How Many Social Platforms Should Healthcare Providers Use

social platformsIn this digital age it’s starting to feel as though you and your business need to be on every social media platform. But is that really the case?

The simple answer is no. You don’t have to be on every social platform nor should you be. The truth is there is no magic number for how many social media accounts a healthcare business should have. The magic number is whatever is right for your business.

You might be thinking, “But don’t I want to be on every social platform? I want to be able to reach as many people as possible.” While that seems to make sense, you’d actually be wasting your time in trying to be active on as many social platforms as possible.

Why? Because the key to effective social media marketing is 1) knowing where your audience is, and 2) choosing platforms that complement your business.

Knowing Your Audience and Where They Are

Your audience is not everyone, so it’s important to choose platforms that your audience is active on. Are you looking to connect with other healthcare professionals? Then LinkedIn would be the most appropriate platform for you. Maybe your patients are 50+, so you should be targeting them on Facebook.

If you’re not sure what platforms your target audience uses, that’s okay! Check out this helpful guide from Hootsuite that breaks down social platforms by demographics.

Setting Yourself Up for Success – Choosing the Right Social Platforms

While choosing platforms based on your audience is important, you’ll also want to choose platforms based on the kind of content they require. What do we mean by this? You probably shouldn’t set up an Instagram account if your business isn’t “photogenic”.

There are different social media platforms for a reason, they all serve a different purpose. Twitter is meant for regular, real-time updates. Instagram was designed as a photo and video sharing platform. LinkedIn is a professional networking site. So you should pick the platforms that will serve your business well.

The last thing you should consider is if you have the time for multiple social media platforms. Nothing looks worse to the public than a social media account that’s been claimed, but has no content and is essentially inactive. So make sure you have someone on your team that is willing to put forth the time and effort to manage a few accounts.

Still not sure about your business’s social media marketing strategy? Not to worry, Connections Healthcare Strategies is here to help. Schedule a strategy session with us today and we’ll help you discover how social media can boost your business.

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