enjoying a birthday celebration, you’re building relationships while showing the human side of your practice.

Let’s look at how this might work in practice. Say you’ve just invested in new dental technology. Instead of simply announcing it, you could:

• Share a video of your team learning to use it (connection)
• Explain how it makes treatments more comfortable (education)
• Show before-and-after results (expertise)
• Offer a special introduction rate (promotion)

This approach turns what could have been a simple promotional post into a rich story that engages your audience on multiple levels.

Making the ACS Framework Work for You

Think of the ACS Framework (Authority, Connection, Selling) not as separate boxes to check, but as ingredients in a recipe. Just as a great meal needs the right balance of flavors, your content needs the right mix of these elements to be truly effective.

Consider the story of Atomic Coffee Roasters – a business that’s mastered this balance. Even though they’re far from their followers, they’ve created such engaging content that people feel personally connected to their brand. They achieve this by:

• Sharing their coffee expertise naturally
• Making their content relatable and authentic
• Building relationships that turn into sales

You can apply this same principle to your dental practice. When you share a quick tip about flossing, add a personal story about how you remind your own kids to floss. When you introduce a new service, include team members’ genuine excitement about how it will help patients.

Putting It All Together

The key to successful content implementation is authenticity. Rather than trying to copy what other practices are doing, focus on:

• Sharing what genuinely excites you about dentistry
• Capturing real moments that show your team’s personality
• Creating content that reflects your practice’s values
• Building trust through consistent, honest communication

Remember, your most powerful content often comes from everyday moments in your practice. That quick video of your hygienist explaining a technique, the photo of your team volunteering at a local event, or the story of how you helped a nervous patient overcome their fears – these are the pieces that build lasting connections with your audience.

By weaving together education, relationship-building, and promotion in a natural way, you create content that not only attracts attention but builds a community around your practice. This isn’t just about getting likes or follows – it’s about creating meaningful connections that turn followers into patients and patients into advocates for your practice.

Building Unique Value and Engagement

Beyond the Price Tag: Finding Your Practice’s True Value

Think your practice needs to compete on price to win patients? Think again! The most successful dental practices aren’t racing to the bottom with discounts. Instead, they’re soaring to new heights by being truly amazing at what they do.

Let me share a story that might surprise you. There’s a dentist in New York who doesn’t worry about local competition. Why? Because 70-80% of their patients fly in from other states and even other countries! While your practice might not need to draw patients from across the globe, this example shows what’s possible when you focus on excellence instead of prices.

Discovering Your Practice’s Superpower

Every dental practice has something special – that unique mix of skills, personality, and care that makes you different. Maybe it’s your gentle approach with anxious patients. Perhaps it’s your state-of-the-art technology. Or it could be your team’s extraordinary way of making kids feel like superheroes in the dental chair.

Take a moment to think: What makes your practice truly special? What would make someone drive an extra 30 minutes to see you instead of visiting the dentist around the corner?

Making Social Media Fun Again

Social media doesn’t have to feel like this thing that we have to do and so much work. Like, can you show the playfulness of your clinic and your office and have fun doing it?

Here’s a fresh way to think about your social media: Instead of seeing it as another task on your to-do list, treat it as a chance to show off your practice’s personality. One local dental clinic does this brilliantly by featuring their “unofficial office dog” in their social posts. While the pup doesn’t come to the office, these posts help patients connect with the practice on a personal level.

Bringing Your Team Along for the Ride

The best content often comes from moments of genuine joy in your practice. When your team enjoys creating content, it shows! Consider:

• Capturing candid moments of team collaboration
• Sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of office life
• Celebrating team achievements and milestones
• Showcasing your community involvement

Creating Content That Matters

Think about what makes your patients’ eyes light up when they visit. Is it your warm welcome? Your modern office design? The way you explain complex procedures in simple terms? These are the stories worth sharing on social media.

Remember, you’re not just posting to fill a content calendar. You’re sharing glimpses of what makes your practice special. Whether it’s:

• Educational videos that show your expertise
• Fun team photos that reveal your office culture
• Patient success stories that demonstrate your care
• Community events that show your local involvement

Each post helps build a fuller picture of your practice’s unique value.

Making Excellence Your Standard

Instead of asking “How can we be cheaper?” start asking “How can we be better?” Focus on:

• Delivering exceptional patient experiences
• Building genuine connections
• Showcasing your expertise in creative ways
• Letting your practice’s personality shine

When you compete on excellence rather than price, you create a practice worth talking about – and that’s something worth sharing on social media.

Remember, your practice’s uniqueness is your greatest asset. By sharing it authentically and joyfully on social media, you’ll attract patients who value quality over cost, and who’ll become your biggest advocates.

Conclusion and Best Practices

Success in social media isn’t about luck – it’s about having the right mix of content that connects with your audience. Throughout this guide, we’ve explored how dental practices can build a strong online presence. Now, let’s bring it all together with a clear roadmap for your social media success.

The Magic Formula: 60-20-20

Think of your social media content like a well-balanced meal. The main course (60%) is your authority content – the educational posts that show your expertise. The sides (20%) are your connection posts that build relationships with your audience. The dessert (20%) is your promotional content that invites people to try your services.

This balance works because it gives your audience what they need:

• Helpful information they can trust
• Personal connections they value
• Clear ways to work with you

Why Brand Awareness Matters

It’s amazing how important it is to just make sure you have that constant brand awareness just because you just never know well, honestly, the amount of people who come to your social media now, even sometimes more than your site, is incredible.

Your social media presence has become your digital front door. More and more people check out your social profiles before they ever visit your website. This means every post is a chance to make a great first impression.

Making It Work in Your Practice

Here’s how to put these ideas into action:

Start Simple

• Pick three posts per week to begin
• Use one post for each content type
• Build up to more posts as you get comfortable

Stay Consistent

• Set regular posting times
• Keep your brand voice steady
• Show up reliably for your audience

Be Real

• Share genuine office moments
• Let your team’s personality shine
• Build trust through authenticity

Your Path Forward

The journey to social media success isn’t about being perfect – it’s about being present and authentic. Your practice has unique stories to tell and valuable expertise to share. By following the 60-20-20 content mix and staying consistent with your posting, you’ll build a social media presence that attracts and keeps great patients.

Take Action Today

1. Plan next week’s content using the 60-20-20 rule
2. Take some behind-the-scenes photos of your team
3. Write down three educational topics you can share
4. Set up a simple posting schedule

Remember, every successful social media presence started with a single post. Your future patients are out there, looking for a practice just like yours. It’s time to help them find you.

Start small, stay consistent, and watch your online community grow. Your practice’s story deserves to be shared, and your future patients are waiting to hear it.