AAEP session casts social media as core client communication tool

EquiManagement this month highlighted a 2025 AAEP Convention session in which Mike Pownall, DVM, MBA, urged equine veterinary practices to treat social media as a structured client communication channel, not just a marketing add-on. His framework centers on the “four Es” — educate, entertain, engage, and evangelize — with an emphasis on storytelling, video, audience targeting, rapid responses to negative feedback, and measuring whether posts actually support practice goals. Pownall also argued that organic reach is limited on major platforms, meaning practices should expect to budget for boosted posts if they want to expand visibility. (equimanagement.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the message lands at a moment when social media is doing double duty: it’s where practices build loyalty, but it’s also where misinformation, complaints, and reputational risk can spread quickly. Prior AAEP coverage has stressed that many clients search online before they ask a veterinarian, and that early misinformation can be hard to dislodge once it takes hold. AVMA and WSAVA resources also point to cyberbullying, online shaming, and negative client interactions as real practice-management and wellbeing issues, making a proactive, team-aligned social strategy more than a branding exercise. (equimanagement.com)

What to watch: Expect more practices to formalize social media workflows, moderation rules, and paid-content budgets as they try to balance client education, brand visibility, and misinformation control. (equimanagement.com)