Top 16 Sites to Help You Succeed on Facebook (2023)

person-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-using-macbook-air
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Feeling confused about what to post and how often to add content on your Facebook page? What do you need to do to really be successful on Facebook?

Does your business even have a Facebook page?

Success on social media is more than posting meaningful quotes and cute pictures of animals. It requires a mix of research, experimentation, and continuous learning.

Your goal is to create high-quality content that engages your audience. Your posts should inspire them to book appointments with you.

To save you some time, I’ve compiled the top 16 websites with resources to help you succeed on Facebook. Tap into the expertise available online and you’ll get likes and followers in no time.

Sites by Leading Experts

  1. AVMA Social Media for Veterinary Clinics: AVMA guides you step-by-step through using social media for your practice.
  2. Content Marketing Institute: Content Marketing Institute has an almost overwhelming amount of information, including a series of helpful guides.
  3. Copyblogger: Copyblogger has an extensive library of digital marketing and content creation resources. Copywriting 101 is their free online course.
  4. Facebook’s Meta Business Suite: Where better to start than Facebook itself? Use their resources and frequently asked questions pages while planning your content.
  5. Jeff Bullas: Forbes calls Jeff Bullas the world’s top social marketing talent.
  6. Mari Smith: Mari Smith is a leading expert focusing on relationship-building through social media.
  7. Neil Patel Blog: Neil Patel is a leading digital marketing expert focusing on Search Engine Optimization.
  8. Social Media Lab: Social Media Lab started in Sweden in 2010. They’ve since grown into one of the most respected international digital marketing agencies. Their resources focus on content strategy, social media analytics, and Facebook advertising.

Social Media News

  1. Social Media Examiner: This online publication has an extensive number of educational resources and events focused on online marketing and sales.
  2. Social Media Explorer: Social Media Explorer is an online publication focused on content marketing.
  3. Social Media Today: Social Media Today is an online publication that covers the latest news and trends in social media. They have an extensive library that includes tips on selling and promotions on social media.

Content Management Tools

  1. Buffer Blog: Buffer is a social media management tool that helps businesses schedule and publish posts across multiple platforms. They have an AI tool integrated into their platform. (I particularly like how easy it is to use Buffer and their free plan doesn’t skimp on function.)
  2. CoSchedule Blog: CoSchedule is a marketing calendar and content management tool that offers a range of resources for businesses, including a blog with tips and social media best practices.
  3. Hootsuite Blog: Hootsuite is a social media management platform that offers a variety of resources to help businesses with their messaging. Their blog covers a range of topics, including Facebook marketing, social media trends, and content creation.
  4. HubSpot Blog: HubSpot is a leading marketing and sales software company. Their blog contains social media marketing information and offers a free CRM.
  5. Sprout Social Insights: Sprout Social is another social media management tool resource on topics ranging from content strategy to analytics.
person-holding-midnight-black-samsung-galaxy-s8-turn-on-near-macbook-pro-1092671/
Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Getting Content Posted On Your Page

Current statistics show that 72.9% of veterinary practices use social media, especially Facebook, to communicate with potential and current clients (reported at VMX 2023).

Managing social media content can be time-consuming. Learning the tricks of Search Engine Optimization and hashtags, as well as creating appealing visuals, will give you an edge over your competition.

Do you want quality content that doesn’t take a bite out of your time? Work with someone who has been a veterinary technician and practice manager and understands your work from the inside out.

Schedule a free consultation so we can talk about your needs and create an action plan together. Let’s take your social media to the next level!

The Power of Words: Why Your Practice Needs a Copywriter in 2023

A photo of a veterinarian and veterinary technician viewing a snow leopard paw x-ray to show how practices can be too busy to do their own marketing and social media.

As a veterinarian, you’re an expert in medical care for our beloved pets. You worked very hard to get where you are. You and your team provide the best possible care for your patients. Do you have time to keep your website updated, post social media content, blog, or create client education materials?

image by Tiffani Hill

The challenge

As busy as you and your staff are, you haven’t had time to share all of the information you want people to know about your business and about responsible pet ownership. Your marketing tools may not be where you want them to be yet. You’d like more activity on your social media pages.

