Social Media Marketing in Healthcare: Where Do I Start?
Social media in medicine – the ultimate controversy.
When you start medical school, or any professional school really, the first thing they tell you is to clean up your online presence.
During orientation, it is inevitable that someone will say, “Make your social media accounts private” and “Google yourself and get rid of anything on your profiles you don’t want people to see”.
After all, professionalism – and perception – matters.
We are engrained with the belief that our online presence should be hidden. We are told if we are good physicians, then word of mouth will allow people to find us, and we will be successful. We don’t need to sell ourselves to get patients.
“I was very stuck in this mindset of, if I’m a really good dentist, the word will get out, my work will speak for itself, and people will come. I was against the idea of marketing; that was a hurdle. I had to get out of my own way.”
But…why don’t we do these things?
Why can’t we use our online presence to attract a patient population that fits our interests? Why is it so taboo to market ourselves like every other industry in the world? Why can’t we promote the services we worked hard to become experts in?
In a world where social media is the norm, should we not, as medical professionals, adapt with the changing times?
With the emergence of social media influencers and the shift of medical professionals into this role, the question arises: is it worth doing, how do we do it, and what are our boundaries?
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Join the MembershipThe Power of Social Media
Social media is powerful, whether you like it or not.
In today’s society, you would be hard pressed to find an individual who does not have a single social media account. As a result, information as a whole is widely available.
But, with increased access to information also comes the risk of misinformation.
Combating misinformation is one of the most powerful and impactful ways we as medical professionals can leverage our social media.
By providing patients with evidence-based, factual information, we can not only better serve our patients but also reach an audience that may not have ever found us otherwise.
How Social Media Eliminates the Need for Traditional Marketing
Social media allows you to step outside of traditional marketing.
When you think about traditional marketing, you think about investing a lot of money in:
Advertising in the local news
Newspapers ads
Billboards
Flyers
Business cards
A fancy website and SEO
Networking with local physicians for referrals
All of these things add up in your budget.
Social media is not only free – it is potentially even a source of additional income.
Social media is a way to market yourself and your practice, providing a window into who you are so patients know who they are meeting, what they can expect, and what your expertise is.
Plus, you can gain so many opportunities to earn your place on boards, as an advisor, or in speaking circuits.
“A lot of times when people are building their practice, they have to pay a lot for publicity, marketing, a fancy website, SEO, optimization, et cetera.
I’ve been fortunate because I’ve never had to do that. I have enough of a presence online that patients now find me, not just through TikTok, but also through social media support groups for endometriosis.”
Building Trust with Patients Through Social Media
In today’s digital age, social media is more than just a marketing tool – it’s a powerful way to build trust and deepen connections with patients.
By sharing authentic, relatable content, healthcare professionals can foster a sense of familiarity before a patient even walks through the door.
When people see a doctor, advanced practice provider, dentist, or other provider as not just an expert, but also a real person with values and experiences, that trust forms naturally.
This trust becomes invaluable when it comes to important medical decisions, as patients feel more confident in the recommendations and care they receive.
“I also got on there to grow my patient base and practice, but I didn’t think that anybody would truly be listening in that way. And what I found… is that it has helped deepen the connection that I have to my patients in my office. The moms will find me… and say, ‘Oh, I saw this about your daughter,’ and that connection, that trust, is already formed. So when I need to recommend surgery or different kinds of treatment for their child, they believe in me.”
Social media also provides professionals with the opportunity to take control of their narrative.
Instead of being defined by online reviews or word-of-mouth alone, doctors and other healthcare providers can showcase their expertise, empathy, and dedication in their own words.
In addition, with the use of blogs, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and more, patients may find you through social media posts written by patients but linked back to you.
“When Roe v Wade happened, I had at times 50 patients calling a day from child-free Reddit or from child-free groups that knew who I was… So in general, it allows you to take control of your professional reputation instead of worrying about the Google reviews.”
How to Start Building Your Social Media Presence
Building a strong social media presence starts with two key factors:
Consistency
Platform strategy
Consistency
Posting regularly signals to algorithms that your content is relevant, helping to increase visibility and engagement.
Beyond just frequency, timing and interaction also play a crucial role – engaging with comments and responding to your audience fosters community and keeps people coming back.
As social media trends evolve, we need to adapt, shifting focus from static images to more dynamic content like short-form videos and interactive posts.
“You have to post very consistently. You have to, otherwise all these algorithms just throw you in the trash. So in 2018-19 I was posting every morning at 9 am PST, and I made sure that I wasn’t in the OR so I could interact with people as they were commenting.”
Finding the right strategy often requires experimentation. Not every tactic will yield immediate results, but consistency and adaptability can make all the difference.
Testing different content styles, posting schedules, and engagement methods will help determine what resonates most with your audience.
