If you generally engage in a bit of conversation with a pet owner before getting to the business of their visit, you already understand something relevant to engaging more pet owners on social media, veterinary marketing, and overall social media growth.
People want to be social on social media and use platforms like Facebook as they began—a way for people to connect and have conversations.
Though many businesses understand the conversational nature of social media, many nonetheless tend to lean more toward social media as an advertising and sales channel, and advertising certainly provides a service. As Oberlo pointed out in October 2023, 75% of internet users now use social media to search for products and services. So, veterinary marketing services like Facebook ads for veterinarians help pet owners (and pets) by increasing discovery of your practice and the services you provide. Yet as HubSpot pointed out in November 2023, when businesses lean too heavily toward sales and advertising, misalignment can happen and businesses can lose engagement.
So, balance is important to both social media growth and engagement with pet owners, and conversations are central to balance, leading to our first of seven tips to strengthen your veterinary marketing on social.
For our bonus section—15 Social Media Post Ideas for Your Veterinary Practice—scroll to the end.
1. Understand Your Audience
Pet owners are naturally interested in pet health topics and other subjects relevant to the health and happiness of their furry family members. Yet within this, pet owners will have different pet health interests based on what pets they have, their passions, and lifestyle. Tools like Facebook Audience Insights can help you better understand the demographics, interests, and lifestyles of your target audience to craft posts that resonate with pet owners and (more importantly) reflect a conversational style to which they can connect.
Equally important in social media growth and veterinary marketing, monitor changing trends and preferences with your audience. Engaging directly with your audience through polls, surveys, and comments can provide invaluable insights to create personalized, relatable content.
Strategies:
- Identify key audience demographics and interests.
- Join the conversation (where relevant and/or possible) connected to your posts.
- Monitor engagement patterns and feedback on social media posts.
- Stay up to date on evolving trends in pet care and animal welfare.
- Regularly review and adapt your content strategies.
Content Ideas:
- Create a themed content series (e.g., Pet Care Tip of the Week).
- Host Q&A sessions on pet health and wellness.
- Offer interactive content like quizzes or polls about pet care.
2. Choose the Right Social Media Platform
At 3 billion+ active monthly users worldwide, Facebook (per Statista) continues to dominate as the top social media platform. YouTube ranks second at nearly 2.5 billion users, and Instagram ties WhatsApp in third place with roughly 2 billion users apiece.
Sheer reach makes Facebook the ideal platform for veterinary practices to engage more pet owners and expand practice awareness and explains why practices choose Facebook ads for veterinarians. Yet depending on your ideal target audience, adding other social media platforms to your veterinary marketing mix may be relevant to your social media growth goals based on platform demographics.
- According to Statista, nearly 24% of Facebook users in the U.S. are people between the ages of 25 and 34, making up Facebook’s largest audience in the country. Just under a fifth of U.S. Facebook users (4%) are people between the ages of 18 and 24. Teens (13 to 17 years of age) make up Facebook’s smallest audience (roughly 5%) and women were slightly more likely to use Facebook than men.
- Per our recent Instagram marketing for veterinarians blog, almost three quarters of Instagram users (70%) are under 35 years of age, meaning Millennials (32% of the U.S. pet-owning population) and Gen X (24% of the U.S. pet-owning population). Though Baby Boomers represent 27% of the U.S. pet-owning population, only 6% of Instagram users are 55 years of age or older.
The other element to consider is that Instagram is an image-driven platform and doesn’t support clickable links in posts like Facebook. Instagram provides the option of setting a website link in an Instagram profile and/or adding clickable links via Linktree. Yet this adds extra complexity layers for users (and page admins) whereas Facebook provides one-click convenience.
In short: Social media platforms have unique content styles and audiences, and choosing the platforms that align with your social media growth goals and overall veterinary marketing style also involves considering the time and resources you’ll need to manage your social media presence on an ongoing, consistent basis.
Strategies:
- Evaluate each platform’s user base and content style.
- Allocate resources based on the effectiveness of each platform.
- Experiment with new platforms while maintaining a presence on established ones.
- Tailor content to suit the strengths of each chosen platform.
Ideas:
- Utilize Instagram for pet photo contests.
- Share educational and trending videos.
- Use Facebook groups for pet owner communities.
- Explore emerging platforms for niche pet owner interests.
3. Create Engaging Content
This one may be obvious, but it bears repeating. Whether crafting posts that inform, entertain, showcase your practice’s expertise, or personality and values, creating engaging content is fundamental to engaging users on social, growing your reach, and overall veterinary marketing.
