We’re all told to get on social media, as it’s one of the easiest ways to make a connection with our prospective patients, build your practice fellowship and online presence — and attract patients.

The thing is that there are different social media platforms out there, and each has a certain audience, etiquette, and requirements. How can we optimize content for all — or some — of them in the smartest, most efficient way possible without burning out?

Is Facebook Best for Your Practice?

Let’s take a look at which social media platform is right for your practice, what kind of content is best performing for each of them, and how to optimize your posts in a way that speaks to the audience, boosts your online visibility, and scales your business.

If your patients are aged 16 to 80 you need a Facebook page. Facebook is the largest social media platform and we wouldn’t tell anyone not to use it. 

Like a website, everyone needs to be on here. It’s home to over 2,000,000,000 users, and any practice that wants to help project their practice online should consider a Facebook Business page.

What Is Facebook Good For?

A Facebook page should be used to make that all-important connection with your existing and future patients. 

Content is key as when you post valuable content, your first thought should be “How Can I Help?”, In your actual posts, we also recommend asking questions and answer them but also encourage interaction and engagement. 

Full Engagement Can Yield Strong Returns

While some practices lack resources to have an online discussion, these tasks can be outsourced to 3rd parties like us. This level of engagement can help a patient feel more open and enables you to showcase your practice. Educate, inform, and entertain.

What Is Working on Facebook?

You don’t want to be posting each day to Facebook if nothing is working. You can use Facebook Insights to learn more about your audience, as well as the types of posts that perform better.

Facebook can generate leads. Post content with compelling headlines and include CTA’s that direct people to your website.

What Should I Post on Facebook?

Post Visual Content

Content needs to be seen and that means visual. Appropriate imagery and infographics are great. but content with movement is even better. This can include GIF and short Form Videos.

TIP: Post content as native content, most Facebook uses tend to not click through to other websites, they prefer to stay on Facebook and not follow you to another platform.

Answer Patient Questions

Once you have a fellowship, take the time to get to know your audience better (a poll would do) and find out what their biggest problem is. 

Facebook users all have questions, including ones that you can help solve. 

Challenge Posts. 

Maybe set a challenge for your followers and see how they react. This is a great way to motivate them, encourage them, and also engages them. For example,before-during-after stories, with positive outcomes or gallery submissions (e.g. newborns).

More Videos

These can be live videos or pre-recorded videos. Types of pre-recorded videos include ‘how-to guides’, blog post summaries, and bulleted tips and tricks but in video form. 

Video content is super important on social media for any practice that is trying to build trust with its audience. 

According to research carried out by BuzzSumo, videos have way more engagement than any other type of content.

What Not to Do on Facebook?

Don’t use a crazy amount of hashtags — they pretty much don’t work on Facebook.

Never tag patients in posts and statuses.

Don’t promote all the time, too “sales” attitude will kill your fellowship.

Don’t like your own posts.

Don't ask questions until you know your audience will engage and react to the post with their opinion. If unsure try rhetorical questions instead.

Boosting Your Conversations

Facebook is a great way to communicate with patients and learn more about them.

You can also consider mentioned Facebook Messenger bots and boost conversions and build relationships.

Call Them to Action

Ultimately, you need to use effective Calls to Actions (CTAs) to drive patients to your website where they can become familiar with your practice and subscribe to future communications like emails and further targeted engagement. So give your visitors a compelling reason to do so. Do that after some solid content marketing and your conversions will increase.

Your Next Step

Content marketing on Facebook is worth investing your energy in. However, creating your own content does takes time. We can help you create custom content through blogs and social media posts.

Contact us today for more information or call 1300 880 230