Awareness: Every opportunity to increase your visibility and control the way that your message is perceived is valuable. People will not come into your practice if they do not know about you, and then they will not return if they have forgotten about you. Social media networking opens a new channel for your practice to have its voice and message be heard, while simultaneously making you more accessible to new patients and familiarizing existing patients with your brand. For example, a frequent Twitter or Facebook user may learn about your practice for the first time after seeing a post on their feed. Or an otherwise hesitant customer may become better acquainted and more comfortable with your practice after seeing your presence on multiple networks.

Loyalty: According to a report published by Texas Tech University, brands that engage with their clients and customers on social media enjoy higher loyalty rates. “Companies should take advantage of the tools social media gives them when it comes to connecting with their audience. A strategic and open social media plan could prove influential in morphing consumers into being brand loyal.” Another study published by the Convince & Convert blog found that 53% of Americans who follow companies on social media are more loyal to those brands.

New Patients: With every post you make on a social media platform, you are giving yourself another opportunity to reach more people. As you build a following, you not only gain access to potential new patients, but to recent patients who you can turn into regulars. Interacting with your patients through blogs, posts, videos, and images is a chance to increase the business you see. Not every interaction leads to a new patient, however being involved on social media dramatically increases your opportunities to bring people in.

Increased Traffic: If you are not yet making use of social media, your inbound traffic is limited to the individuals in your area who are familiar with your practice, or who are searching for the specific keywords that you rank in. Every social media profile or page you create is just another path leading back to your website. The more quality content you post to your social media, the more inbound traffic you will generate; more traffic means more leads, and more leads means more business.

Communication: After a while, many practices will begin to see their patients as dollars rather than human beings who need appreciation and communication. This is a bad habit that can have a severe negative impact on your practice in the long run. Social media, at its very core, is a communication channel, similar to email or phone. As you interact with your patients online, you demonstrate customer service and build relationships with your patients. You can build your brand and reputation by openly communicating with your patients online about their experiences with your practice. Convey your intention of helping them, and your existing and future patients will have increased trust and value for you.

Better Search Engine Ranking: SEO is the best way to capture relevant traffic from search engines, however the requirements for success are ever-changing. It is no longer enough to regularly update your blog, ensure optimized title tags and met-descriptions, and distribute links point back to your site. The most successful practices in terms of online presence are very active on social media. Your social media activity sends the signal to search engines that your practice is legitimate, credible, and trustworthy.

Increase Marketing Results: Social media can also boost the results of your other marketing endeavors. For example, if you send out postcards for Personal Injury, followed it up with a phone call, and have a pronounced social media presence and a reputation as a leader in PI and auto accident care. Most of your potential patients utilize the internet and social media platforms to verify if something is worth their time and money before proceeding. By having that online presence, you will have a greater ability to pass your potential patients’ mental tests.