As you’ve likely seen, President Trump was recently banned from Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
This post is not going to be political in any way, but there are some valuable lessons here for any doctor when it comes to online marketing. The most important being:
Don’t build your house on a rented lot.
1). You Need a “Home Base” That You Own
This should be your personal website. The blog section of your website is where you should be posting your latest articles to.
Not only is having a website better for SEO, but you also have ownership which provides platform stability. In other words, Twitter can’t ban your website.
Also, this event has caused me to help my clients focus more on building an email list. Unlike Facebook or Twitter followers, an email list is something you own and can’t have it taken away from you.
Bottom line, it’s better to be an owner than a renter.
2). Social Media Accounts Should Be Treated as “Embassies”
I’m certainly not suggesting that doctors should abandon social media, but it shouldn’t be the primary source of online marketing. There are far too many users on social media, especially Facebook to not have a presence there.
The best practice is to post your primary content on your blog and then use social media to direct people back to your website.
3). Be Selective About What You Post
Truthfully, this is a bit of a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, you want to be very authentic online so that patients’ perception of you matches the reality when they’re in your office. Plus, this often provides an added benefit of attracting your ideal patients.
The flip side of this is that if you’re not careful, you can alienate many people and increase your risk of getting banned on social. That’s why I recommend mostly keeping on message to the key issues you want to attract your patients with, and letting your personality and ideas come out there.
I encourage every doctor interested in online marketing to focus on building a personal website that you own and control.
If you would like to learn how to build a powerful personal physician brand and online marketing, I want to invite you to learn more by reaching out. I would be delighted to help you.