10 exciting dental Instagram post ideas

Instagram for dentists is a trending topic in dental marketing. Many dental offices ask us if they should have an account, but more importantly, they want advice on what to post. That video you saw last week of Karen’s dog grabbing her a drink from the fridge was hilarious and went viral, but how the heck can you compete with that?

Don’t try! Your followers want to see what your life looks like behind the scenes. When posting on Instagram, dental marketing should offer a glimpse into who you are. They want to know they can trust you with the first part of their body most people notice; their smile.

How do you build a following through your Instagram profile that will create a sense of community? With authentic, engaging content. In this blog, we’re simplifying Instagram for dentists. A social media presence for your clinic can be an important (and fun) part of your overall dental marketing plan. You’ll find 10 ideas for posts guaranteed to get some “love.” (Maybe not as much immediate love as cute, furry animals, but we’ll get you there, don’t worry.)

It’s no secret that Instagram is owned by the top social media platform in the world; Facebook. Like Facebook, Instagram prefers video content over photos, so posting short videos will help more people see your posts.

You can do this one of two ways:

1. Film a video (which has to be less than a minute to fit in one Instagram frame) explaining your quick tip and add a basic descriptor line into the text section.
2. Tell your story in-depth within the copy, and film a quick video clip that relates to the content.

Raising your eyebrows trying to figure out what type of videos your office could film? Here are some dental office Instagram post ideas you can put together with a little prep:

• How to properly floss/why flossing is so important.
• Braces versus Invisalign: What is right for you?
• At what age should I bring my child to the dentist?

Your dental Instagram followers want to see what makes your practice different. One great way to leverage Instagram marketing for dentists is by taking “behind the scenes” photos to give your followers a glimpse into something they weren’t a part of, but that you’re trying to include them in. People love feeling exclusive! Make them feel like they just saw something not everyone else knows about.

Instagram stories can also increase this effect, allowing you to share these snapshots in real-time. Stories show off your day-to-day operations and the positive impact your services have on dental health.

Here are some quick dental Instagram posts you can include in your marketing campaign:

• Behind the Scenes: Dental office Instagram posts can start simple. Have one of your receptionists take a photo of a patient and the doctor, and post the photo as a “behind the scenes” shot to show your potential new patients what they can expect during their dental visits, routine cleaning, etc. Make sure to get patient’s permission! Need a photo release? Use ours!
• Milestones! Dentist Instagram posts can also celebrate personal milestones. Is someone on the team celebrating a birthday or work anniversary? Show it off! This is a great way for your followers to get to know your staff members, and see how you all celebrate!
• New Toys: Did a cool new piece of equipment just arrive? Post an engaging photo of what it looks like and explain to your followers why you’re excited. The energy you put out is the same energy you’ll attract.

If you’re a visual learner, you’ll love all these examples we’re about to throw at you! Here’s a great example of a “behind the scenes” shot from our friends at Lompoc Family Dental. Here, they show a great, zoomed-in shot. They do a great job of briefly describing what you’re looking at with some basic hashtags to help improve their reach.

Ew, Monday. Am I right or am I right? Fight a case of the Mondays with some beginning-of-the-week motivation! Remember, even though you’re making dental posts for Instagram, not each and every post has to center around oral health. You can connect with clients on a personal level by posting a quote graphic from Pinterest or Google. It’s okay to have some borrowed graphics mixed in with your original images, as long as you’re not claiming that they’re yours. Make sure to attribute the image to the original photographer or graphic designers when using professional photos you found online.

Here’s an example of a post that took us less than 5 minutes to draft. The quote came from Pinterest, and the graphic was created using Canva directly from a phone, so it could be posted immediately.

Sneak peeks are one of the most popular types of photos to engage with your Instagram followers. Try to pick your artistic brain for these types of shots! Let go of everything your high school art teacher told you about making sure everything is centered in the middle of the frame, with people looking directly at the camera and smiling. Get in there! Take a close-up, or sneak a photo from around the corner. Think about a different angle than what you normally see standing in front of someone. Get low, stand on a chair, grab a selfie stick — whatever you have to do to make it interesting! By incorporating dental Instagram marketing strategies like these, you give your dental office a personal feel.

Here’s a few “sneak-peek” photos from our friends at Fox Creek Endodontics, as they highlight a new tool in the office! The picture not only shows what the equipment looks like by itself; but also in use. This gives your followers a chance to see it in use! Just like show and tell.

