Do many of your patients find you through instagram? Is an active social media presence becoming more of a requirement to open a successful practice?

• More Google reviews than social. I don't promote my practice on GlamOptometrist or GlamBaby because I don't work in clinic that often. I wanted to brand my practice rather than have patients come see me specifically.

Do you have any tips for people that want to open up a practice but aren't social media savvy?

• Use apps, like Planoly to help post. Repost others' content and tag them. Or have one of your young staff be in charge of social.
  

How far ahead do you plan your posts?

• For GlamBaby, 2 weeks to 1 month.

What is the hardest part about maintaining a strong social media presence?

• Consistency. If you aren't consistent, you won't remain relevant. It's hard to do, but try to post at least one thing every day.

What is a mistake you made while pursuing your social media career? Do you have any advice for students so they don't repeat the same mistakes you made?

• Initially, I went for follower numbers rather than quality of followers. Big mistake. Try to attract those who have the same interests as you and engage with them. 

How do you manage finding associate optometrists?

• I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful network on Instagram. I'll post that I'm looking and get great leads.

On the @officalglambaby Instagram, we noticed that there were lots of cool facts about vision. How do you research for that information?

• Google is my best friend, and most of it is information we learned in school.

What is the best advice you would give OD students and new graduates?

• Know your worth and add tax. Set the tone of what you want out of your career from the start and build your schedule based on that. Also, if you want to go into private practice, do it earlier rather than later.

How beneficial are hashtags to posts? Do they make a difference?

• Yes, one hashtag alone increases engagement by 13%.
  

What was a hurdle you had to overcome when developing GlamBaby?

• ​I had to find the right manufacturer that would let me order smaller quantities.

If you have any further questions for Dr. Arian Fartash, her email is: [email protected]