So many platforms, so little time. What’s a doctor to do?
You may have come to realize that you simply don’t have the requisite extra hours in a day to manage Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and more. Most practices and medspas are faced with figuring out the best ways to outsource their social media to keep up with the changes and sheer volume of creative content needed.
There are 3 basic choices to consider.
1) Hire an intern, employee or community manager in-house to do it all
2) Enlist a social media agency or PR firm to take it off your plate
3) Let your SEO company do it
In many cases the best choice is to hire professionals to develop the actual content and do the posting which is most time-consuming and have someone on staff handle engagement and manage the professionals. No social media agency can work in a vacuum; they need guidance from inside the practice to be effective. They also need assets, in the form of photos, videos, content ideas, etc.
If you decide to hire an intern, it may not be easy to find someone who has experience. We often hear doctors saying that they will look for a millennial from the local college to do their social. Sometimes, they may have a patient with a son or daughter who needs a job. Or the office manager’s kids may pitch in. While all of these are possible options, they may not be ideal. Social media management is an important component of your marketing plan and should dovetail with all your other marketing tactics, including website updates, SEO/PPC, patient seminars, special offers, PR, blogs, etc.
The problem with hiring an employee is that good ones are always hard to find, and you may not need 40 hours a week for social media tasks. The biggest dilemma is whether someone really understand your brand and your audience. It takes time to train someone who is new to your practice to get them up to speed. Promoting an aesthetic practice or a medspa is not like just another business, like a restaurant, cosmetics brand, or fashion label. The nuances include the nature of the doctor-patient relationship, HIPAA concerns, and legal implications.
Social media marketing requires someone who has digital experience and who can actually create good content. A keen aesthetic eye is important, and more than just a basic understanding of social media is required. Just because someone is on Instagram, does not mean he or she is right for the job!
What does it cost?
The costs of managing your social media will depend on the geographic area you work in, and scope of your needs. Hiring an agency may be unaffordable for a small practice. Fees range considerably. Most firms will charge by the month, and some will charge by the platform and extent of posting required. Many firms also charge by the hour. Chances are that the brands and doctors you see on social media platforms doing it well and producing daily content, have more than one staff member and/or agency onboard and are actively involved in the process.
Beware: When it comes to social media, you get what you pay for.
Want to know what outsourcing your social media will cost? Reach out to us for a proposal. Anne@wendylewisco.com
