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How can I make my veterinary post on social media go viral?
I’m often asked by my Waggy Dog clients, “How can I make my post go viral?”. Believe me, if I had the answer, I’d be rich!
I plan social media posts for my clients very carefully by aligning them with their business objectives and assigning a specific Call to Action to help followers get in contact with their veterinary practice, but there’s no way to know which posts will perform better than others or which posts will resonate best with followers.
And then this happened…
A seemingly innocent and heartfelt post about Lassie’s final resting place broke the internet! Within 24 hours, my client’s post (Passing Paws Pet Cremations) had gained over 100K reactions, 4.1K comments and 15K shares. Over 2 weeks, it reached over 277k reactions, 9.9k comments and 38k shares.
Why this post?
On the face of it, there is nothing special about this post. I often spend hours designing original branded content in Canva, so the fact that this simple snippet from the internet has performed so well on Facebook took me by surprise. I decided that this warranted deeper investigation.
Facebook vs. Instagram
The same post on Instagram has only performed moderately well in comparison, with 130 Likes. This tells me two things:
This content resonates more with an older demographic who spends more time on Facebook than Instagram. People aged 45-50+ are more likely to remember the Lassie movies and the fond childhood memories that accompany them. It’s more relatable to them.
The ability to share posts on Facebook was a major contributing factor to the virality of this post (posts cannot be shared to a feed on Instagram).
Emotional Connection
It’s not only happy childhood memories that Lassie evokes. This is an image of Lassie’s tombstone, so people will also feel a mix of sadness for the loss of this beautiful dog and respect for the bravery and devotion that Lassie depicted in her movies. These are traits that are embodied in our love for all dogs, including our own.
Facebook Algorithm
When Meta realises that people are ‘liking’ what you are putting out, they reward you with extended Reach. The more people react, comment and share, the further your post will go. It’s like a snowball rolling down the hill; once it gets going, there’s no stopping it!
What Next?
Strike while the iron is hot! Invite the people who reacted to follow your page. Facebook makes this easy for you to do. Simply click on the Reactions below the post and start sending invites. So far, my client’s Page (Passing Paws Pet Cremations) has gained 2,000 extra followers, but this number will grow as we’re still inviting people.
Of course, this means I’ve also had an influx of spammers and scammers on the page, so I’m having to be extra vigilant about deleting and blocking them, but that’s part of the service I offer to my Waggy Dog clients.
In summary, it’s almost impossible to plan for a viral post or deliberately replicate it, but you’ll never hit the jackpot unless you keep spinning the wheel.
Be consistent. Post frequently and offer a variety of different content types.
Test new ideas. Consider your target demographic and what will resonate with them.
Evaluate the results. What worked and what didn’t?
Have you had a post go viral on Facebook? I’d love to hear about it!
Donna has over 15 years of sales and marketing experience in the veterinary and pet care sectors. As a previous wholesale rep in the veterinary industry, she understands the challenges faced by veterinarians wanting to not only attract new customers in a highly competitive market but to keep them coming back. She has also recruited, trained and coached teams in the corporate, retail, fundraising and veterinary sectors for over 30 years. Her knowledge of veterinary practice marketing and the local landscape enables her to deliver successful marketing strategies and content that keep pet owners engaged and loyal to your practice. Donna’s mission is to help veterinarians grow their practices and to facilitate easy access to quality, affordable health care for pet owners.
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