A number of social marketing trends for veterinary practices that were prevalent in 2015 will continue even in 2016. However, there are a few specific areas of focus for veterinary marketing that will gain greater prominence this year. Mobile and paid media are among the two trends that will definitely require greater focus from veterinary practices.

Here is a closer look at some of the top veterinary social marketing trends that will impact veterinary practice marketing in 2016.

Mobile Marketing

Data from a BrightLocal survey found that 61% of mobile users more likely to connect with a local business that has a mobile optimized site. This stat is just a small indication of how important mobile optimization has become to local marketing for all brands. In fact, Google has already included mobile as a ranking factor in its search algorithm so brands will be under greater pressure to focus more extensively on marketing to mobile users. So veterinary brands will not only need to focus on mobile optimization but will also need to specifically consider optimizing their ads and content to ensure high view-ability over devices regardless of their screen sizes and operating systems.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising on social networks will gain ground in 2016. Reason being that paid advertising will give brands a more extensive demographic reach; brands cannot continue to rely on organic social reach alone if they want to stay competitive. Till some time back Facebook marketing was as simple as posting a status update with a link on your fan page or personal page which could be viewed by all of your fans and friends almost immediately. And just like that traffic would flow in. But now the only way you can get more traffic is by boost your post. So regardless of how many fans you have on Facebook, if you want your content to be seen, they you just have to pay for visibility.

Marketing Automation

Marketing automation software can prove to be highly beneficial for veterinary practices as it allows for simultaneous marketing across multiple channels. You don’t have to worry about wasting too much time on repetitive tasks such as sending emails. Instead that time can be used for focusing on more important projects. Marketing automation also allows for improved targeting of clients and prospects, improved client experiences, boost in lead management and multi-channel marketing.

Social Search

Search activity on social sites is seeing a steady increase. One of the reasons why users prefer social search is because social offers search results that are less text heavy. Visual elements which are a necessary aspect of social content marketing not only help improve search and discovery results but they also drive greater engagement. Social search is also gaining ground because information available on social sites is typically based on personal experiences. Which means the information comes with personal validation and genuine authenticity; two elements that are crucial when it comes to building brand trust for your veterinary practice. So focus on brand discovery is just as important on leading social sites as it is on Google and other search engines.