9 Creative Veterinary Social Media Posts to Engage Clients
Updated: Nov 1, 2023
These days, it’s nearly impossible for a business to exist without a social media presence. This is especially true for veterinary practices, which need to connect with pet owners and animal lovers to build a loyal customer base. It's an important part of the marketing strategy.
Veterinarians have an incredible advantage when it comes to veterinary social media posts - you get to post content about pets! From adorable pictures and videos of furry friends to educational articles about animal care, there's no shortage of content ideas to engage and delight your audience.
Not sure where to start? Here are 9 veterinary social media posts that clients will love:
1. Meet the Team
One of the things veterinary clients are most interested in when they visit a clinic’s website is the people behind the scenes. If you have a page for staff biographies on your website, chances are it's one of the most visited pages!
Use Facebook and Instagram to introduce your veterinary staff and let potential clients get to know the friendly faces that will be taking care of their furry family members. Include a photo or short bio for each individual as they join the team.
Many opt to share a fun story or post a short video clip of each employee. You will forge stronger relationships as a result, which means greater retention for your veterinary clinic.
Does your clinic have a resident cat or dog? Some practices name them the mascot and spokesperson for the business. The pet could make regular appearances, and share weather forecasts, safety tips, holiday wishes, etc. This is a great way to add personality to your posts and make your veterinary clinic stand out.
2. Behind-the-Scenes at the Vet
A lot goes on in a typical day at your clinic, and if the growing popularity of veterinary-related reality television shows is any indication, the business is more interesting than you may realize. Share pictures or video clips of some of the happenings around the clinic. Be sure to include plenty of cute critters and fun, engaging content that involves your staff. Look for anything that you think might make your followers smile and then go for it!
3. Pet Photos & Videos
Who doesn't love photos of cute animals? Veterinary practices can take advantage of this by regularly sharing photos of the patients that come into the clinic.
Holidays
Get creative around holidays and other special occasions. For example, Easter tips for pet owners, or photos of dogs and cats in festive Halloween costumes make great content. Or better yet, invite followers to post their fur babies being festive on your business page.
Pet of the week
Do you have some particularly adorable or photogenic veterinary patients that you've treated recently? If so, showcase them as your "pet of the week"! Every week, highlight a different animal that's been in to see you recently. Include a photo and a brief description along with any interesting facts or stories.
Videos
Video content is highly engaging and can be a great way to connect with veterinary clients on Facebook, YouTube, or even Tiktok. You could post videos of staff members giving tours of the clinic, or do educational videos on topics like animal care and safety. You could also post videos of rescues that have been recently adopted from your clinic or even highlights from veterinary events or conferences you've attended.
Success stories
Do you have any hospitalization or boarding stories that will tug at the heartstrings? These make great posts! Share their journey through your veterinary practice and clips on their road to recovery. This is a great way to show the difference that you can make in the lives of animals.
Has your grooming team had any especially challenging grooming situations, such as a Shih Tzu that was way overdue for a haircut, with skin allergies, and untended mats? Showcase the groomer's skills with before and after pictures of the transformation, and how your veterinary medical team treated the itch for the sweet little pup.
Of course, you'll need to get permission from the owner before posting any photos or videos. But once you have that, feel free to get creative!
Adoptable Pets
If your veterinary practice partners with a local shelter or rescue organization, make sure to share others' content on your page and promote the adoptable animals on your social media channels. This is a great way to find homes for animals in need, and it will also raise awareness for your veterinary clinic.
Share photos and videos of the adoptable animals, along with their names, ages, personalities and links to the profile on the shelter's social pages. Be sure to include information on how to adopt, and encourage people to share the posts with their friends and family.
New arrivals
Whether it's a new litter of puppies or kittens, a new exotic animal, or simply a new patient, veterinary practices always have new arrivals. Share photos and videos of the new bundles of fur, along with some information about them.
A basket of kittens is sure to prompt followers to inquire if the cats are up for adoption, and if they are, be sure to include how to get more information for those that are interested.
Again, it's advisable to get permission from the owner before posting photos or videos.
4. Pet Care Tips
Even readers who have owned pets for many years can still learn a thing or two about caring for their animal family members. As experts in animal care, veterinary practices have a lot of valuable information to share. Posting tips about care, nutrition, safety, and more is a great way to engage your audience and show that you’re an authority in the veterinary field.
Nearly every season can include safety reminders too. For example:
Keeping human foods out of reach, such as chocolate, turkey bones and alcohol;
Being aware of plants that can be toxic to pets if ingested;
Tips for preventing heatstroke in summer or frostbite in the winter;
Ideas to reduce holiday stressors for animals.
