Healthcare is an increasingly competitive field, and reaching new patients require a strong digital marketing strategy. One of the best ways to attract new patients is through social media marketing.
Social media and healthcare are a powerful combination. It can be a key place to share breaking information, raise public awareness about health concerns, and combat misinformation. When using social media for marketing purposes, it is important to keep in mind that social media marketing is more than just creating an account and then posting updates once in a while.
If you’re looking to do more with your healthcare social media marketing, we urge you to read on. Use these tips to start improving your strategy.
Facebook
Facebook is the undisputed leader of the pack, with over 2.3 billion monthly active users worldwide. Be sure to use it to your advantage.
Many healthcare providers we’ve worked with see great results with emotionally-positive images and videos. You want to ensure your images convey a positive experience and outcome for your potential patients. Also, use videos that feature your employees, a testimonial, or even a virtual tour of your office to interest prospective clients.
If you’re running out on content ideas, try posting information about preventive care. Remind your patients to get their vaccinations, mammogram, and annual checkups. Feel free to show your personality by posting photos of you and your staff engaged in healthy activities.
Facebook users rely on word of mouth recommendations and testimonials. They want to hear about other patient’s experiences before booking an appointment. Encourage happy and satisfied patients to spread the word by asking them to leave a positive review.
Instagram
Your bio is usually the first thing users see when they visit your profile. But with only a few short lines and one link available, you need to make it count. Write a bio to support your intended goal. You need to give your audience a distilled value proposition and impart to them why they should do what you want them to do.
Instagram is a visual platform that is designed for sharing stunning photos and engrossing videos, but it is a good idea to accompany your visuals with a great caption. Also, make sure that you post new and fresh content regularly. People may lose interest if you post duplicate content.
Try posting a variety of content to keep your visitors engaged. You can post a behind the scenes content, photos of your staff, branded quotes, or new services you’re offering.
Twitter
Twitter has the potential to transform your online presence and to help you connect with your patients on a new level.
A carefully composed Twitter bio can convert just as many visitors into patients. Your bio should aim not only to provide basic contact information but also to spark interest in your practice. Include your city and your website’s URL as part of your bio to make it easier for prospective patients to find you.
If you want to grow your Twitter following organically, you need to follow people on Twitter. Be sure to actively follow communities and patients who follow you. Research suggests that the number of Twitter followers you have starts increasing when you begin to follow people more frequently.
When posting on Twitter, be sure to talk to people rather than talking at them. Think of your audience as your friends and relatives. Your tone will go a long way toward defining whether your tweets welcome or alienate readers.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a uniquely purposeful platform for healthcare professionals. It provides an excellent forum for healthcare professionals to build trust and develop a position as thought leaders in their industry. Use LinkedIn to build new connections. Get social and start connecting with colleagues and other medical professionals. Join industry-specific groups so you can take part in discussions as well as interact with other healthcare professionals and prospective patients.
When writing content, be sure to tailor your voice to LinkedIn’s demographics. Instead of writing your posts as you would for Facebook, be sure that you’re gearing them toward the unique community LinkedIn offers. Remember, people who use LinkedIn are geared toward the world of business and professionalism.
Original content increases the likelihood of converting new leads. Write valuable, digestible content that educates your audience. Make sure, though, that you keep your content on-topic, professional, and authoritative. People want to hear your point of view as a professional, not something copied and pasted from your company blog.
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Best-Practices-for-Healthcare-Social-Media-Marketing.png12602240Kathlyn Angeles-Timbolhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngKathlyn Angeles-Timbol2020-11-04 07:00:152020-11-02 16:11:15Best Practices for Healthcare Social Media Marketing
We had the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Suzanne, who is a Health & Wellness Coach on a mission to help women thrive in each area of their lives. Jess shares with us the challenges and successes she has had as an online coach, reaching her target market, staying connected, and growing her business.
To learn more about Jess visit her website at https://www.jessica-suzanne.com/
A little bit about Jess
I help ambitious biz babes boost revenue through increased energy, improved cognition, and time-efficient fitness!
You’re probably wondering, why do I care so much about your health… and the health of your business?
Why am I so passionate about creating a healthy lifestyle?
How do I understand your challenges?
Before I really started focusing on my health, I was a scattered hot mess of stress. I was trying to start and run a business, but my tank was running on empty and I just couldn’t catch any momentum.
I lost my mom unexpectedly one year prior, which was undoubtedly the toughest obstacle I’ve ever been faced with.
Not to mention, the transition out of corporate life was turning out to be way more difficult than I thought it would be!
No routine, no structure, no boss telling me what to do, and no real solid direction…
I thought once I got my health coaching certification, I was going to build my program and all the people were going to come running…
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Online-Health-Fitness-Coach-Tips-with-Digital-Marketing.png7201280Amber Irwinhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngAmber Irwin2020-10-26 07:00:232020-10-26 15:33:25Online Health & Fitness Coach Tips with Digital Marketing
Content marketing involves creating and sharing content that attracts and interests your target audience. The goal is to create high quality content that your audience will find valuable. When done right, it can convert prospects to patients or clients.
If you’re thinking of using content to attract patients and clients, it’s a great decision. By providing your audience with useful and relevant content, they are more likely to engage with you, share the content with their family and friends, and return for more. Not only will it capture the attention of your target audience, it will also help you build your credibility and position yourself as an industry leader.
As compared to other sectors, the healthcare market has shown a slow adaption rate when it comes to content marketing. By implementing a content strategy now, you’ll have less competition in your industry and get ahead of your competition.
Here are 5 content marketing ideas for your practice.
Blogging for Health and Wellness Practices
There may be lots of content out there, but they will never be enough to satisfy our thirst for knowledge.
Blogs are a great way to share new and relevant information while attracting new visitors to your stie. But before you start putting your content strategy into action, it is important that you know your audience well. The more effort you put into understanding your audience, the better you’ll be able to cater to their needs.
Keep your audience in mind when writing your content. Capture their attention by choosing topics they actually want to read about. If you’re a pediatrician, you can use your blog to offer insightful advice to parents, establish relationships with your audience, and attract new patients.
Once your blog is up and running, you’ll be surprised at the opportunities it brings. Establish your authority as a thought leader and you’ll find your practice climbing to the top search results.
Interactive content for Medical Marketing
Content marketing doesn’t have to be a one-way conversation. Get your audience involved through interactive polls, quizzes, and challenges.
Let’s take UnitedHealthcare’s “We Dare You” campaign as an example. They were able to position themselves as a leading healthcare brand using this strategy. As part of their campaign, they provided their followers with quizzes and monthly challenges. The goal is to encourage people to make small changes and live healthier lives. Followers are then asked to share a photo of themselves performing that challenge.
“We Dare You” campaign received two silver awards – one for digital marketing and one for social media.
Patient spotlight series
Sharing patients’ stories and testimonials on your website is a great idea for the same reason Amazon user reviews are so powerful.
Unlike in retail industry, healthcare providers do not offer refund or “return services”. This is why patients conduct thorough research and read online reviews before booking an appointment with a healthcare provider. Without these reviews, you’ll be missing out on hundreds of new patients each year.
Make it easier for potential patients to choose you by shining a light on patient success stories. Patients trust other patients. And in success stories, you, your staff, and the facility are presented as capable. That’s what patients are looking for – a capable healthcare practitioner who can help them with their medical condition.
Video content in Healthcare Marketing
We don’t have to tell you how big video content is in today’s marketing world. People love videos. In fact, recent study shows that more than 500 million hours of videos are watched on Youtube every single day.
We believe that video would be an excellent marketing strategy for your health and wellness practice.
There is a wealth of video content ideas that you can explore – from sharing medical information to how-to videos.
If you’re a physical therapist, you can create a video series showing patients how to perform exercises at home. If you’re a yoga instructor, you can do some pose tutorials for different levels. Or talk about your personal experiences practicing yoga.
Infographics for Healthcare Data
People love information. But if you’re posting links to your blogs on social media, they might not even read them. Why? Because most people have a short attention span. They want to get the information they want without too much exerting too much effort. They want content that are easy to digest and understand. This is where infographics come in.
Infographics are more eye-catching than plain texts. They contain both photos and content, which naturally draw the eye. Infographics are also extremely shareable. Every click or share means more people seeing your content.
Overall, infographics are a fun, engaging medium that can generate a unique connection with your target market.
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/5-Content-Marketing-Ideas-blog.png12602240Kathlyn Angeles-Timbolhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngKathlyn Angeles-Timbol2020-08-19 14:22:382020-08-28 09:37:455 Content Marketing Ideas for Your Practice
People are searching for everything online – from restaurants that will deliver food to their doorstep, to the latest fashion trends. Searching for a health practitioner is no exception.
Your potential patients are looking for you online. The search engine is usually the first place people go to when looking for a healthcare provider. As such, the goal is to make sure you show up at the top of the search engine results page.
When done properly, SEO has the potential to earn an impressive ROI for your practice and attract the leads you need to grow.
Here are 5 SEO strategies to get more patients for your medical practice.
Optimize your website
A well-optimized website can help bring in people who are interested in your service, but who aren’t necessarily familiar with you. Not only will it help boost awareness of your practice, but you’ll also look more credible to prospective patients.
Doing SEO requires knowing who your target audience is, as well as their pain points. You need to start by conducting keyword research.
Using keywords that best describe your business and industry will help make your website more visible. Tools like Keyword Tool and Google Keyword Planner can help you find keywords and key phrases people search online to find your practice.
Create high-quality content
Building a website that highlights your service isn’t enough to get you the top spot on the search engine results page. You also need to create high-quality content.
Not too long ago, ranking your website on search engines was easy. All you need to do is write keyword-packed contents and you’ll start seeing results. But not anymore.
Search engines like Google love fresh, unique content. While keywords are still a vital ranking factor, you also have to consider the quality of your content. Write for your audience first and then search engines.
Having more custom content on your site can drive more traffic to your site and help you rank higher in search results. Write content that is interesting, informative, and unique. Make sure that you do it better than your competition.
Claim and optimize business listing
If you want to attract more patients, then you need to get listed in local directories. While most patients do use search engines when finding healthcare providers, not all of them would book an appointment immediately after making a quick Google search. In fact, studies suggest that 77% of potential patients do further research and read reviews before making a decision.
Claiming and optimizing listing on local business directories can increase your chances of being found by search engines.
Prospective patients usually visit third party sites such as Google My Business, Healthgrades, and more. You want to increase your local footprint to ensure that they find you no matter which site they are looking for. Having customer reviews will also help you gain the trust of prospective patients.
Optimize for local search
One of the best ways to convert a searcher to a patient is to ensure that your location shows up at one of the top three positions in a search engine’s “near me” map.
Potential patients usually search for facilities and doctors nearby. Optimizing your site for local search will make you more visible to people in your area, and ultimately contact you right when they need you.
Be sure to register your business on Google maps. Don’t forget to add your location to your page titles and content on your site.
Build a strong social media presence
Living in the digital world, having a social media presence is a must. While social media isn’t a direct SEO ranking factor, it does help with your ranking somehow.
If you want to get SEO benefits from your social media marketing, then you need to optimize your profile first. Also, make sure that you post updates regularly. You don’t need to create an account on different social platforms. Just choose one or two platforms and maintain an active presence on those channels.
Share your blogs on social media. This will help you reach a wider audience as well as build trust. If people start sharing your content, it’s more likely that more people will link to it. Links are a hugely important SEO ranking factor.
Final thoughts
With the world going digital at a rapid pace, more and more people are turning to the internet to find answers to their health queries and find health practitioners.
Your medical practice can’t grow if it lacks the attention of prospective patients. It’s time to start taking a more focused and strategic approach in getting your practice in front of thousands of potential patients with search engine optimization. If you still haven’t invested in SEO, then you’re giving away clicks to your competitors.
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/5-SEO-Strategies-Blog.png12602240Kathlyn Angeles-Timbolhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngKathlyn Angeles-Timbol2020-08-12 13:05:422020-08-28 09:38:075 SEO Strategies to Get More Patients for Your Practice
Healthcare practices often have an advertising budget, and typically this advertising budget can be split between digital and traditional marketing. We found in our digital marketing experience that Google Ads is one of the best places to run advertisements for your business to make sure that you are reaching prospects and getting new leads into your practice.
We’ve talked in the past about how it’s important to have a landing page and a lead capture system so that you can then follow up with these individuals as well. So here we’re going to be talking more on the Google advertising side of it.
So I’m going to be showing you a few of the campaigns that we utilize for our clients and that we are seeing tremendous results from. So let me jump over and we will share my screen.
Okay, so this is just a random account that we have that has a small budget, but I’m going to be utilizing it for a demonstration of these different ad groups.
Oftentimes, you will already have a Google Ads account set up. You could create a new account. I like always being able to look back and see old data, so you can always pause the ads that you currently have running, the campaigns that you currently have running, and then start a new one.
Traditional search term campaign
So the first type of campaign that I always recommend for our providers to be running is just a traditional search term campaign. So here we’re going to click New Campaign, and oftentimes we have it where we have the lead conversion set up.
We have talked about this in the past as well. But what you want to do is make sure when you have that “Request a consultation” page, that you then have a “Thank you” page, that’s the easiest way to set it up. You can also use the Google Tag Manager to have a tag in the code up here when somebody clicks “submit” or when the thank you message pops up, we find it just easier to have that “Thank you” page. The reason is that you can then make sure that front and center is the phone number to call immediately, maybe there’s an online scheduling tool in addition to just collecting their name, email address and phone number, or maybe it’s a video from one of your doctors or specialists.
So here, if you check leads and then you want a search campaign. And so what we want to do is website visits, and then you could also do phone calls, for example. And you put on your website here.
Try to be as specific as possible
Now, when we are creating ad campaigns for our clients, we try and have it be as specific as possible. By that, I mean we want to have a campaign that’s specifically for search networks and we have text ads and another campaign that’s specifically for the display network.
Now, some of these do have text ads as well, but they’re also the banner ads and you’re having it show up on womenshealth.com, for example. They might have advertisements that show up as pieces of their content. And so if that’s your target market, you might wanna have ads show up there too.
Target by specific location
But the search network, this is for somebody searching specifically for your specialty within your geographic area, so we want to have the search network and then the location. We want to be able to enter a specific location. So when you’re doing this, click advanced search, and oftentimes we will do a radius around a specific area.
So let’s see, I don’t have an area off the top of my head, but you type in your address here and you can go from, one mile, is the minimum, up to hundreds of miles. So if you are really the only specialist in the entire state, you might want to have this be a state-wide radius. If you have multiple locations, you would want to have a campaign for each of those locations.
Target by zip code
So something else you can do is a target by zip codes. So if you have any sort of report that says X condition is more prevalent in this zip code, this zip code, and this zip code, you might want to create a campaign specifically for those three zip codes, rather than doing a radius around the location or a full state or full setting. So that’s one targeting option there.
Target by neighborhood level
We are also working on, kind of internally, ways that we can get more specific and even go down to a neighborhood level, and that would be by having a location, setting it to one mile apart, so you have a radius around a location, and then excluding specific radiuses that are around there, so that you can get that one-mile radius down to a quarter of a mile, for example.
Using longitude and latitude
Using longitude and latitude, a lot of geofencing companies are able to do this. This is different than what we typically are doing on Google AdWords, but I did want to bring that up that there are ways to get more specific than that one-mile radius. But for the search term, typically we want to go sometimes 20 miles, sometimes six miles, it really depends what the competitive landscape in the area is looking like, how easy it is to travel from place to place, you know your location.
Boulder, Colorado, for example, would have a much larger radius that we would run there potentially, rather than New York City, in which case, that would be a much smaller radius.
Target by language
Now, if you’re writing ads in different languages, let’s say you have a high Hispanic population and you wanna do Spanish, again, I would recommend dividing this out, so you have a campaign that’s specifically for that other population.
Budget
As for the budget, we often start the budget around $3-5 per day and then grow it from there. The reason why is we want to see those leads coming in, especially as we’re putting out new ad text, and we also want to have the focus again, beyond conversions, and this is with that lead capture form.
Target cost per action
Oftentimes, we have a target cost per action, and this is just to help Google be able to estimate whether or not their own optimization is helping us reach that conversion metric that we want. Oftentimes, we set this for a healthcare center around $100 or so. Our cost per conversion is often much less than that over time.
Ad extensions
Then there’s this area for ad extensions, we always recommend filling these in. Just the more tools that you utilize through Google, the better it is. Site linked extensions, these lead people to other parts of your website, maybe to learn more about the position or about the practice in general.
Call extensions
Call extensions, these are just more business information, telemedicine consults available, for example. Call extensions, these are places where somebody would be able to click your phone number, especially on a mobile device, and get to call immediately. Google then could track those calls.
So this is a search campaign, you would create the ads, and these ads are text ads and the ads show up on Google at the top, into the sides of the search results.
Smart campaign
The next item that we are going to show is the smart campaign that is driving conversions as well. So smart campaign is a campaign that ties into your Google My Business page, so this is that Google Maps listing.
We recommend every healthcare center has a Google Maps listing, both for your center and for each of the specialists there. So basically, you create the page, you link it to your Google account, and then you add information here. People then can leave reviews for a specific position or for the practice as a whole.
How to setup a smart campaign
So this type of campaign, again, you click new campaign, you want leads, but you’re going to click the “Smart Campaign.” And so here, we recommend having a campaign that specifically is for calls for your business and potentially one depending on what type of center you are for visits to the store front.
So let’s click “Calls to your business.” And it’s important as you’re setting up this campaign to link it immediately to your business page.
So here, I’ll do “Share Social Speak Network,” and our goal, in this case, you can have it be to get more calls or to get more leads through the website.
So for our healthcare practice, oftentimes people still do want to talk with somebody on the phone as they’re scheduling that consultation, especially if you have a specialist, a doctor who’s a really well-known specialist in the area, you want to make sure that you are advertising his or her Google My Business page, and that you have this get more calls.
Target by specific zip codes or areas
For these campaigns, we recommend having it be in specific zip codes, for example, to make sure that you are targeting the right people. So again, this is driven by leads and then I selected the “Smart Campaign.”
And so you can set up specific areas. We want it more specific than just the location, so let’s say we did Niwot, Colorado, for example. Niwot is a small town, so that is a very specific location right here. However, if you did Manhattan, you’d want to narrow it down to specific zip codes from there.
Keyword themes
Here, you choose what they call them keyword themes. So basically in Smart Campaigns, you have less control over the keywords that you’re going to be bidding on. So it will give you suggestions for things to use.
Now, I would X out all of these and start with a fresh list. So if you are a gynecologist, you’d want to do Gynecologist. If there’s a special type of birthing plan that you do, you can put that in, if you have a doula, you could do that. So really just making it very specific about what type of people you are trying to attract with the ads that are within this campaign.
I didn’t mention this with the search campaign, just ’cause I didn’t go through far enough in it, but when you choose the keywords, you want to have multiple ad groups potentially for each of your centers. For example, we have some clients who have multiple practices and within those practices, they have potentially five different specialties.
Ad campaign settings
So we have an ad campaign, search ad campaign, let’s start with, that is for the center and that so that we can really identify what their budget is and easily track conversions from there. Then within that campaign or a search ad group for each of the different specialties.
Some people do it the other way where they have a campaign that’s just for the specialty, and then each of the ad groups are for the specific locations. It doesn’t really matter which one you do, though we find targeting by geographic location is a lot easier on the campaign level than on the specific ad group level.
For these ones, for example, you’d want to just focus on a singular specialty within these keyword themes, so even if you provide five different services, 10 different services, 30 different services within your center, you want to make sure that these keywords are all very specific towards one of the services that you provide. The reason is because the next thing that you’re going to do is create the ad text. Now, this ad text has to be directly related to the content, the searches that you are wanting your ad to show up for.
So if you have a campaign that’s running in an ad group that’s running a Smart Campaign that’s for knee surgery, you don’t want your ads to all be talking about hip surgery. You want them to be aligned. So in that case, you’re an orthopedic surgery, I would have an ad campaign that specifically is for one type of knee surgery, you could even divide those into two different types of knee surgeries or joint replacement versus ACL tear versus all of these different things, just so that it’s as specific as possible.
You want your ads to directly correlate to the content, keyword, the searches that people are looking for. So the thing to make sure that you do here is when you are writing an ad, you want to make sure that the clicks to the ad go to a special place. You also want to make sure that you have a phone number that’s specified for that call extension.
So when somebody sees the ad, they are going to see that there’s this “Click to call” button with the phone number here, and so they would actually be able to click on this call and then that number, for example. And so that’s really powerful.
Google actually then tracks how long those phone calls are. Basically it says, you have a Google My Business call or a Google phone call, and then it will transfer over to the person who’s calling. So they hear just like a normal phone call, your admin, your staff will hear it, a brief Google message. So just make sure that they know that that message is going to happen, and then you’ll be good to go.
So these are the two types of ads that we really recommend running. Again, in the campaigns, new campaign, we have both of them under the leads and one search and one’s the Smart Campaign.
Video campaign
Now, we also utilize video campaigns in the display network, etcetera, we’ve run Gmail ads before, but these ones we’ve found to be much better for overall branding, whereas the search campaigns and the Smart Campaigns are really driven by those conversions and getting leads, new patients in the door for your practice.
We’ve seen even the day that some of these campaigns are set up, that new leads are coming in for our clients. Sometimes it does take a little bit longer, but as long as you have that content where you’re focusing on a call to action, you’re showcasing your expertise, you’re trying to build trust, even though it’s just a small amount of text, these are really where you’re going to see people calling up and wanting to schedule a consult with you with your business.
Additional tips
So please take a look at your Google ads when you’re creating them. Again, be as specific as possible with the keywords that you’re focusing on, as well as the ad text.
We’ve even run ads and set up campaigns for people where we only want the ads to show up for one single keyword, and that’s because that keyword is so important to us and we’ve seen a majority of the conversions come from that keyword.
So you can get that specific, where you have one keyword, one zip code and it goes to a landing page that’s specifically about that service, has a video of the doctor, and is just really powerful.
The display network, video network, etcetera, these could be used for retargeting ads, for example, but Google does have some pretty strict guidelines on healthcare and who can actually run these remarketing campaigns.
Get a free 30-minute consultation
So please, if you have any questions about how to set up the Google ads for your healthcare center, or just to double-check that they’re set up as we would recommend them to and how we’ve seen results before, please head on over to Social Speak Network, click on that “Free consultation button,” we’re more than happy to set up just a 30-minute call to run through your ad groups, your campaigns, make sure that they’re working as efficiently and effectively as possible for you and for your healthcare center.
Be sure to subscribe to our channel on YouTube, on Podbean, iTunes, and also jump on over to Social Speak to follow us over there.
Dr. Nick graduated from Sherman College of Chiropractic in 2004 where he earned the honors of Magna Cum Laude and the Rising Star award given to a recent Sherman College graduate who has demonstrated exceptional achievements and service in the community. Dr. Nick’s focus on education came from growing up in a household with two amazing teachers as his parents. He has lectured both internationally and locally on a wide variety of health and life topics. Dr. Nick first learned about the importance of a healthy functioning body during an internship in a pediatric oncology unit in Madrid, Spain. From that point on, it was his mission to learn as much as possible to be able to help as many people as possible.
When Dr. Nick is away from the office, you will find him spending time with Dr. Rachel and their “magic man” of a son, Noah. He also enjoys spending time with friends, gardening, running, practicing American Sign Language, spending time in nature, reading, and playing basketball.
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/chiropractic.png7201280Caitlin McDonaldhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngCaitlin McDonald2020-06-17 15:02:142020-06-17 15:07:44Interview with Dr. Nick Kapustka on how to Build Relationships as a Chiropractor during COVID-19
The unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak has holed up a huge chunk of the global population in their homes. It has created a healthcare crisis alongside an economic crisis. Unfortunately, no one seems to be able to say when the COVID-19 outbreak will end.
With emotions high, it is important now more than ever to put extra thought into what messages you share with your target audience.
Here are 6 ways healthcare providers can maximize their social presence during the COVID-19 crisis.
Educate your audience
Studies suggest that nearly 66% of internet users get their news online, specifically from social media.
Information is powerful and can help save people’s lives, especially during this pandemic.
COVID-19 cases have surged across the globe, so does the number of people searching for information about the virus. People need answers to questions like:
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
How will I know when it is time to seek help at a hospital?
Should I stay home if the symptoms are minor?
Where can I get tested?
How do I avoid infecting others?
As a healthcare professional, you have enormous potential to educate your community. Your first step would be to provide answers to combat those concerns. Write a blog or record a video, and then post it on your social media page.
Beyond the fact that it is the right thing to do, sharing valuable, accurate information can help you grow your authority and build your organization’s thought leadership.
Counteract misinformation
Living in the digital world, information is just a mouse-click away. This free information age is a good thing. Unfortunately, false information is rampant, especially on social media. Some people who see them may think what they are reading is actually true, and that could be harmful. Worse, people are sharing “fake news” to their family and friends.
In a step in the right direction, WHO has launched a chatbot on Facebook Messenger to combat COVID-19 misinformation. The WHO Health Alert was developed in an effort to provide instant and accurate information about COVID-19. This movement aims to help people understand the facts related to the disease, protect themselves from COVID-19, and prevent its spread.
Counteract misinformation by sharing factual, accurate information about what is currently known about COVID-19. Another option is to share blog posts from trusted sources such as the CDC and WHO.
Encourage social distancing
Despite the surge of COVID-19 cases across the globe, a lot of people still underestimate the seriousness of the virus.
At this point in time, people’s safety is a top priority. You can use social media to help people understand that this is absolutely serious. Globally, more than 2.25 million people have been diagnosed with the virus, and more than 170,000 have died.
Use your voice to convince people to comply with social distancing, stay at home, and consequently help flatten the curve.
