How veterinarians can use Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & blogging to educate, communicate, & connect with pet parents 365 days a year. This is a presentation I gave to Tufts University veterinary medicine students in December 2013. It covers how social media is a client service for veterinary customers. Using Twitter as an example, I show how a veterinary hospital can use social media to boost client service. I also discuss fun games to use to educate pet parents about veterinary topics. Additionally, I give tips to veterinarians for blogging. There is a focus on how to keep blogs simple to help pet owners understand complex topics.

1. Veterinary Social Media
How blogging & sharing can help veterinary practices
educate, communicate & connect 365 days a year
Presented by:
Danielle K. Lambert
Quinebaug Valley Veterinary Hospital
& SNOUTschool.com

2. Who am I?
• Hi – I’m Danielle!
• Veterinary Practice
Manager at Quinebaug
Valley Veterinary
Hospital in Connecticut
• Social media coach for
veterinary practices at
SNOUTschool.com
• Mildly-obsessed
Brussels Griffon owner

3. Why Am I Here?
• Vets get to work with one
of the most complex
species every day…
• HUMANS!
• Pets don’t choose vets!
• You have to connect with
pet owners (The Dr. L
philosophy)
• You can now do this 365
days a year, thanks to
social

4. My Social Media Philosophy
• Social media is part of a
veterinary hospital’s
CLIENT SERVICE.
• Educate, Communicate,
Connect
• Social media is about
YOUR CLIENTS, not you.
(Just like an exam is!)

5. Wait? Social Media is
Customer Service?
- The new @QVVets
Twitter
- This is why I’m opposed
to outsourcing social
media to marketing
companies
- There has to be
something of value for
your clients, and only your
practice knows them!

6. What’s in It for Me?
• Why would a client follow
a veterinary hospital that
does nothing for them?
• Social media should
entertain, help & be
…SOCIAL!
• Make it entertaining &
social by getting everyone
involved in something
• Again –
educate, communicate, c
onnect

7. Make It Useful!
• Sharing pet safety tips
• Sharing pet health
information
• Help people learn
something while they’re
already spending time
on social media!

8. Who Do You “Like”?
• Do you have a business
or brand you interact
with on social media?
• What do you like about
them?
• I love Shameless Cones!
• Why? They respond to
my practice’s tweets.

9. But What’s The Point?
• Traditional concept of
client service & client
retention
• Quality social media is a
new spin on a proven
truth
• Attract new clients
• An educated client is
the best client!

10. Blogging: Key to Social Education
• Social media helps you
get your message out
• Blogging gives it some
educational substance!
• Ever-changing, useful
tool on a veterinary
hospital’s website
• Important for search
ranking!

11. Blogging Basics
• At least 300 words
• 10-15 word sentences
• 4-6 sentence
paragraphs
• Use keywords a client
would search for
• Use keywords related to
your practice, like its
location, its name or
veterinarians’ names

12. Blogging Tip #1
• Tip: Ask a veterinary receptionist what
questions clients call the practice about!
• For example: The ever-popular, “Why doesn’t
my cat use the litterbox?”

13. Blogging Tip #2
• Start Googling it!
• For example: “What do I do when my dog…”
• Warning: Try not to die laughing when you do
this

14. Blogging Tip #3
• Use a non-veterinary professional to edit your
blogs.
• “The Curse of Knowledge” and the “like a
spay” predicament
• I will tweet this video from @DanielleSNOUT
for you to see

15. Let’s Write a Blog
- Choose an easy topic
- Pick a “searchable” title
that a pet parent might be
looking for
- Create an intro that
involves keywords about a
real or imaginary practice
- Explain the basics of your
topic in the easiest terms
possible
- Include keywords about
the topic and the practice
throughout
- End with contact
information for the
practice

16. Share your blog!
•
•
•
•
•
Google+
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Whatever social media
becomes popular by the
time you guys graduate.
Stay up to date!

17. Social Sharing Tip #1: Make it Fun

18. Social Sharing
Tip #2
- Share different
ways on different
platforms
- Be mindful of
how each
platform works
- Eg: Big “teaser
images” on
Pinterest

19. So Remember…
• Social media is about
educating,
communicating &
connecting
• It is not flat-out
marketing.
• It’s client service that
will make you stand out
as a veterinarian

20. Don’t be afraid to be social with me!
• Twitter
@danielleSNOUT
• Facebook.com/SNOUTs
chool
• Pinterest.com/SNOUTsc
hool
• SNOUTschool.com blog
• Or just find my dog on
Instagram,
@archerbruce