You and your staff may not be as organized and efficient as you want to be because you haven’t had time to develop written Standard Operating Procedures. New employees start with little onboarding and it’s sink or swim. You’ve seen all the news about natural and manmade disasters but you don’t have a plan for your business.

The solution

You know that good messaging supports a successful practice. From website content to social media to your client handouts, the words used can make a big difference in how your clients and community perceive your practice.

Image by Moondance from Pixabay

Veterinary Doctor Professional Pet Dog Care Visit

A copywriter works with you to create content that is accurate, informative, and engaging. We can help you by proofreading and editing your written materials to look polished and professional. A good copywriter can also help you develop a unique voice for your practice – one that will resonate with your clients.

Effective messaging created efficiently is worth the investment.

Let’s work together!

Work with a copywriter who understands your needs. Someone who has been a tech and managed a practice. Someone used to dinner conversations that make other people queasy. A seasoned professional who has attracted new clients and evacuated a hospital and shelter for a hurricane.

I know how to craft language that resonates with your clients and helps you achieve your revenue and client education goals. I can optimize your website and social media content for SEO.

I can save you time, clear up some of the chaos, and help continue to position you as the go-to veterinarian for your area or specialty.

Contact me.

Contact me today to discuss your communication and documentation needs. We will come up with a plan to achieve your goals on time and on budget.

I’m looking forward to working with you!

Essential List of 15 Telehealth Veterinary Services + 1 Useful App (2023)

woman-with-dog-browsing-smartphone
image by Damir Mijailovic on Pexels

Pet owners, have you noticed that it’s becoming more difficult to get an appointment with a veterinarian or find an open emergency clinic?

The veterinarian and veterinary technician shortages are taking their toll on the profession. It’s incredibly stressful for responsible pet owners, too.

The pandemic hasn’t helped. Social distancing forced veterinarians to perform exams in their parking lots. Human hospitals, stretched past their limits, needed to take supplies and equipment from veterinary hospitals. Strained by already limited resources, many emergency pet clinics closed their doors.

On the other hand, the pandemic brought rapid technological advances and increased confidence in telemedicine. Pet owners can take advantage of this trend by accessing veterinarians and technicians via video chat, text, phone, or email. Extensive online libraries also provide general information about pet health care and concerns.

VCPR restrictions

Most states require a VCPR (pre-existing veterinarian-client-patient relationship) for a veterinarian to diagnose a patient’s illness or injury and prescribe medication. This usually means that the doctor must have seen your pet in person within the past 12 months. If seeing a patient in a different state, veterinarians should be licensed in both states before providing telemedicine services.

Image by Sarah Chai on Pexels

woman-working-on-laptop-with-dog-near

Without a VCPR, veterinarians can only give you general advice. They can’t identify any illness or injury specific to your pet. This means that the doctor can’t see your pet over Zoom or chat and say they feel certain that Fluffy has an upper respiratory infection. They can only say that Fluffy’s runny nose and cough might be caused by an infection.

Check with your personal vet. More and more veterinarians are providing remote consultations for their existing patients. Be sure to check with your personal vet to see if they offer telemedicine services.

Click here for a state-by-state guide to virtual veterinary care regulations.

A handy list of telehealth veterinarian services

Even with these limitations, telehealth veterinary services can be useful. If you’re not sure if your pet needs an emergency clinic, telehealth services can provide general advice and reassurance. You may find suggestions on how you can choose to help your pet without an exam or prescription medication.

Please note that this is not designed to replace your local veterinarian. Seeing a vet in person provides the most accurate and full-service care for your beloved animal companion.

