Healthcare Marketing Archives | Page 2 of 4

When is it time to hire a digital marketing agency?

Can you believe we are already in the last month of 2021? It has flown by, and that brings me to my point of this video today. When to hire a digital marketing agency?

When is it time to bring in a company to help with your online marketing? This can be anything from social media to blogging, videos, your overall strategy, website help, landing pages, lead magnets, all of these components equal a big piece of your marketing, and with online marketing, there’s no way around it. You have to be online.

2020 really showed us that as business owners, there are a lot of people that had been in business for years selling some type of a product at events, and they had a very strong following. Once that went away due to the pandemic and shutdowns, they didn’t have the online component to help support them. Another example is if they were a coach, and just had the in-person meetings, and they didn’t have the systems in place to bring their patients online while being HIPAA compliant and being able to set up those different pieces that they needed to maintain their business.

Now coming to the end of 2021, we’ve learned a lot over the past almost two years. What do we need to do? As a business owner, if you don’t have employees, you most likely have independent contractors, maybe you have a bookkeeper, a graphic designer, a virtual assistant, and all of those people play a crucial role and being able to help you move forward every day, every month, and every year. When it’s time to hire a digital marketing agency, and a lot of times people think it’s just too much, I’m never gonna be able to afford that, and there are different companies with different structures, Social Speak has been in business for 14 years, and we work hand-in-hand with our clients of all different sizes, from just solopreneur up to 52, 125 employees and more.

Looking at what projects do you need help with? Having a virtual assistant is absolutely probably one of the best things you’ll be able to invest your money in because they help with those daily tasks, they’re able to make sure that you are staying accountable and that you’re getting things done that need to be done. Whether that is sending out emails, scheduling meetings, maybe even putting together social media posts, if that’s something that they’re comfortable with. When we come into play is when you need help with that overall strategy. If you are a commerce shop and now you’ve started a Shopify store online and your sales are good and you’re growing, but you need help kind of getting to that next level, what does that look like?

Here are some questions you may be asking yourself:

What does that strategy look like?
How do you implement a successful Facebook campaign for ads?
Do boosted Facebook posts work?
Do you get more out of Pinterest?
How can Pinterest drive traffic to your website?
How do you create those images?

These pieces may be outside the skill set of your VA, which is completely fine. That’s where we come in to help bridge that gap. To be able to get you from point A to point B. We like to work in phases, phase one, this is what we want to do, phase two, phase three, etc. We will be working through things together and you’re able to have that support that you need on a technical side. The behind the scenes stuff can get messy and confusing like the Shopify sites, shipping, e-commerce shops on Facebook and Google, running the right ads, creating the right drip campaigns, and even remarketing ads. How are you able to get those ads in front of more people? How are you able to do a remarketing campaign and make sure that the people that have shown interest in that ad are seeing it again? So they finally say, “Fine, I’ll buy… I’ll buy that item.” We all have seen those ads when we click on something on Amazon and then we see them on Facebook, those are remarketing ads, so how do you create campaigns like that to stay in front of your audience? Are you using the correct system for your email marketing? Are you sending out newsletters? Are you growing your email list? Those are all other pieces that where a digital marketing agency’s expertise comes in and can help you streamline your process and your systems and make sure that everything is in line and working the way that you want it to be working.

Whether you are a solopreneur, a coach, or maybe even have a small business, and you’re thinking of, “How can I… BLANK – create a free download, grow my email list, etc. This is where a digital marketing agency comes in to help you navigate this online world and be able to show the best results possible, because that is key, if you have the right processes and systems in place, your success is only gonna continue to grow and you got into the business because you hopefully love what you do.

Maybe you’re creating these products, you’re hand-making them, or you are importing them, but they are… They mean something to you, you have a mission, you have core values that you wanna share to with the world, and this is what you wanna do, but you lack knowledge on that behind the scenes technical side of things, because in online marketing, there’s something new every day, and things are changing constantly, so if you’re not staying up on top of what those changes are and how to rethink this and make sure that people that are buying your products are then into being synced automatically into an email list and that you know where they came from and you’re using the correct coupon codes, and we can go on and on, but it’s important to understand that you have options and there are resources there for you, like Social Speak Network to be able to help you get from this point to this point, and help grow your business.

If you are looking to grow your business in 2022 and being able to look at that strategy, that overall strategy, what are the things that you need to change, what are the things you need to rethink, what are new things you wanna implement. We are here to help you. Please head on over to socialspeaknetwork.com, schedule a free 30-minute consultation. Let’s go over what you have been doing, what’s been working, and some ideas of what you would like to see and how we may be able to help fulfill that strategy and digital marketing agency role for your business to take it to the next level.

December 8, 2021/by Amber Irwin

Healthcare Marketing, LinkedIn

6 Reasons Why Doctors Should Use LinkedIn

UPDATED BLOG POST – You’ve heard LinkedIn is important but is it really? The short answer is yes.

LinkedIn is a social networking site that allows professionals and business people, regardless of their industry, to connect. With more than 600 million users in over 200 countries, it is the world’s largest professional network on the internet. Despite its popularity, many people ignore this platform simply because they do not understand how powerful it can be for exposing and growing their business.

Do you have a LinkedIn account? Here are 6 reasons to create one or dust off your long-forgotten one.

Opportunity to network

We’ve all heard the phrase “It’s not what you know, but who you know”. LinkedIn was built with that proposition in mind.

If you’re looking to build a strong network, LinkedIn is the best place to start. It is great for building strong networks with other healthcare professionals. It has a decent search feature that can help you find people in your industry. There are also numerous healthcare groups on LinkedIn that you can join. Use your LinkedIn connections to build a community. It is up to you to decide how much time and energy you want to put into this process.

