According to Content Marketing Institution, healthcare marketers use social media less often than other marketers. But in the digital age, healthcare providers cannot afford to neglect a presence on social media. Doing so will detrimentally affect your practice and cause you to miss prospective patients. Facebook has quickly become a huge, cost-effective platform for digital advertising. With billions of users worldwide, very few platforms rival the social media giant.
Facebook offers advertising options for small and large businesses alike. Over the years, companies reported success in creating a Facebook Business page and utilizing Facebook Ads to bolster their digital presence. While some healthcare professionals may deny the benefits of social media marketing, statistics show otherwise. For instance, approximately 60% of social media users will trust social media posts and activity by doctors over any other group. This high percentage comes as no surprise because many people respect doctors’ medical opinions. As a result, a medical Facebook page’s post will likely increase their reach and engagement when they share their valued and trusted opinions on Facebook.
Still not convinced? Let Premiere Creative’s social media gurus break down the basics of healthcare marketing on Facebook.
Reach Your Target Audience
According to Pew Research Center, 62% of the entire adult population in the United States use Facebook. With so many active Facebook users, your business’s potential to reach your target audience remains high. A presence on Facebook allows doctors to showcase their clinic to ideal patients, even if they aren’t actively searching for information. Once you identify your target audience, you can build Facebook Ads specifically tailored to that audience. Facebook’s targeting capabilities can help ensure those advertisements reach ideal patients. These targeting capabilities use demographics such as age, gender, location, and interests to figure out whom your healthcare company should be attempting to convert into patients.
Connect With Images in Facebook Ads
Attractive, industry-related photos remain a huge factor for increasing your Facebook Ad’s click-through-rate (CTR) and ROI. According to HubSpot, Facebook posts with images see 2.3X more engagement than posts without images. Using emotionally positive images can boost your healthcare advertising. For example, you could use an image of a doctor giving an annual checkup to a smiling patient. This positive emotion can thereby encourage people to click the Facebook Ad. Do not forget to change up your photos and ad creative! This can be a valuable asset to help you test which photos work best for your Facebook Ad.
As you choose your images, make sure they comply with Facebook’s image policy. Images within Facebook Ads cannot contain “before-and-after” images, or images containing unexpected or unlikely results. This means that you cannot imply or attempt to generate a negative self-perception in order to promote diet, weight loss, or other health related products.
Use Videos in Facebook Ads
Similar to photos, adding a video to your Facebook Ad can raise its engagement rate even further. HubSpot reports Facebook users watch an astounding 8 billion videos per day. Videos allow healthcare providers to show prospective clients another side of their business. You can use a video that features your employees, a testimonial, or even a virtual tour of your office to interest prospective clients.
Use Facebook Lead Ads
Specifically for use on mobile devices, Facebook Lead Ads offer users a quick and safe way to sign up for information, offers, and newsletters. Once a Facebook user clicks on your Lead Ad with their mobile device, it takes them to an auto-filled form. They can choose to send the form as is, or for privacy purposes, they can edit the form. After they hit submit, your company will have the prospective client’s information. This option makes collecting contact information easier when you plan on launching an email marketing campaign.
Generate Facebook Reviews
Facebook reviews can truly set your company apart from your competitors. Like Google+ reviews, Facebook users rely on and trust the word of others online. When searching for new healthcare providers, people want to hear about other patients’ experiences with a health care provider before they make initial contact. Thus, generating positive reviews can make your business more attractive on Facebook just as negative reviews can steer potential patients away. Be sure to ask your satisfied patients to help you out by giving you a positive Facebook review!
Beware of Patient Privacy
According to MediaBistro, 23% of healthcare companies do not have a documented security and privacy for social media. This proves problematic as healthcare companies have access to a plethora of personal information. But sharing that information can be in direct violation of HIPAA regulations. Make sure you obtain written permission if you plan on sharing information or a photo of a satisfied patient. Failing to do so can result in possible legal ramifications.
Bringing It All Together
Zephoria Digital Marketing reports over 1.94 billion active Facebook users monthly; so be sure to use the billions of users to your advantage! Is your healthcare company looking to expand its presence on Facebook? Contact the social media experts at Premiere Creative or give us a call at (973) 346-8100 to learn how your healthcare company can use Facebook to resonate with potential patients.