Airvet
Best use: Emergencies – general advice to help you decide if your pet needs immediate care
Available via iOS & Android apps
*Cost: $49 for one video chat; $30/month subscription service

Ask a Veterinarian
Best use: General advice
Available via chat
*Cost: $5 joining fee – unable to get additional cost information without joining; extensive free library of general information

Ask Vet
Best use: Emergencies – general advice to help you decide if your pet needs immediate care
Available via a website, iOS & Android apps
*Cost: $10/month subscription fee

Bond Vet
Best use: Emergencies and general advice
Has a network of hospitals they will refer you to if they feel your pet needs in-person care
Available via a website
*Cost: $79 per virtual visit

Buddies by Blue Buffalo
Best use: General advice
Connects you with other pet owners who sign up to share their advice (not veterinarians)
Available via iOS & Android apps
*Cost: Free

Chewy
Best use: General advice
Available via a website 6am – 12am EST
*Cost: Free for anyone with an account

Dutch
Best for treating chronic conditions (like itchy skin)
Available via a website
*Cost: subscription plans start at $12/month

Fuzzy
Best for pet owners living in AZ, CO, DC, FL, ID, IN, LA, ME, MI, MT, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, and VA (can prescribe in those states)
Available via text or video chat on their website
*Cost: $25 per consult; subscription plans available

Hello Ralphie
Best use: General advice – requires an appointment to speak with a vet
Available via a website and iOS app
*Cost: $35 – $55 per appointment

Pawp
Best use: Emergencies and general advice
Available via a website, iOS & Android apps
*Cost: $19 per month for up to 6 pets

PetDesk
Best use: Virtual visits only for clients of in-network vets; anyone can use the app to record their pet’s medical information online
Available via iOS & Android apps
*Cost: Varies by practice; the app to organize your pet’s information is free

Pet Parent by Televet
Best use: People already using their in-network vets
Available via iOS & Android apps
*Cost: Varies by practice

Vetster
Best use: Emergencies and for clients of their in-network hospitals; they have an extensive free online library
Available via iOS & Android apps
*Cost: $50 per appointment

VetTriage
Best use: Emergencies and general advice
Available via a website, iOS & Android apps
*Cost: $50 per appointment

WhiskerDocs
Best use: Emergencies – general advice to help you decide if your pet needs immediate care
Available via a website, phone call, or email
*Cost: $39.99/call or chat; $4.99 email; $16.99/month or $129.99/year for their unlimited subscription

The Useful Emergency App

Hazadapt app
Free emergency information guide via web and app
After you download the app, their guide is available without internet access
Provides emergency preparedness, during emergency action steps, and post-emergency recovery advice
Information for the app was written by a licensed veterinarian and veterinary technician

*Costs current as of March 2023 – information provided by their websites

Give this handout to your pet owner clients

Download the list for a handy reference or handout for your clients.

Contact me to have it personalized. Let me know what other client education and information handouts you need for your veterinary practice or pet care business marketing.

Tiffani Hill is a copywriter and operations strategist. She crafts effective messaging and business documentation for veterinary and pet care professionals.

Do You Want Today’s Robots Writing to Your Clients?

Computer Technology Mobile Laptop Office Business
Image by Megan Rexazin from Pixabay

Is your practice considering using AI to create your marketing messages?

Remember when pet owners started quoting Dr. Google?

Using AI has the advantage of speed. I asked if AI if it had limitations.

This is its reply:

AI lacks creativity

One of the main limitations of AI copywriting is its inability to come up with new and unique ideas. While AI can generate text based on patterns and data, it struggles with creativity and originality, which is a crucial aspect of effective copywriting.

AI can’t represent your tone and voice

Copywriting often requires a specific tone or voice to appeal to a particular audience, but AI may struggle with this aspect. AI can produce copy that sounds generic or even robotic, which can be a turn-off for readers.

AI doesn’t understand your context

AI algorithms often lack the understanding of context, which can lead to errors or misunderstandings in copywriting. For example, AI may use inappropriate language in a specific context or miss important nuances in the message.