When you’re an active LinkedIn user, your opportunities to interact with other healthcare professionals are virtually limitless. Professionals who are using the platform are open to networking, connections, and possibly, professional referrals. If you reach out to them in a genuine, non-spammy way, they’d be more than happy to have you in their network.

Demonstrate your knowledge and expertise

LinkedIn is essentially a digital translation of your CV. It is a great place for keeping all your career information. In fact, there is an entire section available devoted to recognitions and awards you’ve won. This could be an excellent way to tell your audience that you’re good at what you do.

Many people have a Linkedin account. The problem is that their profile is incomplete. Remember, your profile is the first professional impression people will have of you. Completing your profile with your experience, skills, and credentials will increase your credibility. Think of it as your online CV. Go ahead and show off your skills, academic accomplishments, and professional successes.

Content sharing

Unlike other social media platforms, where the focus of sharing is generally personal content, LinkedIn is a suitable platform for professional content.

The open publishing format of LinkedIn provides users an opportunity to both teach and learn. Here, you can share content that reflects your line of work and presents your thoughts and ideas to a wider audience. You can share blogs that have the potential to create a buzz around your name, participate in discussions and express your thoughts or views on certain topics.

Publishing high-quality content regularly creates trust with your connections and positions you as an expert in your field. If your post is featured on LinkedIn Pulse, your reach is exponentially increased.

If you’re not getting enough engagement on your posts, you may want to check out our blog on how to make your LinkedIn posts stand out.

Tap into industry news

In today’s competitive job market, it is important to stay up-to-date with industry news and trends in order to thrive. With new regulations and technologies affecting the healthcare industry, there are lots of industry news to stay on top of. LinkedIn makes it easier for you to stay relevant in today’s evolving healthcare landscape.

Joining industry-specific groups allow you to connect and interact with industry peers. From here, you can get the latest news, post, and announcements.

Be found online

Whether you like it or not, people are going to look you up on Google. And it’simportant that your patients, students, and other industry professionals find you online.

The good news is that Linkedin profiles have high authority with Google. That means, if you have a LinkedIn account, it will appear toward the top of the search results page.

LinkedIn is a great tool for managing and controlling your professional digital reputation since you’ll have direct control over how your online identity is presented. Plus, it will be easier for future patients to find you. Your profile will not only appear when they search your name but also when searching for your specialty.

Further your personal branding

Your brand is what people say about you. Try Googling yourself to see what comes up. These are the first impressions people will have of you.

In today’s digital world, first impressions are formed online, and Linkedin is the best place for people to “meet” you. Your profile is a showcase of your skills, experience, and achievements. It is a great way to present your professional experience, tell your story, and the goals you want to achieve. Make sure your profile is 100% complete. Don’t forget to update your profile photo.

Remember, you will never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make sure that you do it right. Make one that will differentiate you from the competition and reflect who you are.

April 12, 2021/by Caitlin McDonald

Healthcare Marketing, Pinterest

6 Ways to Use Pinterest for Your Healthcare Marketing Plan

For most people, Pinterest is nothing but a big visual search engine. It is a platform users turn to when looking for DIY projects to tackle, put-together outfits to wear, or recipes to make. But a lot of people fail to realize that Pinterest also provides a great opportunity, not only for businesses but also for healthcare providers and organizations.

Pinterest isn’t the first platform you’d think of when promoting your practice, but it can introduce your practice to a whole new audience. Plus, it can help you drive traffic to your website, generate leads, and even attract new patients.

So if you’re still not using Pinterest for your healthcare practice, now is the best time to get started. Here are 6 ways to use Pinterest for your healthcare marketing plan.

Create pin-worthy images

Pinterest is an image-sharing platform. It is filled with appealing eye candy. So if you want to get gain some traction on the platform, then you need to create eye-catching and attractive images.

Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest’s images are tall and vertically-oriented. The ideal image size is 1,000 x 1,500px and an aspect ratio of 2:3. Also, including texts in your images can make a difference. Not only will it make your pins more enticing, it will also help users know exactly what your pin is about at a glance.

Educate your audience

According to Hootsuite, two-thirds of Pinterest users are women, and the majority of them are mothers. As moms, they are always looking for new ways to keep their kids healthy. If you’re a pediatrician, you can use the platform to educate them and promote healthy eating. You can share kid-friendly recipes, suggestions for making living a healthy lifestyle fun, or help moms identify health concerns in kids.

If you’re an OB/GYN, you can promote good breast health with pictures of what to expect during a mammogram. Or if you’re a cardiologist, you can create a pin on the importance of a stress test, and how to prepare for the said test. Simple pins like these can help take some of the anxiety out of such tests and would help your audience understand the importance of these tests.

Create boards centered around your specialty

Pinterest isn’t just about sharing your content and images. It’s an excellent platform where you can expand the idea of what your brand is.

Create boards that are centered around your specialty and make sure that it resonates with your audience. If you’re an OB/GYN, you could pin educational resources related to prenatal care, fertility tips, and gynecology information. If you’re a yoga instructor, you can create boards about yoga poses, yoga outfits, meditation, and healthy recipes.

The key is to create boards that interest your target audience. The more users engage with your content, the more likely will Pinterest see you as a great pinner. As a result, your content will be more visible in searches. Win-win.

Drive more traffic to your blog

Do you have an updated blog that you post content to? Pin your posts! Doing so can help drive traffic to your blog.

To capture the attention of your audience, the visuals need to stand out. It’s a great way to entice readers to click through your blog post. Keep in mind, though, that you don’t need to pin every blog post on Pinterest. Consider pinning blogs on topics that already have an audience on Pinterest.

To really maximize your pin’s potential, you also have to focus on your copy description. Provide enough information to entice a pinner to click through your blog.

