Using Doctor Marketing Strategies to Leverage Facebook Live

[SERIES INSTALLMENT] Facebook (FB) is the world’s largest social media platform for good reason. For one thing, it’s smart about marketing and advertising for business. Company pages are for brands, hospitals and healthcare where doctor marketing strategies shine.

The nearly two billion monthly active Facebook users love the social interaction. But business—including hospitals and practitioners—love the audience connectivity and the innovation that FB provides. The breakthrough tool of the year (so far) is “Facebook Live.”

Facebook Live launched earlier this year as a broadcast platform. (Not to the same as Facebook Video.) The entire world has a camera (and a smartphone) in their pocket. Now everyone, anywhere, any time can send or receive live video.

What’s more, Facebook makes “going live” quick, easy and free for the individual FB user. From big brands to the local deli, Facebook pages are aboard the digital video bandwagon.

Online video isn’t new. But live, real-time streaming takes the social experience to a higher, interactive level. Many hospital and doctor-marketing plans include Facebook Live in their social media strategy. The cost (free) appeals to every budget.

But the big difference is the effectiveness of live video as a unique marketing tool. Healthcare service providers and marketing professionals see live video as a new channel for engaging conversations with followers. User behavior is changing. “Videos represent a potentially transformational form of journalism,” according to the New York Times, “because they let stories unfold organically, live, and with the audience able to change the experience.”

In Facebook-speak: “Live is the best way to interact with viewers in real time. Field their burning questions, hear what's on their mind and check out their Live Reactions to gauge how your broadcast is going.”

Improving the Facebook Live experience…

Facebook video posts have been a hit for some time. And Facebook Live is even better for individual and business users. Stats say that audiences watch Facebook Live videos three times longer than non-live content. Observers say live broadcasts draw more comments and audience interaction.

But FB has a few innovations up their sleeve that make the Live experience even better. Consequently Facebook announced "new features for Facebook Live to give you more ways to discover, share, and interact with live video, and more ways to personalize your live broadcasts.”

Furthermore the enhancements—which blend well with hospital and doctor marketing strategies—include:

• Live for Groups and Events: Live content goes only to people in a particular Facebook Group, or as part specific events. The marketing benefit is a closer connection with a defined target audience.

• Two people broadcasting from different locations. This is streaming with a friend or remotely located guest. This capability expands the creative possibilities for marketing minds.

• A “waiting room” for the audience. This option provides visitors with a place to congregate in advance of a scheduled broadcast. The marketing benefit is that broadcasters can begin the presentation when they know there’s actually an audience on hand.

What's more online streaming video has become a powerful marketing tool. And Facebook Live is a fast-growing platform for healthcare and doctor marketing strategies. Social media is an important slice of digital marketing for healthcare. Talk with an expert and make your doctor marketing strategies more effective. Please give us a call today. 800-656-0907.