Videos about pet care tips, infographics about pet health, and behind-the-scenes posts about your practice can be particularly effective. Storytelling can also be a powerful tool, whether sharing pet treatment success stories or the day-to-day lives of your team members. As well (as mentioned earlier), interactive content like polls, quizzes, and live Q&A sessions can boost engagement while providing valuable audience insights and feedback to optimize social media growth.
>> For five simple tips related to creating and managing pet health education posts, read our recent blog, How and Why to Share Educational Content More Effectively on Social.
Strategies:
- Mix educational content with entertaining and relatable posts.
- Use different content formats (videos, images, text).
- Incorporate storytelling in social media posts.
- Tailor your content for each social media platform.
Ideas:
- Weekly pet health tips.
- Before-and-after treatment success stories.
- Live Q&A sessions on pet health topics.
- Client features (e.g., Pet Photo of the Week).
4. Use Social SEO
Just like veterinary SEO helps rank your practice website higher in search engine results pages to increase visibility and clicks, the same basic SEO approach in your social posts helps users more easily find your content when searching social media posts. “Social networks are not technically search engines—but they all have search bars,” writes Hootsuite in January 2024, “and big social platforms are incorporating even more features of traditional search engines to help match users with content they want to find.”
Social SEO includes using relevant and trending hashtags, adding alt-text, optimizing your social media page profile(s), using keywords and subtitles, and tagging your location.
Strategies:
- Research and use relevant keywords and hashtags.
- Optimize all social media profiles for search engines.
- Stay up to date on each platform’s search algorithm changes.
5. Use Social Media Advertising
As effective as organic social media posts can be, newsfeeds can also be cluttered places. So, pet owners may miss important information, and this can affect pet health. A few examples:
- Timely flea and tick prevention information.
- Heartworm awareness information.
- Special practice offers to better serve pet health.
To better ensure they reach pet owners, findings from 2024 State of Veterinary Marketing Report show that veterinary practices are increasingly using social media advertising as part of overall veterinary marketing. Where 26% of surveyed practices were planning more social media advertising heading into 2023, 32% of practices are planning more social media advertising in 2024 and plans to maintain the same level of social media advertising remained roughly the same.
You know your social media growth and veterinary marketing goals best, but a few facts stand in support of reaching them through social media advertising:
- Facebook ads reach 3% of the global population over the age of 13. (HubSpot)
- The Facebook ad conversion rate for the general category of healthcare is 11%—slightly higher than the 9.21% conversation rate across all industries. (Sprout Social)
- Facebook ad services specifically designed for practices save teams time and ensure ad campaigns are engaging, profitable, and headache-free.
Strategies:
- Target ads based on specific demographics and interests.
- Create engaging and informative ad content.
- Regularly monitor and adjust ad performance.
- Utilize retargeting strategies to engage potential clients.
Ideas:
- Showcase services with compelling video ads.
- Offer special promotions or discounts through targeted ads.
- Use customer testimonials in ad campaigns.
- Implement retargeting ads for pet owners who visit your website.
6. Stay Up to Date with Social Media Trends
The social media landscape is continually changing. So, staying up to date with social media trends and adapting your social media growth and veterinary marketing strategies is important to help ensure optimal social media performance.
Strategies
- Read industry trade publication articles covering changes in social media trends and technology.
- Attend webinars and/or subscribe to the LifeLearn newsletter to get social media trends and technology articles (and more) delivered right to your inbox.
- Join professional networks to help you stay informed.
7. Use Analytics for Improvement
Relevant to the previous tip, using analytics is crucial to gauge the success of social media strategies. This applies to both organic social posts and social media advertising. Analytics tools provide key metrics like which type of content resonates with your audience and when they most engage with posts so you can adjust strategies as needed to optimize social media growth, ROI, and overall veterinary marketing.
Relevant to the previous tip, using analytics is crucial to gauge the success of social media strategies. This applies to both organic social posts and social media advertising. Analytics tools provide key metrics like which type of content resonates with your audience and when they most engage with posts so you can adjust strategies as needed to optimize social media growth, ROI, and overall veterinary marketing.
Strategies:
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- Regularly review key performance metrics.
- Use analytics to help direct content creation and scheduling.
- Analyze follower growth and engagement patterns.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
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Ideas:
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- Use monthly analytics reports to assess performance.
- A/B test different types of posts to see what works best.
- Adjust posting times based on follower engagement patterns.
- Track ROI of paid social media campaigns.
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15 Social Media Post Ideas for Your Veterinary Practice
1.Pet Health Tip of the Week
Sharing weekly pet health tips helps educate pet owners and positions your practice as a trusted information resource. Examples:
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- Did you know regular ear cleaning is essential for your dog’s health? Contact us today for tips on how to do it right.