People love seeing transformation almost as much as they enjoy videos of cats playing the keyboard or some strange guy talking about shoes. Instagram for dental practices is the perfect platform to showcase these changes. You can do this in a variety of different ways, but here are some of our favorites:

• Video: Take a revealing video of the moment a patient sees their new smile. The rawness of the video and the genuine emotion will make a staged video look, well…staged. This is a brilliant way to create the authenticity that you’re striving for in your profile! In the copy, expand on the patient’s story, talk about the work they had done, how long it took and any other little nugget of information you think is relevant to understanding their progress and story.
• Photography: Don’t pass up the chance that dental procedures like dental implants offer for your Instagram feed. You don’t have to show just one video or one photo per post! On Instagram, you have the ability to share up to 10 photos/videos in a single post. Know what’s even cooler? It can be a combination of videos AND photos, unlike Facebook where it can only be one or the other if you’re sharing from your business page. Wrap it up with a short video testimonial of how pleased they are with the work they had done.

You may think your team meetings are boring and that no one wants to see them, but the truth is, humans are naturally curious beings. We want to see everything (okay, most things) that we don’t have everyday access to. Posting something that makes your followers feel like they’re right beside you is guaranteed to attract attention. This could include:

• Meetings
• Team functions or activities outside the office
• Birthday or work anniversary celebrations
• Sponsored events
• And more.

Showcasing your dental practice humanizes your team and shows what goes into the dental services you provide. Check out these great examples of dental professionals in action:

You’re probably waiting for us to start talking about popular hashtags to use on Instagram, right? Well, buckle up, because two of your new favorites will become #ThrowbackThursday and #FlashbackFriday. Have a funny photo from a team event that you totally forgot about? Post it. Reflect on a team member or practice accomplishment you’re really proud of and post it. But don’t forget the hashtag!

Who doesn’t like winning free stuff? Giveaways and contests are a great way to build your following, too! Make sure you offer a great freebie like a free take-home whitening kit, then post a fun graphic to get everyone amped up to participate. Make sure you outline the parameters to win very clearly by detailing them in the comments. We recommend including rules like:

• Follow us on Instagram @goldenproportionsmarketing
• Tag a friend or family member below. Make sure they follow us, too!
• For a bonus entry, follow us on Facebook @goldenproportionsmarketing

Remember to include details about how long the contest will run and when you plan to announce a winner. And don’t forget to post the winner so everyone knows! Otherwise, the wrath of anxious entrants may overwhelm you. Remember, all of this will help build your credibility with potential new patients, which is always our end goal: Get more new patients picking up that phone!

Sounds kind of elementary doesn’t it? A great way to build credibility is to show your followers that there are other doctors you look up to and trust. We encourage you to share your colleague’s (not to be confused with your competitors) posts and content when it’s relevant. Maybe a dental specialist you refer patients to recently posted a great case study that made you say, “Wow.” Share that post and make sure to tag them in the copy. Not only will it build credibility for you, but it will help gain extra traffic back and forth on both your accounts. See? Sharing is caring!

A great way to drum up engagement is to ask a question. People love sharing their knowledge and being able to relate to a community. This is a great way to show a more personal side of your life outside the office. Here are a few ideas for questions you could ask. Some of them may seem silly, but we promise you’ll see your followers joining in on the fun!

• Post a photo of you with your drink of choice from Starbucks or Dunkin’ and ask your followers “What’s your go-to coffee order?” Or, you could ask if they’re #teamdunkin or #teamstarbucks. You’ll be shocked by the number of people who want to share this type of information with you!
• Post a photo of your dinner and ask them “What’s for dinner?”
• Heading on vacation? Post a photo of your packed car and ask your followers for their favorite travel destination.
• Not ready to show off your personal side just yet? We understand. In the meantime, try asking oral hygiene-related questions like:
  • Which toothpaste flavor is your go-to?
  • What’s your favorite healthy snack?
  • Do you experience random neck and jaw pain?

Are you trending on Instagram yet? We know this may be a lot to wrap your mind around, but take it one day at a time. We just planned 10 days worth of content for youpacked with dental office Instagram post ideas that are sure to engage!

Do you have any questions about how to boost your Instagram? Contact us to have our social media strategist review your personal Instagram and offer some quick pointers!

You might also want to check out our guide to social media marketing for dentists for comprehensive strategies and tips. And remember, you don’t have to be a fluffy animal playing an instrument, as long as your posts are engaging and show you are a dental practice that authentically cares. We guarantee your following will be steps behind you, waiting for you to make your next post.

PS, if all else fails: dogs. Never be afraid to share photos of your dogs .