Stats Superstar: 50 Statistics to Start Your New Year Off Right

Sarah Evans maintains a social-media and PR blog. Every quarter Sarah and her staff work hard to select the most relevant stats for marketers. They share those stats with Ad Age. Here is a sneak peak.

1. eMarketer estimates there will be nearly 21 million Twitter users in the U.S. by the end of this year, and a sizable minority of those will use the service at least in part to follow brands. (eMarketer)

2. Forty percent of bloggers consider themselves professionals. (MediaBistro/State of the Blogosphere 2011)

3. There are now more than 800 million active Facebook users, with more than 200 million added in 2011. (Social Media Examiner)

4. B2C Facebook results are 30% above average on Sundays. (Convince & Convert)

5. Tweets last up to 67 times longer for users with higher Klout scores. (Mashable)

6. Nearly every large charity and university in America is on Facebook. Less than 60% of the Fortune 500 are. (Grow)

7. B2B marketers are spending millions of dollars annually on social-marketing programs, though nearly 30% are not tracking the impact of social-media programs on lead generation and sales. (TechJournal/Pardot)

8. Thirty-four percent of marketers have generated leads using Twitter, and 20% have closed deals using Twitter (AllTwitter)

9. Roughly two-thirds of social-media users say that staying in touch with current friends and family members is a major reason they use these sites, while half say that connecting with old friends they’ve lost touch with is a major reason behind their use of these technologies. (PEW Research)

10. The vast majority (95%) of the parents of 10-year-olds on Facebook were aware when their child signed up for the site, and 78% of those parents helped create the child’s account [despite rules that prohibit children under 13 from joining the social-networking site]. (CNN Tech)

11. One in three respondents (33%) said that they would prioritize social-media freedom, device flexibility, and work mobility over salary in accepting a job offer. (GigaOm)

12. One in three texters would rather text than talk. (NYTimes: Bits)

13. Seventy-seven percent of consumers said they interact with brands on Facebook primarily through reading posts and updates from the brands [....] 17% of respondents said they interact with brands by sharing experiences and news stories with others about the brand, and only 13% of respondents said they post updates about brands that they like. (Mashable)

14. The average Facebook user has 130 friends and is connected to 80 pages, events and groups. (Social Media Examiner)

15. Seventy-three percent of people think employees overshare on social-media. (Marketing Pilgrim)

CLICK HERE to read the entire list

Doctors Impacting the World of Social Media

Patients are tech-savvy and vocal in their usage of social media, and they have been for some time. Marketers are starting to catch-up, learning how to leverage tweets about outdated magazines and long sessions in the waiting room.

The benefits of doctors tapping into the social media usage can be profound for both practitioner and patient. There are prime examples of doctors who have used social media to increase patient volume blazing a trail for their peers to follow.

Here are my current ‘Top 5’ doctors changing the landscape of social media. Each is authentic in their approach and offers value through their content.

CLICK HERE to read the full article at SocialMediaToday.com

Photo Credit: marketingsavant.com

Tips to Help You with your Doctor's Blog

It’s very unusual to see a regularly updated Doctor’s blog. Having to constantly keep up with the research in your field, see patients, and have a reasonable work/life balance can lead to neglecting a blog. Unfortunately a blog that is left idle for weeks doesn’t really serve any purpose. If it’s neglected you risk losing your audience and potential clients from lack of information or posting. You’ll have to figure out the perfect posting frequency for your social media strategy that allows balance in your life.

Here are some tips that can help:
• You don’t have to write a memoir. A blog post of 150-300 words is plenty if you are posting 2-3 times a week. Instead of exploring a topic in detail in a single article, break it up into a series and just cover one idea in each post.

• Sometimes finding what to blog about takes the most amount of time. What helps us is whenever we have an idea we make a note. That way when you sit down to blog, you’ll have a vast list of categories and topics you wish to cover without spending valuable time brainstorming.

• If you’re really too pressed for time, outsource. Then, all you have to do is review the posts once a week instead of writing them!

