Social Media and Cosmetic Surgery: Best Pairing

Cosmetic surgery procedures have shown continued growth in recent years. According to data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there was a 2 percent increase of annual plastic surgery procedures between 2016 and 2017, and the steady increase tells us that it is only going to get better.

The opportunities for cosmetic surgeons and cosmetic surgery practices are out there, but your competitors will do anything they can to capture the market. To stay ahead, you must recognize what sets your business apart from the others.

Luckily for you, cosmetic surgery is already unique amongst other medical specialties. