3 WAYS TO KEEP THE ‘SOCIAL’ IN SOCIAL MEDIA

The sheer amount of content posted online on any given day is overwhelming. As the noise online gets louder, doctors have to figure out how to stand out and get their message across. Your target audience is drowning in content too. It takes a lot of work and time to keep up with that constant flow of information, and to participate in social media in a meaningful way. The flurry of content in various forms also makes it much harder for consumers to actually find what they are looking for.

Consumers want to get to know you before they come through the door. Social media platforms have made that possible like never before. The challenge for physicians and their managers is to learn which platforms are most relevant for your goals, where your patients are active, and how to maximize your performance and budget allocation on those platforms to reap the rewards.

Position yourself as an expert:  All the clutter online makes people want to focus on people or entities that can give them what they want. Your fans and followers should look to you as a voice of expertise in aesthetic medicine. In this age of transparency, consumers are wary about aggressive marketing messages, but they still trust experts.

Streamline your messages: All the clutter online means people actually appreciate brevity and a targeted message that speaks directly to them. Find your ideal online voice and stick with it. Identify the buckets of content that your fans and followers relate to most, and create new and unique variations on those themes.

Keep it looking good: Consumers relate to content that is visually appealing, and eye-catching. Don’t bombard your fans with images that will turn them off, or are too graphic for general public consumption. They do want to see before and after photographs, and they definitely want to see your real patients, and read about their experiences, but they may not be so keen to look at scars, stitches, and syringes. Remember that you are in the business of beauty, appearances, and image, and your branding and social media should reflect that.