How is a plastic surgery practice like a 14-year-old on the phone? They are both desperate for “likes” on the Facebook post they just put up.

Facebook is far more than just a social networking platform. It’s also one of the most potent marketing tools ever created. There are over two billion people on Facebook; all spread out around the world, with many users checking their newsfeeds on an hourly basis (if not more often). This is a remarkably huge audience. Even a tiny percentage of those users would be enough to book your practice with appointments for the next twenty years. What a remarkable marketing opportunity!

Of course, you aren’t going to be able to reach two billion people, nor would you want to. You want to target users in your areas who are interested in plastic surgery. Thankfully, Facebook has some of the most robust ad-building tools available, that allow you to target your marketing to the exact audience you want. But that’s another blog post! Today, we are going to be looking at something a little more basic. Something that everyone who is on Facebook wants: likes.

Likes are the currency of the realm on Facebook. They are a reflection of online popularity. This is why so many businesses are desperate for them. The more people who like their posts, the more popular they will be. The more popular they are, the more newsfeeds that Facebook will put them on. It’s a cycle!

So, how do you get in the game to get more likes on your Facebook posts? Here are a few ideas:

Give Your Facebook Page a Facelift
Facelifts aren’t just for patients!

If you created a Facebook page for your plastic surgery practice a few years ago, chances are that it looks out of date. Facebook has been through many cosmetic changes since then, meaning that your photo and banner might be misaligned, or simply don’t work with the new layout. This should be fixed immediately.

If you want people to see your Facebook posts, you want them to follow your Facebook page. So, make sure that it’s as polished and professional as possible. The display image should either be a high-quality image of your logo or a fantastic headshot of yourself. The banner should be eye-catching and attractive, featuring your brand’s colors and logo. On your “About” page, you want sharp, snappy copy that will tell visitors everything they need to know about your practice. It doesn’t take a lot to whip a Facebook page into shape, but it’s one of the most critical steps to building an audience of followers.

Content Marketing
What is the biggest difference between Facebook posts that get no likes and those that get many? Content.

Empty Facebook posts aren’t giving the audience anything to, well, like. If it’s just a generic advertisement like, “Come on in for Botox,” then why would they bother? Instead of posting lifeless messages, you need to provide your audience with engaging content that they will want to read and like.

One of the best ways to do this is through content marketing. Here, you are creating actual content that you can post to Facebook for your audience to enjoy. This could range from blogs about plastic surgery, to infographics, to educational videos, to daily jokes about the cosmetic surgery business!

When you provide your followers with content, the chances go way up that they will like the post. They might even engage with it! Just remember, if anyone comments, be sure to comment back ASAP!

Engage with Other Plastic Surgery Practices
Just because you’re their competitor doesn’t mean that you can’t be neighborly!

By liking your competitors’ Facebook pages, you will start to see their posts. First, this can give you an idea of the types of content they post that get the best engagement. Second, it gives you an opportunity to engage with them and their followers. Maybe post a comment after one of the blogs. There is a good chance that your comment might show up on their followers’ pages and make them curious about your practice.

Similarly, you should be regularly posting on pages that are related to plastic surgery content. As a professional ISAPS Plastic Surgeon, you will likely be very welcomed there!

Use Other Social Media Platforms
Today, most social media platforms are integrated with each other. This means that every post you make to Instagram will also be posted on Facebook. This crossover will actually help you build your followers on both platforms. Those who see the post on Facebook may visit your Instagram account to check out the content that you’ve posted there!

Seeking Facebook likes might be thought by some to be shallow, but the reality is that it’s one of the fastest ways to grow your follower base and engage with potential patients. Yes, Facebook can take some of your time, but it’s so important that it might be worth hiring someone at your practice to handle all of your social media. After all, that’s where the patients are!