Social media is one of the most simple and effective means to promote your practice. It’s the place where patients can discover who you are and what you do.
Don’t just take it from us - your peers and colleagues are embracing social media and getting results. Recent research reveals that 60% of healthcare providers believe that social media improves the quality of care delivered to patients.1
Increasing your following on social media should be a major focus of your marketing plan, particularly when it comes to Facebook. Approximately 37% of the world’s population uses Facebook, and that number is projected to rise.2 Increasing your following on social media is a great way to put your practice in front of more people.
Get more followers for your practice while building trust and educating your patients with your marketing plan and strategy.
Highlight Your Brand
What makes your practice unique and provides value to your community? Your post should reflect your brand in a positive light, highlighting what is unique about your healthcare services and specialties. Social media is a great means to share your core values, patient experiences and educate your community. Having your own unique brand is what sets you apart from other practices. Give your followers a reason to follow you by sharing tips, resources, research, and patient experiences.
Monitor Accounts & Engage Current Followers
Your current followers are a great referral source in your community. Put time and effort into engaging your existing followers. You can do this by answering questions and providing feedback. Be sure to like comments and respond promptly. Actively engaging with your audience builds trust and loyalty to your practice.
Share Original & Various Types of Content
Create and plan to share meaningful content that your patients want to learn about. Create content that is original and resonates with your audience. Use a combination of videos, images, and written content for variety in consumer choices, while playing into the social media algorithms. Inspire and educate your healthcare consumers and they will share your posts with their networks to build referrals.
Post Consistently
Timing matters. Post consistently, but not too much. Posting too much, like every day or twice a day, can come off as spam. Share information two to three times a week. Algorithms in social media will not favor your practice in the feed if you go dark for weeks or only post once a month. Planning content and sharing it consistently will help your followers stay engaged and not lose interest.
Collaborate
Team up with influencers, referring physicians, and your hospital or practice networks to expand your audience. Look for opportunities with like minded organizations and contribute content or resources for the greater good. Follow, like, and comment on other pages and posts within your healthcare community.
Include Hashtags
Hashtags are not meant to be cute or make a statement - they have a purpose in digital marketing, especially on social media. Healthcare consumers follow hashtags on social media which help push content into their feed. Using relevant hashtags can help people find and see your posts.
Paid Social Media
Many platforms have paid advertising options to build followers or boost content outside of your current patient base. Facebook “Like ads” can help build a new practice page and brand name. Facebook and Instagram “boosting” of posts can get more visibility and engagement on your page and help your content get better consumption with a conservative marketing budget.
Growing a following on social media doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and a well-thought-out plan. Embrace social media as part of your marketing plan, and use it consistently to grow your audience for years to come.
SoClients is a boutique digital content marketing and social media strategy consulting firm designed exclusively for healthcare professionals. We help physicians tell their stories so they can help more patients.
Holly Breen Olds has served the healthcare industry with over 20 years of expertise in healthcare marketing for physicians, hospitals, and the medical device sector across the US.
