Social media is changing the doctor-patient relationship and how people think about their health and how they get care.
In fact, 41% of people said what they see on social media plays some part in their choice of doctor, hospital, and medical facility, according to Demi & Cooper Advertising and DC Interactive Group.
Having a presence on healthcare social media is no longer an optional tactic for serious digital marketers. It’s an essential component of any communications outreach plan.
In this post, learn how to get the most out of every post by following these tips for managing your healthcare social media accounts.
Do: Share helpful, relevant information
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t get some sort of information from the internet. As consumers, we rely heavily on information found online, especially when gathering information about our health. In one day, Google receives more than 1 billion health questions, and that doesn’t even count those searching for WebMD or other symptom checkers alike. When it comes to your healthcare social media account to share information your future and existing patients will want to see, including:
- Promoting accurate and informative health-related articles
- General information about illnesses, infections, etc. (e.g., info about flu shots)
- Relevant health tips to incorporate in their day-to-day lives
- Resources for getting help with various medical conditions
- Introduce new doctors to a practice
- Offer any updates that pertain to the practice itself
COVID-19 & social media
Take a look at our current client, Logansport Memorial Hospital. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in north-central Indiana, Logansport Memorial Hospital kept their audience informed with regular posts, including videos, blog articles, and more. They used their channel to share info on their hospital, practice reopenings, their approach to treating patients with coronavirus, and other health resources for the general public.
In addition to searching for symptoms, many users utilize social media to assist in selecting physicians, specialists, or hospitals where they can receive the best care.
Do: Follow HIPAA guidelines
As a healthcare organization, you’re working to spread valuable and informative information, but don’t skimp on your personality. While it’s great to come across as sterile in terms of your facility and equipment’s cleanliness, you’ll want to establish another voice when it comes to communicating with your patients and the public.
When writing healthcare social media copy, try to:
- Show your practice’s personality by deciding on a specific tone and language that keeps you on-brand with your decisions
- Interact and engage with your patients in a friendly and helpful manner
- Humanize your practice or organization by showing real faces of the people who work there
- Respond to reviews, comments, and inquiries on your platforms
Do: Give your organization or hospital a voice
As a healthcare organization you’re working to spread valuable and informative information, but don’t skimp on your personality. While it’s great to come across as sterile in terms of your facility and equipment’s cleanliness, you’ll want to establish another voice when it comes to communicating with your patients and the public.
When writing healthcare social media copy, try to:
- Show your practice’s personality by deciding on a specific tone and language that keeps you on-brand with your decisions
- Interact and engage with your patients in a friendly and helpful manner
- Humanize your practice or organization by showing real faces of the people who work there
- Respond to reviews, comments, and inquiries on your platforms
Improve your digital marketing with a content style guide
Do: Find a balance to promoting your services
During the average young American’s lifetime, it is projected they will spend almost seven years scrolling social media during their lifetime. So why not reach your audience by advertising your healthcare services through social media?
On many platforms, it comes down to sponsored content (also known as paid ads), that continues to outperform organic reach, making a paid social ad strategy almost necessary to expand your reach to your new and existing audiences.
Don’t worry! You won’t need a big and new campaign to be successful in your paid ads. Just keep it simple. Be sure your ads are relevant, well-written, and include an image to grab the audience’s attention.
Some ads we run for our clients include:
- Free guides and downloads offered by the provider
- New physicians accepting appointments at the practice
- Appointment links or information for popular or new services
- Relevant and informational blog posts from the provider
Find information about our social media strategies
Do: Customize your content for each social media channel
You wouldn’t send the same text to your grandma as you would your colleague. Just like we wouldn’t expect you to reach the same people through Facebook as you do LinkedIn. It’s important to remember who your audience is on each network and the initial purpose of posting to that specific platform.
When planning your healthcare social media strategy and posts, don’t feel like you have to post on every platform – let alone manage a profile on every network. Feel free to pick the platforms that benefit you and your organization the most!
Do: Include hashtags
While hashtags once felt reserved for applying to your #yummy lunch or your #cute kids on Twitter alone, that time has passed. Now hashtags are used on almost all social platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more.
Including a hashtag or two on your posts helps patients and physicians streamline their searches across social media platforms to find the specific information or posts they are looking for.
Pro-tip:. To get the most out of your social media engagement, it’s important to include relevant hashtags when posting.
Not a pro with hashtags? No problem. There’s no shame in consulting a hashtag database like Symplur.
With this tool, you’ll be finding trending hashtags in no time.
Don’t: Be on social media to be like other hospitals and healthcare providers
Having healthcare social media profiles is a great first step! While you may think getting started is the most important step, it’s actually everything that comes next when it comes to promoting your healthcare organization.
Some social media practices to keep in mind include:
- Staying active and consistent on social media. This includes posting regularly, liking posts, joining discussions, and replying to comments.
- Stay true to your brand in terms of artwork, voice, and related graphics
- Be friendly yet professional. Be mindful of what you’re posting and how you respond on each platform
There’s no question that future and current patients use the internet regularly to control their healthcare choices. Use the tips in this post to step up your social media game with posts customized around the needs of your patients.
