Jenny Neuville
Veterinary Marketing Consultant

Jenny has almost a decade of veterinary marketing experience, and she is obsessed with developing highly-engaging digital marketing solutions that are achievable for busy veterinary professionals.

Ok, so every marketer in the world is hounding you (pun intended!) about defining your brand on social media. You love helping animals–how complicated can it be? What does branding on social media really mean, in practical terms, for your veterinary practice?

Example A

Why Branding Matters

If you’re investing precious time or dollars into social media, you want to make sure you’re rewarded for your efforts, right?

What if a pet owner is scrolling on Facebook and sees this post (Example A) from your practice in their newsfeed?

Her first thought is, “Awe! A dog!”

If you’re lucky, she might have a second thought before she continues to scroll, but usually that doesn’t happen unless you’ve succeeded at being incredibly entertaining or engaging.

In fact, according to a recent study, desktop users only spend about 2.5 seconds on any piece of content that they scroll past, and mobile users spend just 1.7 seconds, on average. This means there’s not much time to make a brand impression.

At a quick glance, the Example A post could belong to any pet-related business in your geo-target: other veterinarians, pet stores, rescues, groomers, etc.

So while you may have succeeded in giving the reader a feel-good second or two with a cute pet photo, you may have done so on behalf of every pet-related business in your area.

So I can’t post cute pet pics anymore?

Of course you can—and should! The remedy is really simple–just add YOU to the equation as much as possible..

Here are some ideas of how to personalize cute pet photos:

Example B

1. Intro Text

The simplest way to spruce up the branding in this post is to add lead text that provides context, like in Example B.

See what we did there?

Not only did we mention Dr. Mike, but we also worked in the stress-free angle to reinforce how you go above and beyond for your patients’ comfort. (Bonus if you have a page on your website about stress-free techniques because you can also include a link to that!)

Without personalizing the lead text and adding context, it’s now clear that this dog is at your practice, admiring your support staff. The contextual story you’ve created will have a more lasting impact on the pet owner as well.

Example C

2. Add your Brand Colors:

As an established practice, you likely have colors that you’ve already ascribed to in-clinic and with your logo.

In Simply Done Tech Solutions’ social media, we consistently reference our brand colors (demonstrated in Example C) so our followers recognize our brand while they’re quickly scrolling.

Canva is a photo editing software that allows you to pretend to be a graphic designer while staying focused on treating patients. (Seriously, if you don’t have it, stop reading and download it now.)

Canva has a free version, but for a nominal monthly fee, you can upgrade and take advantage of its Brand Kit feature, which allows you to save your brand colors and apply them to any of their templates with a click of the button!

Note: You can also add your logo to posts, but we suggest doing this sparingly, as the post will start feeling more like an Ad than the kind of organic conversation that social media users respond best to.

Example D

3. Speech Bubble

Another easy way to inject YOU into the equation with a cute pet photo is with a speech bubble (See Example D).

Speech bubbles are easy to add in Canva or a similar photo editing software, or you can just add the text right on top of the photo using your mobile phone’s photo editor.

Speech bubbles lend themselves to humor, and if your posts are funny, they are more likely to be noticed, engaged with, and remembered.

4. Don’t be Afraid of Outtake Pics

Sometimes the pics that didn’t turn out “perfect”elicit the best engagement. Try regarding them as “Happy Accidents,” as Bob Ross would say! 🎨

Example E

Take this example—although it’s blurry and the dog is too close to the camera, it will definitely stand out amid posts that feel more “staged.”

Now more than ever, social media users are craving authenticity. By posting imperfect photos, or behind the scenes moments, you are being transparent, which equates to a more relatable and trustworthy brand.

A whopping 62% of consumers said they would purchase from a brand they perceive as authentic, and we’re guessing that number is even higher for pet owners.

So don’t be afraid to be genuine by using outtakes! By keeping it real, you’re going to increase your engagement and build trust.

5. Be Bondtastic!

If you really want to ramp up the benefits of your social media posting, the research is clear: posts that include human faces are 38% more likely to get a “like” or comment than photos without faces.

Example F

This finding is consistent with our decade plus of veterinary digital marketing experience. Posts that include a staff member or pet owner with the pet picture (like in Example E) usually get the best engagement.

In addition to increased engagement, pics of pets bonding with your staff are GOLD for building an online reputation and reinforcing your veterinary brand. Since you’re already investing the time to take a picture and upload it, you might as well go for the win and be BONDASTIC!

These 5 tips are quick and easy adjustments to the work you’re already doing to manage your practice’s social media.

If you still feel overwhelmed and would like to explore having your social media managed by Simply Done Tech Solutions, please Contact Us.

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