How Do Your Healthcare Marketing Images Stack Up?

I just read a great spoof in The Weekly Probe that is certain to make anyone in the healthcare marketing smile. The article discussed a new Photoshop filter called "DrClonetastic" that supposedly allows all of the partners in your practice to take a group photo without actually being in the same room. (Like mere technology could make that happen!) A highlight of the obviously fake filter is that you can even Photoshop your staff into the classic 'arms folded' position that every doctor's website in the universe seems to favoer!

While it's sad that this story is fiction, you can actually learn a lot by trying to utilize this idea!

Pictures Tell In Social Media
In all seriousness, it's critical for your practice to utilize the group photo for online promotions. You can stick it on your website and also make use of it as your Facebook Timeline Cover. This is a great healthcare marketing tool for potential new clients to get to know the feel and look of your staff and office. For this type of thing it's best to schedule a professional shoot and give your stuff a good deal of advance notice. If they're to be displayed prominently on the web, they'll usually want to look their best. You might also want to use this as an excuse to purchase new scrubs so everyone has a cohesive and clean look. Try to make the event fun to take the pressure off. A good way to do this is provide some snacks and refreshments.

Make The Most of It
Make sure your photographer is prepared for any other pictures you might like to take while you have everyone in the same room. Some other standard shots include:

Individual headshots of each employee

Pictures of your building exterior

Interior shots of your reception area and treatment rooms

Close-ups of any new high tech equipment that looks impressive

Images of any special amenities that make your practice stand out

A few patients (for tips on how to do this right, go here)

Utilizing The Proper Channels
Now that you have great images of your practice, it's time to dispense them into the proper channels. Stick them on your website, blog, FaceBook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google + , ect. This way you can be sure you're getting the full bang for your buck. Make sure to utilize your healthcare marketing team and get their input on which images can be used in your medical marketing campaign. There’s a LOT less competition for keywords in the image market vs. text content. So, the more high quality photos you have online, the better!

Want to be the top doctor on twitter?

Ok, so you just signed up for your very own Twitter account to start promoting your practice in the competitive area of medical social media. First things first, you have to find out who the major players are and devise a strategy to either compete with them or network to piggy bank on their huge list of followers. How do you know who are the preeminent doctors participating on Twitter, though? Who are they and what are their tweets about? What sort of people comprise their list of followers?

There's a great service called TwitterDoctors.net, and it's probably the easiest method of finding out who your competitors are and who follows them. Essentially, the site is a directory that ranks other doctors by both their tweets and the number of followers they have. You might be surprised also, to discover that it's not always the most prolific tweeters that gain the most followers.

Once logged on, you're sure to come across some famous MDs, such as Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Oz. but the majority are just normal doctors like you that are looking to promote their practice and doctor blog through social media. The range of topics covered is immense. Some focus on medical/health news and advice while others like to tweet their families, hobbies, or interests. It's extremely useful to take a browse through this site and develop your own personal content strategy based upon what you like/dislike about your peer's tweets and profiles.

If you'd like to be listed in TwitterDoctors.net all you have to do is click on the big green button and they'll walk you through it. After that you'll be well on your way to climbing the rankings and with the correct healthcare marketing strategy, you just might be the next Twitter sensation!

How to Start a Doctor Blog

Doctors are in the business of helping people. Blogs are in the business of helping people. Doctor Blogs are clearly a needed union. With help being the common bond, Rule #1 should be to provide your audience with relevant and useful information. Beyond that simple maxim here are some questions to ponder before you launch your Doctor Blog:

·         Workload. How much time do you have to dedicate to your doctor blog? Do you have time to write it yourself or will you need to pay a professional copywriter?

·         Tone. Do you want to have a clinical information first approach? Or do you want to let your personality show? The answer to this question may be heavily influenced by the answer to question one.

·         Specialization. If you are a specialist how deeply to you want to get into specifics? You want to be able to provide relevant information, but you don’t want to alienate potential readers either. Set your boundaries carefully!

