Have you looked at the number of people your Facebook posts are reaching? If you’re like many medical practices, your reach is decreasing. Facebook’s algorithm has you between a rock and a hard place. But, there are some things that you can do to reach more people when you post and optimize your Facebook presence.
Develop excellent content and pictures that your patients relate to. Facebook’s algorithm gives priority to celebrations, announcements of new associates, etc. Why? Because these “good news” type of posts get more attention and likes. The more likes and comments you get, the more people your Facebook post will reach.
Check your Facebook insights. If you post when your Facebook audience isn’t online, you reduce the number of people that your information reaches. If your insights show the peak time that your fans are online is from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm, post at different times within this timeframe. You can use Facebook’s scheduling tool to choose the time your status posts, so make this tactic part of your plan because it’s convenient for all.
Customize your Facebook links. You probably have noticed that a default picture, title and description appears when you use a Facebook link. Click on each one of these and customize them so that the words resonate with your patients and your Facebook audience. More appeal equals more likes and fans in the Facebook world.
Use hashtags correctly. People appreciate the correct use of hashtags because it helps them find the information they want to see. What they don’t want to see are hashtags in every third word of a Facebook post. Add a couple of hashtags in your post, but don’t overuse them so that the content is difficult to read.
Schedule your posts in Facebook. Are you posting in Facebook via a Twitter app? If so, you’re probably reaching very few people. Facebook’s algorithm typically severely limits the post from external applications. It’s easy to post in Facebook using its scheduler, and then use an app to connect your post to other sites.
Boost a post via Facebook ads. Yes, I know that you thought Facebook would always be free. But, the free version is probably not working for you these days. For $5.00 to $15.00, you can boost your post to reach more people in your local area and target it to interests. Boosting is not for every post, but it’s great for events, new products, ebooks, and other great information that you want to reach more people. Stop quibbling over a few dollars and try it to see what it can do for you.
Contact our social media experts at PUMC if you need help or don’t understand how to implement some of these tactics. We’ll be glad to lend advice, help you get started or do some of the heavy lifting for you if your staff doesn’t have the bandwidth.