Two words that strike fear in the hearts of many in the healthcare world. In their (completely mistaken) view, if they get involved with social media their personal information and pictures will be out there for the world to see. Or they think their patients will begin asking to get diagnosed over the Internet. As a result they shy away from the truly exciting and limitless world that is social media in 2013.These social media contrarians need to take a deep breath and calm down. Establishing a professional social media presence for your medical practice or healthcare business has nothing to do with one’s personal Facebook page or Twitter. On a professional Facebook business page there are no pictures of anyone’s kids or your latest vacation to Hawaii. A Facebook business page is filled with information on the medical practice, things prospective patients need to know. In fact, patients can’t even post on your wall, so there’s no fear of anyone posting anything negative or medically inaccurate.On the flipside, the number one reason every healthcare company today needs to get involved in social media is to…
Engage Your Patient Community
In America today, 72% of all people are on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin, Instagram, Pinterest and more. People spend hours on these sites connecting with their friends and families and influencing their decisions of where to shop, what to wear and increasingly, where to find a great doctor. Bottom line, you need to be on these sites simply because that’s where your patients are.
Social media is the perfect place to spread important medical information like the need for proper vaccination in flu season or food tips for healthy living. Social media is also excellent for connecting with your patients on a more human level, within reason of course. Posting a video of a dancing cat or an adorable baby can do wonders in letting your patients see a different side of you.
In short, there is no more time to waste. Today is the day to hop on the social media train and establish a professional presence. If done correctly, not only is there nothing to fear, but your practice will benefit immeasurably from the positive exposure. A spectacular social media presence is no longer a luxury, it’s a prerequisite.Make Your Body, Make Your Life.