AI can’t show emotion or empathy

Copywriting requires a human touch that can evoke emotion and empathy from the reader. AI may struggle with this aspect as it lacks the ability to understand human emotions and sentiments fully.

AI’s knowledge isn’t current

Limited Domain Knowledge: AI models are often trained on specific datasets, limiting their ability to generate high-quality copy outside their domain of expertise. AI may struggle to produce compelling copy in fields it has not been trained on.

Unfortunately, you have to put time and effort into fact-checking and editing AI copy.

ChatGPT admits that its responses can include “incorrect information“, “harmful instructions or biased content“. It’s also not current on events after 2021.

Let’s keep the human in your marketing.

puppy-cute-dog-canine-adorable
Image by HollyGirl18 from Pixabay

You communicate with human beings.

If you want your message to humans to sound like it was written by a human, AI can’t help you – at least not yet.

Your clients are human beings. Your marketing messages should come from a human being.

Let’s keep the human touch in your marketing and business communications. What can I write for you today?

Contact me to discuss your copywriting needs.

If your schedule includes a rope climb, you might be a wildlife vet

What is uniquely challenging and rewarding about veterinary field medicine?

Thank you to the organizations and donors who fund vital wildlife conservation programs.

World Wildlife Day is March 3rd. It’s a day to recognize the effort of veterinarians, biologists, and conservationists working together to save endangered species and preserve habitat.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “…zoo/wildlife/exotic species veterinarians focus on clinical medicine and the health of individual animals. Free-ranging wildlife veterinarians focus on the health of wildlife populations and ecosystem health.” Many zoo veterinarians do both.

Dr. Karl Hill worked in zoo medicine for 20 years. He has volunteered and worked in endangered wildlife conservation for 15 years. Dr. Hill has two favorite programs: California condors and Channel Island foxes. He also traveled to Baja Mexico to serve with the Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Project.

Endangered species conservation programs are multi-entity collaborations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service brings all the different constituents together. “We work with a range of public and private partners to protect important habitats and increase species’ populations and reduce the threats to their survival so that they can be removed from federal protection,” states USFWS.

Nature Wildlife Bird Animal Wild Condor
Image by TC Perch from Pixabay

Wildlife biologists partner with veterinarians for routine and emergency medical care in a variety of settings. With the California Condor Recovery Project, teams repel down cliffs to reach their patients. Condor chicks have their medical checks right in their rocky nests. The teams take special care to prevent the chicks from imprinting on humans. This involves covering the chicks’ heads and administering supplemental oxygen to prevent hypoxemia during the exams. Sick and injured birds are brought to a rehabilitation facility for further treatment.

Preventing a condor from imprinting on you is only one of the challenges of field medicine. Dr. Hill commented, “It’s more difficult to work in nature without tables, lights, electricity, heat, or air conditioning.” He continued, “Everything you need has to be carried in a backpack. And you have to bring it all back out with you.”

There is another challenge besides the lack of normal facilities. Supplies and equipment are regularly stolen from remote field stations, such as the one in Mexico. Biologists have to be especially careful not to leave anything of value behind. These programs have limited funding to replace stolen items.

Santa Cruz Island Pacific Ocean Channel Islands
Image by benstorm from Pixabay

Responding to a call for help for an injured fox requires taking a helicopter or small plane out to one of the Channel Islands. Wildlife biologists take turns living at the field station to monitor endangered foxes. The facilities are minimal – a bunkhouse, a small laboratory, a holding area to care for sick or injured animals, and an office. Internet and phone service are limited. “You can only take so much in your backpack, and you would never take your logbook out of the hospital,” Dr. Hill says. “You have to write down everything that you do in the field and then record it in your PIMS and logbook when you get back to the hospital.”

Dr. Hill has performed emergency surgery kneeling on a concrete floor. Why is he willing to work under such unusual conditions? “I enjoy getting to work with endangered animals and being outside in nature. I’m helping to support the preservation of endangered species.”

