NEW YORK—View social media as a way of “starting a conversation” with your patients, but pay close attention when participating.

“Once you immerse yourself, the differences between the people who follow the rules, and those who don’t, will become apparent. Those who follow the rules benefit with increased business, reputation and opportunities through their growing network and those who don’t are ignored, never maximizing the potential of a SM campaign.”

Such straightforward language, combined with detailed, but practical and easy-to-understand analogies, are part of the now five-Part (so far) “Step by Step” guide to social media for eyecare professionals now being posted by Alan Glazier, OD, FAAO, founder/CEO of Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care, Rockville, Md. via his weekly SightNation.com blog.

One of the earliest eyecare practitioners to get involved in the Web, Glazier’s own Web site, YourEyeSite.com and blog, in addition to his Facebook and Twitter presence, has greatly enhanced his practice’s visibility to patients—and potential patients—in his own local market and around the country. (See the story on Glazier in the February 2010 CLICK.

SightNation is the fast-growing industry-wide social networking site for ECPs and optical professionals. SightNation’s “citizens” now exceed 1,000 registered members in just over five weeks since the site’s launch in March by Jobson Medical Information’s new ECP Business Services Group. SightNation combines the total resources of the JMI Optical Group under the SightNation flag, including Review of Optometry, Review of Ophthalmology, 20/20 Magazine, Vision Monday and LabTalk.

The new site offers an open platform that uses cutting-edge technology to allow optometrists, opticians, ophthalmologists, industry execs and other optical professionals to exchange ideas and explore the rising trend in social and professional networking. Among these—the ability to share cases and clinical photos, view news articles and features specific to the business and clinical sides of the field, access a robust range of COPE- and ABO-approved continuing education offerings and participate in forums and blogs, including Glazier’s. In fact, any registered user on SightNation can start a blog or post a comment in a forum.

SightNation.com is encouraging citizens to invite friends to join. New registrants will automatically be entered into a drawing to win their choice of an Apple iTouch or a $200 American Express gift card, while each successful referral from a registered citizen increases their own chances to win the same prizes.