May 10th, 2012 Mike Wilton
Earlier this month the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) released their Model Policy Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of Social Media and Social Networking in Medical Practice. This guide, which was designed to provide ethical and professional guidance in regard to the use of social media by physicians, focuses on ways that physicians can protect the privacy and confidentiality of their patients and uphold a set standard of professionalism while engaging patients and the public online. On the surface the guide looks like just another healthcare social media guide similar to that of the American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the Mayo Clinic, but if you dig a little deeper there are a couple of useful gems that doctors can take away from it.
Statistics
The document’s Preamble has enough statistical data to scare doctors away from social media for good. But the data alone supports the growth of social media use not only by patients, but also physicians. Two important statistics that doctors should be mindful of:
- One meta-analysis of physician blogs found that nearly 17 percent included enough information about patients for them to be identified.
- Ninety-two percent of the Executive Directors at state medical boards in the United States indicated that violations of online professionalism were reported in their jurisdiction in a 2010 survey.
Examples
If you’ve read health and medical social media policies in the past you’ve probably seen a common theme. There is a laundry list of things you shouldn’t do, but no concrete examples of violations or situations a doctor may find him or herself in. In Section Two: An Appropriate Physician-Patient Relationship the document provides seven different examples and scenarios that could land a physician in trouble when it comes to patient-physician relationships. These examples are vital because they highlight how completely human reactions to various online situations could infringe upon the boundaries of a proper physician-patient relationship.
If you’ve read any of its predecessors the document doesn’t offer up much in terms of anything new, but it’s an important reminder for doctors about how they should conduct themselves in an online setting. Slate ran a story regarding doctors with bad social media etiquette that praises the new document in hopes that it will not only help doctors to improve online physician-patient relationships, but patients as well. I would strongly recommend the read not only for additional examples, but for the insight from practicing doctors who have been navigating the social media and blogging waters for a number of years.
Additional Reading
If you’re serious about social media but are worried about privacy and the “do’s and don’ts” I highly recommend the following articles:
Posted in Social Media | 1 Comment »
May 8th, 2012 Mike Wilton
Earlier this year BrightLocal surveyed 4,500 local consumers in the United States, Canada, and the UKto explore exactly how users were using the Internet for local searches and the impact reviews had on their behaviors. Yesterday, Search Engine Land posted the second wave of the survey that explored the types of businesses consumers were searching for and the importance of “reputation” for different businesses.
Doctor and Dentist Searches On the Rise
When asked what type of businesses people searched for on the Internet in 12-month period, dentists and doctors rounded out the top five searches behind hotels, general shops, and clothing shops. However, doctors and dentists saw the largest growth in search, seeing a six percent increase in searches since the 2010 survey.
More Consumers Are Reading Doctor and Dentist Online Reviews
Seeing an 11 percent increase from the 2010 data the survey found that more people are reading online customer reviews for doctors and dentists. Aside from restaurants and cafés, doctors and dentists were the only other business type to see a growth in online review reading over the last two years. Additionally the survey revealed that most consumers read between two and 10 reviews before they feel they can trust a business.
Reputation Matters
In comparison to the 2010 data, the 2012 numbers are slightly down (this may be due to small sample size); however, it was clear that when it comes to online reputation, 27 percent of those surveyed said reputation mattered most when choosing a doctor or dentist. The top three reputation traits, all of which saw growth over the 2010 data, were most important to consumers were:
- Reliability
- Value
- Accreditations
Doctor Takeaways
Increase Your Online Presence: More people are using the Internet to find a doctor or dentist in their area. Increasing your online presence can help set you apart from another doctor or dentist in your region. This doesn’t mean you should go build 10 new websites, it simply means you need to start thinking about more online properties such as Google Places, Bing Local, Yahoo Local, Yelp, HealthGrades, and the like.
Keep Reviews Fresh: Review consumption is up, but consumers are reading fewer reviews overall. This suggests consumers are more savvy when it comes to online reviews and are able to form an opinion faster. In order to stand out in today’s local search space it is more crucial than ever to manage your reputation and ensure that your online listings feature current reviews about your practice, be it good or bad.
Therefore, with consideration to the information I have provided, be sure to encourage patients to review your practice on Google Places or Yelp if they are happy with their experience.
