Does Social Media Matter in Healthcare?

Today, a majority of patients use a combination of online and offline resources to research doctors, hospitals and other healthcare organizations and providers. They aren’t just looking at your website either; social media plays a big part in their research, in more ways than you might think.

Beyond the advantages of helping to brand your organization and manage your reputation, social media communicates important things about your organization to current and potential patients.

Advantages of Using Social Media in Healthcare Marketing

Friendliness and Approachability

More so than your website, social media gives you the opportunity to showcase your organization’s personality. Are you kid-friendly? Concerned about your patients’ mind/body health? Your social media posts allow you to connect with your patients regularly and share relevant information. It’s also a great way to showcase your friendly, caring staff.

Transparency and Accountability

Online review sites such as Yelp and healthgrades provide detailed reviews of patient experiences.You can demonstrate to your patients that you are accountable for their healthcare experiences by setting up a profile on review sites. On some review sites, you can also post your awards and research project information. Hopefully, this information, along with positive reviews, will offer your patients a better understanding of what your healthcare organization provides.

Knowledge and Expertise

Social media allows you to post current and accurate information to keep your patients informed. You can share the latest research articles from your field, remind patients that flu season is coming up and provide important advice about timely public health notices. Bonus tip: photos and videos get shared more frequently than text-only posts. For maximum reach on social media, consider creating infographics and short videos on timely health topics.

Industry Excellence and Thought Leadership

When done correctly, social media can communicate that your organization is the top in its field. Your savvy use of social media can let patients know that you also keep up to date with the very latest medical research, trends and technology in your field.

Raise Awareness and Curb Misinformation

There is a great deal of misinformation that gets spread about health and diseases. By using social media to end this and educate the masses about what is right, you will gain credibility with your audience.

Healthcare can benefit greatly from social media. When social media is properly used in healthcare, healthcare organizations can reap all the benefits.

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Updated: Nov 15, 2024