The main goal is to draw people’s attention to your boards, get people to share your posts, and attract clients who are looking for your services. Keep these tips in mind when creating content for Pinterest. It won’t be long before you start seeing them coming to your website to find out more about what you offer.

See what topics are trending

One of the best things about Pinterest is that it gives you an opportunity to see and understand topics that are trending at the moment.

Pinterest acts as a search engine all on its own. Simply type in the keywords on the search bar to see what’s showing up on Pinterest already. Before you start creating pins and driving traffic to your website, it’s a good idea to look around on the platform to see what shows up. You can also check what your competitors are doing in the space.

According to Entrepreneur.com, pins related to trending topics see an average of 94% increase in click-throughs. Use the platform to find trending topics and use the information you gathered to position your products and services.

Promote your event

Pinterest might not get as much attention as compared to other social media channels. However, it remains to be a powerful platform for getting your content discovered and connecting with your audience. That said, this image-centric platform would be a great place for promoting upcoming events.

You can do this by creating boards specifically for your event. Make sure to include all relevant information, including the venue, behind-the-scenes photos, freebies, etc. Also, keep in mind that pinners are planners. In fact, 75% of pins are saved 1 to 2 months before an event. So make sure that you start pinning your event-related content months before the big day.

March 3, 2021/by Kathlyn Angeles-Timbol

Content Marketing, Healthcare Marketing

Content Consistency is KING

We are always talking to you about planning out your content, the importance of having a content calendar, researching your keywords, and it all comes down to consistency. With digital marketing, consistency is king, and this goes hand-in-hand with your social media posts. If you are trying to grow your social networks and you Google how to increase, or how to grow your Instagram followers or your Facebook likes, one of the first things that come up is consistency.

Social Media Consistency

Consistency can look different for each company, that could be maybe two posts per week, three posts per week, or a post every day, and you have to really decide what’s gonna be the best for your business, and if you’re just getting started, maybe starting out with only two or three posts per week, and as your followers grow, increasing that to maybe four or five posts per week. You also need to look at your audience to see when are they engaging with you? So what days of the week? Maybe Mondays are really not high engagement, but Saturdays are or Sundays, so maybe the weekdays are really when you want that engagement going on.

Also, think of is when your office is open. If your office is open Monday through Friday, it may make sense to just be posting Monday through Friday, and not the weekends, if somebody is not there to be able to monitor that activity. But you really need to have that content consistency with each social media platform. We always tell our clients to make sure that starting with, if you’re new to social media or you’ve had accounts but you haven’t really been actively using them, look at the ones where your clients are first. So if your patients or clients are on Facebook and Instagram, start there, and then maybe grow into LinkedIn, if you think Twitter would be the right fit, Pinterest. You don’t have to do them all, but you need to do the ones that you are managing the right way and have that consistency with your social media posts.

Blogging Consistency

A few years ago, even a year ago, having those cornerstone blogs were really important, and these cornerstone blogs could be 3000 to 5000 words, and not saying that blog content would be great on your website, but we were finding it was harder for our clients and us to put together such a big blog post, and it was taking up a lot more time where we weren’t having that consistency with these blogs. SEO is always changing and growing, and we really do follow Neil Patel and the foundation he has built. And so one of the strategies he has mentioned is doing smaller blog posts, so what we call micro-blogs. And this can be if you’re doing an Instagram post and you’re writing a long Instagram post already, you can just add to that and create a blog post. And again, that consistency is huge, because you’ve spent all this time, money, and energy on building this amazing website, and if you’re not feeding it, Google is not gonna see it. So these blog posts at that organic SEO to your website, and each time you are updating that blog post, Google is indexing that content.

Really work on what that micro-blog can be about, maybe you have one overarching content topic that you wanna talk about, and then you’re gonna write three or four or five little blogs that can be 750 words or even 500 words they can be short, sweet to the point. Maybe even thinking of asking a question. What questions are you being asked in your practice and addressing that one question? Go to Google just to search, start typing in that question and seeing what Google suggests, and then write your blog post based on that question, because people are clearly searching for that. So the more clear and niche you are on this micro-blogs, and if you did one per week or two per month, again, having that schedule that works for you, that you can stick to it. That is key.

Video Consistency

This also goes into our video marketing. Videos are huge. We have a podcast coming out with a videographer and his crew in LA, and it is really important, and I know you know this because if you listen to us, you know that we’ve been talking about video marketing, but it’s easy to do one video and then say, “Okay, I’ll do another one.” And a week goes by, two weeks go by, and you haven’t recorded the other video. So having that plan and being able to… If you’re doing these blog posts, add a video to the blog. Your social media strategy, have one video per week. Be consistent, and if it’s easier to take one hour a month and have a couple of different change of outfits and record six videos. These videos don’t need to belong, they can be a variation of one-minute videos to five-minute videos, maybe up to 10-minute videos, depending on the topic you’re talking about, and really just put them all together so you have them. You’re able to put them into your blog post, you’re able to use them on social media, put them on to YouTube, and there’s that consistency.

Start small, start with one per week and work your way up. Then this also goes into all this hard work you’re doing on the digital front, you want to make sure that you are having something where you’re collecting names and emails. In your ads, are you providing a freebie for your audience, are you collecting their name and email, and in return, they’re getting a handout that you’ve put together, maybe it is 10 easy ways to naturally lose weight, or if you are a pediatrician, maybe it is 10 healthy snacks or five healthy snacks for children under the age of 10, something along those lines. Think of these conversations that you’ve had with your patients and with your audience and what do they need and put together something that you can market to them.

