Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Youtube, Yelp, etc. The list goes on and on! Social media platforms are here to stay and many more keep popping up. It can seem overwhelming to keep track of what each platform has to offer and how to use each. So, we decided to give you a breakdown of the top 10 social media platforms and their uses. And what better way to explain social media than with beer?!
Depending on your healthcare practice, you may decide that some social media platforms simply won’t benefit you and that’s perfectly fine! However, it’s important to understand what’s out there so you don’t miss out on a perfect marketing opportunity that’s right at your fingers. After all, healthcare marketing relies on understanding how to maximize your reach through social media in today’s day and age.
Facebook – “I Like Beer”
This social media platform has become nearly everyone’s go to past time. Facebook is a place where you can share photos, statuses, check ins, review businesses, and so much more. Everyone is sharing what they think with their friends on Facebook, hence the “I like beer”. This is the friendliest of the platforms and has a huge online community (aka potential clients/patients).
Twitter – “I am having a #beer”
This platform is responsible for the original #hashtag. Twitter allows users to tweet out 160 characters to say whatever is in their heart. Often times hashtags are involved which places the user’s tweet in a large stream or trend of tweets that used the similar hashtags. There are so many ways to boost your practice by involving yourself in trending topics or simply find tweets about your business.
Foursquare – “This is where I drink beer”
This app has taken the public by storm. The main intention is to allow people to check in to locations and post reviews which in turn allows the app to generate suggested places to visit. Not only can you benefit from positive reviews, but you can become a suggested stop and gain new patients from others sharing their location to their friends! Hence “this is where I drink beer”.
Yelp – “You will like the beer here”
This social media platform is used simply to give reviews about businesses. Whether it’s about loving a chicken sandwich at a local deli or raving about the amazing customer service at your healthcare practice, people are definitely reviewing and others are reading it. Making sure you are up to date on recent reviews will give you the edge to fight back against negative reviews or simply enjoy the praise!
Youtube – “Here I am having a beer”
The infamous social media platform has become marketing gold for any type of business. This platform allows users to post videos that are commented, liked, and shared. You can generate ‘followers’ which are people that get notifications when you post a new video. If you’ve never heard of viral videos, you must be living under a rock!
LinkedIn – “My skills include drinking beer”
This professional platform aims at connecting employees with employers. Users create their own network which can lead to new business ventures, employment opportunities, and more. Perhaps your company needs to fill a position or simply needs to network within your field. Either way, LinkedIn is the answer to your professional online needs!
Instagram – “Here is a photo of my beer”
This social media app is based solely on sharing photos and videos. Everyone is connected by a stream of photos/videos that can be liked or commented on. You can easily get your healthcare practice active on Instagram and share photos of your office space, staff, patients, positive quotes. This platform can benefit any practice!
Pandora – “Listening to a song about beer”
This one really won’t help your healthcare practice grow, but it will provide you with an awesome soundtrack while you work! If you’re ever needing a little motivation to boost your mood at work, just throw on Pandora and select your favorite artist’s station.
Pinterest – “Here are the beers that I like”
This social media platform allows users to create “boards” that are filled with “pins”. This basically means whenever someone likes something they can add it to their profile which is visible to others. Pinterest is filled with DIY activities, recipes, inspiration, etc. Your healthcare practice and create boards that your patients would be interested in seeing such as “Healthy Meals To Prepare” or “Checklist when going to the doctor”.
Groupon – “Find half priced beer here”
If you haven’t personally used Groupon, then you need to create an account asap. This platform is amazing for finding great deals in your area. If your healthcare practice is willing to give discounts for new patients, it is a smart idea to promote those discounts on Groupon because this platform has a huge community. People are always looking for a great deal!
While healthcare marketing can be a confusing and daunting task, it certainly can make your journey easier if you understand the various platforms out there. For instance, if you weren’t aware of the functions of each, how would you know how to achieve your marketing goals? Foursquare definitely won’t help boost website traffic; However, Facebook can be the answer to your website traffic goals. Now that you’re aware of each platform, get out there and start marketing!