Cataract Awareness Month

→ Live videos can also be used on Instagram!

ACCORDING TO PREVENT BLINDNESS, June is Cataract Awareness Month. The nonprofit states that more than half of all Americans will have cataracts by age 80, and close to 22.3 million Americans age 40 and older live with cataracts. Extend this message on your social media.

1. Create a Facebook live. Include images of cataract eyes with you in the frame. A script could include: “Cataract Awareness Month is upon us. As eyes age, the lens can become opaque, inhibiting your ability to see through it. It’s a leading cause of blindness in the world, but it is correctable. It’s estimated that 22.3 million Americans who are age 40 or older are experiencing cataracts. If you are one of those people, give our office a call to discuss your options.”
2. Repost to social media. Use clinical images to reiterate your message after the Facebook live. (Ensure these images are HIPAA compliant by removing identifying information before posting.)

Summer Fun

WE’VE GOTTEN TO THAT TIME of year when you, your staff and your patients are likely to be taking vacations. These present a prime opportunity to be more collegial with your patient audience. Encourage your staff to submit photos to your social media coordinator during or following his or her vacation. Showcase the family at Disney World, the girls’ beach weekend or the boys’ fishing weekend. These images are likely to net a boost in engagement and also provide a talking point for your patients.

If your office is one to host a retreat or summer holiday parties, be sure that photos from these events make it to your social media as well! You can even encourage your patients to share their summer fun images, perhaps with an incentive attached to it, such as a percentage off their next sunwear purchase to a randomly selected winner.

Hashtags in June

→ Use hashtags to connect online with those who share a common interest.

#HappyFathersDay, June 16

Take a photo of all the dads who work in your practice; highlight all-star dad patients or take a moment to thank your own dad, especially if he is/was also an O.D.

June 17 and June 23

Follow Twitter for looks from the MTV music awards and BET awards, respectively, and retweet images of anyone wearing eyewear you carry!

June 13 and June 21

At outdoor music festivals, such as Bonnaroo and Firefly, sun protection is a must. Create a campaign to highlight the sunwear you carry, and encourage patients to get theirs! (Reach out to brand reps for images.)

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All corresponding images are available to download and use for free.