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Your patients aren’t reading the magazines in your waiting room anymore!
They are scrolling… Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.
Social media is not necessarily where someone goes to buy; rather, it is a platform for entertainment, keeping up with friends and family, social sharing, venting, etc.
In fact, a recent study found 32% of social media users utilize Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to post about their friends and family’s health and medical experiences.
Your patients aren’t reading the magazines in your waiting room anymore!
Facebook has a patient review section, yet just over half of all physicians even have a Facebook page.
Social media for doctors is critical in our digital world. Patients of all ages are there and you must be too!
Social Media for Healthcare Providers
Social media marketing for doctors is essential to ensure your practice is connected to the current social sharing networks where your patients are.
Just 53% of medical practices even had a Facebook page, with an even lesser percentage maintaining an active presence. Instagram and Twitter – even less.
Facebook for Doctors
The largest social network site is Facebook. It spans all demographics, ages, races, income levels, etc. And don’t think for a moment your “older” patients are not on there, they are.
Step 1 is to build a Facebook audience. If you don’t have an audience, no one sees your posts. We recommend at least 1,000 page “likes” because keep in mind a small percentage of your fans will actually see the content you post.
Facebook Live is a very popular feature now where you can go “live” on the platform, essentially streaming directly to your connected fans. There is also a review section which is right up there with Google reviews; you want to build this too.
Instagram for Doctors
Instagram is the fastest growing social media app today. It does generally appeal to a younger demographic but this is changing.
Facebook recently acquired Instagram so the platforms can be synchronized. This is very helpful for advertising for doctors.
The platform is largely visual, so patients want to see you, your activities, your office, outside the office, patients and anything that can be captured visually.
Instagram stories and Instagram Live (like Facebook Live) is a great feature for patients to see you real time and follow your daily activities in the office.
Twitter for Doctors
Yes Twitter is still out there! And you can get super targeted with hashtags and it’s a very active social media platform.
Patients can “tweet” directly to you and a lot of content is easily shared on Twitter.
Social media for doctors should include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. All should be synchronized together with congruent medical practice branding and marketing.
