Over the last few years, I have spoken with hundreds of physicians who tell me that they want to be engaged on social media, but they just don’t have the time or resources. I understand. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to consider hiring a social media consultant.
Hiring the right social media consultant or agency for your medical practice can provide many benefits, including:
• Shaping and marketing your brand.
• Handling daily social media updates and tasks.
• Devising a strategic plan to engage with social media influencers in your specialty.
• Developing a strategic plan to engage with your desired audience. Do you want new patients? More traffic to your practice website?
• Directing you to the best social media platforms for your specific goals, such as Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest.
• If applicable, developing a plan to promote and market your products and unique services.
• Coaching you and your staff to become better and more efficient at social media.
• Helping you navigate social media analytics.
• Taking the stress off doing it all yourself.
There is no foolproof formula for choosing the best social media consultant for your practice, but here are some key points to keep in mind when considering candidates:
• Do they have experience? How long have they been consulting? How many clients have they had? How many do they currently have? Have they been published online or in print magazines? Do they teach any courses, either online or in person? Do they have success stories they can share?
• Check out their website. It is modern? User friendly? Does it include bios of the employees and client testimonials?
• Check out their social media involvement. Are they actively engaged on social media sites that they suggest you use? Look at their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest accounts, as well as any other sites they may use.
• Are they willing to create unique content for your practice? Some agencies create boilerplate content that they use on multiple client sites. You want to be certain that the content they create for your practice aligns with your marketing and branding goals.
• Do you like them? This is a critical question because social media is, by nature, social. Do the staff members of your potential agency have likable personalities? Are they good listeners? Do they respond promptly to e-mails and phone calls? Do they seem confident or perpetually stressed?
• Do they understand your business? If the firm you hire has only restaurants as clients, then you might be at a disadvantage. Make certain that whomever you hire understands your area of medicine and has a track record of success with medical practices.
• Do they have clearly defined costs? Many firms will offer pricing based on 1- to 3-month intervals. Will they be creating and posting new content daily, weekly, biweekly? Will they work weekends and off-hours? How frequently will they meet with you in person? All of these factors will affect price. Of course, the more hands-on your social media consultants are, the higher the price is likely to be.
Outsourcing your social media is a decision that you and staff must consider carefully. As with most important decisions, it’s advisable to interview several different firms before choosing one. As for price, it ranges dramatically. Some agencies might charge $300 a month, while others might charge $3,000. It’s up to you and your office staff to determine which agency is best suited for your practice’s budget, needs, and goals.
In my next column, I’ll address pitfalls to avoid when choosing a social media consultant or agency.
Dr. Benabio is a partner physician in the department of dermatology of the Southern California Permanente Group in San Diego and a volunteer clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Benabio is on Twitter @Dermdoc.