Social media for healthcare marketing

Social media can be utilized for marketing health-related services and products.  This requires an understanding of social media marketing so that it can be properly employed.

Previous articles have discussed the uses, advantages, and challenges to usage of social media for health-related purposes.  Another aspect of healthcare platforms which is progressively being utilized is marketing services and products.  Social media can be a powerful and impactful method to market healthcare professionals and their services and products.

In order to optimally utilize social media for marketing purposes, it is important to understand the aspects and principles of social media marketing.  This is not a typical component of medical education and, therefore, can be unfamiliar and potentially overwhelming to many healthcare professionals.  By developing a better understanding of the advantages, disadvantages, and recommendations for social media marketing, healthcare professionals can better leverage the benefits of this modality.

Mufti et al recently reported a literature review which emphasized provision of information related to the use of social media for marketing of healthcare services and products.  They also sought to identify relevant factors impacting users.  For the purpose of their study, they defined social media as any internet-based application which allowed individuals and/or larger groups or communities to communicate and disseminate information.

They emphasized that in order for healthcare professionals to be successful with social media marketing, it was first necessary to be willing to use the technology and stay updated with evolutions and innovations within the technology, as is continuously occurring.  They noted that marketing healthcare products and services incorporates all aspects of healthcare utilization.  This includes accessing and receiving care as well as recommendations for future use.  Marketing healthcare services and products on social media was noted to benefit business growth and development, provide wider access to target audiences, enhance brand promotion, and promote education amongst users.

Advantages to social media marketing included greater engagement between healthcare professionals and their patients and audience, improved cost-effectiveness of marketing campaigns compared to traditional methods, and greater reach to a larger number of people within the target audience.  Disadvantages of this modality included the greater potential for misleading information and lack of direct physical contact with patients which may negatively affect the therapeutic relationship.

Mufti et al described several recommendations for healthcare professionals marketing their services and/or products on social media.  Building recognizable brand awareness is an important component of a successful marketing strategy.  This ensures that future patients and target audience members are able to easily identify the professional’s services and products.  They advised that current health-related news and developments within the healthcare professional’s niche should be disseminated through their social medial platform.  This demonstrates to the target audience, including patients, a level of content knowledge and expertise.  Patient education and awareness is recommended to be an important component of the social media platform in order to provide information that is pertinent to potential as well as current patients.  It was also recommended that the success of services and products as well as patient outcomes be demonstrated so that future patients are aware of realistic expectations.  In doing this, maintenance of confidentiality and protection of personal health information is crucial.  Promotion of health-related habits and products should include patients to the greatest extent possible.  They also recommended facilitation of constructive and positive engagement and discussion between healthcare professionals and their patients and audience.

The information reported by Mufti et al can be utilized by healthcare professionals to better understand the components and methods of social media marketing.  With this knowledge, it is more likely that a health-related social media marketing campaign will be successful.

House Call Media provides healthcare trained social media management and evidence-driven content development for healthcare social media platforms.  Included within these services is healthcare specific marketing through social media platforms.  To learn more about the numerous benefits of these services, please visit www.housecallmedia.com.

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REFERENCE

Mufti KE, Sjaaf AC, Putri AR.  Social Media as a Marketing Tool for Healthcare Providers: A Literature Study.  KESANS: Int J Health Science 2022; 1(10): 883-895.