These days, it’s unusual for an organization not to have several social media accounts. Whether or not you post healthcare content regularly, chances are high that your healthcare organization, like most brands, has some sort of social media presence.
Social platforms have become a vital and vibrant health resource for consumers—and not just for Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996). According to a Journal of Medical Internet Research eHealth Literacy study, nearly 90 percent of older adults have used social media to seek and share health information.
Ninety percent. That’s an overwhelming majority of Gen X’ers, Baby Boomers and many of their parents—all actively communicating about health issues, exchanging ideas and experiences, posting reviews or searching for providers and support communities...the list goes on.
Just because a social platform is wildly popular, that doesn’t mean it will benefit your practice. It’s important to think about your specialty, audience demographics, location and the type of healthcare content you’ll create (I’ll get to that next).
Each of these will help you decide which platform(s) are worth the time and effort required to engage the patients you really want. Our digital team is staffed with social media masters who can help you determine which platforms are worth your time and how best to take advantage of them.
Once you find the platforms you want to use, you still have to give people good reasons to follow and engage with your practice. Content that’s informational and educational is clickable, consumable, shareable content.
The truth is, most healthcare organizations won’t gain a heavy following or see new patients simply by posting organically about their practices or hospital. The best way to utilize social media to actually win new patients is with paid social media—more on the differences here.
Still, posting things like well-crafted, yet short videos that educate people about topics related to your specialty or providing your take on trending health and wellness topics will increase your chance of being viewed and shared across the web. The content you generate must be practice-appropriate and meaningful, informative, relevant and engaging to your audience. (That means more substantial content than the occasional staff birthday post.)
Content creation takes time, attention to detail, and a steadfast commitment to HIPAA and Food and Drug Administration advertising compliance. Below are a few key methods to produce valuable content that resonates with audiences and bolsters your online reputation:
It’s an exciting time to be learning and exploring all the possibilities of social media—but it starts with the right strategy. Contact our full service advertising and marketing agency today at 800-656-0907.
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