The power of Facebook is limitless, especially for physicians. When it comes to increasing the visibility of your brand, your practice or your hospital, there are few avenues that allow for such hyper focused targeting and messaging.
When you take a moment to look at the healthcare statistics related to social media, the numbers are truly staggering:
1. More than 40% of consumers say that information found via social media affects the way they deal with their health. (source: Mediabistro)
2. 18 to 24 year olds are more than 2x as likely than 45 to 54 year olds to use social media for health-related discussions. (source: Mediabistro)
3. 90% of respondents from 18 to 24 years of age said they would trust medical information shared by others on their social media networks. (source: Search Engine Watch)
4. 31% of health care organizations have specific social media guidelines in writing. (source: Institute for Health)
5. 41% of people said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility. (source: Demi & Cooper Advertising and DC Interactive Group)
(from GetReferralMD.com)
What’s amazing about those statistics? First off, that’s just the beginning. The influence that social media has on healthcare and patient health decisions is truly remarkable.
So, how can you, the physician, take advantage of these statistics and turn social media into a tool to increase your patient load and increase your brand visibility in your local market? Let the experts at Quaintise show you:
1. Targeted Healthcare Advertising: At Quaintise, we have become masters of Facebook advertising with targeted campaigns focusing on increasing engagement, brand loyalty, Facebook Page Likes and conversions to the client’s website. With strategic, real-time adjustments, we can run these ads at below the industry average for Cost per Click, and well above the industry average for Click Through Rate.
2. Facebook Physician Live Chats: Patients, and potential patients, find that access to their physicians is one of the most frustrating aspects of healthcare. A simple question might take a patient weeks and a few co-pays to find a simple answer, tarnishing the relationship between not only the physician and the patient but the entire brand experience. This is why we at Quaintise have found physician live chats to be incredibly effective at bridging that gap between patient and physician. Facebook live chats open up that crucial line of communication between patient and physician, increase trust and credibility, and ultimately improve brand loyalty.
3. Show Off: Here at Quaintise, one of the struggles that are clients deal with is the balance between showing off and promoting physician achievements. Our clients are incredibly achieved, with awards and accolades from within their industry and from the public. These are aspects of the physician’s personal brand that we absolutely want to share with their social media audience, but in a respectful, non-boasting way. It’s a tedious balance between being proud of your achievements and gloating about how amazing you are. If you can find that balance, your patients will grow to understand just how accomplished and respected you are.
4. Create a Community: Yes, Facebook is a community and why would you need to create a community within a community, right? You’re missing the point of Facebook entirely if you think that it’s not important to create a community within that social network. Facebook is a tool, a platform that allows you to create your brand space. Facebook gives you a stage where you can ‘mingle among the commoners’ and ‘sit at the round table’ with your patients. Creating a community where users can not only lean on you for advice, but can lead on each other for support will do wonders for your brand.
Utilizing social media to it’s fullest potential can do amazing things for your practice, just ask the experts at Quaintise.