Pictured in the thank you graphic from top left: Dr. Hill checks samples at a field station; Dr. Hill descends for a condor chick exam; Dr. Hill listens to the chick’s heartbeat; bottle time at the Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Project in Baja; a biologist releases a California condor after an exam.

A Better Way to Onboard New Employees

plus get your free Onboarding Plan Checklist

a-pomeranian-getting-a-veterinarian-check-up

The fact is: all new employees are “onboarded”, whether you have a formal process or not. “Onboarding” refers to how new employees join your team and learn their jobs. It’s the process of learning about your business and how to perform its tasks. No matter what type of business you have, onboarding a new employee or subcontractor sets the tone for your future relationship with your new hire.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

Why Plan Your Onboarding?

How a new staff member onboards affects them, your clients, and your bottom line. How? Think back to some of the jobs you’ve had before. What were your first days like? Have you ever been frustrated by the customer service you received from a new employee at another company (think checking out a register when the clerk doesn’t know what to do)?

Which of these experiences do you prefer?

Experience A: You show up on your first day, not sure what to expect. You pull into the parking lot, hoping you didn’t take someone’s spot. Someone hands you a pile of HR paperwork to fill out in the break room. Next, you wander into the lobby to find a coworker who is pretty new, too. They’re still figuring out their own job. So, you set your paperwork pile in a corner while the coworker nervously tries to show you what they were working on. Your new boss walks in and takes the paperwork. You’re handed off to another employee who wasn’t expecting to be training someone that day. You spend a lot of the day alone and lost, trying to figure out what you should be doing. Your coworkers are using jargon and telling inside jokes that you don’t understand. You go home, mulling over the negative rumors you overheard throughout the day. You spend the evening wondering if you made a mistake.

Experience B: You receive a job offer letter with a packet of paperwork to fill out in advance of your start date. In the packet, there’s an information sheet about what to wear, what time to show up, and where to park. You’re given contact information for the person you are reporting to on your first day. Included is a calendar of your schedule for the next month. It includes when you will be in different training sessions.

When you arrive on the first day, your new boss greets you and introduces you at the morning staff meetup. They give you a tour of the facility and show you to your desk or work area. You’re given a notebook with FAQs, the employee handbook, a few how-to sheets, and a place to take notes. You watch a welcome video that explains the history and culture of the business along with essential information about policies and procedures. Your assigned mentor guides you through the next couple of weeks, checking in with you often. You’re also introduced to important clients and vendors. You go home excited, knowing that you are an important member of the team.

Which experience do you choose? Which onboarding helps you feel needed, wanted, and important? Which experience do your new hires have coming into your business?

multiethnic-interviewer-and-job-seeker-going-through-interview
Photo by Alex Green on Pexels

Hiring new employees is expensive. There is a significant loss in revenue, time, and productivity. Constant turnover leads to low morale. It’s stressful for everyone involved.

Set them and you up for a successful relationship. A carefully planned onboarding process sets the tone for a successful employer-employee relationship. Employees tend to be more engaged, happier, and stay longer. Overall employee morale is improved. You have a better work/life balance. It’s a win-win for the entire team.

An organized onboarding process will help new staff members:

  • Learn your business goals, policies, and procedures;
  • Understand the why behind your SOPs;
  • Have confidence in their own abilities;
  • Know what they are supposed to do and how to do it;
  • Feel like a welcome and important member of the team; and,
  • Feel more invested in their job and are more likely to stay for a while.

The Onboarding Plan Checklist

scroll down to request your free copy of this checklist and use it to build your plan

Step 1: How are you, your employees, and your business performing right now?

The first step to creating an effective onboarding plan is to honestly assess how well your business and your employees are currently performing. Ask yourself:

  • Are there obvious gaps in your employees’ knowledge that affect their performance and your business?
  • What mistakes are being made repeatedly?
  • What frustrates you about your employees’ performance overall?
  • What complaints from your clients do you hear most often?
  • What reasons do people give for resigning from their jobs?
  • What business goals have you achieved and what do you wish you could be doing?
  • Have you done a SWOT analysis recently? * (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats)
  • How would an improved new employee onboarding process help you reach your business goals?

