Getting Social About Healthcare

Hospitals and clinics can utilize a great marketing plan to educate the public about their services, hours of operation, locations, and important clinic information.

Healthcare facilities need to maintain a regular marketing schedule to ensure their patients are getting the most up-to-date and pertinent information. 

When communicating general health content on social media, it is important to remember how to craft messaging that can reach different audiences, understand the guidelines for each social platform, and stay up-to-date on various industry trends.

Reaching Your Patients

Whether you are running a 500-bed hospital or a specialty practice, social media is a great platform to introduce yourself to the community and your potential patients. It is important to show your values and how you can be trusted as a provider. With more than 70% of Americans reporting they use a social media platform, it is helpful to keep in mind your messaging has to speak to a wide audience. According to the Pew Research Center, 90% of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 report using social media, while 40% of adults 65 and up use it. 

While each post you create does not have to be general messaging, the marketing plan should include posts that can speak to all ages on a variety of topics.

Should I Be On TikTok?

While many of us were “bored in the house,” the rate of social apps being downloaded during the quarantine of 2020 spiked, but does that mean you should be posting on all of them? According to the Pew Research of 2019, Facebook and YouTube maintain the top spots in the social media platform hierarchy. However, if you would like to reach a younger audience, TikTok might be the platform for you. @toppodiatryNo days off over here. ##nodaysoff##work##werk##toppodiatry##healthcare##essentialworker##podiatrist##medicalprofessionals##masks##reuse##recycle♬ Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo

Before you start building ads, it’s important to note there are certain restrictions on your messaging. Platforms, like Facebook, have certain regulations in place to limit what advertisers can say in their ads. 
Source: Facebook

Staying Trendy

Building out social calendars for organic posts will help you post regularly on social media and help you build out your campaigns. Using third-party sites, like Later.com for Instagram, can help organize and schedule your posts. 

Having a strong social media presence will help you communicate with your patients, especially when there are big events happening in society like the COVID-19 pandemic or a flu outbreak. For example, communicating your clinic’s procedures for when patients visit the office or sharing health tips during allergy season could help educate current and potential patients.

It’s important to utilize various platforms to communicate your messaging, whether you use Snapchat filters for Nurses Week or carousel ads on Facebook. You can test engagement from your audience.

To find out more about other ways to advertise for the healthcare industry Freestyle can help you market your company, drop us a line and let’s chat!