Using digital marketing to attract patients is vital for building a plastic surgeon’s clientele. Although word-of-mouth referrals are very effective, prospective patients are looking to the internet more than ever before to find a medical professional to assist them in achieving the cosmetic result they desire. The personal nature of altering one’s appearance makes the internet a research tool that provides anonymity and discretion making social media a staple in any practice’s digital marketing strategy.
The visual nature of the field of cosmetic surgery makes it imperative that any social media platform you use for promoting your work and attracting patients is a visual one. People want to see past results with photographs and videos that clearly show procedure outcomes similar to those they want for themselves. Just as your website is more effective when it showcases past patient results rather than just text descriptions, your choice of social media presence should center around the platforms with an emphasis on visual media.
Social Media Marketing in the Medical Field
Social media is a way for people to interact and share their experiences. These networks are used by major brands to promote their products while service providers seek out clients for the solutions they provide. How much are internet users employing social media to inquire about health issues and how much are these platforms being used by medical practices for reaching patients?
A study by the Journal of Medical Internet Research shows that approximately 90 percent of internet users stated that they used sites like Facebook and Twitter to find health information. In another study conducted by the Global Web Index in 2016, about 91 percent of participants stated that online communities play a significant part in their health decisions.
Doctors from different areas of medicine are using their social media accounts to build large followings from which they can build social proof while attracting patients for their practices. Plastic surgeons are showcasing their results and providing answers to questions that prospective patients may have about the procedures they desire. This is evident in a Huffington Post article that shows that as a result of social media, people are reaching out to plastic surgeons and asking for very targeted procedures they became familiar with on these visual platforms.
Segmenting Your Audience
Being able to target users that are looking for specific procedures makes your social media marketing more efficient. You don’t want to be broadcasting your message to a general audience hoping for interested parties to respond. The more you can drill down and speak directly to users that have the intention of undergoing a specific procedure, the higher your closing rate will be and the less you will your advertising expenditure will be. This is a key factor to consider when selecting which social media network you will be placing your emphasis on. Especially with regards to paid advertising, you want to be able to achieve measurable results that show you how much it is costing you per conversion; namely, how much you have to spend per patient that you reach.
Best Social Media Platforms for Your Practice
With internet users taking a proactive approach and reaching out to plastic surgeons for information regarding their needs, an effective social media strategy is a must for any plastic surgeon’s practice. It is important to understand which platforms work best for your service.
1. Instagram Strategy for Plastic Surgeons
Instagram is an effective tool for plastic surgeons to showcase their work visually. Showcasing before-and-after photos can highlight a surgeon’s expertise and attract potential patients by demonstrating tangible outcomes. The platform’s focus on aesthetic content matches the audience’s preference for compelling images, increasing patient engagement.
Engage with your audience by using features like Stories and Reels. This type of interactive content allows for a more intimate glimpse into the practice, enabling surgeons to share short clips and foster dialogue through features like polls and Q&A.
Using these pieces of content keeps your feed content fresh and encourages followers to habitually view your updates. Providing this hearted content can create a sense of community and support engagement on your profile. Remember to post content that connects with your target audience without over-promising or exaggerating results. Keeping the tone neutral and descriptions clear ensures that the message is trustworthy and reliable.
2. Facebook: Building a Community Around Your Practice
Facebook Groups are a practical tool for creating a sense of community among cosmetic patients. Establishing a group specific to your practice allows patient engagement to flourish through user-generated content. Within this group, encourage clients to share their experiences, ask questions, and provide support. This promotes a support network and lets cosmetic practice owners see which type of content their community values. It is essential for the practice to show active participation in these groups, as this engagement from the practice solidifies connections with patients.
Tailoring promotional content for Facebook Ads can help you connect with your target audience more effectively. By crafting ads that match the interests and behaviors of cosmetic patients, you can reach a wider audience. Including links to content that provides useful information or patient success stories captures potential clients’ interest. Ads should feel personalized and speak to the needs of the target audience, enhancing the relevance for those who see them. Thoughtful ad creation can improve a cosmetic surgeon’s visibility and draw in prospective clients that align with the practice’s goals.
- Community Building
- Create a Facebook Group for your practice.
- Encourage user-generated content for active patient engagement.
- Regularly participate to maintain patient-practice relations.
- Facebook Ads
- Develop ads with your target audience’s interests in mind.
- Include links to content that adds value for the audience.
- Personalize ads to address the specific needs of cosmetic patients.
3. YouTube: Educating Patients with In-Depth Content
Using Video to Share Information on Procedures
Plastic surgeons have the opportunity to produce educational content on YouTube, clearly explaining complex surgeries. By offering informative video content that outlines the various stages, content about procedures aids in reducing patient worries. Including comparisons of before-and-after cases and feedback from patients can strengthen the informational content provided.
Optimizing YouTube for Visibility
Optimizing content in video form is essential for plastic surgeons aiming to reach the ideal audience. Implementing core SEO strategies such as:
- Accurate keyword-rich titles
- Thorough descriptions with key search terms
- Attention-grabbing thumbnails
These can lead to increased views and higher click rates. Use tags that match possible search queries for educational plastic surgery content. Encouraging engagement with clear calls to action can improve an online presence. The focus should stay on blending effective SEO with quality video content to build credibility in plastic surgery.
