AAEP session highlights social media’s role in client trust

EquiManagement highlighted a presentation from Mike Pownall, DVM, MBA, at the 2025 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention on how equine practices can use social media more deliberately for client communication. Pownall’s message was less about posting more and more about posting with a purpose: define the audience, choose the right platform and timing, align content with practice values, and use the “four Es” — educate, entertain, engage, and evangelize. He also advised practices to respond quickly and sincerely to negative feedback, while recognizing that every reply is public-facing. The session appears on the 2025 AAEP convention program, and EquiManagement’s coverage emphasizes storytelling, video, and user-generated content as especially effective formats. (equimanagement.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this lands in a broader misinformation and reputation-management conversation. Social channels are now a routine point of contact for pet parents, but they also create risk around confidentiality, professionalism, and off-the-cuff medical communication. AAHA describes social media as an essential tool for educating and communicating with clients, while AVMA PLIT warns that posts can create legal and reputational problems when they disclose client details or fuel disputes. In practice, that means a stronger social strategy isn’t just marketing, it’s part of client trust, boundary-setting, and misinformation response. (aaha.org)

What to watch: Expect more practices to formalize social media policies, especially around who posts, how complaints are handled, and how educational content can counter misinformation without drifting into case-specific advice online. (equimanagement.com)