- Cats can get dehydrated quickly. Here are signs to watch for and how to keep your kitty happily hydrated.
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2. Behind-the-Scenes at Your Veterinarian Clinic
Behind-the-scenes posts humanize your practice and showcase your care and expertise. Examples:
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- Ever wonder what happens during your pet’s dental cleaning? Here’s a sneak peek!
- No time to visit our offices to see whether we’re the practice for you? Join us on a virtual tour!
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3. Success Stories
Sharing pet treatment success stories evidences the expertise of your team and helps boost team morale. Examples:
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- From rescue to recovery: Check out Max’s incredible journey overcoming a leg injury.
- Luna the cat was once shy and sickly. Now, she’s a playful bundle of joy. Here’s her story!
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4. Pet Care Q&A Sessions
Hosting Q&A sessions engages your audience directly and provides valuable information on common concerns. Examples:
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- Join us this Wednesday for a live Q&A session on managing common pet allergies.
- Got questions about your puppy’s diet? Let’s chat this Friday!
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5. Team Member Spotlight
Spotlighting team members builds a personal connection with pet owners by humanizing your practice. Examples:
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- Here’s what our veterinarian, Dr. Emily, loves about her job.
- Today we’re featuring our amazing vet tech Jacob, who’s a wizard with nervous pets.
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6. Holiday- Themed Posts
Holiday-themed posts are fun and relatable. Examples:
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- It’s National Dog Day! Share a favorite picture of your pup in the comments.
- Happy Halloween! Share a picture of your costumed pet in the comments!
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7. Pet Care myths vs Facts
Debunking common pet care myths educates your audience and reduces misinformation to support optimal pet health. Examples:
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- Can cats really see in absolute darkness? We’re busting this myth today.
- Do rabbits really need to eat carrots? We’re separating fact from fiction.
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8. Interactive Polls
Interactive polls engage your audience and encourage participation and feedback. Examples:
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- What’s your pet’s favorite game? Fetch or hide-and-seek? Vote now!
- Are you a dog or cat person? Share your vote!
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9. Client Testimonials
Sharing client testimonials builds trust and highlights positive experiences at your clinic. Examples:
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- Rabia’s cat had a severe health scare, but we were there to help. Read his heartfelt thanks.
- Emma shares her experience with our emergency veterinarian services.
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10. Fun Pet Facts
Fun pet facts are engaging and educational and add entertainment to your content. Examples:
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- Did you know a group of kittens is called a kindle?
- A dog’s sense of smell is 40 times stronger than that of a human.
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11. Pet Safety Tips
Providing pet safety tips is a public service that reinforces your role as a pet care advocate. Examples:
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- Hot weather is ahead. Keep your pets cool with these summer safety tips.
- Planning a road trip with your pet? Check out these travel safety tips.
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12. Before and After Treatment Photos
Before and after photos demonstrate the effectiveness of your treatments and services. Examples:
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- Check out Bella’s amazing recovery post-surgery!
- Sammy’s dental before and after photos are stunning. What a smile!
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13. Educational Infographics
Infographics are a visually appealing way to educate your audience on various pet-related topics. Examples:
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- Here are 10 foods you should never feed to your cat.
- Here are three body-language signs that your senior pet may be in pain.
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14. Pet Birthday Celebrations
Celebrating pet birthdays adds a personal and fun touch to your content. Examples:
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- Happy birthday to our practice mascot, Toby!
- Leo turns three today! Show us how you celebrate your pet’s special day.
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15. Community Event Announcements
Announcing community events fosters a sense of community and promotes engagement. Examples:
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- We’re sponsoring a pet adoption fair! Come meet your new best friend.
- Don’t miss our annual charity run benefiting local animal shelters.
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Final Thoughts
Leveraging social media to strengthen client engagement and grow your practice involves a varied approach and ideally involves a blend of both organic social posts and social media advertising. It also takes careful planning, time, and management on an ongoing basis to optimize social media growth and veterinary marketing, and if time and social media experience aren’t on your side, we can help with that.
We’re LifeLearn Animal Health.
For almost 30 years, we’ve been devoted to one thing—helping veterinary practices operate more efficiently, grow, and breathe easier. To that end, we support over 4,000 veterinary practices across North America with a complete suite of practice solutions, including:
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- Social Media Management—done-for-you social media posts and management leveraging 30 years of experience creating relevant content for pet owners and the veterinary industry.
- Facebook Ads for Veterinarians, including continual monitoring of your ad campaigns (plus monthly reporting) to ensure optimal ROI for your practice.
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Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about social media marketing for your practice.