Newsletter Consistency

You’re providing a value to them, but then you’re also being able to collect their name and email, be consistent with that newsletter, so they get a welcome email, and then once a month they’re getting a newsletter email from you, so you’re staying top of mind, and in that newsletter, you’re putting valuable content. In that newsletter, you can reuse some of the blog posts, you can do a customized video that’s introducing you and your staff to them if they’re new, so they have an idea, they really feel like they are building this know-like trust factor with you. So they feel comfortable when they’re coming in the door, and especially now with the pandemic going on and still having to take those protocols, video is more important now than ever because people aren’t just coming in, they’re doing their research, they’re trying to figure out where they really wanna go. So having that consistency with the newsletter is really important.

Podcast Consistency

If you’re taking it one step further and you have any podcasts. Again, all of these tools are a great way to get in front of your audience and grow your client base. That’s all digital marketing is. Building those relationships, nourishing those relationships and turning those relationships into paying patients or clients, and all of these tools have a specific way to help do that, and so it’s important to make sure you know how to use them for your advantage, but that you’re not overwhelming yourself either.

If you need help really honing in on this digital marketing strategy and what that consistency looks like for you in your practice, we would love to sit down with you on a video chat and go over what are you guys currently doing, how can we implement new things and help with building that consistency to make sure that your efforts online are working for you?

Schedule your FREE consultation here

February 24, 2021/by Amber Irwin

Healthcare Marketing, Social Media, Tiktok

Tiktok 101: 6 Tips for Healthcare Professionals and Organizations

Tiktok is a video-based social network that allows users to create and publish short videos. The app has been downloaded more than a billion times worldwide and is now considered the trendiest social media platform.

Some of you might be rolling your eyes right now, thinking it’s not suited for you. Sure, it isn’t a serious platform. But as of now, it’s the social media platform with the most opportunities to go “viral”. It provides a great opportunity for you to build a solid online presence and position yourself as an industry expert.

Here are some tips for marketing your practice on Tiktok.

Choose a username that reflects your practice

Your username is one of the most important aspects of your social media account. When you create a profile, make sure that your username is catchy and easy to remember. If possible, try to drop subtle hints about what you do.

Dr. Kim Chronister, a licensed clinical psychologist in Beverly Hills, is a great example of a healthcare professional who’s also an influencer on Tiktok. She’s known as @drkimchronister on the platform. She’s killing the keyword game by making it obvious of her expertise.

Create content that drives traffic

The key to going viral on Tiktok is to create content that your audience finds valuable. So ask yourself, “What are the problems your target audience is looking to solve?”. Now create video content that would help them solve that problem.

You can leverage the platform to attract new people to your Facebook group, get more Youtube subscribers, revive your Instagram account, or drive traffic to your website. You can say something like, “if you want to learn more about this, check out my Instagram or visit my website.”

Engage with your audience, especially the younger ones

Once people learn about your profession, they’ll start asking you health-related questions. Some will even ask for tips and advice. You can use the platform to answer these questions and provide solutions to their problems.

Dr. Jones, known as @MamaDoctorJones on Tiktok, is a gynecologist who uses the platform to educate teens about sex education. Her contents are engaging, and her willingness to be a bit silly on the app helps her get her message across.

In one of her popular videos, she talked about what you should do if a condom breaks during sex. The video has racked up over 11 million views. If the teen demographic doesn’t get adequate education about sex, then you can use the platform to provide reliable information.

Keep the “duet” feature in mind

While scrolling on Tiktok, you might notice two videos appearing side-by-side on the screen. It’s called a “duet”.

Duets allow users to collaborate, respond, or interact with other’s videos. You can create a video with a colleague or an influencer. Or better yet, invite your audience to join you on screen. This is a great strategy if you’re looking to grow your following.

Address misinformation

Living in the digital world, we have access to a wide range of information. Unfortunately, not all of this information is reliable.

With so much information available online, it can be difficult to separate the facts from fallacies. Tiktok is a great way for doctors and other health professionals to reach their younger audience. Use it to educate people about illnesses, general health, and much more.

Rose Marie Leslie, a medical resident better known as @drleslie on Tiktok, shares valuable information about vaping or birth control on the platform. With studies showing that vape use is at an all-time high with teens, Dr. Leslie often talks about vaping and vaping-related illnesses.

In one of her videos, she showed the chest x-ray from a patient with vape-related lung injuries. Dr. Leslie said that she’s been receiving tons of messages from teens who have stopped vaping after watching her video.

In another video, she debunks douching and other scented vaginal products as “a load of medical bologna”. She emphasized that these products can actually increase the likelihood of yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis.

Use Tiktok to humanize your brand

Many of the content on the platform is funny and entertaining. This is why a lot of professionals are hesitant to create an account on Tiktok. But you don’t necessarily have to dance or crack jokes to capture the attention of your audience. You just have to show them your human side.

Remember that your audience are humans and they want to speak with real humans too. People are more likely to trust you if they can connect with you on a more personal level. Make an effort to talk to them as you would with a friend.

By letting your personality shine through your videos, you become more approachable and relatable in the eyes of your audience.

Final thoughts

More and more healthcare professionals are flocking to Tiktok to teach teens and young adults about health issues that matter to them.

As of now, there is very little competition on the platform. This presents a massive opportunity for you to reach a wider audience at a relatively low cost. So if you’re looking to build a solid online presence on the platform, now would be a great time to start.

February 17, 2021/by Kathlyn Angeles-Timbol

Healthcare Marketing, Social Speak

Digital Marketing Tips for Family Practice

Digital marketing tips for a family practice

In today’s blog, we’re going to dive into a digital marketing strategy for a family practice.

Be a resource.

