social media for healthcare marketers

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Social Media for Healthcare Marketers

April 20, 2011

First, a little introduction

• Lauren Moye, Director of Marketing• EmpowHER is a health media company for Women• Only network and sites exclusively dedicated to women’s

health and wellness• Started in 2007 by renowned women’s health advocate

Michelle King Robson

• Fastest growing in the category:

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Confidential and proprietary. Do not distribute. © 2011 EmpowHER

Top5Top5 Top25Top25 Top7%Top7%Women’s Health& Wellness SiteSource: Experian Hitwise

Of All Women’s Lifestyle SitesSource: Experian Hitwise (all categories)

Of All Health SitesSource: Experian Hitwise

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So what IS social media anyway?

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Confused?

“Social media is like teen sex. Everyone wants to do it. Nobody knows how. When it’s finally done there is surprise it’s not better.”

– Avinash Kaushik

Analytics Evangelist, Google

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So what is it really???

Conversations & connections online7


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Well…newsflash, it’s no longer about you. It is ENTIRELY and

UTTERLY…all about them. Everyone has a voice.

It’s a new world out there …9


Old Way Social Media Way

Captive audience Audience in control

One-way “push” communication Two-way dialogue

Brand in control of messages Anyone can take control

Publishing was an investment Anyone can publish anything

Information: at the ‘speed of print’ Information travels significantly faster

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Let’s look at some facts – shall we?

Percentage of U.S. adults who look for health information on the Web

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76%

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92%

Percentage of women who look for health information on the Web

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• Women age 35-44 spend 25 minutes per day on average on health community sites

• Health sites reach 60% of women age 35-44

& 50% of women age 15-24

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And here’s a few more stats according to Pew

•8 in 10 Internet users have looked online for health information

•60M US consumers connect to others regarding health issues

•88% of health-related searches feature user-generated content in the first three pages

•70% of consumers believe information from their peers online even if they are NOT experts

•86% of US physicians use Internet to gather health, medical, or prescription drug information

•1200 health-related advocacy communities on Facebook

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So how can social media be used in the

health care industry?

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… A lot of different ways!

Market research, brand loyalty & customer evangelism,

public relations and customer service

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So how do we do this?

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First, remember that …

Social media by itself it NOT a strategy…

Social media is instead…19


An invaluable platform of social networks, microblogs, bookmarking and video-sharing sites that works to SUPPORT your marketing strategy and objectives

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So where do we go from here, you ask?

First and foremost…

• Here what is being said in real time

• Influence opinions at their conception

• “Technology is shifting power away from the editors, the publishers, the establishment, media elite. Now it’s the people who are in control” ~R. Murdoch

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LISTEN!!!

Here are some “listening” tools

• Google Alerts

• SocialMention.com

• Technorati.com

• Kurrently.com

• Twitter search tools

• Competitive intelligence work

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Then…25


Develop a social media policy that is well communicated

Define an objective – what are you aiming to accomplish• Aligned with overarching marketing objectives• Set practical and reasonable goals• Who owns it within organization

• HR• Marketing / PR• Nurses• Customer service

• Objective Examples• Create awareness• Increase new patient acquisition• Market research• Customer service

And…26


Decide on a platform – make sure it makes sense • Doing it because “they” are doing it is NOT a strategy

• Forum• Blog• Facebook• Twitter• Join existing community

Decide on a timeline

Metrics – analyze, measure, assess frequency

ADAPT

And remember…

• Authentic• Honest• Open• Engaging• Interesting• Relevant• Frequent• Timely

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A good example

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Crisis communication + opportunity30


Crisis Communication:•What happened•Acknowledge / Accept•What can we do better?

Opportunity:•Have you tried XYZ Dr or hospital?

Loyalty / Evangelism:•Thank you!•Acknowledge

Here’s who we’ve helped, how can we help you?31


Questions?

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Lauren Moye, Director of Marketing

EmpowHER

[email protected]

social media for healthcare marketers

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