TikTok Marketing is Still Open Season for Eyecare

Most small practices are careful about what type of marketing strategies they should invest in, and when you have a limited budget, it is imperative to spend that money wisely. Marketing through social media is a cost-effective strategy that can help small businesses reach their target audience. While most of us are aware of the more popular platforms to advertise on like Facebook and Instagram, we tend to leave out one of the most popular platforms, TikTok. 

It is nearly impossible not to have heard about this social media app because it exploded in a short amount of time, and it has become one of the leading platforms for Generation Z. TikTok is a place to network and educate potential patients. Several doctors are already taking advantage of the platform and using it to their full advantage. Over the short amount of time that TokTok has gained traction, dozens of new influencers have been created. Not only are there dermatologists, dentists, and OBGYN's on this platform, but several optometrists and ophthalmologists have hopped on the trend. TikTok considers itself a community, and there are thousands of doctors who are a part of that community. These doctors are using this platform to not only educate people but to help grow their business.

One of the most successful doctors on TikTok is an oral surgeon who is in Amarillo, Texas. His username is @doctorgraves, and he started using TikTok in September of 2019. Since 2019, Dr. Graves and his staff have acquired over 2.2 Million followers and over 70 Million likes on their videos. Their first viral video was of a staff member dancing in the office, describing how all teeth but the wisdom teeth were happy because they did not have to be removed. This video was viewed over a million times and acquired over 189,000 likes, and it was only 60 seconds long. Talk about free advertising. Not only are people going to their office for procedures, but they are requesting to be a part of their videos. Many of Dr. Graves's patients are featured in their videos, and it helps people feel like they are a part of that office.

While the title of TikTok eye doctor is already taken by Dr. Greg Philpott (@Tiktokeyedoc) of Gravette, AR, there are plenty of other usernames to choose from. Dr. Philpott has been a part of TikTok for less than a year, and his office has managed to acquire over 153,000 followers and over 5.5 Million likes on his videos. In his videos, he educates people on proper eye health and common problems that people experience. He chooses to use this platform to help people take better care of their eyes. One of his top videos is of a patient who slept in her contact lenses. In the video, she lets all his follows know that she will never sleep in her contacts again and that his followers should never sleep in their contacts. With over 10 million views on his videos, you can guarantee that this platform has helped not only grow connections with the community, but also helped increase his profits.  

Not only are doctors taking advantage of this platform, but so are opticians, optometric technicians, optical staff, and even frame manufacturers. Most notably, Ray-Ban. Ray-Ban joined TikTok a few months ago and uses the platform to engage with their customers and advertise new trends. Mainly they feature their followers wearing their sunglasses in their videos. Some smaller brands like Calinava eyewear use the platform to get their brand out there. Mainly sourced in Los Angeles, Calinava has acquired over 26,000 followers and 1.4 Million likes. Their videos alone have captured over 3 Million Views. That is one way to get your brand out there. 

One of the most extraordinary things about TikTok is the creators' fund. Once you have acquired 10,000 followers and at least 10,000 views, you become eligible for this program. The creator fund allows you to earn money on each view. While it is only a few cents per view, you can make a nice profit for your business with thousands or a million views. This platform is a great way to stay connected with your patients and target the younger generations. While social media is continuously changing, so must we, and we should adapt to all aspects of marketing. With all the benefits and zero downfalls, you must ask yourself, why haven't I taken advantage of this platform?