RM Answers Your Social Media FAQs
For many people, social media (SM) is confusing enough as it is. Trying to understand SM and how it works can often be frustrating and time consuming, which is one of the reasons why it makes sense to leave it to the professionals.
While having someone manage your social media platforms for you can be extremely helpful, it’s understandable that you’d want to know what they do and why they do it. In fact, learning a bit more about how your social media management team works their magic can ultimately benefit your SM marketing plan — it can help them better customize the strategies they implement for you! Below are answers to some common questions that can help you get some insight into the social world.
“Do doctors really need to be on social media?”
In short — yes. More and more patients rely on social media when selecting a physician. A social media presence often helps patients to see that your practice is legitimate and trustworthy. Some patients may suspect that a doctor without a social media presence is trying to hide something. Additionally, doctors on social media are able to connect and communicate with patients in a way they would not be able to otherwise. If you’re on the fence, ask your marketing firm to connect you with the SM team so you can better understand the opportunities social media can provide for you and your practice. The SM team should also be able to provide you with examples of success stories and case studies from their other clients.
“Should I be using the latest social network?”
While the trendiness of social platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat (and many more to come, we’re sure) can sound enticing, it might not always be the best choice for your practice. Depending on who you are trying to reach, jumping on board with every hip new type of social media could potentially be a waste of your time, money, and effort. Your SM team should be well-versed in a wide variety of platforms, and they can work with you to determine if it’s in your best interests to move forward with an exciting new social media network. Typically, we suggest starting out with creating a Facebook page for your medical or dental practice.
“How do I know it’s working?”
Keeping track of social media efforts is a bit different than analyzing other marketing strategies. The best way to monitor the efficacy and determine the value of your social plan is to identify specific goals – such as targeting a specific audience – then taking note of how social activity aligns with that goal. Through analytics reports, your social media team should be able to help you see how well your SM strategy is performing. For practices in the elective healthcare space, the most important focus of your social media strategy should be creating well-curated content that delivers quality followers and meaningful engagement.
“Should I advertise on social media platforms?”
Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer powerful advertising options that allow you to create highly specialized ad campaigns that reach users who fit target demographics and online behavior patterns. There are many different types of paid options on social media and your team should be able to suggest the approaches that are most appropriate for your social media budget, style of social content, and business goals. The metrics that come along with these advertising tools are also incredibly valuable and can help you evaluate the success of each campaign so that you can fine-tune future advertising efforts. Your social team’s knowledge about effective social media advertising can make all the difference in seeing a worthwhile return on your social media investment.
“Are you able to make this go viral?”
Although “going viral” may often seem like the goal of social media, it really isn’t. Viral videos, photos, and posts gain a significant amount of attention in a short amount of time, which is great in theory… but the attention fades away almost as rapidly as it began. Successful ongoing social media efforts can provide current and potential patients with continued access and exposure to information about your practice, as opposed to becoming a viral “one hit wonder.” Your social media team should be sharing statistics with you regularly that can help you better understand the impact of your social strategy. Gaining extended exposure and engagement with your targeted audience is far more important for your practice than going viral.
“Will you please post this immediately?”
Understandably, there are sometimes exciting things that come up unexpectedly that you will want to share with your social media followers. However, if you know you will have upcoming news to share, it is always a good idea to let your social media team know about it as soon as possible so they can incorporate it into their plan ahead of time. Some examples include: a new doctor joining your practice, a new office location, a new treatment or technology becoming available, special events at your practice, speaking engagements, receiving awards, and anniversaries (for you, your staff, and/or your practice). Your social media team has taken the time to carefully craft personalized posts that are strategically scheduled out, so letting them know this information in advance can help them tailor your social calendar more successfully. Essentially, there are ideal days of the week and specific times during the day when people are most receptive or likely to see your social media posts! Your calendar should be optimized to take advantage of every opportunity to maximize the reach and engagement potential of your posts.
Contact Rosemont Media
Want to learn more about how our social media pros work their magic? Contact us today to see how we can improve and fine-tune your social media strategy.
Editor’s note: The original version of this post was published on July 19, 2016.