4. LinkedIn: Establishing Professional Credibility
Building Connections
LinkedIn is pivotal for plastic surgeons to build connections with peers and potential referral sources. By interacting with medical professionals, surgeons can foster relationships that may result in more patient referrals and opportunities for collaboration. Active participation in discussions and sharing valuable insights can improve a surgeon’s visibility among their professional network.
Disseminating Knowledge
Regularly sharing high-quality content, including scientific articles and informative content about new plastic surgery techniques, helps establish a surgeon as a knowledgeable authority in the field. A thoughtful content strategy featuring informative posts underscores the surgeon’s expertise and dedication to the industry. Content marketing strategies on LinkedIn can also help in attracting both clients and professionals to a surgeon’s profile.
Surgeons should consider these approaches on LinkedIn:
- Engage with industry peers through valuable discussions to increase visibility.
- Use a content strategy that includes posting high-quality, scientific, and informative content.
- Attract a broader audience by consistently sharing thought leadership articles.
Each action helps to position surgeons as committed, knowledgeable professionals in the plastic surgery industry.
5. Twitter: Engaging in Real-Time Conversations
Plastic surgeons can effectively use Twitter to incorporate trending hashtags in their short-form content. Utilizing hashtags allows for reaching a wider target audience and connects with relevant demographics discussing pertinent trends.
Twitter’s real-time nature permits plastic surgeons to engage directly through Q&A sessions and Twitter chats. These online events, which are part of a sound social media strategy, facilitate immediate interaction with new and current patients. By joining these events, surgeons can enhance their visibility and establish themselves as authorities in their field.
Key Benefits of Twitter for Plastic Surgeons:
- Broadens reach by using trending hashtags
- Connects surgeons with specific demographics interested in their specialty
- Provides an opportunity for immediate patient engagement
- Drives far-reaching engagement through participation in online events
- Events serve as a dynamic event type to demonstrate responsiveness and expertise
6. TikTok: Tapping into a Younger Demographic
Engaging a Target Audience with Challenge Videos
TikTok offers a platform for plastic surgeons to reach a demographic interested in aesthetic transformation. By creating challenge videos that involve cosmetic stories, surgeons highlight their work and encourage users to share their video content. This approach not only gets potential clients’ attention but also demonstrates the surgeons’ expertise.
Leveraging TikTok Live for Interactive Communication
Hosting live sessions on TikTok, plastic surgeons engage with their demographic directly, fostering audience trust. They can answer questions and discuss topics related to aesthetics in an approachable manner. A live stream functions as easily digestible short-form content that can convert viewers into followers and potential clients.
This use of content, especially short-form content, creates dynamic engagement and builds a plastic surgeon’s online presence, aligning with a huge patient attraction strategy. The authentic and interactive nature of live streams helps to establish a personal connection and trust with the audience.
7. RealSelf: Niche Platform Focused on Cosmetic Procedures
RealSelf provides a dedicated space for cosmetic patients to interact with experts via its Q&A feature. Through this tool, individuals receive tailored information, contributing to effective patient education on various cosmetic procedures. Experts address common questions patients through personalized responses.
Verified reviews on the platform play a crucial role in patient decision-making, offering transparency about the experiences of real patients. The content includes profiles of surgeons, assisting users in choosing healthcare providers with confidence. These elements together support the patient’s information-gathering process.
- Q&A feature for direct expert interaction
- Reviews offer insights into experiences
- Profiles of surgeons aid in provider selection
8. Pinterest: Inspiring Potential Patients with Visual Idea Boards
Pinterest is a distinctive platform where plastic surgery audiences discover and save visual ideas. Users create boards to represent their aesthetic interests. Individuals often assemble wishlists of images to depict their desired aesthetic outcomes, making Pinterest a significant platform for engagement. Surgeons can effectively connect with those considering cosmetic surgery by posting before-and-after photos and detailed illustrations of surgeries.
Plastic surgeons can make their content visible on Pinterest through strategic optimization. High-quality images with concise descriptions and targeted keywords improve search visibility. Using various content formats, such as infographics and guides, addresses the preferences of different content users. Updating boards with new, aesthetic content keeps followers interested and helps surgeons reach more cosmetic patients. Well-defined titles and strategic hashtags can increase a pin’s presence in search results, directing more prospective patients to a surgeon’s type of content.
- Showcase before-and-after photos
- Employ various content formats to appeal to different content users
- Update boards with fresh aesthetic content to maintain follower interest
- Use descriptive titles and hashtags for better search visibility
Finding the Right Social Media Marketer
Running a cosmetic surgery practice is a demanding and high-stress enterprise. Maintaining all the social media profiles necessary for an effective digital marketing strategy can be time-intensive and requires analytical skills for data analysis and quick reflexes for responding to negative comments and other issues. The best way to reap the benefits of social media marketing while staying focused on your practice is to speak with an expert in social media for plastic surgeons. An agency that specializes in the plastic surgery niche will be able to provide you with measurable results without using your practice as a trial-and-error learning ground.
