If you’re in the healthcare field, then you definitely know that medical facilities are slow to change. Especially when it comes to healthcare marketing. If we had a dollar for every time a potential client approached us and said, “We should probably be on Facebook or Twitter” in 2016, we wouldn’t need to be in business! We’re now in 2017 and if your imaging center hasn’t set up shop on social media, we’re a bit concerned. But, don’t worry it’s never too late to start. Here are the top 7 reasons your imaging center NEEDS twitter to improve your healthcare marketing!
Stay Relevant In Our Constantly Changing World
Twitter is the ultimate hub of what’s happening in the world right now. Twitter users are constantly posting about any topic under the face of the sun, especially what’s trending. If you play your cards rights and use trending hashtags, you will widen your audience and capture the attention of potential patients for your imaging center. Keeping up with trends and posting daily will keep your imaging center at the forefront of what’s happening!
Patients Can Easily Contact Your Imaging Center
Twitter can be a great tool that enables patients to contact your office. If you have a social media team dedicated to your twitter account, patients will receive a rapid response which certainly improves customer service and patient satisfaction. Patients can easily tweet at your medical imaging center to ask what time you're open, what services you offer, etc. After all, we’re living in a fast paced world so make sure your medical imaging center can keep up!
HIPPA ALERT: If your patients contact you via Twitter about their healthcare specifics, tell them to call your office. Don’t discuss their healthcare on Twitter or you can find yourself in violation of HIPPA. Anyone working within healthcare marketing must always be wary of HIPPA violations!
Hello Free Advertising Space!
Take advantage of the free advertising space! Typically, about 20% of your tweets should be promotional, but avoid sounding like an advertisement. Create staff spotlights, discuss your services or post about special promotions your imaging center is offering. Be creative when posting about your medical imaging center so you avoid losing your followers’ attention.
Connect With Other Healthcare Professionals
What is the main referral source for medical imaging centers? Referring physicians of course. Twitter enables your center to follow potential referring physicians in the area in order to start building a relationship. Many people consider LinkedIn the only networking platform, but Twitter can certainly be used to connect with other healthcare leaders in your local area. Take advantage of this opportunity!
Twitter Provides A Chance to Build A Professional Image or Brand
Never pass up an opportunity to spread brand awareness! Creating a great bio for your practice and choosing a professional background will shape the way patients see you on Twitter. The photos and images in the profile that you provide should help build your brand. A poorly written Twitter bio will certainly not help you with your business. Be aware - misspellings, poor images, and missing information will make your staff look unprofessional.
Twitter is like handing out a business card to a patient or another professional. You don’t want to hand out a business card with pen marks or tears in it. It should be clean and professional. Working on a design and brand with Atlantic Health Solutions to enhance your social media presence can do wonders for your healthcare marketing.
Learn About Your Competition
You can learn from other imaging centers on Twitter. Reading their posts, bios, and tweets can give you insight into what you should be doing. When learning about your competition you can find new ways to market your imaging center and attract new patients. The best part is that it’s free!
So, if you aren’t on Twitter we’ll give you a free pass. Just make sure 2017 is filled with social media and online marketing for your medical imaging practice! If you’re unsure where to start, contact Atlantic Health Solutions to discuss your healthcare marketing options.