Heed the advice of top social media experts.

Healthcare marketers are always looking for advice and ideas from experts.  Seeking new and better ways of doing things.  Or for confirmation of what we are already doing.  And sometimes we just need to be reminded of the basics.  We all need to step back and listen to others from time to time. Sharon Hudson, Vice President of MarketingProfs, recently published helpful advice from six leading social media experts.  Here are the their secrets to social media success.

1. Start with the Right Strategy

“Align with the goals of your department. That’s a good starting place. In most cases your department strategy should also align to a larger corporate strategy. We don’t want a communication strategy that is at odds with our service strategy.” (Shannon Paul, Blue Cross Blue Shield)

2. Know Your Objectives

“Tie your social media activities to existing objectives, such as increasing online sales, driving web traffic or boosting attendance at your next webinar or offline event. Set a reasonable target, see what happens and use it as a benchmark for future campaigns.” (David B. Thomas, Radian6)

3. Deliver Relevant Content

“Deliver the right content, at the right time, in the right channel to the right customer (or partner). Relevant content happens as a result of listening, thought leadership, Google insights, and community sentiment.” (Michael Brito, Edelman Digital)

4. Develop Meaningful Relationships

“Use social media as a platform for developing relationships. Show your thought leadership by answering questions on LinkedIn and Quora—it could lead to new contacts and leads.” (Shashi Bellamkonda, Network Solutions)

5. Integrate into Your Marketing Mix

“Don’t leave opportunities on the table; explore how you can extend your marketing effort by integrating social elements into your PR, events and customer support activities.” (Jane Price, Marketing Consultant)

6. Measure What Matters

“Distill social media measurement down to core metrics that your company is already measuring that have history behind them. When you show what social media is or isn’t delivering there is a conversation that can take place.” (Nichole Kelly, Full Frontal ROI

 

These are some very helpful suggestions that can be applied to hospital marketing.  The points are fundamentally sound.  The challenge is to implement them effectively in our own healthcare setting.  The more we adhere to these basics, the more successful our social media efforts will become.