When thinking of essential platforms for marketing, Instagram may not necessarily be at the top of the list. Particularly for medical practices. However, Instagram has proven itself to be a powerhouse for audience engagement and creative expression. The frequent introduction of new features only expands the possibilities of what you can achieve with the app. For medical professionals and practices, patients want to see warmth and personality. Instagram lets you take something that may be deemed scary or boring and turn it into something engaging and entertaining.
If your practice is looking to add Instagram to its marketing toolbox, here are some staple content ideas to get you started!
Behind the Scenes
Since Instagram is all about visuals, put it to good use and give your audience something special. People want a more human touch from their healthcare experiences. Bring them behind the scenes of your practice and show them the people who keep it going. This does not need to be in depth or hard hitting – a smile, a wave, a friendly face to put with the business. It’s also a nice touch to show how the doctors and staff or your practice celebrate (and dress up for!) holidays. If your folks are a bit camera shy, no problem! There are plenty of ways to show off: office tour, new equipment, procedure prep, bagel Mondays, anything you feel like sharing!
Promotions
Doing promotional style posts can be a fun way to get views on your stories and likes on your posts. This can also be a great way to build up your following while your account is still fresh and new. For example, you could direct people from your website and other social platforms to Instagram for a discount code that can only be viewed in your story. Another example is annoying but effective: offer a gift card or certificate to a local establishment and require that people follow your account and tag a friend in the comments in order to be eligible to win.
Multi-Photo Posts
This is such a wonderful feature of Instagram and can be used in so many ways! This is perfect for showing something off in a “series” style. Show off your most used instruments. Take us through the key features of a new tool you are using or new product you are offering.
You could also show a step-by-step of a procedure. This is not “how-to” or a tutorial. Be sure your audience knows that they should not be attempting anything at home. That said, take advantage of the multi-photo layout option and use it to your advantage! Each photo is a different step in the process.
Cross Promote
Did a new blog post just go up? Got something happening over on Twitter? Going live on Facebook? Let your Instagram community know! Your marketing outlets should all work together in one cohesive web. Different platforms are made for different purposes but this doesn’t mean you can’t get creative! If a piece of text-heavy content is doing really well over on another channel, you can still make this work for Instagram. Simply create a branded graphic letting your followers know what’s going on and where the action is happening.
Go Live
Traditional Instagram stories are such a great outlet for creativity but once in a while you’re just short on time and content. This is where live stories comes in. All you need to do is turn on your phone and go. Some ideas for live stories could include: commenting on a recent medical news story, hosting a question and answer session, and any other interesting event (staff birthday, new equipment arrival…). Without editing and filters, live stories give you the freedom to create content on the fly and see where it takes you!
While you’re busy being an Instagram superstar, be sure to remember your best practices:
- Use appropriate hashtags to be found by new people who are interested
- Engage with those who take the step to interact with you
- Make sure that your profile information is thorough, friendly and lively
- Try to post on a regular schedule
Keep at it and watch your Instagram success build!
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