Using Social Media to boost your medical business

On Thursday I will be participating in a round table event aimed at exploring the future of social media.

This got me thinking about the usage of social media in the medical arena. Are medical professionals now embracing social media more warmly? Are they using it to engage with people or is it still a very static way of cascading information? I’ll try and answer those questions and more.

The evolution of the Internet from static information sharing to a platform that promotes and encourages conversation has had a massive impact on the way consumers communicate and make purchasing decisions.

Conversing with the consumer or patient is a central element in effective social strategy, regardless of the marketplace that your business is in.

Learning to listen and talk with consumers are necessary skills if you want to change yourself into a business that will be followed online. Follows and likes will fall into place if users see that you actively participate in conversations with them. The more you’re followed, the more you can increase your pool of potential customers.

According to Healthcare New Media, 73% of patients search for medical information online before or after visits, which shows just how important it is to have the correct information in front of them in an accessible manner.

By integrating social media into your healthcare marketing mix, organisations can ensure that accurate and timely information is being seen. The benefits of doing so are huge. Many media outlets use social media to stay up to date which will ensure you gain coverage. Staff often use social media to promote their employer which can attract new members of staff and with SEO relying more and more upon social signals your website is also more likely to be found.

If in doubt, give the helpful folk at CobbHealthcare a call and we’ll be happy to help.