Making Social Media Work for the Healthcare Industry

Should we have a social media policy?

Should we use social media for recruiting?

Which social media channels should we be using?

Should we be talking with patients online?

The healthcare industry has been slow to adapt to social media. Whether you find yourself asking questions like these or you already know the answers, we’re ready to get you on the right path.

Social media is a connector, an enabler of word-of-mouth marketing, and a way to build communities around a cause … and this matters in an industry so closely tied to families and significant personal choices. It can be used to gain feedback from patients and allows for greater community involvement in healthcare services.

Consider this …

➢    72% of Internet users looked online for health information in the last year (O’Dwyer’s)

➢    More than 40% of consumers say that information found via social media affects the way they deal with their health. (Mediabistro)

➢    One in five Internet users have consulted online reviews and rankings of healthcare service providers and treatments. (Pew Internet)

➢    26% of hospitals in the U.S. (2012) participate in social media (Spark Report)

➢    Almost 30% of consumers support a health-related cause (PWC, 2012)

[su_button url=”https://dreamlocal.com/contact/free-social-media-review/” target=”blank” style=”flat” size=”6″ center=”yes”]Get a Free Marketing Consultation[/su_button] [su_spacer] “In considering what to do with and about social media, healthcare organizations cannot afford to take a “wait-and-see” approach or you may soon find yourself playing catch up with competitors. Even if you do not currently have an active social media presence, your employees and customers are already using social media and may be sharing information about you.” – CSC

Included among the biggest challenges for organizations on social media are finding the time to listen and respond to their online community, maintaining a content strategy to stay on their followers’ radar, and keeping up with the latest changes in social media platforms, to help maximize effectiveness.

We can help you answer …

➢    Which social media channels should we be on?

➢    Should we have a blog expressing industry opinions and views?

➢    How do we keep track of what people are saying about us online?

➢    How will social media integrate with our existing marketing?

Healthcare organizations that do well on social media are finding new ways to communicate with patients and the community, engaging with them online and building trust.

We have our finger on the pulse of social media marketing and our team incorporates the best practices of organizations like those, into the work we do with our clients.

How Healthcare organizations make social media work…

➢    NorthShore University HealthSystem created and shared infographics, boosting their reach with Facebook advertising. Each infographic had a unique targeting strategy to increase engagement. Strategies like this helped the organization increase its followers by 291% in one year. (Shorty Awards)

➢    The Nebraska Medical Centeruses video to not only broadcast corporate information, but also to allow patients to share their stories. Their custom YouTube channel has 490 videos, over 1,100 subscribers, and over 1 million views. (YouTube)

➢    Gesinger Health Systemuses social media as a way to recruit employees. The organization responded to the increasing use of social networks by healthcare job seekers, by running a relevant Facebook campaign, leading to successful new hires. (Axial Exchange)

Our marketing agency services go beyond managing social media tools. We work closely with clients to learn their products and services, understand their marketing goals and tune in to their best customers. We’ll create a customized online marketing plan for you and help you figure out which online channels your organization should be using. Plus, our professional services are often less expensive than hiring someone internally.

Would you like to start building your community?

[su_button url=”https://dreamlocal.com/contact/free-social-media-review/” target=”blank” style=”flat” size=”6″ center=”yes”]Get a Free Marketing Consultation[/su_button]