Your website and your social media platforms should operate like best friends – hand in hand. When working seamlessly together, they have the potential to build greater exposure online for your medical business.
If there is a disconnect between the two, or you have yet to bridge the gap between social media and your site, consider the potential interactions and new patients that you are missing out on.
Take advantage of these simple tips to leverage and maximize your power online.
Social media buttons
Your website should display the social media channels that you want to promote. In some cases, this may not include every channel – only link to those that are current and up to date.
Social media buttons should be easy for people to see (along the top or side of your home page are considered the best positions) and they should open in new tabs so people aren’t directed off your page, which will affect your bounce rate.
There are many ways that you can display your buttons and it depends on personal preference, however be sure to choose a style that is in line with the medical web design of your site.
Word of mouth
Placing social media share buttons on your site also allows your visitors to share your content easily, resulting in invaluable word-of-mouth marketing. Information such as “the best ways to prevent colds in kids” could be especially valuable for parents to share with other parents through Facebook.
Highlight social media posts on your website
If you use social media to keep people informed about the latest developments in the healthcare industry, or appointment information (how to book, length of appointment time, etc.) consider showcasing your Twitter feed or Facebook posts with a RSS widget that can add dynamic content directly to your website. Just be mindful of design and the overall theme of your site and ensure it doesn’t overtake or harm the overall look or feel.
Measure your social media impact
Analytics are great to see whether people actually click on your social media links and what they respond to the most. There are a host of tools available, including Google’s Social Analytics, which is free. Analyzing the impact and effectiveness of your social media efforts, especially when backed up with numbers and data, can help guide your social media strategy in the right direction.
Don’t “overdo” social media
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While it’s important to integrate your website and social media, don’t go too far and start putting links and buttons everywhere. Any information with a ‘share’ option should actually be worthwhile for your patients and customers to share – consider information such as health tips or the contact details of your practice.
If you currently have a disconnect between your website and social media, taking some of the above steps can immediately help bridge the gap and improve your medical marketing.