It’s really important to make sure that you are sharing valuable content that your patients and potential patients want to know about, and this can be through social media, blogging, and curated content. When you’re using social media to be a resource, you wanna make sure that you are sharing different kinds of content. Think of what your patients are into, what questions they’re asking. If they’re asking you questions about the pandemic, about kids with COVID, answer those questions. You can do that by, creating an image on Canva and then writing content around it. You can do it by a quick little five-minute video answering some questions that your patients have been asking utilizing social media to be in front of your audience and with social media.

Social Media Ideas

We mentioned videos, also talk about patient stories, ask your patients if they’re willing to share their story if they’ve been coming to you for one condition and they are healing and getting better, and they want to share that story, or maybe they brought their child into your family practice with something and you helped them. Get those patients’ stories. How have you been able to change their lives and get them back to the life they had before they had come into your office? The other one is being able to highlight your employees and your staff, your nurses, your front desk, your doctors, and I think that this is really a turning point for Family Practice marketing, because when your patients, especially now with telehealth, they wanna know who they’re going to see, and they wanna know if they’re coming into the office, that they’re gonna be safe, and especially during these times, reiterating to them that you are taking the right protocols to make sure that they remain safe and you and your staff remain safe.

Highlighting the staff is great because they can see who they are and learn more about their personal life. Do they have kids? Do they have pets? Who are the nurses? Who are the doctors? Highlight somebody every week, and you can do that again just by making a little collage of images, maybe just one of them at the front desk, one of them with their family or their pets. What do they like to do outside of work? Allow those relationships to really start being built by highlighting them on social media. You could also have them do a quick one-minute video. It’s great like this is a great way to utilize social media to really highlight what you guys are or what you guys do and who you are.

Blogging

The other part of being a good resource is having a blog. Blogging is so important, and again, as a family practice, you can cover so many different topics if you just listen to your patients. What are they dealing with? You could have different categories for your blog to be a resource. Once you have that written blog post on your website, that’s social media content that you can then share, your video or your blog post can also be a video, and so think about if it’s easier for you to sit in front of your computer and record a blog. You can also give a transcription ordered of that video, so you have the written content and the video content.

We do this a lot for ourselves and also our clients because you’re killing two birds with one stone. It makes so much sense. If you’re not naturally a writer or you simply don’t have the time, and if you are not hiring a digital marketing agency like ours, sometimes it’s just easier to sit down in front of the computer record and get it done with, and you don’t even have to use a video, you can just use the transcription if you want to. So under being a resource, social media, blogging.

Curated Content.

This is sharing content from sources that you know, like, and trust, so this can be… If you are looking at WebMD, this could be the CDC website with all of the new information that’s coming out on COVID, maybe talking about the vaccines of your area is one of the areas that’s providing them, or you have news tips being able to provide information outside of your original content. This can also be local news. So you are, as a family practice, in this geographical area that maybe you may reach 25-mile radius, so you wanna show that you are involved in the community. So you may wanna highlight if there are new things in your area that are opening or fun safe family activities to do on the weekends, just letting, again, letting your audience know that you’re a resource.

Be Found Online

The second big tip for your digital marketing strategy is being found online. Now, this is really important. We’ve talked about this a few times, making sure that you have claimed your directory listings.

Directory Listings

This can be your WebMD listing, your vitals, your health grades, Google My Business, also just making sure your social media links are all updated that you have one account per social media platform, and also making sure that your website content is updated as well and that contact information is correct. Sometimes we change a phone number or we change something that we forget to then update it everywhere and especially, if you don’t utilize that social platform as much and especially Google My Business if you’re not using that and you haven’t updated it, make sure you take a look and do your due diligence of making sure everything that’s reflecting your practice is updated online.

SEO Strategy

This also ties into your SEO strategy. Making sure you have a strong website presence and that you do have a strong SEO team that’s building that back-end because your audience is going to Google, they’re searching, and so you wanna make sure that you are pulling up for those keywords.

Email Marketing

Number three, the big next digital marketing strategy is email marketing. Email marketing is not dead. This is still a great way to stay top of mind with your current patients because again, they may not come in on a regular checkup, they just may come in if something’s wrong, but you can keep them up-to-date with things that are outside of what you’re posting on social media.

Newsletters

You can do an exclusive doctor interview or FAQ video, and put that just in your newsletter. You can also have an email signup on your newsletter, maybe even offer depending on the season.

Updates and Freebies

You could offer a freebie for them to download, maybe top five remedies for allergy season or 10 healthy snacks for kids age five and over, something along those lines where your audience wants to sign up, they get that freebie, you’re collecting those names and emails. This can be, if you’re giving away a freebie, this could be a lead generation, which we’ll get into, but you’re collecting those names and emails for them to go on to your email list, you have a consistent plan of sending them a monthly newsletter, and then they say oh, I need a new physician. I know where to go, I get their newsletters, I love them. I feel like I already know them. And in the door, they come.

Website Functionality

The fourth digital marketing strategy tip is your website. So it is really, really important that you make sure you have a user-friendly, up-to-date website. It is 2021 and in 2020, we learned a lot about the pandemic and making sure that we had the telehealth implemented into your strategy, that your website is… Your patients can go on there and book an appointment, whether they come in or it’s a telehealth consultation, they… On there, there’s a patient portal, so it’s easy for them to use, to go in and they feel safe to type in all of their information, it’s a secure site that it’s HIPAA compliant, and especially, you may still have, in your patient portal, the new client paperwork, it could still have an option to be printed if you have the older demographics that may not be tech-savvy to fill that out online, but being able to have the option to fill it out online or they can print it and bring it into you.

