In the world of health care marketing, it’s no secret that employees can be a hospital’s best brand ambassadors. Whether or not your hospital itself has entered the social media realm, be it Facebook, Foursquare, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., your employees most certainly have. And such employees – these frontline brand ambassadors – are posting comments, expressing opinions and, yes, talking about your hospital.
read moreWithin the past year, health care organizations have increasingly incorporated social media into their overall marketing and communications objectives. Hospitals across the country are recognizing the benefits that social media can bring, from community building and connecting with consumers on a personal level to establishing physician thought leadership. Another benefit that this real-time capability of communicating with your audiences can produce: controlling the message in a crisis situation.
In a recent NPR public opinion poll on health care reform*, pollsters sought the public's view on the most trusted interest groups involved in the ongoing debate. Findings showed that the influencer groups the public has the most confidence in when proposing the right health care strategies for the country included first, those representing nurses, and second, groups representing patients, doctors and seniors. Groups which the poll results showed the public having the least confidence in? Representatives of health insurance companies, drug makers and large corporations.
As health care marketers, a question we often face when recommending the implementation of social media strategies to current and prospective clients is, "But...do we have anything to say?" Odd as it may seem, I've come to welcome the concern from those within our industry.
One could, of course, attribute such a question to having little appreciation for or understanding of the power of social media. But it could also mean that the organization has taken the time to recognize one of the most important elements of effective social media relations: content.
read moreCompared to other industries, the health care arena has seemingly taken a bit longer to incorporate social media platforms into overall communications strategy. Why is this? Well, among other things, and as with many organizations, there is the fear that social media engagement will require relinquishment of message control. That comes with it, yes…but that’s happening regardless of whether an organization is utilizing social media or not.
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