Take every opportunity to engage
With COVID-19 sending people indoors for more hours than they’re used to, many of them are relying on social media to stay in touch with family and friends, consume news, and entertainment.
Your fans and followers are spending more time online than they ever have before, and you want to stay connected to them. Take this opportunity to engage with your audience and deepen your relationship with them.
Social media is a great place to start a conversation, inspire, and spread the good news. Get in front of the camera and talk to your audience. People need hope. They want to see that there is a reason to smile. We all know that it is a difficult time, but you want to continue to uplift and inspire your followers.
By answering questions and concerns, as well as providing updates about patient recoveries and treatment options, you are acting as a resource to those who are anxious and could use some extra help to get through this difficult time.
You still have to comply with HIPAA
There are no dedicated HIPAA social media rules. But as a medical practitioner, you still have to comply with HIPAA regulations.
You must protect the privacy of your patients at all times. That means you should never include information that can be used to identify individual’s patients or their medical records. This includes name, photos, date of birth, medical data, social security number, etc.
Consider telemedicine
Living under lockdown conditions while a pandemic encircles the globe can be difficult. As basic supplies go short and some healthcare professionals get diverted to COVID-19 wards, some patients are struggling to get treatment.
Integrating telemedicine to your practice means being able to see patients who need routine checkups without risking a visit to a medical office. Instead of leaving the house and sitting in a waiting room full of other vulnerable patients, patients can get the care they need at the comfort of their homes.
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/How-to-Maximize-Your-Social-Media-Presence-During-the-Pandemic.png1200800Kathlyn Angeles-Timbolhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngKathlyn Angeles-Timbol2020-04-29 10:20:472020-10-02 14:46:04How to Maximize Your Social Media Presence During the Pandemic
Over the last decade, telehealth has gained much traction on a global scale. It is quickly becoming a pillar of modern healthcare and is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.
Through telehealth, patients are given the option to consult a healthcare provider at the comfort of their home. This translates to happier patients, more revenue for your practice, and improved workflows that save you time. In order to facilitate these virtual visits, you will need an intuitive interface and a secure system.
What is telehealth software?
Telehealth software is the platform used by healthcare providers to provide remote clinical healthcare when they cannot meet in person. Through this software, healthcare becomes more accessible and cost-effective.
Telehealth software is not just a simple tool. Healthcare providers will need a secure portal where they can conduct remote patient examination, collect data, as well as store, share, and analyze confidential medical information and records.
There are literally hundreds of HIPAA-compliant telehealth solutions in the market. Use this as a guide to selecting the best telehealth software for your practice.
Doxy.me is safe, simple, and secure platform that lets physicians meet with patients remotely. The cloud-based system can be accessed via any web browser or smarthpones.
Simple, accessible, and free of charge, doxy.me is on a mission to make telemedicine simple and easy for you.
Features include:
Free for all to use
Business Associate Agreement (BAA) included on all accounts, even the free version
High quality audio and video
Accessible from anywhere – desktop, laptop, and mobile devices
Healthie was built specifically for nutritionists, dieticians, health coaches, and other wellness professionals. It is a web and mobile platform that allows nutrition and wellness professionals run their business and collaborate with their clients. It includes core business features such as scheduling, client education, charting, bills and payments, virtual care and more.
Healthie has all the functionality you need to run and grow your nutrition and wellness business in one software. No more cobbling together different tools.
Features include:
Access from any device – laptop, desktop, mobile phones, and tablet PCs
Practice Better is a complete, secure cloud-based practice management platform for health and wellness professionals. It is packed with features designed to relieve health and wellness professionals of burdensome adminstrative tasks.
It saves you hours of work, so you can help more reach their health goals. With Practice Better, you can manage your professional recommendations from one secure place.
With Simple Practice, you get a secure, fully integrated video solution. Your client communication, notes, calendar, and billing are combined in one system. That means, you’ll have more time seeing your clients, getting paid, and growing your business.
Features include:
HIPAA compliant
Conduct secure video appointments with your clients
Free telehealth resources
Automated billing and insurance processing
Paperless notes and documentation
Share videos, goal tracking, worksheets, and more from your screen
Chiron Health is a powerful telehealth software solution that is designed for practices of all sizes. The system makes it easy to successfully implement a telehealth program in your practice with simple patient features, streamlined workflows, and customized plans. It allows users to schedule appointments with patients based on their availability, updates practitioner calendar.
Chiron Health also offers eligibility checks to verify informed consent documentation and insurance information.
swyMed is a patented telehealth software that is designed for community paramedicine programs, emergency response encounters, home and hospital health monitoring.
swyMed’s patented software overcomes traditional connectivity issues. It allows hopitals to use their medical expertise in the ambulance and at the scene of an emergency by delivering reliable, real-time video telemedicine, even in low bandwidth areas.
Features include:
Community paramedicine made easy
Extend the reach of your hospital
Reliable, real-time video telemedicine
Connects specialist and patients in live video
HIPAA compliant and fully secure
Home health solutions
Final thoughts
Considering how much traction telehealth is gaining during the current pandemic, it is important to choose a software that works for your patients and the specialty you practice. The right telehealth software has the power to change the way you provide healthcare for the better.
If you need help finding the right teleheatlh software or you’re interested in integrating telehealth into your practice, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.
