healthcare marketing

6 Things Every Hospital Social Media Manager Should Know

Published

12 years ago

December 12, 2012

Patricia Redsicker

Are you managing the social media program at your hospital?

Do you sometimes feel like you’re pulling out teeth trying to do your job well?

In this article, we continue our conversation with Nancy Cawley Jean, communications and media relations specialist, focused on social media at Lifespan, a health system in Rhode Island. In this segment, Nancy talks about what makes a successful hospital social media manager.

Table of Contents

Q1. Who should run the hospital social media program?

A. I think it’s extremely important for someone with experience to perform this role. You have to understand HIPAA regulations, public relations, corporate communications, customer service, as well as risk management and you have to fulfill these different roles on a daily basis. You also have to be quick in responding to patients and know when to escalate an issue up the management ladder.

The problem with having an intern handling social media at your hospital is that they may not have the skills to perform all these roles and I think it takes an experienced communicator to know how to do it without making the hospital seem like a scary place.

Q2. How important is having a healthcare background to perform this role?

A. I think you absolutely need the basic foundations of healthcare communications to be a hospital social media manager. A person may know the ins and outs of social media but may not know the inner workings of the hospital, or when something is a red flag, or a violation of patient privacy or even the players within the hospital who need to be apprised of certain situations.

Q3. Isn’t this something anyone can be trained to do?

A. Definitely HIPAA training will cover some of these things but I think the actual experience of working in a hospital with patient liaisons, hospital administrators, marketing officers, and knowing the mission of the hospital are critical.

When I started working here I had thirteen years of experience in the corporate centers of health systems but I had never worked for a hospital. For me it took a whole year to learn the ropes, and feel comfortable and confident about my job even with my previous healthcare background from corporate. So I think you need to really have the right background and hit the ground running when you take on this role.

Q4. How tough was it to get buy-in from your higher-ups?

A. Fortunately we were in the first 5% of hospitals to jump into the social media world. Before we launched we pulled together top managers from various department and all these folks worked together to develop an employee social media policy. So because they were in on it from the beginning, approval was not an issue.

However we did have to improve and make adjustments to the policy as we went along because of things that were happening that we hadn’t anticipated. But again that’s part of socia media and you have to be flexible and willing to change at a moment’s notice.

Even so there were still people who were very cautious and worried about engagement risks and negative posts, but we explained to them that even if we didn’t participate in social media, other people would still talk about our hospitals and at least if we were there, we could respond to these conversations and publicly inform, persuade, defend our reputation and influence people’s opinions.

Q5. How have you handled negative social media feedback?

A. We have been fortunate to have very little negative patient feedback. We monitor our social media accounts almost 24/7 and anything that’s considered slanderous or embarrassing, especially where people’s names are used, we choose to delete that. I used to believe that you should never delete a negative post on Facebook until a lawyer who is part of a social media users group I belong to in Rhode Island said something that has stuck with me since:

Facebook is like a sandbox in your backyard. If people are playing nice then they’re allowed to stay in the sandbox. If they don’t, then they give up their right to play in your sand box. Having said that we don’t delete every negative post unless it really crosses the line.

Q6. What is your advice to other hospital social media mangers who fear negative publicity?

If something inappropriate shows up on your wall, do apologize to your community and let them know that the offensive post has been taken down. I got a lot of likes and comments when I did that once and our loyal followers stuck with us. Remember that you do have a loyal following who will come to your defense when they see someone trying to be a bully.

But don’t be afraid of negative publicity. When you address complaints and negative feedback you demonstrate that your community’s opinions count and that goes a long way to building credibility and a positive reputation for your hospital.

Over to you…

What are your thoughts about Nancy’s insights? Please share your comments below.

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healthcare marketing

The Top 10 Healthcare Marketing Strategies

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The healthcare industry is ever-changing, and so is healthcare marketing. What worked last year may not work this year, and what works this year may not work next year. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of the latest healthcare marketing trends and strategies.

To help you do that, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 healthcare marketing strategies of 2020.

Table of Contents

1. Personalized Marketing

One of the biggest healthcare marketing trends of 2020 is personalized marketing. Thanks to advances in technology, it’s now possible to personalize your marketing messages and content to a much greater degree than ever before.

2. Account-Based Marketing

Another big healthcare marketing trend of 2020 is account-based marketing (ABM). ABM is a targeted marketing approach that focuses on key accounts that are most likely to convert into customers.

3. Patient Engagement

One of the most important aspects of healthcare marketing is patient engagement. In 2020, there will be a greater focus on engaging patients through digital channels such as social media, email, and text messaging.

4. Content Marketing

Content marketing will continue to be an important healthcare marketing strategy in 2020. The key is to create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that will help you attract and retain patients.

5. Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) will continue to be an important healthcare marketing strategy in 2020. The key to success is to create keyword-rich content that is optimized for the search engines.

6. Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing will continue to be a powerful healthcare marketing tool in 2020. The key is to use social media to build relationships with patients and create a community around your brand.