Have your website looked over by a website expert, see how you can improve your site, making sure you have your blog on there, your social media, about us, you’re highlighting your doctors, you have a strong back-end with SEO, and that when patients come to the site, they understand where to go, that is key. A lot of times and if you’re monitoring your website traffic with Google Analytics, if your bounce rate is really high, over 80%, that means people are coming to your site and leaving quickly because they’re not finding what they need. With Google Analytics, you can also monitor where people are coming from, but also how long are they spending on your website. Are they reading the blog, are they looking at your… If you treat certain conditions and each condition has a page, what page are they staying on and where are they going, making sure that you do have a Contact Us area and that you monitor that.

Patients may be putting in information there, and if you don’t have that right system in place to know where those emails are going, you could be missing out on, not only your current patients and building that relationship with them, but potential patients as well, so just doing that website overview and making sure that is up-to-date is huge.

Lead Generation

Number five for our digital marketing strategy tips is lead generation. So everything that we’ve talked about has really been organic. Social media, you’re creating the content, you’re creating the videos unless you pay for a digital marketing agency to do that, all of these things are things you’re gonna be doing in-house for organic reach. One way to increase and step up your game from your efforts is doing some paid advertising on Facebook and on Google AdWords.

Google AdWords are great for that search engine optimization. So as you do your keyword analysis, then you would make sure that you’re ranking for those keywords, so when somebody types in family physician near me, your ads would show up, your Google My Business listings would show up, so making sure you have that strong Google AdWord campaign running and also Facebook ads. Again, that kinda goes back to number three of email marketing. If you have that freebie, we call that a lead generation tool, that’s something that we can create a landing page for. We can promote on social media, and we’re going to collect names and emails of people that are interested in that freebie, then we’re allowed to market towards them and they’re able to… They see oh, they’re a family physician, this is what they do, and they get the freebie and we stay top of mind with them.

With Facebook ads, it’s also important to run a like campaign to make sure that you’re reaching more people in your demographic, that… And especially in your geographical location, because again, if you have multiple practices, you want a campaign running for each practice or each area, because you wanna make sure that you’re reaching those people within a 25-mile radius, and so lead generation is a really important piece. I wouldn’t start there if you don’t have these other things in place first. Lead generation is kind of the cherry on top, and you wanna make sure you have built that foundation and all these other things are working together before you start your lead generation.

If you need help creating and implementing this digital marketing strategy for your family practice we are here to help you. Click here for a free 30-minute consultation.

January 27, 2021/by Amber Irwin

Facebook, Healthcare Marketing

How to Leverage Facebook Groups for Your Medical Practice

You probably belong to at least 3 Facebook groups, right? But have you ever considered creating one for your practice? If not, then you should.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to leverage Facebook groups for your medical practice. Read on to discover how to use Facebook groups to support and grow your practice.

Build a community

Your practice or organization most likely has a Facebook Business Page. We highly recommend that you create a Facebook group in addition to your page as a way to engage with your audience on a more personal level.

People who will join your group are likely your most loyal patients and followers. They’re spending their free time reading your posts and sharing them with their family and friends. With Facebook groups, you have an opportunity to engage with them directly and show them that you care.

Establish authority as a thought leader

If you want to build authority as a thought leader, a Facebook group is a great way to get serious.

The key to building thought leadership is to blog regularly. Make sure, though, that your blogs are relevant to the industry and add value to the reader’s lives. Your Facebook group is an excellent place to share your blog posts as well as articles on trends and issues that impact your industry.

Thought leadership also requires staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends. Is there a newsworthy topic or a new law affecting the industry? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinion within the group.

Beat Facebook algorithm

It’s no secret that Facebook rewards engagement. In fact, Facebook pushes the post back up to the top every time someone reacts or comments on the post. The more people in your group are posting and interacting, the further your reach in the newsfeed will be.

To keep the flow of content going, regularly post things that will spark interaction among group members. Another idea is to ask open-ended questions. If they’re a really chatty bunch, let them dictate where the conversation is going. Ideally, you’re a benevolent leader who chimes in with support or wisdom when needed.

Provide value to the community

Most people turn to the internet for medical information. Some would visit health sites, while others would go around asking people for advice.

Suppose someone in your group asks specific questions about their condition and treatment, the best thing to do is to send this person a private message and invite him/her to your practice to discuss their question in person. This will help keep their information safe and ensure that you do not violate HIPAA.

Of course, you can still answer to the best of your understanding without sharing or asking for additional private information. You can also share some health tips, advice, as well as some helpful articles to further educate them.

It is a good idea to have rules in place about what is and isn’t appropriate to post. You want to keep the patient’s information private, while still fostering a sense of community and belongingness.

Create a sense of exclusiveness

Everyone wants to feel special, right? Private Facebook groups can provide just that. You have the option to keep the group private and hidden to emphasize exclusivity, keep the community tight-knit, and to keep the quality of discussions high.

You can create a group that is dedicated to your email subscribers. Each subscriber gets a link once they opt-in, so they can join the group. And since it’s a private group, only those who are inside the group can see who’s in the group, the posts, etc.

People can request to join, but you’ll have to screen them first before they can enter. Having some sort of fo qualification for admittance to the group naturally builds a stronger community. People feel like they’re a part of a special club.

Patient support group

People who are dealing with chronic illness, mental health issues, and other conditions can benefit from a support group.

By meeting and talking to people with the same condition as them, they will realize that they are not alone. That they aren’t the only person in the world who is experiencing the same problem. Plus, it gives them hope, seeing others in the group who are further along their road to recovery.

A support group can be their safe haven. Here, they are free to share their feelings and life circumstances within a safe and supportive environment.

As a healthcare professional, you are free to offer tips and advice to help patients deal with certain issues. You can also recommend some books and other resources that will further educate them.

