Social media has become a non-negotiable for businesses when it comes to reaching a wider audience – and medical practices are no exception.
Research has found that 80% of internet users who use social media are specifically looking for health information. Additionally, nearly half of these potential patients are looking for information about a specific doctor – that could be you!
Here are some easy tips on how to boost your online presence and make the most of social media to grow your practice and influence.
- Define Your Ideal Patient
It’s difficult for a successful social media campaign to target every user out there, in the same way that your practice likely can’t see every patient in your area. Take a moment to define who your ideal patient and target audience is. What is their average age? What area do they live in? What are their health concerns? What kind of lifestyle do they lead?
If you’re unsure, the best thing you can do is speak with your patients. Get to know what kind of content they look for on social media, and what might be lacking in the information that’s available to them. This will help you create valuable content that encourages engagement and audience retention.
- Stick to Quality Content
When getting your start on social media, it might be tempting to post multiple times every single day – even if you have nothing of value to say. However, overwhelming your followers’ feeds is a sure way to get deleted completely.
Publish regular content that is interesting, easy to read, and authoritative. Your posts should provide value and give your patients a reason to follow you.
Don’t be afraid to share your expertise on a subject. Discuss the latest news in your industry, share information about current illnesses, provide tips on healthy living, and answer pressing health questions you’ve noticed several patients asking.
- Keep Them Updated
Social media is also a great place to keep patients updated on the latest happening at your practice. This includes sharing special holiday hours, introducing new team members, and posting photos of new equipment that you’re excited about. You should also be sharing the latest patient testimonials, or case studies that perfectly illustrate why your practice is devoted to patient health.
- Practice Your Timing
When you post on social media is almost as important as what you’re sharing. Facebook posts receive 75% of their total potential engagement within the first five hours of posting, while Twitter posts have less than a three-hour window.
To get the most eyes on your content, make sure to post when the majority of your patients are already online. For healthcare pages, this tends to be: Friday at noon, Monday at 2 p.m., Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m., Thursday at 2 p.m. and between 7 – 8 p.m., and Sunday at either noon or 2 p.m.
- Be Consistent
Regardless of the type of content you choose to write, or when you choose to post, the most important thing to remember is to be consistent. You need to be engaging with your community regularly, and your followers need to know what to expect when hearing from you.
Consistency includes your tone of voice, how often you post, how you respond to comments, and the type of content that you both create and share.
This doesn’t mean you can’t switch up tactics when you realize something isn’t working. It’s inevitable that you’ll need to freshen up your approach periodically but try to identify why something needs to be changed in order to make effective decisions.
With some effort and stellar content, your practice will be well on its way to growing its audience and attracting new patients. What tactics have you found work best for your practice on social media?