Share tips on specific topics too, such as nutrition, exercise, grooming, dental health and preventive care. Help clients keep their furry family members safe with tips on everything from pet-proofing the home to how to prepare for an emergency.
Try to aim for posts that will both educate and entertain, and remember to promote your veterinary services when appropriate.
5. Local News & Events
Just heard about a recent dog food recall? Let your clientele know what they need to do to protect their canine. Hire a new team member? Share the good news with your fans and followers. Consider posting any pet-related topics that are timely, interesting, and newsworthy.
Charitable Events
Is there a pet-friendly event happening in your community coming up? This could be anything from a dog park meet-up to a holiday supply drive or a 5K race benefiting a local animal shelter.
Not only will you be supporting a good cause, but you'll also be getting your veterinary practice's name out there in the community. If you sponsor an event, be sure to promote it on Facebook and include your veterinary practice's logo.
Also, take advantage of the opportunity to tag the venue's or event organizer's page in your posts. This will help you reach a larger audience and get more people interested in attending the event and provide visibility to the clinic. This is a great opportunity to be seen by potential new clients.
Veterinary Industry News
News can be shared on social media platforms as well, whether it's a new development in the industry, an update on veterinary research or something else that would be of interest to pet owners. Did you just add a new state-of-the-art piece of equipment to the hospital? Share the news and promote your services - and how modern your veterinary practice is - at the same time.
6. Specials & Promotions
Veterinary posts are a great tool for rolling out new promotions and marketing services at your hospital. Test offers such as a free exam for potential new clients or a percentage off services, and request that followers mention the post or show it on a mobile device.
Don't forget to include all the relevant details, such as how long the promotion will last, what services are included, any blackout dates, etc.
Does your online store have a promo code out right now? Use social media platforms to encourage clients to use it to stock up on flea, tick, and heartworm medication - and whatever else they need - and save. Not only will you be sharing a money-saving deal with pet parents, but you could also be helping the veterinary clinic with the compliance your doctors desire on preventatives or special diets.
Bonus - your online store partner likely provides Facebook graphics ready-made to go along with their specials and often verbiage too. All that's needed is to download your favorite graphic and schedule the post!
7. Contests
One great way to increase engagement is to run social media contests. This can be as simple as asking followers to submit a photo or video of their dog or cat for a chance to win a prize. The prize could be anything from a free veterinary exam to a basket of treats or toys.
Get creative with your contest and make sure it’s something that will be fun and easy for your followers to do. The key is to make sure the contest is veterinary-related so that it ties in with your brand and helps promote your services.
8. Testimonials
Sharing positive reviews and testimonials from clients who have been happy with your veterinary services is crucial to an effective marketing strategy. It's a great way to build trust and show potential clients that you're the real deal.
9. Pet Parent Questions
The goal of social media activities is to generate engagement amongst your clients. To get people talking, try posting updates that contain thought-provoking questions. These can either be just for fun, or you could use them to gather feedback for your vet practice. For instance, you might ask your followers what kinds of treats they’d like you to stock at the front desk. Or, how they're celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day.
Try and come up with questions that will elicit more than a yes or no answer, but rather might generate healthy, positive discussion on your page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What social media channels should my practice use?
The most popular veterinary social media channels are Facebook and Instagram. However, there are many other options out there, such as Twitter, YouTube and TikTok. The best way to decide which channel(s) to use is to consider where your target audience is spending their time online. Be sure to link icons to your channels on the website too.
How often should I post?
The frequency of your posts will depend on the platform you are using. For example, on Twitter, it’s generally accepted that you can post multiple times a day, whereas on Facebook, once or twice a day is sufficient. The important thing is to be consistent with your posting schedule so that your followers know when to expect new content from you.
Who should manage my social media accounts?
Ideally, you should have someone on staff who is responsible for managing these accounts. This person should be passionate about Facebook and Instagram and understand how to use each platform effectively. If you don’t have anyone on staff who fits this description, then you may want to consider hiring a social media marketing agency to help you.
Closing Thoughts
Veterinary practices are serious business, but that doesn't mean you can't have some fun with your veterinary social media posts. Show off your team's personality and sense of humor with funny memes, pet puns, and light-hearted content. No one wants to see a feed full of boring, hard-sell ads. Instead, focus on providing engaging and informative content that will capture the attention of your clients and make them want to come back for more. With a little bit of creativity, you’ll be well on your way to social media success.
Have you mastered the art of veterinary social media posts for your practice? For customized guidance on using social media platforms to meet your business goals, DVM Elite can help.
