Since there is more than enough talk about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ for medical and dental practices, now I’d like to call the attention to another social networking tool. I’m referring to Pinterest. With a gorgeous browsing experience, and an 80% female user base, it is often an overlooked social network in healthcare marketing. Some eCommerce sites report Pinterest as their number one conversion doorway. Now, that is a good investment of your time.

From a marketing perspective, I think the appeal of aggressively investing on Pinterest is based on its user-base. If in fact, the customer base of your dental practice is largely female, it would be appropriate that you leverage this platform. Also don’t forget, Pinterest is not only for images, it can also be used to embed video.

I did some research and found some good examples of what some dentists are currently doing on Pinterest. Perhaps this research would give you an idea on what you can do to benefit from this platform, for a change.

1) Smiles

The appeal of a big, white, natural-looking smile is unquestionable. You can use patient smiles, celebrity smiles, animal smiles or staff smile pictures. These are a great way to get repins.

2) Dentist jokes

All the creativity of the internet at your service. Just spend some time at meme sites like someecards or ‘what I really Do’ and you’ll get tons of content ideas.

3) Lifestyle

Undoubtedly, showing a lifestyle is probably one of the most common uses of Pinterest. Here you get the chance to show off your lifestyle. Cars, boats, jewels, watches, clothes, trips, properties, all should play a role to help you present a desired or real lifestyle.

4) Devices

You can get a bit technical too and pin medical equipment and tools. I must say, there are quite cool dental gadgets and machines out there. You can use the description box to showcase your expertise in the field.

5) Diet and Nutrition

Since most causes of dental pain come from a poor diet or hygiene, an obvious choice is to create a board for nutrition and diet. Meals, dishes, desserts, fruits, vegetables, all could fit here along with your recommendations on each.

6) Local attractions

This will help you boost your local SEO efforts too. Assuming your Pinterest account has already been linked to your website, you can pin attractions close to your medical practice or the towns you give service too. They don’t all have to be urban areas, you could include picturesque camping, hiking, or biking trails.

7) Video

Although video is not limited to a board per se, you could create a board hosting news, interviews, procedures, testimonials, or even patient videos. Again, this is a good opportunity to present a more friendly and approachable side for your dental practice.

8) Infographics

There is a ton of healthcare and medical information available in the form of infographics. Since most of it has probably been already pinned, you can use this opportunity to engage with the community. Don’t be scared if its your competition. Everyone welcomes a friendly comment, including me.

9) Photographs

Not your regular Instagram or Facebook photos, I’m talking about pinning B/W or sienna archival photographs. An example could be showing ancient dental procedures. Definitely a sight worth seeing, in my opinion.

10) Services

Of course the main board would be used to showcase the services and procedures you offer. Prosthodontics, Periodontics, Maxillofacial Surgery, Teeth whitening, all of these should be included here. Pinterest is popular as a gift centre for special occasions, thus it would be appropriate to also include your prices. You never know when a teeth-whitening procedure, pinned by a follower, will become someone else’s wedding present.

It is important to note that setting up a social account properly can take a few hours. But it is consistency that will bring positive results in social media. This can be achieved with only a few minutes a day for a dental practice. Not a bad marketing investment I would say.

These points are only ideas to get you started on Pinterest for your dental practice. Some might work, some may not. It all depends on how you approach them and how they fit your persona and your dental practice. The principle on Pinterest and any other social networking platform is the same. Be relevant, stay current and remain authentic.

About the Author: Isaul Carballar describes himself as a natural born marketer and storyteller. He loves nerding out about everything related with online marketing. He brings international, multicultural experience writing for B2B and B2C markets. When he is not discovering new music, he can be seen biking through cities and off-road trails. He is currently a blogger for Tech Med Marketing, a marketing agency specialized in healthcare.