To Market, To Market: 6 Social Media Tips for Powerful Healthcare Marketing

More than ever, it is become essential for hospitals and healthcare providers to restructure their healthcare marketing strategies to include social media. 

Globally both healthcare organizations and medical professionals are using social media today as an important tool to:

- increase brand awareness both online and offline
- connect with current and/or prospective patients
- encourage engagement among current social followers
- disseminate relevant/helpful information relevant to the healthcare industry
- boost organic web presence for maximum results on page 1 of a Google search inquiry
- drive more traffic to each company's official web site

When it comes to successful healthcare marketing ...a well-planned social media strategy can be used to accomplish your goals (such as those mentioned above) effectively. It's also:

- more affordable than traditional methods of marketing (billboards, TV ads, radio commercials, etc.)
- easier to track your ROI, thanks to today's web analytics tools
- longer lasting than a newspaper ad published one time only, or a radio spot that airs only a few times per week/month

Here are 6 useful social media tips companies in the medical industry can implement to maximize your healthcare marketing efforts:

1. Don’t take a “wait-and-see" approach.

Many businesses may believe that social media is nothing but a passing fad, but based on statistics over just the past five years... we know now it's here to stay. 


The sooner your organization can develop an active presence and social media strategy, the less distance you will have to make it up later.

2. Establish a social media policy.

As a rule, your employees and customers will have a protection against security, privacy or ethics breaches when it happens. Staff education and training plus an outreach are necessary to ensure your team will fully comprehend your company's social media purpose and have the ability to therefore carry out your policy with compliance.

3. Follow your patients.

It's important to listen to what others are saying about your practice/facility, your medical products/services and your reputation as a healthcare provider. Whether it's a Tweet from someone inquiring about a particular medical condition or a Facebook comment regarding their recent experience as a patient, be sure you use your social media platforms to 'listen' to what others are saying about you (and even your competition).

4. Consider starting by going 'back to basics.'

Social media can be used to enhance marketing, branding, recruitment, reputation, management, customer relations and customer service. You must, however, educate yourself first on what is allowable
- under HIPAA privacy rules
- legalities surrounding the disclosure of your patients' personal information
- publication of any details regarding a patient's medical history or photographs

5. Begin small and monitor your outcomes.

We understand company marketing budgets can be tight at times. The good news is, you don’t have to develop a full-blown social media strategy right from the start (although eventually you should probably have one). Start small, with regular social media posting and publication of at least one blog a week. After monitoring which of your posts receive the most traction or engagement, you'll have a better idea of how to expand your marketing efforts (such as generating more blogs per week, implementing small-scale videos or even creating new micro sites).

6. Recruit social media managers & content writers who know your industry.

You may know your organization and products/services like the back of your hand, but beware: simply hiring a green, just-out-of-college social media manager who claims to be internet savvy or proficient with Facebook posting does NOT. As a company in the medical arena it's imperative that all your social media content/blogs are strongly written, strategically posted during high-traffic hours during the week and most importantly... accurate. 

For information about healthcare marketing or medical content writing services for your business contact Escaype Enterprises at: (770) 676-1802 or click here to visit our web site TODAY.

Here's to powerful healthcare marketing for your practice!
--The Escaype Enterprises Marketing Team