Enter any waiting room and you’ll see most people staring down at their smart phones. But what are they doing on their smart phones? Most likely they are cruising through their Facebook newsfeed. Did you know that over 72% of adult internet users are on Facebook?1 Facebook has a huge following these days and is an excellent way for you to gain exposure for your practice.
A post on Facebook, however, has to compete against 1,500 or so others that struggle to receive a viewing on a daily basis. To stand out on Facebook, your content has to be creative and interesting! Your content should be short and well-presented in the form of bullets or quick visual tips that will grab the attention of your Facebook followers.
Check out these 3 areas of content to engage your existing patients and reach more potential patients:
1. EDUCATE
Create and share fresh and interesting content such as emerging trends, innovative treatments and technologies, or general health and wellness tips. For example:
- links to your patient education content or videos highlighting your core treatment options
- short and concise personalized one-minute videos from your YouTube channel – video content should be grasped even without audio to keep viewers engaged
- photos explaining a new technology, emerging trend
- infographics – using a visual icon to quickly engage and capture your audience
- wellness tips in healthcare
- relevant health articles from reputable sources
2. ENTERTAIN
Just because you are a medical practice, don’t be boring! People generally prefer content that amuses them. Your posts should be light, non-controversial or political, and easily grasped. For example:
- funny cartoons or memes
- short videos
- information about celebrities or popular events
- personal photos – these types of posts are instantly “liked” or shared by your viewers, increasing your reach
3. RECOGNIZE
People love to be recognized. You can engage your followers by acknowledging when they like, share or comment on your content. This will better engage them, as well as bump your post in the Facebook newsfeed. For example:
- like their comment
- reply to their comment
- say “thanks” if they give a nice review or compliment
Dedicate one person in the practice to create entertaining and educational content posts, and monitor your business Facebook page on a regular basis. This can take some time, but it’s extremely important to build engagement.
As you can see, relevant content is essential to capture the attention of your audience, but timing of your posts is also critical. In addition to the information from Facebook, there are apps and websites that can streamline the process of consistently posting and tracking engagement. They help you determine ideal times to post or update your content, provide campaigns that improve viewership through contests, polls and quizzes, and help you interact with your viewers in an organized manner. Schedule posts through Facebook or utilize post planners, if needed, to post at peak times. Many people check Facebook in the mornings, at the end of the business day, in the evenings or while traveling or waiting.
Social media can be a powerful marketing tool for your practice. Just by having a business page on Facebook, you are not maximizing the opportunity to grow your practice. It’s time to start using it to build your brand. You should consistently post to educate, entertain and recognize your followers. Your Facebook business page is an effective and free marketing tool for your practice. So start posting, and use it to your advantage.
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