New Year, New Social Media Ideas For Your Vet Clinic This January!

Welcome to a new year, and congratulations on your renewed social media marketing efforts for your veterinary practice! This handy-dandy blog will help act as a guide to add to your marketing plans for January, and this month is PACKED with fun social media marketing holidays, ideas, and activities that you can easily tie into your veterinary business. Are you ready to get at filling your calendar this month? Let’s dive in headfirst.

Check out what is coming up in January:

Happy New Year on January 1st! Here are some excellent ideas for your first post of 2023:

• Elaborate on why a resolution to committing to year-round preventative measures is SO important! This would be a great time to talk about a heartworm warrior you treated in 2022 with the owners’ permission.
• Make a short video of some of your staff members declaring their New Year resolutions (bonus points for an adorable clinic cat resolving to take more naps!)
• Give a heartfelt thank you to your loyal clients for trusting you with the health of their pets in 2022, and a thank you in advance for 2023!

January 2^nd is home to National Pet Travel Safety Day and a great time to try your hand at creating a more infographic-style post. Infographics are a collection of imagery, data visualizations, and text that communicate information quickly and clearly. Give your followers the vital information they need about safe travels with pets in one convenient post.

Did you know that January 4^th is National Trivia Day? What could be more fun than some pet-related trivia questions on social media?

Get snug as a bug in a rug on Cuddle Up Day, January 6^th! Feature a photo of your team snuggling some sweet patients or encourage followers to share their favorite snuggly photos of their pets!

Houseplants are all the rage, and I am more than guilty of bringing a new one home at least every few weeks. January 10^th is Houseplant Appreciation Day and a great time to talk about safe and unsafe houseplants for pet-friendly homes.

National Dress Up Your Pet Day on January 14^th is a fantastic time to engage with your following! You could feature a recent patient who came to see you all dressed up (don’t you LOVE it when pet parents do that?!) or make a call for clients to share photos of their pets in their favorite outfits to boost your engagement!

Do just what the name suggests and learn something new about your clients on January 18^th, Get to Know Your Customers Day! Here are some great questions to help you learn more about your clients:

• How did you and your pet meet?
• What is your pet’s favorite comfort item?
• What games do you and your pet like to play the most?
• How did you decide on your pet’s name and what does it mean?

Do you get wiggly pups and curious cats to sit still with the help of everyone’s favorite gooey cracker topper, squeeze cheeze? While we’re not 100% sure it can even really be classified as cheese, feature some enthusiastic pets getting their squeezy-cheesy treat on January 20^th for Cheese Lover’s Day! You can also take the opportunity to remind clients that while a little cheesy treat every now and then is fine, cheese shouldn’t be a regular part of their pet’s diet.

Cats have questions, and they want answers! It’s National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day on January 22^nd, so get your clients involved by asking them what they think their cat’s questions are.

Hooray for peanut butter! Share a photo of a pooch enjoying some sticky sweet peanut buttery goodness and highlight some info on why not all peanut jars of butter are created equal in honor of National Peanut Butter Day on January 24^th!

Have a terrible Opposite Day on January 25^th (see what we did there?!). We love the idea of asking clients to share something their pet loves or hates but stating the opposite!

On January 28^th, have a little fun at work for National Have Fun at Work Day! While your clients might think your job is all cuddling puppies and snuggling kittens, we know it’s more than that. Double dip on National Have Fun at Work Day by creating some fun games or activities for employees, and document it to share on social media! This would make an excellent Facebook or Instagram stories post!

---

It’s a sad fact that a lot of owners don’t walk their dogs as much as they need. We have all seen the case of the young Border Collie that gets a 20-minute walk every other day and the owner who has no idea why they ate the couch. Drive home the importance of regular and appropriate walks in honor of Walk Your Dog Month! This topic is perfect for a blog due to all of the information that dog owners need when it comes to walking. Step up the game even further by hosting a contest. Have owners submit a photo of them and their dog on their walk and ask them where their favorite walkie spot is. Pick a winner at random for a discount, small gift, or free service!

 January is also Train Your Dog Month and a great time to give some tips and tricks for training! Work this topic in all month long by sharing patients showing off their skills, asking followers to share photos and videos of their pets performing their best tricks, and highlighting any preferred trainers or behaviorists you might work with!

And there you have it! With all the New Year’s resolutions, fresh starts, and January vibes in hand, the next step is to kick off your social media planning for the month. Getting a headstart on your January content will set the tone for a stress-free and successful start to the year.

Feeling more overwhelmed than motivated? Don’t worry; our monthly social media package is here to rescue you from a potential January blues. No subscriptions are required – simply snag it for the month and enjoy pre-made graphics, copy-and-paste captions, tutorials, and customizable templates. Let’s add some sparkle to your social media this January!

• 16 Beautifully designed graphics
• Expertly crafted captions to copy and paste and take the stress out of your social media.
• Links for templates that include Facebook, Instagram, and Stories sizes so you can jazz up your own photos from the clinic.
• Tutorials to assist you and your team with adding your logo to your graphics, utilizing the templates, and scheduling your content in advance for peace of mind
• Access to free assistance and help from VHA’s resident social media and marketing expert, Laura.