We’d love to offer a free 30-minute consultation call to discuss the ins and outs of implementing a telehealth feature into your practice.
Today, I want to talk about five different things you can be doing right now with all this extra time we have on our hands.
Most of us are working from our home offices and trying to move our businesses from an offline to an online service, and that could be a little difficult. We’ve talked a little bit about different things that you can do to help make that transition a little bit easier. And today I just want to give you five more things that you, guys, can be doing at this time to stay top of mind with your patients and keep your marketing going.
Blogs
So, the first thing is the blogs. Usually, blogging is something that gets put on the back burner because we’re so busy. We don’t have the time to sit down and write blogs. Maybe we’re not natural writers, it’s not something we really enjoy doing. And I understand that I am not a natural writer. It’s hard for me to sit down and write a 3000-word blog post. One really cool tool that we have discovered, and we use all the time, is called Scribie. And I’ll put the link below.
This is great because it allows you to do a video recording, just like this, and you can send in the audio file or the video file to Scribie, and they do a transcription of that file. This is a great way because now that video that you did acts as two benefits. You have the video for YouTube, but then you have the content for your blog that’s going to help with your SEOs, so it’s serving dual purposes.
Now, the other thing, if you have an audio file or an audio recording on your phone or different device, then you are able to upload that MP4 file to Scribie as well.
We use Zoom to record the videos, and then we upload the audio file because, with Zoom, it provides you both the video and audio, so that’s perfect. And so I think MP4 is video and MP3 is the audio. So, if you’re just doing an audio recording on your phone, just then upload that MP3 file into Scribie, and it will transcribe your blog. And for fairly reasonable.
Most blog posts are under that $10 mark to transcribe, and then you need to edit them, make sure your grammar is correct, and then you can put them into your blog post and format them with your header tags and your images. This saves a lot of time. This is something that we’ve really been able to focus on, is doing one to two video blogs per week and really making sure that we’re working on that content strategy. That’s number one.
Telehealth
Number two is really considering implementing telehealth. We have recently done a blog on telehealth, and what it is, and how to implement it, but now this is becoming a little bit more of a normal thing. Y
Now that your patients can’t see you face-to-face in your office, telehealth is a great way for them to see you face-to-face via video, whether that is through Zoom or a different tool used for the health care industries. So, really thinking of how can you implement telehealth into your practice to be able to see your patients, continue the business, and make sure that you’re giving them that peace of mind.
Videos
I know you probably are so tired of us saying “videos, videos, videos,” but really right now, your audience, your patients, they’re turning to social media more now than ever, and it’s important that they see your face.
As their health care practitioner in whatever field that is, it’s important that they see you, that they hear you. That gives them peace of mind that things are going to be okay. And I’m not saying that every video you do needs to be around the topics of COVID-19 or whatever is going on, but I would just educate them. Maybe if you’re working with kids, you can do some different cooking, some different recipes that they can try. Since the kids are home, you can give some study tips, maybe some art tips, nutrition tips, things that your audience can find valuable. And that you get creative with your videos.
If your staff is working from home, maybe do a weekly behind the scenes, like “Hey, this is Nurse Becky and this is her dog, Sam,” or whatever it may be. Get creative with your videos, and really allow this time of vulnerability to be there for your patients. You can ask for videos from them, too. Have a contest of the most creative art project or recipe concoction, whatever that may be.
If you’re working with elders, maybe you’re putting out crossword puzzles or word searches, things to keep them active. And that’s where I feel videos are great. They’re building that relationship on a much deeper level.
Ads
People may be wanting to cut costs right now because of that uncertainty, which we understand. One thing that you do not want to cut right now is your marketing.
It’s so important to make sure that you have your Facebook ads running, you have your Google ads running. And maybe you cut back that budget a little bit, but you still are doing business as normal. And especially if you are starting to implement telehealth, that maybe something that you really want to put a little bit of ad spend behind to promote because now you’re able to reach more people and help even more people, rather than just the people in your demographic area or geographical area.
Facebook ad campaigns, you want to make sure you leave them on, that you’re re-marketing people. And that’s something that we can help you with. If you’re confused about how to get that setup or how that works for your practice, we’re more than happy to help you with that, but make sure you have your ads running.
Patient check-ins
Lastly, take this time and do some patient check-ins. Go through your charts. If you haven’t seen anyone in a while, or you have a client that may be a higher risk or you are worried about, just do a simple check-in. Maybe even handwritten notes. I know that sometimes it takes a little bit of extra time even if you put together a newsletter, and you had your patients the newsletter just updating them.
I think it’s really important to build relationships and community right now, and make sure that you are again staying top of mind because that’s what your patients need right now. And so just doing that patient check-in, whether it’s individual… And you may have thousands of patients, so checking in with each of them won’t work. But if you can do a newsletter, where it is individualized to them, and you could say “Go do a video,” but just letting them know that you’re thinking of them and that you’re here for them, and maybe giving them some tips that you can help them, you again maybe introducing the telehealth series and letting them know that that’s an option.
Final thoughts
So, think of your target market and how you can utilize this time in a different way to focus on your marketing and being able to reach more people. We may have extra time on our hands and most of us are, like I said, working from home.
So If you need help with any of these things, we would love to schedule a consultation with you, head on over to socialspeaknetwork.com, click on FREE consultation, and we will talk to you soon.
