As a physician, the only reason I’m on social media, such as the website, Twitter, Linkedin, Reddit, etc., is to represent myself to potential clients. So, it’s important to know what to put on social media to accomplish that goal.
The Virtual Resume
Though employers haven’t yet caught up, patients definitely know how to research their favorite physicians online. A simple online search and you have everything you ever wanted to know about your potential doctor.
My resume lives online. It includes my podcasts, YT videos, articles, blog posts, and SM posts. I have chosen each of these things intentionally to present me in a certain way.
I think about what to publish on social media because my content will attract the right clients and detract the wrong ones.
Social Media Strategy
Unlike good attorneys, there aren’t as many competent and capable social media experts. They come and go and some of them are larger companies so you don’t know who you’re working with. And the ones that can help you create a really good social media strategy are quite expensive.
But a social media strategy is something you can figure out yourself. Written, audio, and video content remains the backbone of all online content.
What to Write Online
It’s less important what your opinion is, and it’s more important how you think. If you can share with potential patients or consulting clients how you think through problems and develop solutions, you will attract the right clients.
1. Personal Stories
Talking about your own personal health story or thinking through sample problems you have solved in the past is a good way to engage the reader.
People remember personal stories and they’ll rattle it off to you when you meet with them for the first time. If oyu’re comfortable being that vulnerable, sharing a personal story is a good way to engage on social media.
2. Spark Conversations
Asking good questions can be engaging. I avoid clickbait because you’ll attract the wrong clients that way. Perhaps something inflammatory you say might get 1m views, but what’s the point if not a single one of those commenters is the right client for you?
A good question is brief, thoughtful, engaging, and starts a conversation. If it takes off, your job is to moderate. There is no need to answer all questions – let the conversation develop naturally.
3. Testimonials
If a patient or client shared a positive impression with you then share that with your audience. If a consulting client tells me that it’s so easy to work with me because I’m great at communicating, that’s worth sharing.
If a patient tell me how appreciative they are that I ask so many good questions, that should be highlighted as a customer testimonial on my website or on a podcast or video.
4. Get Granular and Personal
People like to know what you do and how you do things. If you can share your personal journey with your brand and how things look behind the scenes, it captures people and gets them interested.
I would proceed here with caution because you have to differentiate between paid clients or a fanbase. If your goal is the biggest following on your social media channel, then this would be effective.
But my goal is to attract potential clients. A channel with 1,000, 80% of whom are willing to pay for my services, is much better than 800,000 followers with 1,000 willing clients.
Health Related Content
It might seem like there is already too much shit out there on health related content. But I still publish health related content on social media. My audience cares about what I say and the sea of information might be enormous but I only care about my content and not how it compares to everyone else’s out there.
1. Exercise Routines
Sharing your exercise routine is always a great way to demonstrate your commitment to exercise. It’s easy content to create and helps your patients better relate to you.
You don’t have to have an actor or actress body – the fact that you are doing your part in staying active is what matters.
Encourage your reader or viewer to start a 30-day exercise routine. Show them how you do a quick morning yoga session and encourage them to post their progress daily.
2. Cooking Recipes
Sharing recipes with patients or health coaching clients improves engagement. It’s also a good way to direct your patients should you want them to follow a particular diet in the future.
What you say about cooking and eating, obviously, is more important than the recipe you share. If your potential patient is upset that you are cooking a vegan dish and not a carnivore meal, that just may not be the right patient for you.
3. Mental Health Tricks
From coping with stress to good sleep hygiene, anything you publish on social media about mental health will likely resonate with the reader.
Unfortunately, there is a lot more censorship coming down the pike in the US, but your content will still be online; it won’t be discoverable as easily, but it will be there to reference.
4. Recommended Products
Before writing this section, I was thinking that I don’t use that many products – I’m like, I’m a minimalist! Yeah, right! We all use products from toilet paper to floss to cookware.
What do you buy from the gorcery store? How do you use it? What do you stay away from and why?
5. Discuss Health Research
If you come across a good study share it with your audience. A negative or positive study both have their merits. Again, how you think through research studies is more important to your audience than just reading the highlights.