Social Media Marketing for Doctors: How (+ Why) To Do It Right

Social media marketing for doctors is a powerful tool for building your brand, reaching new patients, and growing your practice.

Are you still relying on word-of-mouth referrals to get new patients? Wake up and smell the antiseptic, Doc. Social media marketing for doctors is the new Yellow Pages.

We get it. You’re from a prescriptive world full of rules and regulations. The wild west of advertising on social media can seem like extra work on your busy plate or simply not for you. But social media in healthcare is not uncharted territory. You can easily create your own social strategy by emulating what others have done.

Fear not, my medical friend, because this blog is here to guide you. We’ll cover why other doctors are using social media marketing, how to build and execute a plan, and end with some great social media tips and ideas you’re welcome to use.

8 reasons why social media marketing is important for doctors

Social media is no longer just a platform for posting cat videos and status updates (although it’s great for that too).

For doctors, it’s also a powerful tool for building your brand, reaching new patients, and growing your practice. Social media marketing for doctors presents tons of opportunities. Just be sure to stay compliant with industry and legal regulations.

Here are 8 reasons why social media marketing makes sense for doctors.

Reach new audiences

Social media platforms allow doctors to increase their brand awareness and reach a wider audience. Why is this important? You get to shape and direct the public sentiment about your business and brand.

Ask yourself: What kind of story do you want to tell people? Is there a certain practice or health care philosophy you adhere to that would be helpful for patients to know? Do you want people to feel a particular way before coming to you?

You can use social media to establish yourself as a thought leader, build your reputation, and tell your audience what you stand for.

Educate your followers

Social media is a great education platform. It allows doctors to share health-related information and education on various medical conditions. This can help improve patient outcomes and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Social media marketing for medical practices can help spread the word about anything under the sun.

Is there a health tip you find yourself repeating often? Maybe there are some health-related myths you would love to see debunked. Or perhaps you notice a common misconception that hinders people’s health.

Just remember: It’s a good idea to keep these tips fairly general instead of offering specific medical advice over social media. Some questions are better answered in an appointment instead of over DMs.

Boost traffic and search visibility

Sharing high-quality content on social media is a great way to drive traffic to your website. Plus, creating and maintaining an active social media presence will improve your search engine rankings and increase your online visibility.

Increasing your search visibility can, in turn, net your practice more potential patients. But it also has the added benefit of putting you in front of other medical-industry adjacent opportunities, like speaking roles at conferences.

Make better use of your budget

Social media marketing can be much more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods. Doctors can use social media to reach a wider audience without breaking the bank.

Digital marketing allows for better targeting and audience segmentation. In plain English, that means it’s easier to make sure your marketing campaigns reach the right people. This targeting means you can spend money more efficiently and see a higher return on your investment.

Plus, social media and email marketing have significantly lower costs than traditional advertising methods such as TV or print advertising.

For example, the average cost per click (CPC) for Facebook ads is between $0.18 to $1.85. In comparison, the average cost for a 30-second TV ad during prime time is around $100,000.

Create networking opportunities

Social media allows you to network with other healthcare professionals and build relationships with colleagues in your field.

You never know who you’ll link up with on LinkedIn; it could be a long-time hero, someone with a new opportunity for you, or a potential new business partner. But if you want to show up on their feeds, you have to create content consistently.

Build brand consistency

Social media allows doctors to shape their online presence and maintain a consistent brand across all platforms. This can help build trust and credibility with your patients and increase brand recognition.

Be sure to put some thought into who your brand is and the parameters you need to operate in to achieve a recognizable brand.

Improve patient loyalty

Doctors can improve patient loyalty and encourage repeat visits by engaging with patients through social media. Social media gives you another point of contact with your community.

With the right content, you can give your existing patients a peek behind the curtain, so to speak. Social media for doctor’s offices can let them know what goes on behind the scenes, who your staff is, and any fun anecdotes from your practice.

Increase your competitive advantage

Social media can give doctors like yourself a competitive advantage in your local market. Social media marketing can help you differentiate yourself from your competitors and attract new patients. Being the most-sought-out doctor in your area may come with other opportunities, too.