Why social media is becoming core to client communication

Social media is being framed less as optional promotion and more as frontline client communication in equine practice. That was the premise behind Mike Pownall’s 2025 AAEP Convention session, “The Effective Use of Social Media for Client Communication in Equine Veterinary Practice,” which EquiManagement covered as part of its convention reporting. The message is familiar but increasingly urgent: practices that communicate well online can build loyalty and trust, while those that post inconsistently, or without guardrails, risk confusion, backlash, and misinformation filling the gap. (convention.aaep.org)

The idea isn’t new for Pownall or for equine practice media. EquiManagement has been publishing his views on social media strategy for more than a decade, including earlier pieces arguing that Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, and similar channels should be part of mainstream client communication. In more recent reporting, Pownall described using “Meet the Vet” videos to introduce new associates before they arrive at a client’s barn, helping reduce friction and build familiarity. He has also pushed practices to measure whether social media is actually bringing in and retaining clients, rather than treating it as a vague branding exercise. (equimanagement.com)

That practical framing matters because veterinary social media now does several jobs at once. It markets the practice, sets expectations, answers recurring questions, and gives pet parents a place to encounter veterinary information before they call the clinic. AAHA has described social media strategy as part of a broader effort to address misinformation and strengthen client communication, while AVMA coverage has emphasized that social platforms can help veterinarians show current and prospective clients who they are and how they practice. In other words, the channel is no longer separate from the relationship. It’s part of it. (aaha.org)

But the opportunity comes with real risk. AVMA PLIT warns that sharing confidential information on social media, even in what feels like a private setting, can create legal and reputational exposure. Its examples include a veterinarian whose post in a private professional group ended up helping an opposing attorney identify criticism of the case, and another case in which a viral TikTok featuring a client’s dog led to employment consequences. AAHA’s telehealth security guidance likewise notes that, although veterinary practices are not subject to HIPAA in the same way human healthcare entities are, client confidentiality obligations still apply under many state practice acts and through general privacy and business requirements. (blog.avmaplit.com)

Industry guidance is converging on a few basic operational rules: get consent before using patient images or stories, document that consent, separate personal and professional accounts where possible, and decide in advance who has authority to post and respond. EquiManagement’s earlier practice management coverage echoed that advice, including recommendations to use release forms for photos and video, create a content schedule, and assign social media responsibilities to team members with client communication judgment, not just platform fluency. AVMA’s reputation-management resources add another layer, focusing on how to respond when online criticism or cyberbullying escalates. (equimanagement.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, especially those in ambulatory and equine practice, social media is becoming part of the misinformation response toolkit. A well-run account can reinforce evidence-based recommendations, explain why a practice does or doesn’t offer certain services, and create familiarity before difficult conversations happen in the field. Just as important, it can reduce the vacuum in which bad advice spreads. The flip side is that every post also carries clinical, ethical, and reputational implications. Practices that still treat social media as a side task for whoever is youngest, free, or “good at Instagram” may be underestimating how closely online communication is tied to trust, consent, and continuity of care. (equimanagement.com)

There’s also a broader business angle. In a competitive labor and client environment, social media can help practices introduce associates, humanize the team, explain services, and reinforce the practice’s standards before a conflict starts. That may be especially useful in equine medicine, where relationships are long-term, highly personal, and often shaped by barn-level word of mouth. Pownall’s long-standing argument is that the return isn’t instant virality, it’s cumulative trust. That’s a helpful lens for practices trying to decide whether social media belongs with marketing, medical communication, or client service. Increasingly, it’s all three. (equimanagement.com)

What to watch: The next step is likely more formalization, with practices building written social media policies, consent workflows, and misinformation-response playbooks, rather than relying on informal posting habits or one-off staff judgment. (blog.avmaplit.com)