The Healthcare Industry Can No Longer Ignore Social Media
As the healthcare industry continues to constantly change, it is extremely important that healthcare related organizations remain up-to-date and relevant in their industry. Today more than ever, people look to online sources for medical help before even contacting a doctor or other professional source. In fact, more than 40% of consumers say that information found via social media affects the way they deal with their health. Unfortunately, some online sources may not be as reliable as they should be, especially when it comes to someone’s health and wellness. With an influx of healthcare organizations available, finding a way to stand out in the industry can be challenging. Healthcare organizations need to take risks in order to stand out and stay ahead of the game. This is where social media comes in, and here’s why it can no longer be ignored!
- It shows your passion for your community. Getting involved on social media is going to give you the opportunity to show just how much you care about your community and the people that live in it. Without a platform to display your care and passion, there aren’t a lot of other ways to get your message out there. It’s hard to get to know an organization without getting behind the closed doors. Setting up social media platforms shows your community that you are willing to go the extra mile to be more connected to the community members; it shows you want to connect, engage, and interact with community members, patients, and families.
- People trust peer recommendations. When consumers are looking into investing in something new, no matter what it is, the first people that they will look to for advice are their peers. Peers are the most trusted source for most people. 90% of respondents from 18 to 24 years of age said they would trust medical information shared by others on their social media networks. (source: Search Engine Watch) With social media available, people have a greater opportunity to look to other community members for opinions on your healthcare organization. Unfortunately, a lot of healthcare organizations are afraid that there will be negative feedback so they choose not to get involved in social media. But social media actually allows healthcare organizations to build their customer service by being able to react to and engage with all of the feedback that they are receiving. Having a social platform is going to let community members finally feel like they have a say and let them be a part of the conversation.
- Low cost marketing. The greatest perk of social media marketing is that it won’t cost that much to get started and maintain. Social media marketing is probably the greatest form of marketing because, today, it is where most people spend a lot of their time and where most people get their information. Through a social media platform, you can show what your organization is truly about. When community members can see what’s going on within your organization, they are going to be more drawn to you. The key is to show photos of what’s going on in your organization. Show fun events that are going on, show daily activities, show interactions between patients and employees. Your number of followers will grow, and eventually, you’ll gain a solid base of loyal fans who will share their positive feedback with others.
60% of doctors say social media improves the quality of care delivered to patients.(source: DC Interactive Group)Why this matters: This statistic is important because it shows that many doctors believe that the transparency and authenticity that social media helps spur is actually improving the quality of care provided to patients. Lets hope this is a continuing trend among the industry for patients at all levels.
- Hiring tool. Social media is a great way to easily find potential job candidates. Through social media, you can scout out potential employees before they even come in for an interview, making the process much easier for you. You can learn a lot about a person based solely on their activity on social media. You can continue to draw in potential candidates and have a constant pool of qualified candidates in your funnel.
- You can broaden your reach. You would be amazed at how many more people you will reach via social media than through any other marketing strategy. By sharing across multiple social platforms, like Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube, your reach can go across the world. The great thing about social media is that it is 24/7/365, just like many healthcare locations. With social media, your information, videos, and photos can be shared among community members, among their friends and family, and even further.
- Make your services known. The hardest part for healthcare organizations is getting consumers to understand what exactly it is that they do. Some people may have an idea, but there are probably a lot of services that get overlooked. Through social media, you can promote all of your services, including those that aren’t as well known. Having all of you services clearly listed and explained is going to lead a lot of consumers your way.
- Humanize your brand. In the healthcare industry, it is hard for most organizations to come off as genuine, real people. You tend to get a cold and impersonal feeling from a lot of healthcare organizations. Social media gives you the opportunity to humanize your brand by getting more creative with your marketing. Show people that you are human. Show them you have care and passion for what you do. Show them that you have fun with what you do. Social media allows you to let down your guard, loosen up, and connect to people on a level that is going to make them feel more comfortable and connected to you.
- Promote events. Flyers and website promotions can only do so much when it comes to promoting an event. If you want to get the word out quickly about an event, social media is going to get you there. On top of that, it’s going to reach a lot more people than any other method would. With social media, you can help promote events with information, photos, and videos. The photos and videos are going to make your event even more noticeable and talked about.
- Become known as an expert in your industry. This is one of the greatest reasons that social media can no longer be ignored by the healthcare industry. Healthcare organizations need social media for this reason. Through social media, you will be able to build your brand and make it recognizable by many people. People are going to know what your brand is all about and why your organization cares about what it does. This is going to set you apart from your competition. Social media gives you a platform to share all of your knowledge and expertise. As mentioned above, social media is where a lot of people look to get information about their health and wellness. If you provide information and answers to consumers, they are going to see you as an expert in the healthcare industry. Provide consumers with personal welcome videos from doctors, solutions to patient issues, video testimonials and virtual tours. All of this will show you as an expert, make you more human, and add credibility.
- Understand physician to patient engagement.
There’s been a large shift in the need for healthcare branding – including doctors, physicians and other practitioners – all propelled by various factors in the marketplace. Broadly speaking, the shift is due to empowered patients and growing competition. More than ever before there is a need to attract and engage patients as they take an informed and proactive role in their healthcare decisions. Empowered patients are seeking authoritative information and recognized providers with leadership reputations. Since being visible is vital, branding is a clear pathway to remaining top of mind. 18% of internet users, or 13% of adults, have gone online to find other who have had health concerns similar to their own. • 16% of internet users, or 12% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other providers. • 15% of internet users, or 11% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of hospitals or other medical facilities.
Diving into social media is going to show community members that you truly are and want to be part of the community. It’s hard to reach people when you have no platform to share what your brand is all about. The healthcare industry needs more organizations that are willing to step out of their comfort zone in order to reach people. That’s what needs to be done. Social media gives you the chance to share your knowledge, share your passion, share your services, interact with community members, and broaden your reach. In an industry that can seem so impersonal and dull, be the brand that stands out.
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