Most healthcare professionals and entities consider it a critical responsibility to inform the public about health and safety issues, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A practical and straightforward marketing tool that you have at your disposal is social media. Whether you’re communicating to your patients and the public through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, here are three essential ways to use social media to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Inform The Public About Safety Measures They Can Take To Remain Healthy
Social media grants healthcare experts access to patients, their families, and the public-at-large.
Having an active presence on social media is essential, especially during these uncertain times. With your social media platforms, you can inform the public about health and safety measures and provide reliable sources of information. You can position yourself and/or your organization as a trusted, virtual advisor for individuals near and far.
Here are several ideas for informative posts that you can share with the public:
- Social distancing requirements and why they are essential
- Hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Symptoms of the coronavirus compared to the flu, colds, and other common illnesses
- Busting myths around COVID-19
- Looking after yourself during the COVID-19 pandemic — both physically and mentally
2. Guide Those In Your Community Who Think They Might Have COVID-19
Unfortunately, social media often delivers a mixed bag of conflicted messaging, confusion, and misinformation. Use your social media platforms and medical knowledge to help those who need it most during the pandemic, those who are or think they are positive for the virus.
You need to provide your community with actions that they can take if they think they’ve contracted COVID-19. Then, provide support for those who test positive. Through informational posts and live Q&As, you can answer your community’s burning questions around the coronavirus, while remaining HIPAA-compliant regarding specific patients. Some of these questions may include the following:
- What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
- When should I get tested?
- Where can I get tested? GP, hospital, or clinic?
- What medication can I take for COVID-19 symptoms?
- If I have mild symptoms, should I self-isolate at home?
- How do I avoid infecting others?
- When should I go to the hospital?
3. Keep the Public Informed About Important Public Health Updates
As the steady stream of updates bombards all of our timelines, become your audience’s go-to reliable source for ongoing updates. Keep it local with updates about your neighborhood, city, or country so that your community gets the correct information from a health professional. You can do this in the following ways:
- A weekly video update posted on all social media platforms
- Informative alert posts
- Live video updates to your community on recent developments
If you have a mailing list, and we hope you do, you can extend these updates by emailing your patients and sharing links to all your social media updates.
Overall, social media is a great platform to connect with your patients and the public. Instead of continually updating and informing your patients individually, direct them to reliable sources of information on your social media platforms. It’s the perfect way to tell your community about COVID-19 while redirecting your time to patients who genuinely need your help.
Do you have a robust healthcare organization marketing plan in place? Many health & wellness organizations choose Elevated to develop, implement, and manage their marketing strategies. Schedule a meeting now for a free assessment.
