VANCOUVER, B.C.—Sheena Taff has been practicing at Roberts and Brown Opticians for about eight years now and you may recognize her as Transitions’ 2016 Brand Ambassador, but most of us probably know her as the face of Optician About Town, an eyewear fashion and lifestyle Instagram account that is an extension of her blog of the same name.

Taff started the blog Optician About Town in 2016 in an effort to share her passion about eyewear. “I wanted to show how eyewear combined with fashion and really make people consider it as more than just a utility item,” she explained.

“While running the practice, I realized that the majority of patients would not consider having more than one pair of glasses; the average person has one pair that they wear for two years. And with all the bags and fabulous outfits they would have, I really wanted to share how to combine eyewear and fashion and make people consider an eyeglass wardrobe.”

The blog, features posts about seasonal trends—from “Spring Sparkle” to “Fall Transitions,” and some tips on choosing the right sunnies for a summer Sunday. It also chronicles her adventures at Vision Expo and the overall trends she notices.

Taff also uses Optician About Town as a way to share some of the “secret” independent business she frequents in an effort to promote other independent business owners. “My practice is a family practice that I took over. It’s been in business for 25 years and the majority of our clients come by referrals,” Taff told VMail Weekend. “So I wanted to do the same and highlight some independent businesses that I felt really stand out.”

  

In a subcategory titled, “Idyllic Independence,” Taff has covered Optaderm, “a skin care clinic with a mission to help you put your best face forward,” and The Field House Brewery, a “charming and inviting” local craft brewery, praised “not only for their selection of beer, but for their great food and outdoor area.” In both posts, she goes into great detail to let her readers know exactly what they sign up for, should they visit.

Because Taff runs her practice full time, she doesn’t always have time to update her blog and utilizes her Instagram account to keep her followers updated instead. “The frequency with which I post on the blog is not as much as I want it to be. I’m my toughest critic and one of the biggest challenges is finding your voice and a point of view. I’m getting more and more experience with it, but Instagram really allows me to have a greater connection with the outside world beyond the four walls of the practice. I can share my day-to-day and more current things in a tidbit form,” she said.

  

Her carefully curated page showcases more of her personal life. Taff shares photos of herself on vacation, her love for coffee and her fur babies, some outfits of the day inspired by her eyewear (or vice versa) and of course, her penchant for everything eye-related.

As an independent practitioner, Taff has come to realize that her online presence translates when patients walk into her practice. “Clients young and old will Google me and it has been really helpful for me to have that online presence to set me apart. As independents, we need to brand ourselves differently and remember that patient experience is through and through. A lot of my patients have Googled me, followed my blog and get really excited when they see me blog about a show I’ve been to or new product,” Taff said.