Recently, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care tapped influencers @itskatesteinberg and @merrelltwins to launch the company’s Acuvue Max Astigmatism lenses for presbyopia, and the content reached 1 million views on TikTok in a matter of days. As of January, Acuvue-owned content featuring the Acuvue twins has gone viral on TikTok, with 1.2 million organic views, earning more than 84,000 likes, 2,000 comments, and 4,000 saves and sparked other creators to organically join in extending the reach by another 1 million. All creator and owned content garnered more than 2,800 comments (including from celebrities Snooki and Jo Jonas), and was shared or reposted 17,800 times.
Considering this successful campaign, Optometric Management asked Chris Yarashas, VP marketing, US Vision Care, how private-practice optometrists could harness the power of influencers for their own social media marketing strategies.
Q: How can ODs (or their intrepid staff members) go about finding the most popular influencers?
A: A Google search can be a useful starting point, but I recommend ODs or their staff look for creators who influence the audiences they want to reach. Lifestyle, wellness, beauty, parenting, fitness, or local community creators often have strong trust with potential patients, even if vision isn’t part of their everyday content.
Also, influencer discovery tools, such as Captiv8 or CreatorIQ, which allow for the filtering of creators by location, audience demographics, and interests, can help in identifying influencers who are well positioned to reach patients in the OD’s local area.
Q: In addition to ensuring the influencer has lots of followers and engagement, what other criteria should the OD or staff look for in selecting the right one to help with their own social media strategies?
A: When evaluating creators, I suggest ODs or their staff members look for the following:
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An audience that looks and feels like their patient base in age, interests, lifestyle, and needs.
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Consistent clear visuals, simple explanations, and regular posting are all signs the influencer takes their work seriously.
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The influencer’s tone and values should match the practice.
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The influencer’s past partnerships reveal how they’ve handled sponsored or educational posts.
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And most importantly, the influencer’s community should show real trust. Thoughtful comments and engaged conversations are strong indicators of influence.
Q: What can the OD or their staff do to make an influencer interested in a collaboration, if marketing dollars are an issue?
A: Many creators appreciate access to real expertise and exclusive or behind-the-scenes experiences they can turn into meaningful content. As a result, you could offer the following:
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A behind-the-scenes look at your clinic;
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Early access to new products;
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Dedicated one-on-one time with the optometrist; or
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Exclusive promotions for their followers.
If you position the collaboration as a chance to learn and create value for their followers, many influencers will be open to exploring it.
Q: What specific lessons can the OD learn from influencers, in general, to inform their own social media strategies?
A: There are several simple practices ODs can borrow to make their own content more engaging, like the following:
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Be personable. Patients connect with a real voice, not overly formal messaging.
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Keep it short and simple. Quick videos or posts about common patient questions resonate.
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Use trends thoughtfully. Trends can help content reach more people, as long as they are true to a practice’s values.
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Post consistently. Even 1 useful video or post each week builds trust over time.
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Stay engaged. Answering comments or questions shows patients the OD is accessible and willing to help.
Authenticity is the biggest takeaway. With warm, relatable and approachable content, patients feel more informed and more confident about their eye health. OM