How a Maturing Facebook Can Help Your Plastic Surgery Practice

According to a report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, social media usage among adults 65 and older nearly doubled between 2009 and 2010, and usage by adults in the age 50-64 range increased 88%. More specifically, 20% of adults ages 50-64, and 13% of adults ages 65 and older say they use social networking sites on a typical day. Add to those stats the fact that 39% of adults age 30-49 use social media sites daily, there’s a large portion of the online population to consider with regards to website promotion and search engine optimization. While young adults continue to be the heaviest users of social media sites, what does this shift in usage mean for your plastic surgery practice?

When compared with the statistics from the 2009 American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons study on cosmetic surgery, the benefits to maintaining and expanding your practice’s online community through engaging plastic surgery website design and social media optimization are clear. Of the nearly 10 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2009, 4.5 million, or 44% of the procedures fell within the 35-50 year old age group, with the 51-64 age group accounting for 27%, and the 65 and older group accounting for 7% of the cosmetic procedures.

While remaining conscious of the young adults comprising the majority of traffic on social media sites is essential to any online marketing campaign, in light of the new statistics, a successful plastic surgery social media campaign must also consider adults 50 and older, and the fact that they accounted for 34% of the 10 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2009.