Imagine scrolling through a dating app. What’s the first thing you notice? It’s that profile picture that makes you pause, smile, maybe even swipe right. I want you to think of your practice’s visuals—videos and photography—like that photo. How do we make your visual content get your prospective patients to swipe right to you? Here’s how…
Why Visuals Are Your Practice’s First Date
On a dating profile, a well-chosen picture speaks volumes about who you are without uttering a single word. The same applies to your dental practice. High-quality images and engaging videos create an emotional connection with your audience. We’re all 7 on the internet, so we like images and things that move. As I’ve said before, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is War & Peace. Your practice’s visual assets are like a first date—they should spark interest and invite further conversation.
Just like in dating, first impressions, consistency, and authenticity are the keys to capturing attention and making a connection—with the right patients.
The Three Keys to Connection
1) First Impressions Matter – Define Your Look
If we’re scrolling through a dating app, our eyes are immediately drawn to those clear photos that radiate confidence and authenticity. For your practice, think of that as your homepage banner or featured image. This is the place to invest in high-quality visuals that are well-lit, professionally edited, and capture the essence of your practice’s personality.
When people see your visuals, they should instantly know what kind of experience they can expect. Choose colors, styles—vibes—that reflect your practice culture.
2) Once You Know Your Look, Be Consistent
Imagine a dating profile where some photos are professional headshots while others are blurry, and they just barely cropped out the ex-girlfriend. It sends mixed signals. For your practice, inconsistency in visuals undermines trust and reliability.
Pro Tip: Develop a visual style guide that outlines your color palette, typography, filters, and design elements. Use this consistently across your website, social media, advertising—even packaging if you send gifts or products to patients.
These serve as guardrails for content creation. You can swerve inside them, but anytime you’re in front of a camera for photos or videos, they provide guidance to keep your content consistent.
Consistency creates a cohesive brand experience, ensuring that every visual touchpoint feels like part of a larger, compelling story—your practice’s story.
3) Authenticity Wins
We all love a solid headshot, but overly photoshopped, staged images can sometimes come off as inauthentic—even creepy. Be the provider they will meet on that first visit. If I showed up to a practice in a suit and stilettos, they’d wonder who the heck I am. It’s not my brand. I’m a creative with a looser vibe, and that’s who they meet on my site.
Now, my aesthetic might not be for everyone, and that’s okay. You’ve probably experienced trying to be something for a patient that just wasn’t you. How did that go? Authenticity builds genuine connections, so both the patient—and you—enjoy the relationship.
In the name of all things authentic, show me what you do, don’t just tell me.
Pro Tip: If you do a ton of cosmetic work, show me before-and-after pics of happy, full faces. If you treat kids, show me smiling children in the chair.
If people don’t see it, they may start to wonder if you really do it—or if you just say you do.
Authenticity in your visuals tells your audience, “This is who we really are,” inviting them to trust you without pretense.
Bringing Your Visual Profile to Life
When you get back to the practice, take a look at your assets.
Step 1: Do they mirror your brand’s personality?
Step 2: Ask yourself: Do your visuals invite connection? Do they tell your story in a way that feels both polished and profoundly real? Would you choose your practice?
Remember, every image and every video is an invitation to get to know you better.
Your practice’s visual journey is really just a love story—waiting to be told.
