How Can Social Media Benefit Your Physical Therapy Practice?

An increasing number of physical therapy practices are including social media in their marketing strategy toolbox and giving their practice an online presence. Technology has made it so easy that almost anybody can take his or her practice online. However, with so many practices going online, the level of competition is getting fiercer with each passing day.

As a physical therapy practitioner, you have a tough challenge ahead of you. You need to promote your practice, build your brand image online and attract new patients. The good news is that it is not an uphill task.

While there are many online marketing strategies that you could use to promote your practice, the best is the use of social media. Small private practices and large-scale medical facilities alike are using social media to promote their brand and services.

How to use social media to promote your physical therapy practice

By creating and maintaining active social media profiles for your physical therapy practice, you can communicate your mission, latest news and general health tips to your followers. However, the first step for social media marketing is to create your practice’s profile. Your social media profile should include your practice’s brand name, address, contact details, website URL and email address.

You should create profiles on every major social media platform, even if you do not plan to be active on those accounts. This is to avoid having another practice with a username similar to yours. The most well-known social media platforms are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and you should have complete profiles on these three platforms.

Choose your preferred platform: Not all social media platforms will suit your requirements. You must consider your goals in order to figure out the best platforms for your practice. If you want to promote your practice and attract new patients, you must pay extra attention to those social media platforms where most of your target audience hangs out.

Track your online performance: Social media platforms incorporate tools to help you analyze and track your online brand performance. You must understand how your followers respond to particular posts so you can post content accordingly. Do ask for suggestions from your staff and get them to work with you in promoting your social media accounts. By brainstorming with your team, you can come up with much better ideas for promoting your practice online.

Focus on fostering relationships: Do not over-promote your practice. Always focus on sharing valuable content, and use a friendly tone. You must seize every opportunity to learn what people think about your practice and respond to questions or comments in an appropriate manner.

How can social media benefit your physical therapy practice?

By using social media, you will not only have the leverage to stay in the game but also enjoy other benefits of maintaining an online presence. So, if you are looking for a cost-effective yet efficient way of marketing your physical therapy practice, social media is your ultimate destination. Social media marketing can help you grow as a physical therapist, introduce you to valuable connections and keep you updated.

1. Increased brand awareness: Social media platforms offer valuable opportunities for sharing content and increasing your brand visibility. You can use social media networks as channels for promoting your brand’s mission and goals. This is important because it makes you more accessible to new patients and more familiar to current patients.
2. Improved brand loyalty: According to a report by Texas Tech University, practices that engage on social media channels enjoy greater loyalty from their patients. Therefore, practices should take advantage of the tools offered by social media networks for connecting with their target audience. A strategic social media marketing plan can influence patients into being your brand ambassadors.
3. More leads generation: Every piece of content that you share on social media is an opportunity for converting visitors to potential patients. As you grow your following, you will have greater access to current and prospective patients. Initially, your click-through rates may be low, but the number of opportunities that social media presents is significant.
4. Better conversion rates: A number of studies have proven that effective social media marketing results in higher conversion rates. The fact that practices become more personalized by interacting on social media channels is the biggest contributor toward increasing the conversion rate. Moreover, studies have indicated that social media has a 98 percent higher lead-to-close rate than other marketing initiatives. A large number of social media followers are likely to increase trust and credibility in your practice, representing social proof.
5. Make valuable connections: One of the biggest advantages of social media is the networking opportunities. Social media networks allow you to connect and collaborate with colleagues and associates all over the world. Also, you get to participate in useful healthcare conversations taking place online. If you are not involved in social media conversations, you are missing a chance to understand key issues. From discussing the latest treatment methods to legislative issues, social media keeps you informed. Using professional networking sites such as Linkedin will help potential employers notice you. Having a solid presence on professional sites may help you increase your search rankings on Google and improve your online reputation.

Creating an active social media presence is one of the best ways to market your physical therapy practice. MyPracticeReputation offers innovative solutions for promoting your physical therapy practice, engaging with current patients and attracting new patients, and educating the community. To receive a free consultation, call us today.