Social media provides a unique opportunity for medical professionals to engage with their patients in exciting new ways. These days, social engagement on some platforms is up over 50% due to many people staying at home. Some providers are taking advantage of a captive audience by using their creativity to make lasting impressions within their local market. All this engagement is a great way to stay engaged with your patient base, build your online brand and potentially bring in new business.
In fact, research shows that 75% of people have purchased products or services based on seeing social media content.
So while engaging with social media can be a fun creative outlet, when done strategically, it can be a key pillar of your broader digital marketing strategy.
Here are some strategies to keep in mind, along with some interesting examples of what other doctors, dentists, orthodontists, veterinarians, and other healthcare providers are doing to make impressions with their social media channels.
Show the Personality of Your Practice
Be sure to make your channels showcase the personality of your practice. Dr. Ruth Ross Edmunds of Braces by Dr. Ruth is a great example of how to make your practice’s web presence relatable to both regular and new patients. Based out of Nashville, Dr. Edmunds posts orthodontic-themed memes and family pictures to her office’s Facebook page.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get Creative
A full 42% of people report following brands or companies online solely because they find them entertaining. Making a positive impression with fun and creative videos is a great way to garner attention in your local market.
Remember: Your channels can be a place to have some fun with your persona, so feel free to cut loose and get creative.
For inspiration on how to get more imaginative with your social media, look no further than physician Dr. Zubin Damania.
Keep it Consistent Across All Platforms
Between Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, there’s plenty of places to post your practice’s creative content. Therefore, it’s important to keep a consistent voice and tone throughout each platform. Patients should be able to recognize your practice’s personality, regardless of which social media website they are looking at.
The veterinary professionals at Snout School do a great job at this. Whether you visit their Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, or their private social media group, the content and messaging across each website is similar, without feeling redundant.
15 Examples of Creative Social Media Done Right
If you take a look around social media, you’ll find plenty of practices using the online tools at their disposal to create a variety of informative and engaging content. And the payoff can be significant — greater exposure, more patients, and even attention beyond your typical audience.
Here are some examples to inspire your own practice’s social media feed...
1. Photos of the Team
Help patients get to know you before they even step foot into your office. A familiar face is always a welcome sight for first-time patients.
2. What to Expect
Posting a sneak peek of what patients can expect during their visit is a great way to get them to feel at ease and schedule a visit.
3. Services & Specials
Regularly posting about your practice’s offerings or deals is an easy way to drum up appointment interest among both returning patients and new ones.
4. COVID-19 ConcernsIn the era of COVID-19, patients are eager to know what their doctors are doing to keep office visits safe. Social media is a great tool to keep your audience informed about your practice’s coronavirus protocol.
5. Keep it Light
Whether it’s playful banter between the team or silly office traditions, people are more likely to schedule an appointment with a practice that doesn't take itself so seriously.
6. Before and After Posts
This is a great way to showcase your skill as a medical provider. Examples of your practice’s solid work is a powerful incentive for patients to schedule a visit.
7. Useful Medical Tips
Use your social media to educate, as well as entertain. Simple tips and bits of expert advice will always be appreciated by your audience and are a good way to keep them engaged.
8. Behind the Scenes
Acquaint patients with your team while giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your practice.
9. Patient Journeys
Video recaps, like what appears on this veterinarian’s YouTube channel, are a creative way to showcase your practice’s work. And if video production is too overwhelming, Instagram summaries of a patient’s journey can be just as effective.
10. Customer Reviews
Online reviews are the new word of mouth. Embrace any chance to promote positive feedback from your patients.
11. Incorporate holidays
Stay seasonal with holiday posts. It can be a nice break from medical-related posts and give the opportunity for positive replies from your patients.
12. Update according to current events
Besides informing patients about how current events might be affecting your services, these posts also let your audience know that your feeds are actively updated.
13. Philanthropy initiatives
It’s important for your practice to give back to the community, and highlighting your philanthropic efforts is a great way to inspire charity among your audience as well.
14. Contests and Giveaways
Everyone loves a good giveaway. Frequent contests are a fun way to keep your audience excited and engaged with your practice’s online presence.
15. Post Relatable Memes or GIFs
Everyone shares memes these days. Medical offices are no different. So spread some humor with medical-related memes that you find online. Or better yet, make some yourself!
These are just some examples that can give you a sense of the limitless creative potential for social media to enhance your brand identity. So consider how you can insert your marketing messages into humorous videos or inventive social post captions. And don’t be afraid to push the envelope. The more original your content, the more likely you are to stay top-of-mind for your audience
If you have more questions about how your practice can best utilize social media, contact Scorpion. Our team of experts are always ready to help guide you through the process of making your channels a colorful part of your comprehensive marketing plan.