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Online-Marketing-Blog.png1200800Amber Irwinhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngAmber Irwin2020-04-08 10:51:142020-04-03 15:54:115 Things You Can Do to Increase Your Online Marketing at This Time
Over the last two decades, our lives have been slowly taken over by technology. From mobile communication to bills payment to food ordering, people are constantly looking for ways to simplify their lives.
Today, patients crave the same type of convenience when it comes to healthcare. They want an easier way to reach their provider and stay engaged in the medical process without exhausting themselves and their time. Healthcare providers, on the other hand, are also struggling to effectively reach patients in rural areas. This is where telehealth comes in.
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth is the use of digital information and communication technology to deliver healthcare, health education, and other health-related services remotely.
Mobile health apps, remote patient monitoring, and live video conferencing are examples of technologies used in telehealth.
Benefits of Telehealth Program
If you’re wondering whether adding telehealth to your practice is worth the time and effort, keep reading. Here are some of the top reasons for adopting telehealth for your practice.
Expand your patient base
Telehealth can overcome barriers to health services caused by the distance between a healthcare provider and a patient. It allows physicians to connect with patients outside of their geographic region.
In today’s healthcare world, convenience is key. Adding telehealth to your practice makes you more accessible to patients and give your practice a competitive advantage over similar practices in your area.
Elderly, working parents, patients from remote areas, and those who are less ambulatory during post-operative recovery can receive the best possible care even when hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities are hundreds of miles away from their home. The convenience it affords can help you retain current patients and attract new ones.
Saves patient’s time and money
Patients in rural areas need to travel for several hours just to reach specialists in urban areas, not to mention the time spent hanging around in the waiting room. The cost of travel, childcare, parking, and taking time from work can easily add up. Some patients would skip treatment entirely due to the burden of excessive travel.
Telehealth is a cost-efficient alternative to in-office visits, especially for patients with a chronic condition that requires frequent appointments. It allows patients to receive care in their own home instead of traveling long distances. That means patients save on time as well as transportation costs and child care.
With telehealth, appointments can be scheduled before or after work or during lunch hours. No more hanging around in waiting rooms. No need to worry about taking time off from work either.
Stay connected with patients during challenging times
As the number of COVID-19 cases skyrockets across the globe, people are asked to stay at home and maintain social distancing. But for patients with a pre-existing medical condition, doctor’s visits cannot be postponed indefinitely.
Since a telehealth visit can be done form the patient’s home, there is no risk of being exposed to the coronavirus or other pathogens. It keeps patients safe by keeping them out of doctor’s offices and emergency departments.
With the ease and convenience of telehealth, you can see your patients and provide follow-up visits, reinforcing treatment adherence, and offer specialty services during challenging times.
Integrating telehealth into your practice
Patients want the ease and convenience found in telehealth programs. In fact, one study revealed that 80% of patients want access to virtual care. Despite the increasing demand, many doctors are still reluctant to try telehealth in their practice.
Many healthcare providers are worried that telehealth is too complicated and time-consuming to implement in their already busy practices. But the truth is integrating telehealth into your practice doesn’t have to be complicated.
Review laws and policies
States have their own laws around telehealth licensing, consent, and reimbursement. Call your state medical board to determine what laws govern this service.
Make sure you have the right equipment
As mentioned above, telehealth uses telecommunications technology to provide healthcare from a distance. It is likely that you already have a computer, phone, and internet connection.
If you’re using a desktop computer, then you’ll need a webcam and microphone in order to do any sort of video conferencing. HIPAA-compliant software required for privacy and encryption should be installed on your computer or laptop.
Select a platform
Not all telehealth platforms are created equal. That said, it’s important to do your homework before choosing a telehealth platform.
Ease of use, reliability, and affordability are just some of the key factors to consider when selecting a platform. Also, it is vital to ensure that the platform is:
Integrated with your EHR solution
Secure and HIPAA compliant
Equipped with a method for verifying patient eligibility for reimbursement
Easy for staff and patients to use
Test it out
Once you have the technology set up, perform some trial runs. You want to make sure that you and the staff are comfortable and properly trained in using the technology. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use it effectively with your patients.
Encourage your staff to log in on the telehealth app and practice accepting and arranging visits. Get comfortable starting and ending calls, inviting others onto the platform, and adjusting audio and video. You can also try it out with a couple of patients and get feedback.
No matter how expensive your equipment or how reliable your software is, it won’t help your patients if your staff does not know how to use it.
Set-up your workflow
To prevent misunderstandings, make sure that all your staff is on the same page. Bring them up to speed and include them in your training and workflow discussions.
Start by asking these questions to ease telehealth into your workflow:
When will the visits occur?
Who will be involved in scheduling telehealth appointments? Who is responsible for coordinating follow-up care?
What information do you need to gather from the patient before a meeting?
How will you bill patients?
Market it to patients
Inform potential clients who may benefit from this kind of technology. Let them know that video visits are an option. Be sure to explain the advantages of telehealth and how it works.
You can post articles on your website, put up signage in your office or you can bring it up to patients during in-person visits.
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/What-is-Telehealth-Blog.png1200800Amber Irwinhttps://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.pngAmber Irwin2020-04-01 12:25:392020-04-01 17:44:43What is Telehealth and How It Can Benefit Healthcare Practices