Posted in Local Search, Reputation Management | No Comments »
May 1st, 2012 Mike Wilton
In my career as an Internet marketer I have always believed in future proofing your online efforts. In other words, doing your part to ensure that no matter what the search engines throw your way, you’ll be ready to weather the storm and stay afloat in the long term. Over the last few months there have been a number of changes rolled out by Google, and I am quickly reminded of the roots of my SEO career.
I began my SEO career in a search space very similar to the one Plastic Surgery Studios works in. It was highly competitive, very profitable, and ultimately everyone looked to one another for how to properly market their business online. In the end the practices shared niche-wide to rank well in the search engines would cripple, or in many cases, topple businesses overnight. The practices being used weren’t particularly “black hat” at the time, but they were clearly manipulative and in the end those who lived and died by the search engines either died at the hand of the search engines or were left clinging to what little traffic remained as a result of the change.
In my three years as Internet marketing manager for PSS I have noticed a similar trend, where the medical marketing industry works within a similar bubble to find answers amongst competitors to better rankings in the search engines. The niche lacks innovation, new ideas, or direction from similar verticals when it comes to their Internet marketing. The end goal is for a site to rank with no consideration for other goals such as traffic and conversions. A goal that is reckless and leaves a business vulnerable to the waves of change rolled out by search engines each year.
It’s time for a change. For too long this industry and its doctors have obsessed over the 10 blue links on the homepage of Google and ignored the bigger picture. If Google flipped the switch tomorrow and your site disappeared from its search results would your practice website still get traffic? If Google stopped providing you with data related to monthly keyword searches both in analytics and its keyword tool, would you know what rankings to obsess over? It may seem far-fetched, but I’ve seen the first one happen, and considering that Google is already delivering (not provided) in Google analytics for a number of queries, the second one could happen.
There has been a shift happening outside of the bubble we operate in over the last few years that is focused less on rankings and more on the overall online presence of a business and the traffic it generates. Through content, engagement, and great user experiences sites are not only ranking well in the search engines but driving traffic from other online sources. The rankings game has changed drastically with localization, personalization, and the like making it a less-reliable metric to measure.
As we near the halfway point of 2012 I am challenging our clients and the industry to start looking at the bigger picture. First, does you site deserve to appear in the top 10 search results? Does it truly serve the end user, or just search engine spiders? Second, if something did happen that changed your search traffic entirely, would your site survive? Do you have other sources of online traffic, or are you living and dying by the search engines? If you answered no to either of these questions let the latter part of 2012 be focused on making your site the best it can be and improving your online presence through content, social engagement, and growth in your reputation and visibility.
To help you take the next step toward changing your mindset about internet marketing and to find inspiration we encourage you do the following:
Posted in Internet Marketing, News, SEO | No Comments »
April 25th, 2012 Mike Wilton
In the past we’ve talked about effective blogging tactics and how to create, optimize and distribute content. But this week we thought we’d share a successfully executed post and the elements that went into the construction of the post to make it successful.
In a post featured recently on the blog of Houston plastic surgeon, Dr. Christopher Patronella, the author explored the topic of patient satisfaction following tummy tuck and liposuction. The post was well-written and featured a series of elements that can make a run-of-the-mill blog post even better.
It’s Current
The post itself piggybacks off of a recently published study featured in the April 2012 Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Having a current spin not only makes your blog look current and relevant, but it can also help the post show up for searches related to the current topic, event, or news story.
It’s Backed By Facts
Nothing says authority like hard data. Again, piggybacking off of the recent study, the post features a number of statistics from the report to support not only the topic, but the writer’s opinion. Quoting data or statistics from a trusted source can help reflect expertise and identify the author as an authority.
It Gets Personal
Rather than spouting off opinion or regurgitating facts already published in the study, the post uses personal examples from one of the doctors to bring the post to life. This tie-in not only gives a personal feel to the story, but it reflects real life experiences of one of the doctors patients. Real life examples are a great means of making your content unique, and ultimately helping your readers connect with your topic.
It Uses Images
One of the biggest mistakes I see most doctors make when posting to their blog is the lack of imagery. Here are some core reasons to include imagery in your posts:
- Users tend to skim content, so an image can help the piece stand out.
- Facebook “shares” will include a photo with the share if it’s available, which can increase social click-throughs.
- It breaks up large blocks of content, ultimately enhancing the readability of the content.
Remember though, images should be relevant and support the textual content. If you don’t have an image of your own to use you can always user Flickr photos that support the topic. Just make sure to follow the rules of creative commons. If you’re not familiar with Creative Commons, here is a nice guide on how to easily and legally use Flickr photos.
