Facebook is still the most popular social media platform today, with nearly 2.5 billion active monthly people and 90 million small business users. Posting regularly on Facebook can help you drive business, create a loyal following, and help you build relationships with your patients. But where do you start? It can be daunting, but creating Facebook posts your patients will enjoy is a lot easier than you think. Here are some Facebook tips to better help you.
Here are five ideas for creating engaging content that you can post to Facebook today:
- Promote your pharmacy and community events
Upcoming events and announcements are a great way to show your pharmacy in action. They present a clear call to action and give patients a real reason to visit your pharmacy and continue following you on social media. You can not only attract a much wider audience online but also boost attendance by allowing your online community to share details with their own networks and do much of the marketing for you. Facebook makes it easy to create and promote events, share event information, invite guests, and send reminders through your business page. Anyone viewing the event page or post can see who is interested or going and comment on the event.
Remedy Rx Pharmacy & Compounding themed “Girls’ Night Out” talk on women’s hormones attracted 34 guests and helped the pharmacy build their patients’ interest in upcoming events.
- Behind-the-scenes video or story
Today, video content is bigger than ever and has become a great way to tell your pharmacy’s story. According to Zenith, people watch an average of 84 minutes of video online every day 85% of businesses now use videos as a marketing tool. These numbers are staggering but not altogether surprising; users want to see the brands they back in action. Video marketing is valuable for pharmacies because patients want to connect online and share that experience with their own network. Giving a tour of the pharmacy behind the counter or showcasing the staff and specialized facilities can be an easy way to get your foot in the door of digital video content.
To celebrate their 50th anniversary, People’s Custom Rx shared a very short video to announce their month-long prize giveaway. The video reached over 1,500 people with 101 engagements and 7 shares.
3. Showcase Your Staff
Got a technician with an inspiring story? Let your community know. Establishing an emotional connection between your patients and employees is a great way to build trust and help create a sense of community. Sharing a personal story exemplifies the fact that you and your staff are real, compassionate people who will make every effort to make patients feel comfortable.
One of our clients, Douglas Pharmacy & Gifts, did a great job of showcasing their staff on Facebook with an entire “Meet The Staff” photo album. Pharmacy owner Jim’s photo alone got 125 likes and 17 comments.
- Let your patients know you have gone digital
If your pharmacy has gone digital, don’t forget to spread the word to your patients and community.Let them know where they can find you online, whether that means a brand-new HIPAA-compliant healthsite, or your pharmacy’s Facebook page. And remember to share any digital services or tools you now offer, such as online refills, pharmacy mobile apps, or interactive voice response (IVR).
Medicap Pharmacy’s sponsored post, which introduced the pharmacy and shared their new mobile app offering, was shared 14 times by their community.
- Keep your patients informed with educational posts
As a pharmacist, you are already providing expertise on a number of areas that may come as new information for your patients. You can leverage this experience and share relevant health content online to better educate your community and position yourself and the pharmacy as the go-to place for community health. If you’re a Digital Pharmacist client, you’ll always have access to a database of health news articles to share with patients. Consider keeping a health awareness calendar on hand as well, so you can participate in upcoming events and get your community involved.
People’s Custom Rx did a great job of educating their patients about flu season and their immunization services, reaching nearly 300 followers with this post.
Need more social media marketing ideas? Read our recent post on maximizing your pharmacy’s social media efforts.
For help creating and evaluating your pharmacy’s social media presence, get in touch with us today.