Growth doesn’t happen overnight, but by committing to regular posting and staying open to change, you can build a strong and sustainable presence across social platforms.
Platform Strategy
There is no shortage of platforms where you can get started. To choose your first platform, ask yourself:
Why do you want to be on social media?
What are your personal and professional goals that social media can help with? Examples of goals to consider include:
Advertising
Networking
Personal Branding
Who is your ideal audience?
How much time can you realistically dedicate to social media?
You don't need to start off posting on multiple platforms – that can get overwhelming. What is most important is to start with a sustainable strategy – you can always expand to other platforms once you get more comfortable with content creation.
Choosing a platform to start on can be challenging, but here’s a quick overview of each platform to help guide you:
TikTok
Format: Short-form videos (15-60 sec)
Content Examples: Medical myth debunking, "Day in the life," quick health tips, trending challenges
Audience: Younger audience, general public, aspiring medical professionals
Good for: Building trust with the public, simplifying medical topics, growing a large following fast
Format: Images, carousels, reels, stories, lives
Content Examples: Educational infographics, behind-the-scenes, Q&As, myth-busting posts
Audience: Patients, healthcare enthusiasts, younger healthcare professionals
Good for: Personal branding, patient education, growing an engaged following, working with brands
YouTube
Format: Long-form video (5+ min), shorts
Content Examples: In-depth medical explainers, patient education, professional Q&As, interviews
Audience: Patients, professionals, healthcare students, businesses
Good for: Establishing authority, monetizing content, creating evergreen content
X (Twitter)
Format: Short text posts, threads, images, links
Content Examples: Quick healthcare insights, research highlights, policy discussions, real-time updates
Audience: Healthcare professionals, researchers, journalists, policymakers
Good for: Engaging in public health debates, networking with influencers, staying updated on medical news, becoming a thought leader on healthcare policy
Format: Text posts, articles, videos, carousels
Content Examples: Thought leadership insights, case studies (without PHI), career updates, healthcare industry trends
Audience: Healthcare professionals, recruiters, industry leaders, businesses
Good for: Networking, professional credibility, career growth, B2B connections
Format: Text posts, images, videos, live streams, groups
Content Examples: Practice updates, patient-friendly health tips, community discussions
Audience: Local communities, older demographics, private practice patients
Good for: Local patient engagement, community-building, practice visibility
If you are unsure, TikTok or Instagram tend to be the easiest to start with, and content can be reused/shared across the two.
Whichever platform you decide to start on, it is important to build your brand and create a mix of content that is educational but also relatable. If your content is too dense or bland, viewers will not be as interested. But if you utilize popular trends, you will capture interest, and followers will watch more of your content.
To start, aim to create 1-2 posts per day on your platform of choice. As your audience engagement increases, you can start to reply to comments both with written comments and with video posts to build your community.
From here, your platform will continue to grow!
“The pandemic is when things slowed down for my practice and I had more time. So I made a few videos, and one of the videos I made about being a woman in neurosurgery went viral. I just really enjoyed the engagement that I got from the video, the comments, and the questions… I challenged myself to post every day for three months and just see what happened. And so I did that on TikTok and I quickly grew a hundred thousand followers in three months.”
Telling Patients to Follow You on Social Media
Inviting patients to follow you on social media isn’t just about growing your audience – it’s about extending the care and connection beyond the office.
By following your content, patients gain access to valuable insights, expert advice, and a deeper understanding of your approach to care.
Social media is an opportunity to educate, empower, and reassure patients even when they’re not in your exam room. More than that, it builds trust. When patients see your dedication, expertise, and even personal moments, they feel more connected and confident in your care.
Encouraging them to follow you on social media is an invitation to be part of a community where their health and well-being remain a priority. This is as easy as mentioning in the clinic room that you are on social media and sharing your handle, or creating business cards or flyers for your waiting room.
Having patients follow you on social media can also be used to help patients find you if you move practice settings. By building strong relationships through your online presence and patient visits, patients can easily locate and follow you without issues such as non-compete agreements interfering if you have a regular presence on your social media.
“I have patients who have now seen me at the three practices I’ve been in. They have a baby from each one, and they say, ‘if you go to the moon, I will go there too to see you as my doctor.’ That type of loyalty is extremely valuable.”
Conclusion
The digital age is here.
Social media is no longer just an optional marketing tool – it’s a platform for medical professionals to educate, connect, and build lasting relationships with patients.
While traditional beliefs may discourage self-promotion, the reality is that a strong online presence helps physicians shape their own narratives, combat misinformation, and create a community of trust.
By consistently posting, engaging with audiences, and encouraging patients to connect, healthcare professionals can not only grow their practices but also strengthen the very foundation of patient care.
Adapting to the digital age doesn’t mean sacrificing professionalism; it means using modern tools to serve, support, and lead in ways never before possible.