It Links Out
When it comes to search engine optimization, it’s easy to want to be greedy with your link juice, but at the end of the day linking to nothing but your own content isn’t really helping the natural link graph of the web. Linking out to other sources can not only help make your site more visible to other websites in your niche, but it can oftentimes help build relationships with other websites or bloggers. These types of relationships can often lead to links to your website, social shares, or other mentions of your work online. It also helps users who may want more information on the supporting content of your piece, making your content even more resourceful and authoritative.
It Speaks To Its Target Audience
Another mistake I often see on doctor blogs is the technical writing that you may see in a medical journal or publication. In most cases your blog audience should be your patients or potential patients, so writing in a way that is tailored to a patient’s knowledge or reading level is key.
Patients aren’t always going to know what “severe grade 3 ptosis” is or what the “nipple areolar complex” is, so try your hardest to write in a way that will make sense to someone without your level of expertise. It’s fine if you want your content to appeal to other members of the medical community, but it still needs to make sense to an everyday reader.
Posted in Blogging | No Comments »
April 20th, 2012 Mike Wilton
A few months back we posted an introduction to Pinterest – the now third most popular social network in the U.S. behind Facbook and Twitter. As it remains the talk of the town, the buzz surrounding Pinterest is naturally giving growth to a lot of questions among many medical professionals. They are wondering how they can incorporate Pinterest into their social media strategy, and whether or not it makes sense to do so.
In my previous post, I outlined a few ways doctors can utilize Pinterest. Today, I am providing healthcare professionals some real life examples of this, which may inspire them to become involved with this site. After all, Pinterest is intended to be a “fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.”
Become A Unique Resource
The MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texashas created a very useful Pinterest page that does more than just give basic information and support for cancer. The Center has taken their efforts a step further and features boards on unique topics fanging from minority cancer awareness and cancer-fighting foods.
Embrace Your Audience
The Children’s Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio knows that its target audience is made up of parents who are concerned with the health and well-being of their children. They have set up their Pinterest boards as extensive resources for that audience. The hospital has 22 boards dedicated to the health and well-being of children, offering resources on everything from child safety information, kids recipes, and nutrition to pregnancy and parenting tips. The focus of their Pinterest boards are less about the hospital and its care, and more about being a resource for parents.
Ask For Help
The gift of giving has no limits, and Pinterest is no exception. Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona has set up boards featuring items the hospital needs for the various children taking up residency in their hospital. While the overall presence of Children’s Hospital on Pinterest is lacking, this is a unique and very visual means of showcasing items the hospital needs for the numerous patients they treat year-round.
Be Visual
The premise of Pinterest relies heavily on imagery and visual appeal. Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, Texasfeatures an array of health related boards, all of which are visually stimulating. Each board cover features an image with vibrant colors and exciting imagery, which is enticing to users and will encourage clicks.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Funny
Personality is an integral part of social media and humor on Pinterest can go a long way. Delray Beach, Florida dentist Dr. Robert Adami features a number of amusing pins related to teeth and dentistry on the handful of boards he manages. From the comic reenactment of an impacted tooth to unconventional shark dentistry before and after photos, Dr. Adami gives Pinterest users a more humorous spin on dentistry and focuses more on related content and less on dentistry and his practice. This is a great way to convey your personality and the style of your practice.
Be a Celebrity – Or At Least Be Seen With One
Beverly Hills Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Kevin Sands features one board on his Pinterest Page – Celebrity Smiles. It’s not too over-the-top, as it plays into something people love to consume on a daily basis: celebrity gossip. Seeing the likes of Britney Spears, Charlie Sheen, and Kim Kardashian at the dentist is probably amusing to many, and starstruck fans may want to repin and promote.
Not all Pinterest strategies are created equal. What has worked for these medical professionals may not always apply to you and your practice, but it can hopefully inspire some new ideas of your own. It’s been two month since my initial post in Pinterest, and the medical industry has still been slow to adopt. Right now, hospitals seem to be at the forefront of the movement with individual practitioners making up nothing more than a slew of empty profiles. Early adopters that can make Pinterest work for them could quickly harness the buying power behind Pinterest search and reap the benefits of Pinterest traffic.
What creative Pinterest uses have you come across or implemented in your practice? Please comment and let me know!
Posted in Social Media | No Comments »
