Doctors make lots of mistakes navigating the world of social media. And for good reason: few of us have been trained to understand the tools, let alone the rules, of public life. I’ve been connecting with doctors as long as social networks have been available. Here are a some mistakes (and a few solutions) I’ve seen: Believing that you’re a clinic, not a person. While @SameDayLapBand might seem like the best way to build your practice, it overlooks what human engagement is about. The patients who might hire you for their surgery are more likely to respond to a person than a clinic. When choosing how you position yourself on social platforms, be yourself – not a building or a procedure. Build your identity around your name. You’ll be more believable and real. Carrying the expectation of immediate results. As doctors, we’re impatient. We like immediate results. Unfortunately, human relationships take time to build and the benefits of those relationships take even longer. Creating value with what you share on a social network is a long-term career play. Just like you wouldn’t show up at a cocktail party and expect to have patients filling your reception area the next day, the return on investment in public engagement takes time. Hang in there and look for benefits after months, not days. Assuming that online is different from offline. The line between our online and in-person existence is becoming harder to identify. Online is where everybody starts when they want to understand someone. Build a great digital footprint (what people see and understand about you when they search online) and take that presence as seriously as you take the way you look and behave in the clinic. Failing to complete public profiles. So you don’t have a digital footprint? No problem. Just own and complete your public profiles on sites like LinkedIn and Yelp. These are sites that allow you to show all of your vital statistics and history. They should be the core of your digital footprint. Complete, polish, and maintain your presence on these sites and you’ll be off to a great start. Don’t forget a great headshot, with a full bio, and make sure your work history is up to date. Obsessing about negative reviews. Spend less time worrying about that negative comment on Angie’s List. Instead, work to garner great comments. Remember that the solution to pollution is dilution – let the good stuff drown out what you may not like. Have your check out staff politely remind patients to comment and rate their experience. Not making things. Twitter and Facebook are great for conversation, but you need stuff that’s searchable and will last. Create a video or write a compelling blog post for your local hospital or a blog you like. This type of enduring content will be available to those who search you. Twitter, not so much. Expect it to become scarce after a couple of weeks. Do you want professional social media pages for yourself or your private practice? check this topic: Social Media Marketing For Doctors and Clinics Source
