As marketing trends continue to evolve and TikTok grows in popularity, many dentists wonder if they need to divert their social media efforts and join the Millenials and Generation Xers on TikTok. Although TikTok has been around since 2018, in the past year it’s really grown in popularity. Does this new platform hold the power to drive more younger patients to your dental practice? Let’s find out
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a social media platform where users can share short-form videos that last anywhere from three seconds to one minute long. It was originally launched in the Chinese marketplace in 2016 and it wasn’t until it merged with Musical.ly in 2018 that it was launched worldwide. It has over 689 million monthly active users. Although that sounds like a lot of users, it still doesn’t compare to the 1 billion monthly active users on Instagram or 2.7 billion monthly active users on Facebook.
Who is the Primary Demographic on TikTok?
Before you sprint over to TikTok to try and reach 689 million users, it’s important to know what demographic you will be reaching. Currently, there are only 80 million active TikTok users in the US with 60% being female and 40% male. Nearly 60% of users are between the ages of 16 and 24 and 26% are between the ages of 25 and 44. Overall, 80% of users are between the ages of 25 and 44.
This data is very important when making your decision whether marketing on TikTok is worth your time. If these ages are your target demographic, then it might be worth your effort.
Have Other Dentists Achieved Success on TikTok?
If you follow the news, then you’ve probably seen a few dentist’s videos go viral. One dentist from Arkansas has over 7.3 million followers on TikTok. If you take a look at the #dentist hashtag on TikTok, there are tons of videos from dental professionals posting videos about how procedures work, behind the scenes, and educational videos about not filing your teeth with a nail file, proper flossing techniques, and more. The video possibilities are endless.
It’s not unheard of for dentists to achieve success and large followings from their creative videos.
Should My Dental Office Be On TikTok?
Now you’re probably wondering if posting on TikTok is worth the effort? Before you get started, it’s important to take a few things into consideration. You should market on TikTok if the following factors aren’t a problem for you.
You’re Able to Make Your Own Videos
One of the biggest factors to consider is the amount of time that will go into making your TikTok videos. Since you will be the face of your videos the majority of the time, you need to have the time to film and edit your own videos. TikTok videos aren’t professionally polished videos which is one of the biggest appeals. You can’t simply outsource your videos to a marketing agency to take care of. This is something you will need to handle in your office. If you’re comfortable making your own videos, then TikTok is for you.
You Enjoy Being On Camera
You have to love showing your face on camera if you’re going to be on TikTok. If you look through most of the videos on there, it features people talking in front of their cameras. Although you might post occasional shots of your patients, technology, or dental office, you will need to be comfortable being on camera.
You Have Some Creative Ideas
Creativity always wins the day on TikTok. Dr. Ben Winters didn’t achieve his TikTok fame from posting boring informational videos. He gets creative and doesn’t post the same type of video every time. His videos range from posting funny dancing videos and explaining why some dental trends are bad for your teeth to inside looks of procedures. Success on any social media platform relies heavily on creative ideas.
Your Target Market is the Younger Generation
If you’re trying to target middle-aged people or older, you’re not going to find your ideal patients on TikTok.
You Don’t Expect to Get a Flood of New Patients
Like any new marketing strategy, you won’t achieve your desired results overnight. Making videos on TikTok is a great way to increase your brand awareness and potentially get some new patients down the line, but don’t expect a flood of new patients overnight. It’s rare to go viral.
Invest in Marketing With Guaranteed Results
Although you might achieve some success with TikTok, it will take a large investment of your own time and you won’t have any guaranteed return on investment. Instead, create TikTok videos as a side hobby or project because it’s fun and you want to grow brand awareness and invest in a marketing strategy with proven results. At Pro Impressions Marketing, we offer a full suite of marketing services including SEO, PPC, social media management, and more to help you get real results and more patients in the door without wasting time or money on marketing that doesn’t work. Give us a call at (970) 672-1212 to learn more about our services and how we can help your dental practice grow.
