Whether you’re energized by the uptick in passionate political discourse, desperately seeking the fun photos and quizzes you were used to, or fed up and ready to sign off altogether, there is no doubt that you have noticed a shift in the content of your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds these past months. And you can bet your clients have noticed a change in what they’re posting, Snapping, and Tweeting, too!

Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter if you or your clients are happy about this social shift or not. You still have a business to run and need to market your business and services, just as your clients still have pets to care for.

So what to do? The solution is simple: keep posting!

Easy Tips for Increasing Social Media Engagement

Social marketing reach is affected by interaction. This is generally true across all social platforms, as algorithms decide to show users more of what they interact with. This means, due to the current social media climate, political posts are taking center stage as more and more people choose to comment on and share them.

Your job, then, is to stay both relevant and enticing in the social swirl. You can do this in two organic ways:

1. Post fun, light-hearted material. The puppy memes and cat videos we love provide a safe alternative for those wanting to avoid debates or take a break from the gravity of the political scene.
2. Offer quality, useful pet-care information. Pet owners are still pet owners, no matter what the hot button issue of the day is, and they still need to be reminded of that. Help them be the best pet owners they can be!

Likewise, give your business an edge by boosting your most important posts, or even creating full advertisements. Sponsored content is purposefully inserted into targeted social feeds, so a well-constructed ad can break through the noise to get your veterinary services seen.

The Conversation Begins With You

What you may not have anticipated is that these initiatives will work best if you start them IRL (in real life). During appointments, while on phone calls, and even in email signature lines, remind your clients that your social presence still exists.

You can do this overtly, particularly with your clients who are already strongly bonded to your practice: “Mr. Jones, don’t forget to visit our Facebook page. We should have a fun doggie daycare video up by this afternoon… That’ll be more fun than another press conference!”

More importantly for best practices in veterinary care, this can also be subtle, via client education: “Mrs. Smith, I know you had quite a few questions today, and I want to give you resources to check out at home. Have you followed us on Pinterest yet? Our Parasite Prevention boards will have just the info you were looking for today!”

Stay On Target

The more people who choose to engage with your “safe haven” content, the more likely it is that your practice will be rewarded by the algorithms. This is especially true if you work in a few paid ads. In the pay to play environment, your regular content will show up in feeds more often if you’re running ads. This will ultimately bring more interaction, which will lead to more exposure, and on and on. This cycle can work in your favor exponentially, as long as you continue to foster great social content.

Then, when and if the current uproar dies down, you’ll be an established, reputable, relevant source of pet care social media content.