Increasing Facebook Engagement for Your Practice

Any internet marketing plan worth carrying out today includes engaging people on Facebook and other social media platforms. For internationally known brands, this is a bit easier. For a plastic surgery practice, it can require more effort and careful planning.

Are you having trouble getting Facebook users to “like” your page and comment on your posts?

Facebook marketing works by getting fans and sending a message through their newsfeed that causes them to talk about or share your content, which is then spread to their friends. The hope is that you will gain exposure, thus driving visitors to your site or the telephone to schedule a consultation. Many people subscribe to the 60/30/10 formula, focusing 60% of their content on entertaining their audience, 30% on inspiring, and 10% on promotion. Following such a rule prevents every comment you create from being a blatant sales pitch. However there is more to the science of building and engaging a Facebook following.

Over the summer, members of the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University released a study titled, “The Effect of Advertising Content on Consumer Engagement: Evidence from Facebook.” The researchers examined 100,000 messages from 800 companies across various industries to determine what type of content is the most effective in engaging a target audience.

There were some interesting findings, which reflected the following:

• Persuasive content, such as emotional and philanthropic content, increases engagement.
• Informative content, such as prices and product features, reduce engagement when presented as an independent message, but increase engagement when combined with a persuasive message.

In conclusion, it was determined that persuasive content seems to be the most effective method for increasing audience engagement.

How the Study Applies to You

Persuasive content creates the most engagement when it is philanthropic in nature or elicits strong emotion. Many physicians participate in charitable organizations; donating their time and skill to less fortunate individuals in developing countries and victims of domestic abuse. A Facebook post about your endeavors could gain your some positive attention. You might also share a heartwarming anecdote about a patient, post a question to ignite small talk, or reveal something personal about yourself to create an emotional bond with your audience. For many prospective patients, your Facebook page could be the first time they are coming in contact with your practice. This is a good place to build connections and trust that will help with conversion rates.

Remember, strictly informative content can negatively impact engagement, especially when it is about promotions or products. However, you can still share this information on Facebook by cleverly adding some persuasive content into the message. For example, rather than sharing a post that says “Juvederm Voluma is the only FDA-approved filler for adding volume to the cheeks and mid-face. Contact us today to schedule a consultation,” you would better be able to engage more individuals by making it personal for them. Try something like, “Envious of Sophia Vergara’s high cheekbones? We are. Obtain youthful beautiful cheeks with Juvederm Voluma, the first FDA-approved filler for the mid-face. Click here to learn more.”

Other findings in the study to keep in mind are that mentioning a holiday decreases engagement and longer content is less often commented on. If you want to take advantage of the holidays, you by no means have to avoid the topic all together. Think of ways to incorporate it into your message that is different than what your competition is doing. Stand out above the plethora of holiday-related content your audience is already being exposed to. Also make your content relevant and brief by sticking to the point. If your post ends in a “read more” link, it is probably too long.

Finally, don’t dismiss the effectiveness of asking for action. People will respond if you ask for likes, encourage them to comment on something, or tell them to follow a link. We bet you’ve joined in when someone said, “Help us get 100,000 likes!”

There are many tactics for connecting with your Facebook audience. Social media is an excellent tool for generating interest in your practice and getting people to visit your website. Use it wisely and it will pay off. Learn more social media tips to engage the public on our blog.