The world has changed dramatically in the past 10 years, and especially in the past five years, in terms of how we choose to communicate. Not only have we changed how we interact with our friends thanks to e-mail and texting, but the biggest change has come from the invention of social media.
Prior to the creation of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, etc., there was no way to reach so many people, so easily, so fast and for so little money. Now you, the chiropractor, can reach more people in your community, as well as communicate efficiently and effectively with your patients. The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress recognizes this shift in communication and is working diligently to create a buzz on social media about the positive benefits of chiropractic care.
If you think social media is just for people under the age of 25, think again. Here are some numbers that may astound you. There are 300 million Twitter accounts and 800 million Facebook accounts.1 That means 11 percent of people on the planet are Facebook users.2 In fact, worldwide there are more Facebook users than motor vehicles (800 million Facebook users versus 750 million motor vehicles).2 This is incredible considering that social media didn't even exist a decade ago. The way we communicate is changing by the minute, and it's up to us to stay up to date so we can effectively reach our patients and potential patients.
Become a Part of What's Trending
If your chiropractic office doesn't have a Facebook page, it's time to create one. While there are many different social media sites out there, Facebook is still king, considering that it accounts for 95 percent of all social networking time in the United States.3 Here is a statistic that blew me away: Facebook users in the U.S., spend one out of every seven minutes of their time, on average, online on Facebook!3 This means that if you create a page and get your patients and members of your community to "like" your page, then you have an instant group of people with whom to share important information.
What Do You Share?
Getting noticed and staying noticed requires work from you on a daily basis. Your patients and potential patients are on social media sites often. In fact, 50 percent of Facebook users log on every day.1 This shows how active your community and the rest of the world are online and how social media plays a huge role in how we spend our time online. It's up to you to take this information and use it to your advantage.
You could post information about your specialty, post videos or links to articles about chiropractic care, or share quick tips on living a healthy lifestyle. Because we know Facebook users check in often, this means we know your patients will see your messages often. The more they see you, the more they will remember you when they need help. The more likely they will be to recommend you to a friend who is looking for a chiropractor. The more they will see chiropractic as a valuable service that helps when they are hurting, and keeps them feeling good when they are doing well.
The Foundation on Facebook
The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress is using this information to create targeted marketing efforts for social media. After launching two enhanced Facebook fan pages, the support continues to grow. The foundation's professional page has reached 3,000 "likes." Facebook has proven to be one outlet that continues to gain widespread attention.
Each week the foundation delivers its followers with new posts regarding its campaign. If you haven't done so already, "like" the foundation's fan page – www.facebook.com/foundationforchiropracticprogress – and receive a free guidebook on how to achieve local marketing success.
In addition, one of the foundation's most recent pieces, free to monthly contributors, is a 13-minute video that shares a few of the foundation public-service announcements, interview clips with Retired Brigadier General Becky Halstead (one of the foundation's spokespersons), and research supporting chiropractic. This video is great for posting on your Web site and/or Facebook page, or showing in your reception area.
So, What Does It All Mean?
The foundation is generating messages about the benefits of chiropractic through social media and traditional media. As it gains more support, the general public and media will advance both their acceptance and knowledge of chiropractic. Help spread awareness by supporting the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. Visit www.f4cp.com or call 866.901.F4CP (3427) to join today.
References
- "Social Sharing - The Impending Apocalypse." Available on http://summify.com.
- "The World of Social Media 2011." By Video Infographs.com. Available on YouTube.com.
- "Internet Users Invest 95 Percent of Social Media Time Over Facebook." Available on DazeInfo.com.
Click here for previous articles by Kent Greenawalt.