·         Fringe Topics. Medicine-adjacent topics such as nutrition and health & fitness are big traffic drivers, but will they enhance your blog or water down its core focus?

·         Sensitive Subjects. Internet users are not shy about posting their opinions. If you discuss issues in the healthcare system you will likely generate a lot of response, but is that the kind of interaction you want with your audience?

·         Getting Personal. Patients often love seeing a softer, personal side of their M.D. But, the internet isn’t the office so you will have to decide if it’s better to reveal information about the man behind the posts or to stay anonymous. 

·         Traditional or Cutting-Edge? Do you want to give tested and trusted advice or do you want to use the blog to venture into speculative territory you wouldn’t consider well-vetted enough for the office?

Consistency and social media is very import when building a loyal repeat audience. Give the questions and suggestions above careful consideration. And good luck!

Are You Ready for Your Close Up Doctor?

The popularity of online videos is unquestioned. And in the medical social media sphere the need for video goes far beyond site traffic. People trust a doctor they can see and hear more than one they know through words alone. You may not feel comfortable behind the camera, but your audience wants to see you there. They need to confirm you to really trust you.

Make Your Face Familiar

People hate switching doctors. They hate it the way they hate moving and blind dates and pushy car salesmen and that sound the dentist’s drill makes. Finding a doctor that seems like a good fit is daunting enough, but it still takes several visits before people truly feel at ease around their new physician. Sharing short video clips via social media lets patients get to know you on their own terms, putting them at ease before they even reach your office.  

It’s Easier than it Sounds

It may be cliché advice, but in this case it’s cliché because it’s true: be yourself. Patients aren’t looking for wit and charm, they are looking for a knowledgeable, friendly and sincere doctor. They are looking for a person they can trust. We know that the little red light on the camera can be intimidating, so here are a few tips to help you shake off the butterflies.

 • Chose relevant topics. Specifically broad, FAQ type queries. The questions patients have in the office are the same questions they have out there in cyberspace. Plus, hot-button topics are the most likely to be shared, retweeted, and even added to your doctor's blog.

• Keep it short but sweet. If it takes more than 2-3 minutes to explain something, you probably need to talk to the patient one-on-one anyway. People have short attention spans when it comes to online video. And besides the more you break up your message the more content you can create.

• Use a script, but feel free to improvise and deviate from it as you feel more comfortable. If the camera makes you uncomfortable have someone interview you, the conversation style makes the process much easier. That someone can be a staff member, or you can work with a local journalism student or video blogger.

Can Private Doctors Compete with Hospitals in Healthcare Marketing?

If you're a doctor with your own private medical practice, I'm sure you're aware how how hard it is to set money aside for your virtual healthcare marketing. However hard it may be though, you have to realize that online advertising will increase your bottom line in the long run and will probably lead to immediate clientele and exposure. that's great, but not only will this make your business more profitable, but it can actually help you to keep up with some of the bigger competition in your area. This might sound surprising, but the fact of the matter is that being a so called "small fish in a big pond" gives you edge in online media, especially in medical social media. If you do a quick Google search for 'medical themed blog' or 'doctor blog', you'll see right away that the top rankers aren't medical universities or even well-known hospitals. KevinMD and Dr Grumpy In The House are just physicians like yourself who have made a point of putting their effort and resources into growing their online clout- and they've succeeded. Over the last decade, the trend is that bigger organizations are always on the trailing edge of online healthcare marketing and medical social media. They are so weighed down by their large, unwieldy bureaucracies that by the time a major hospital finalizes its social media strategy, it’s often already outdated and the next big thing in social media is already in full swing. (Pinterest, anyone?) If you own a small, private practice, you need to make this fact work in your favor! You have the power to make all the decisions about advertising for your practice and you have a great deal of agility and flexibility, so use it! Start your online campaign now, design your first doctor blog, and hop on Twitter. Or, better yet, hire an SEO firm for doctors to do all the dirty work for you.