Social Media Best Practices: You have to want it

While it's true that the conversation on social media carries on no matter what, the key to a successful social strategy for healthcare is to have champions for the cause inside the organizations.

"The leadership has to set the example, say this is an area where they are going to invest. Otherwise people don't want to take a leap into the unknown," said Katie Wiley, vice president of accounts for Blue State Digital, a digital advertising and marketing agency that works with not-for-profit healthcare organizations such as the American Hospital Association. "The successful cases are the ones where there was interest in innovating in the space."

"This is something that the client needs to genuinely want," agrees Kirsty Piper, senior program director of social marketing at IMRE. "Everybody needs to be swimming in the same direction."

Once this is accomplished, speed is another important aspect to be mindful of with social media. "Be prepared to engage in real time," said John McInerney, director of healthcare digital strategy at Ruder Finn. That might mean setting up a fast approval framework so that social media content can be produced and approved quickly.

Speed and real-time monitoring are especially important because social and customer support are pretty intertwined. "You need to streamline the social media execution with customer service because you have to give responses in 24 hours or less," said Kris Patel, director of strategic planning at Zig Marketing.

Other good practices in social media marketing in healthcare:

• Bring value to the conversation. Whether it's information, prizes, discounts or a feel-good message, always give something to your audience.
• Don't stretch yourself thin. Pick one or two platforms and do them well, instead of trying to have a presence in all social media networks.
• Always ask for permission before sharing patients' stories. Be very thorough in the approval process with patients before discussing them in social media. Which brings us to …
• The legal team is your best friend. Make sure you have a regular line of communication between the executing team and the legal experts who know the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act policies and Food and Drug Administration advertising standards inside out.
• Go where your patients are. For most people it would be Facebook, but it can be Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat and emerging platforms.
• Constant vigilance. Monitor the channels regularly to take down any posts that could break patient's confidentiality or pose other concerns.
• Use emotion. People in social media respond to positive and uplifting stories. Don't be afraid to take advantage of them when talking about the services provided.
• Use paid campaigns in social media targeting by affinity. Take advantage of the tools available in social media platforms to make sure the content gets to the audience the brand wants to reach.
• Bloggers are an underused resource. Many have very engaged audiences who follow them daily and will agree to sponsored posts. Find them and talk to them.
• Find ways to connect with the cultural conversation. Use holidays, milestones and events to find a way to place the brand in people's regular lives, always within the client's comfort level.
• Don't speak as a doctor. Social media is not the place to come across as too authoritative. Being authentic and establishing a community are better strategies to reach your targeted audience.