I'm going to squash a few widespread myths about social media.
DON’T just say ‘thanks! Great post’ when responding to a post.
DO contribute.
People seem to think that responding to a G+ post or blog with "Great post! Awesome! Thanks!" they are improving their online presence. Well not really. Social media is a conversation. In real life if someone dropped a knowledge bomb would you say "Thanks! Great story!" then walk away? No. You’d have a discussion. Same thing on social media. If you are going to respond to a post maybe add a link that contributes to the topic or share your opinion or a story that is related. Doing this makes you look knowledgeable and you’re actually contributing. Saying "thanks" doesn't do anything. Doesn't add value. If it doesn't add value then don't comment. If all you can think of to say is "thanks" just like or share the post. That has way more value.
DON’T use bad images online.
DO use an image that won’t scare people.
For example, saw this image first when the webpage loaded. Since I only saw it for a brief second it freaked me out. You want to select images that if someone saw out of the corner of their eye it wouldn’t shock them. And pick images that match what you're saying. Stay away from stock images if you can and remember people are more visual. Your image will most likely have a larger impact than the text. You can attract people with images.. or scare them away depending on what you choose. I use Canva to design most of our graphics since I have 0 photoshop skills.
DON’T copy someone else’s work.
DO give credit.
If you found a post you like share it! Link to it! All of these things will help that persons SEO. Do not copy their information. Google can see duplicate information and doesn't reward that behavior. So share the love and link them as a source. If this person notices how often you're linking to them they are more likely to link back. Improving SEO should be a goal of every business. Just don’t be a link hoarder! Share the love.
DON’T have every social media platform under the sun.
DO pick platforms that suit your needs.
Far too many practices start 4 or 6 different social media accounts. Realistically most companies and industries do not need to be on every platform. Pick a platform that best suits your practices and patients needs. More platforms means more work since each platform should have its own marketing strategy. More platforms=increase likelihood of being forgotten. It’s much better to pick one or two platforms and rock those than have five+ half-hearted platforms. (If posting seems too scary use a service like Hootsuite to schedule your blasts so you don't have to do it daily. Twitter also has it's own Tweetdeck that comes with analytics.)
DON’T start your account and forget about it.
DO stay active.
It looks horrible for a company to have stale social media accounts. Have unique content for each platform so you don’t have repetitive info on each platform. And have fun! Social media is where you can show your personality and engage. Loosen up and enjoy. If you can't maintain a social media account shut it down or at least hide it from the public. Be realistic when you start your social media journey. Don't jump on the bandwagon because you heard in the news it's a big deal. Look at your resources, your patients, and come up with a realistic plan.
DON’T make a video when you are sick
DO make videos when you sound health
You’d be shocked on how many videos are online where the person is sick, coughing, congested, and sound like they should be in quarantine. Is that the kind of impression you want to leave on a potential customer? Didn’t think so.
Well this a very brief guide on what to do with social media. If you'd like to know more about a certain subject or have questions feel free to leave them.