Thursday, May 09, 2024
What You SHOULD Be Posting On Social Media!
The previous blog article on this site focused on what you should NOT be posting online.
Today, we will answer the question, “What SHOULD you be posting on social media?”
Here are some recommendations of what you should be posting:
1. Patient Stories –
These are real life stories of your happy patients detailing issues about their healthcare
problems which you treated.
These stories should describe what their life was like with their healthcare issue?
How did it adversely affect them? Specifically, what was a typical day like?
How did it affect their employment? Their family? Their hobbies?
What was their diagnosis? What treatments had they tried before seeing you?
Were they effective?
How did you diagnose them?
What treatment did you provide?
How was their life positively impacted by your treatment? How long did it take to improve?
What is their life like now, after your treatment?
It is often helpful to include still photos of the patient. If they had been unable to engage in certain activities before your treatment, but now they can, photos of them engaging in that activity are especially compelling.
The patient should be interviewed either in person, on the phone, on Zoom, or by email questions.
These stories are usually written as a reporter would do. There may be quotes from the patient, but it is not written like an interview. It is written as a real-life story and accompanied by photos.
Obviously, as with any patient’s private health information, you will need to obtain written consent from the patient before posting.
Keep the signed consent form on file.
It can also be helpful to have the patient read the post before posting and give written, signed approval.
Again, keep such signed consent forms on file.
These patient stories are what other patients want to know.
2. Patient Testimonials –
These testimonials are usually best done as a video testimonial.
That is best accomplished in an interview. The interviewer does not have to be the provider. It can be the provider or a staff member doing the interviewing.
The questions asked are designed to get answers to all the questions listed above in the “patient stories” section.
The video will need to be edited after filming. It is not always necessary to include the questions asked in the video if the answers make it clear what was asked.
Remember, these testimonials are to allow the patients to tell in their own words how helpful you have been to them. So, make it easy for them to do so.
And again, always get written consent, even before a video testimonial.
3. Announcements –
If you are hosting an educational webinar, announce it ahead of time on social media.
If you are speaking somewhere on a healthcare topic, announce it.
If you were asked to speak at a national healthcare meeting, let your patients know after the fact that you did so.
It helps establish you as a national authority on the subject and not just a local authority.
4. New Techniques or Technology –
If you are using new techniques or technology in the treatment of your patients, let them know.
Patients want to believe their provider is at the forefront of their field.
Explain the treatment in simplistic terms so patients can easily understand.
Explain what benefits the patients can expect from the new technology or treatment.
Explain why the “New” is better than the “Old”.
These posts are best done as a video.
If it is short, it can be an Instagram or Facebook Reel, a YouTube short, or a Tik Tok video.
If it is a longer video, YouTube is best.
5. “My Story Video” –
Usually, it is strongly discouraged for your social media posts to talk about you.
However, there is one exception to that rule.
The exception is a “My Story” video.
This video is you telling your story. It is about your background.
How did you decide to enter your specific field of healthcare?
What were the factors that led to your choice? When did you make that choice?
What was your journey like?
Who were influential people along your journey? How did you end up where you are now?
What values do you hold and how do they affect your healthcare practice?
What are your treatment philosophies?
What gives you the most satisfaction in your profession?
Just be you.
New patients seeing your “My Story” video will feel like they know you even before they see you.
And patients want to be seen by someone they know.
These are recommendations of what to post. This is not an exhaustive list, but if you post on these topics, you will be way ahead of most, if not all, of your competitors.
Remember, if you are posting personal healthcare details about specific patients, you must have them sign a consent form and keep it on file to be compliant with HIPAA regulations.
Social media is the most cost-effective means of marketing for healthcare providers.
Don’t ignore it.
But don’t be inconsistent in your posting.
Use it regularly and post consistently.
You will be glad you did!
CEO , Healthcare Provider Marketing
Dr. Holt is the CEO of Healthcare Provider Marketing. He is passionate about both healthcare and marketing. His goal is to help healthcare providers maximize their revenue through new marketing and business strategies.