7. Email Marketing

Email marketing is another important healthcare marketing strategy that will continue to be effective in 2020. The key is to create email campaigns that are targeted, relevant, and engaging.

8. Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising will continue to be an effective healthcare marketing strategy in 2020. The key is to create ads that are targeted and relevant to your audience.

9. Referral Marketing

Referral marketing is a powerful healthcare marketing strategy that can be very effective in 2020. The key is to create a system that incentivizes patients to refer others to your practice.

10. Traditional Marketing

While digital marketing is taking over, traditional marketing techniques such as print advertising, direct mail, and television advertising will still be effective in 2020. The key is to use these techniques in a way that complements your digital marketing efforts.

Keep these healthcare marketing strategies in mind as you plan your marketing efforts for 2020. If you need help getting started, contact a healthcare marketing agency.

healthcare marketing

The Importance Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The Importance Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

There’s no question that marketing plays a vital role in the success of any business, and the healthcare industry is no different. In fact, given the highly competitive nature of the healthcare industry, effective marketing can mean the difference between success and failure.

The first step in any successful marketing campaign is to identify your target market. Who are you trying to reach with your marketing efforts? Once you’ve answered this question, you can begin to develop a marketing strategy that will resonates with your target audience.

The next step is to create a strong branding strategy. Your brand is what sets you apart from your competitors, so it’s important to make sure that your branding is on point.Your branding should reflect the values of your organization, and it should be consistent across all of your marketing materials.

Once you have your target market and branding strategy in place, you can begin to develop your marketing mix. This mix will include the various marketing channels that you’ll use to reach your target market. Some common marketing channels in the healthcare industry include online advertising, direct mail, public relations, and events.

Finally, once you have your marketing mix in place, you need to make sure that you’re tracking your results. This will help you to see what’s working and what’s not, and it will allow you to make necessary adjustments to your campaign.

Marketing is essential to the success of any healthcare organization. By taking the time to develop a strong marketing strategy, you can ensure that your organization is on the path to success.

The healthcare industry is one of the most important industries in the world. It is responsible for the health and wellbeing of billions of people. Marketing plays a vital role in the healthcare industry. It helps to raise awareness of the importance of health and wellbeing and encourages people to take action to improve their health.

Healthcare marketing can take many different forms. It can be used to promote healthy lifestyle choices, to raise awareness of health risks, to encourage people to get vaccinated or to take up screening tests. It can also be used to promote the work of healthcare professionals and to encourage people to use particular healthcare services.

Healthcare marketing is a complex and challenging task. It requires a deep understanding of the needs and motivations of different groups of people. It also needs to be sensitive to the often sensitive nature of health issues.

healthcare marketing

The Impact Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The Impact Of Marketing In The Healthcare Industry

In a world where the average person is bombarded with over 5,000 marketing messages each day, it’s no wonder that healthcare marketers have to work hard to cut through the noise and reach their target audiences. But what exactly is healthcare marketing, and how does it differ from traditional marketing?

Healthcare marketing is the process of creating and executing a plan to promote a healthcare product or service. This can include everything from developing a new marketing strategy to creating and placement of advertising, public relations, and social media campaigns.

While the goals of healthcare marketing may be similar to other industries (increasing awareness, generating leads, boosting sales), the strategies used to achieve these goals are often very different. This is because the healthcare industry is heavily regulated, which means that healthcare marketers have to be very careful about the claims they make and the messages they send.

In addition, the healthcare industry is complex, with a wide range of stakeholders, including patients, doctors, insurance companies, and government agencies. This complexity means that healthcare marketers have to be very strategic in their approach, carefully crafting messages that will resonate with each of these different groups.

Despite the challenges, healthcare marketing can be extremely effective. When done well, it can help healthcare organizations to achieve their business goals, while also making a positive impact on the lives of patients.

If you’re interested in learning more about healthcare marketing, we’ve put together a list of resources that can help.

The healthcare industry is one of the most important and largest industries in the world. It is also one of the most complex and rapidly changing industries. This complexity is due to the many different types of products and services that are offered, the numerous regulations that govern the industry, and the constantly evolving technology.

The healthcare industry is also one of the most competitive industries. There are many different types of healthcare providers, from large hospital systems to small clinics, and each one is competing for patients. Marketing is a critical tool that healthcare providers use to reach and engage potential patients.

Healthcare marketing has evolved significantly in recent years, thanks to the growth of digital marketing and the rise of social media. These changes have made it possible for healthcare providers to reach a larger audience and to better target their marketing efforts.

Digital marketing in healthcare has a number of advantages. It is more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods, it is more targeted, and it provides healthcare providers with a way to track and measure results.

Social media is also playing a big role in healthcare marketing. It provides a way for healthcare providers to connect with potential patients and to build relationships. Social media can also be used to promote health awareness and to educate patients about healthy living.

The impact of marketing in healthcare is evident in the way that it is changing the way that healthcare providers reach and engage with potential patients. Marketing is no longer a one-way street; it is a two-way conversation. Healthcare providers who embrace digital marketing and social media will be well-positioned to succeed in the new healthcare landscape.