January 20, 2021/by Kathlyn Angeles-Timbol

Healthcare Marketing, Social Media, Youtube

6 Doctors You Should Follow on Youtube

When people talk about social media, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are usually the first thing that comes to mind. A lot of healthcare professionals and organizations use these social media platforms to reach a growing number of potential patients online who are looking for medical information.

While Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can undoubtedly help them achieve their goals, there is one platform that most healthcare professionals tend to forget — Youtube.

Youtube is one of the biggest social media channels in the world, with over 2 billion active monthly users. If your goal is to educate your audience and attract new patients, Youtube would be a great place to start.

If you’re still on the fence about starting your own Youtube channel, don’t fret. We listed down some of the best medical Youtube channels out there. Hopefully, you can use them as an inspiration to start your own.

Doctor Oz

https://www.youtube.com/user/DoctorOz

Doctor Oz was one of the first healthcare professionals to create a Youtube channel back in 2006.

He has a popular daytime television personality whose show is now on its 12^th season. He has also appeared as a health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show for five seasons. Being a celebrity doctor it wasn’t difficult for him to grow his channel. As of writing, he’s racked up over 1.5 million subscribers and over 230 million channel views.

Dr. Oz uploads snippets of his show on his Youtube channel. Each episode has segments on health, wellness, and medical information, including true crime stories and celebrity interviews.

Dr. Mike

https://www.youtube.com/c/DoctorMike/featured

Dr. Mike is a board-certified Family Medicine physician. He has been rocking the social media game for a while now, with over 9 million followers across all channels. He’s the perfect example of a physician who’s leading the way on Youtube.

Dr. Mike taps into his expertise and discusses a wide range of health topics. He also offers tips on how to reduce cancer risks, improve nutrition, and how to live a better life. His videos aren’t all about health tips. He also reacts to popular medical shows and points out discrepancies. This makes him relevant to everyday users.

With his charismatic vibe and undeniable wit, it’s no wonder that Dr. Mike is now considered as a celebrity influencer.

He now has Youtube 6.5 million subscribers 450 million views since starting the channel in 2016.

Dr. Dray

https://www.youtube.com/c/DrDrayzday/featured

Dr. Dray is a board-certified Dermatologist and skincare expert. She’s a skincare enthusiast with a passion for skin and a healthy lifestyle. Her channel is an absolute goldmine of skincare advice and educational videos.

Considering the number of skincare products available on the market, it can be difficult for the average user to decide which ones to buy. Dr. Dray makes the process so much easier, as she uses her channel to review skincare products and give product recommendations. She also talks about the ingredients, costs, benefits, and more of each product she reviews.

Dr. Dray’s channel has almost 1 million subscribers and 70 million video views.

Dr. Josh Axe

https://www.youtube.com/c/drjoshaxe/featured

Dr. Josh Axe is a doctor of natural medicine, chiropractor physician, and clinical nutritionist. He specializes in how the right nutrition has a positive influence on people’s health.

His passion is to help people eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. If you’re looking for tips on how to cure common ailments using natural remedies, then you should definitely follow Dr. Axe.

Dr. Axe started his channel in 2010. His channel has grown since then, with roughly 2 million subscribers and 160 million channel views.

Dr. Eric Berg

https://www.youtube.com/c/DrEricBergDC/featured

Youtube still presents a huge opportunity for you, even if you’re a specialty doctor. Let’s take Dr. Eric Berg as an example. He’s a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He’s also the author of the best-selling book, The Healthy Keto Plan.

Dr. Berg uses his Youtube channel to educate his audience about keto, intermittent fasting, as well as the use of his products. He started his channel in 2006. As of writing, he has over 4 million subscribers and 230 million channel views.

Dr. Hope’s Sick Notes

https://www.youtube.com/c/DrHopeSickNotes/featured

Dr. Ed Hope is an Emergency Medicine Doctor and a Teaching Fellow in the UK. Initially, he created videos as a learning aid.

As a teaching fellow, he wanted to help medical students make learning easier. Today, his contents are centered on educating the public while keeping them entertained. Dr. Hope’s most popular video – a look at the medical scenes in Marvel film, Dr. Strange – garnered over 6 million views.

He created his channel in 2018, and he now has over 450,000 subscribers.

December 23, 2020/by Kathlyn Angeles-Timbol

Denver Marketing, Healthcare Marketing

The Importance of Googling Yourself and Your practice

Hello everyone. Happy Wednesday. I’m excited to talk about Googling yourself today in today’s blog. If you listen to our podcast on Monday, the first two questions that we had spoken about were, why is it important to Google yourself and your practice and how do you fix the information that is out there if it’s incorrect or outdated.

This is something that people sometimes tend to overlook. You don’t realize that if you are a practice owner or if you’re a physician and you’ve been at multiple practices that your information is most likely out there on the web. It’s important to make sure that as a physician or a business owner, you know exactly what is out there and that it’s the correct information, sometimes we’ll get, our phone number will update or our address will change locations, maybe we add a service and we forget to add that to our online content. So in today’s blog, we are talking about Googling yourself, and although that seems kind of silly, it’s actually really important, and you wanna make sure that you are Googling your name, you wanna make sure you’re Googling your name with your abbreviations, you wanna make sure that you are Googling your practice name, your hospital name, wherever you are working because there’s going to be a listing for both your business and you personally.

You want to make sure that you know what is out there, and when you do find something, if a Google listing comes up, you wanna make sure it’s the correct information. So sometimes we’ve had maybe different marketing people work for us, or in the beginning, we may be set up three different Google My Business pages or three Facebook pages, and that happens, but let’s talk through how to fix that. So when you Google your practice name, most likely what will come up is on your Google search, you will have the websites that come up that list your name on them, and then usually on the right-hand side of your screen, if you’re looking at your screen, you will see most likely a Google business listing. And this could be something that you have put together. This is something that Google may have put together. And on the search side, a lot of times those are different directory listings or different websites that you are on, it could be your social media account. So you wanna go through and take inventory of each of those sites that come up that lists either your name or your practice name, and you wanna make sure those are correct.