If you want an even more honest assessment, get feedback from all your current staff members on the above questions. You can take it another step further and survey your clients on their experiences with your team.

Step 2: Plan Your Plan

Next, use the answers gathered from your assessments to start mapping out what you need/want to include in your onboarding process. Based on what information and skills you want your employees to have, think about how you will guide them through orientation and training.

  • Make a detailed list of the most valuable information and tasks a new employee needs to know to do the job and help your customers.
  • Do you need to modify your plan for different departments/jobs/roles?
  • Decide what information and skills are best learned in a “classroom” format and which are best learned hands-on, working alongside you or a coworker.
  • Should the information be shared using handouts and a handbook, a series of videos, or presentations?
  • Who is the best person to conduct each step of the onboarding process? Involving other employees in the process shows that you value their experience. You create career paths for them, which helps them want to stay.
  • How long will each element take to complete? How about the entire process?
  • How will you evaluate the effectiveness of the process?
  • How will you indicate that the onboarding is finished?
What to include in your onboarding

New employees have a lot of new information to remember. Provide them with a binder that includes FAQs, your personnel policies, copies of important forms and marketing materials, and a couple of pages to take notes.

Important information to include in your onboarding includes:

  • The history of your business
  • Your mission and vision statements
  • Your company culture
  • Your organizational structure
  • Who are your customers and how does your business serve them?
  • The daily routine for the business as a whole and for the employee’s department or role, as applicable
  • How will the employee’s work be supervised and evaluated?
  • Policies and procedures – first focus on the ones that affect the new employee’s job the most

Pet Care Businesses = Special Needs

If you provide hands-on pet care services for pets, you need to include additional information like:

  • Your animal handling and care policies and procedures;
  • Your owner interaction policies and procedures
  • How to protect yourself and your clients from zoonotic diseases;
  • How to prevent transmission of contagious diseases and parasites between pets;
  • What to do if a pet gets lost or needs emergency care;
  • What is your business emergency evacuation plan? (During Hurricane Matthew, a local vet hospital was full of boarders. They couldn’t get in touch with many owners and a few more were out of the country. The staff divided up the pets who weren’t picked up and evacuated with them, along with their families and pets. Now, they require that owners arrange for a local emergency contact in the event of an emergency.);
  • How to identify symptoms of illness and injury plus first aid techniques for each species with whom you work; and
  • Local and state regulations specific to pet care businesses so your employees can help you stay compliant.

HR pros estimate that hiring and training a new employee costs businesses an average of $4,000 per person! Developing a solid onboarding plan does take an investment of your time and money. Invest now and save thousands of dollars and hours in the future. How much more could you do if you’re not constantly hiring and training new employees?

Grab the free Onboarding Plan Checklist

Planning an effective onboarding process? Use my free Onboarding Plan Checklist to take out the guesswork.

The feedback I received about this free gift is so positive that I wanted as many people as possible to be able to get these results. I know once you do, you’ll want to work with me.

Yes, I want the free checklist!

By requesting the checklist, you are signing up to receive my emails with business tips and resources. I promise your information is safe with me. If you’re not receiving valuable information, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Schedule a planning meeting with me.

Schedule a 30-minute planning meeting with me and you will leave with action steps that will help you build your employee onboarding training plan!

Let’s start with a conversation. We can identify your needs and draft a plan to meet your goals. Click on the Schedule a Call button and choose a time that works for you.

Ask about the Onboarding Animal Care Staff Kit, complete with customizable templates including an employee workbook and orientation presentation! Take your onboarding to the next level.

Tiffani knows your business pain points (it’s chihuahuas – just kidding). She has 37 years of hands-on companion, farm, and exotic animal care plus 24 years of managing animal care employees and volunteers. She’s a vet tech and former animal care and control officer as well as a humane society executive director from the Los Angeles area.