Winter is here

The winter months are here and with them, comes the winter sports and hobbies that patients participate in. For this issue, we’ll focus on skiing. Statistica estimates that there were 59 million visits to ski resorts in the U.S. during the 2018 to 2019 winter season. Are you discussing these vision-related needs with your patients? One of the ways to raise awareness for eye protection, prescription goggles and/or contact lenses that allow for these activities is to post about them on social media. Consider finding .gifs or videos related to the activity, or download the above graphic for posting. Don’t forget to provide information in the text about how you can help these athletes or hobbyists and where to reach you.

Glaucoma Awareness Month

JANUARY IS GLAUCOMA AWARENESS MONTH, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. As such, it’s the perfect time to hop on social media to talk about it via live on Facebook or Instagram.

Here are some steps to follow:

• Develop a 1 minute to 2 minute script discussing the causes, signs and symptoms. Get comfortable with the script and, perhaps, put it somewhere discreet to refer to.
• Set up a phone or camera on a tripod, or somewhere in which it will not move, to capture the video. This can, perhaps, be done by a social media-savvy staff person.
• Take the video!
• Save it to the phone, and schedule the replay version to post to your social media throughout the month. Use hashtags, like #optometry, #medical, #glaucoma, #eyecare, when posting to Instagram, or even Twitter, to ensure it’s in front of relevant audiences.

ANOTHER WAY to spread awareness about glaucoma offerings is to create educational posts. If video isn’t your thing, clinical images with descriptions can garner some interactions. Finally, this series of glaucoma facts, five in total, including those at right, can be downloaded and used on your social media. In the caption of the post, be sure to mention that you treat glaucoma in your office, and urge the reader to schedule an appointment today. Include your contact information.

 

 

Hashtags in January

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

→ #GoldenGlobes and other award shows are happening at the beginning of January. Pop on any Twitter chatter to discuss eyewear that may show up on the red carpet.

→ Jan. 14 is National Dress Up Your Pet Day 2020. Nothing says social media gold like puppies and kittens wearing spectacles or sunwear.

→ #NewYearsResolution. Remind all of those who are working on health-related resolutions not to neglect their eyes!

→ IMAGE DOWNLOAD LINK
bit.ly/OMtoolkit
All corresponding images are available to download and use for free.

Are you doing social media well? Have a post that went above and beyond your expectations? Want to highlight your social media manager’s awesome work?

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Email Senior Editor Shannon Simcox (Shannon.simcox@pentavisionmedia.com).
Or, reach out on Twitter and Facebook!