Now, you can have, Vitals may come up, WebMD, Healthgrades, a lot of different directory listings could come up for your name and practice, so you wanna make sure that, that information is current and that you own that directory listing. So if you click on that website and it pulls up your listing for your name or your practice, there should be a button that says, “Claim this listing.” And you wanna make sure like with Healthgrades and Vitals, it’s one email per listing, so if you are the marketing director of your hospital and you have seven doctors that work there and you’re trying to do this for each of them, it needs to be their email address, so we recommend the physician’s email address with each listing because then that doctor can go there and update it whenever they need to. So you’re gonna go to claim the listing. If you’re the business owner, the same thing, claim that listing, put in your business email account, and then you will have to go back in and create the account, go in and edit the information. And with Google, if there are multiple Google listings that come up, you’ll want to see which accounts that you’ve created and edited that information, if there are accounts that other people or other companies have created, then you can either claim them, you could have them make you an admin, so you can merge pages together, so you only have one Google My Business.

Same with Facebook, depending on if you have a couple of Facebook pages out there, you may be able to just delete one if it’s an old one, or you can merge them, so just making sure you are aware of what is showing up when people are Googling you. The other tool that we use a lot is a Moz, M-O-Z.com. There is an annual fee to this, I think it’s $129 a year, but this makes sure that it keeps all of the information about you or your center current and up-to-date across all different online directories. It does not cover Vitals, WebMD, or Healthgrades. So those are ones you need to do individually, but it does help with the Google listings and other directories that are out there.

One more thing that you kinda do before the end of the year, it’s important to do this once a quarter. You don’t know, and especially if you’re being featured in a different online magazine, Googling yourself. You could also set up Google Alerts, and if you just Google Google Alerts and you put in your… You can set up an alert if you… Any time something goes online about your practicing or your name, you would get an email and you can have a weekly email, a monthly email, you can even have a daily email if you want it to, but this just allows you to say, on top of what’s going out there that has your name on it, or your practices name.

Just to make sure that, that information is current and correct and that it is all consistent amongst all different platforms. So if you have questions or you need help cleaning up your Google search and making sure everything is on the same page, please let us know, and request a free 30-minute consultation today. Be sure to follow us on iTunes.

December 2, 2020/by Amber Irwin

Healthcare Marketing

Fun and Festive Holiday Marketing Tips for Healthcare Professionals

The holiday season isn’t just important for retail businesses, it is also a great time for healthcare providers to revamp their digital marketing strategies.

Most people who have put off elective procedures are now scrambling to slip in final treatments and appointments before the year ends. Since they are typically seeking non-urgent care, they have the luxury of shopping for healthcare. By staying active on social media, you stay on top of mind.

There are many ways you can promote your practice to reach these patients in the coming weeks. Hopefully, these holiday marketing tips will help you get your gears turning and start driving results your way.

Festive social media content

Create a set of fun holiday-themed polls for your audience. Nothing sparks engagement like asking for people’s opinions about certain topics. This will help increase engagement and encourage other people to join in on the conversation as well.

Also, consider creating a series of holiday tips that would benefit your audience. If you’re an orthopedic surgeon, you can share some injury prevention tips. Remember, a lot of accidents happen over the holidays. If you’re a dentist, you can create a series of healthy teeth tips. If you’re a nutritionist, you can share some healthy holiday recipes.

Film a holiday marketing video

This is a great time to spread some holiday cheer and capture that cheer on video. You can upload your videos on Youtube, Instagram, or Facebook.

When creating video content, it is important to think about the nature of your business and the message you’d like to send off to the world. If you’re a pediatrician, you can dress up like Santa and share stories and tips with the little ones. You may also record your holiday greetings for your fans and followers. If you love decorating your office, you may also share a video of it.

Holiday email marketing

Studies suggest that email marketing is one of the most effective tools for brand awareness, retention, and new customer acquisition. Plus, it’s easy to implement and super affordable. Use this to your advantage this holiday season.

Send out a newsletter to patients to recap the year. You can make this as simple or extravagant as you want. But make sure to make it personal.

You can also share healthy tips with your email subscribers. You may offer tips on how to stay healthy through the holidays or share healthy holiday recipes. Now is also a good time to remind patients to book last-minute appointments, so they can take advantage of deductibles before the year ends.

Host a social media contest

Contests and giveaways are a great way to create buzz around your practice. With the majority of people spending more time at home, they’ll have plenty of time to play games and engage with holiday-themed contests.

For your holiday contest, you have the option to do one big giveaway or many small ones. If you wish to go with the latter, consider doing 12 days of Christmas giveaway. Post one prize over a span of 12 days. Since the contest lasts for 12 days, people will anticipate your posts, creating hype for the last days with the larger prizes.

Invite your audience to submit their New Year’s Resolutions

The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on how the entire year went by. This is also a great opportunity to think about improving certain aspects of our lives, including our health.

As we bid goodbye to 2020, encourage your fans and followers to share their resolutions for the coming year. Hopefully, it will encourage them to improve their health habits. You, on the other hand, can use this as an inspiration for your content.

Give back to the community

There are lots of people who are facing hardships right now due to the pandemic. The holiday season is all about sharing and giving. Use your platform to highlight the act of charitable giving.

Highlight a cause your practice is involved in. If you don’t have a cause you support, consider finding one. You can talk about the charity you support on social media and let your audience know that a certain amount of proceeds from your revenue during the holiday season will go to charity.

November 25, 2020/by Kathlyn Angeles-Timbol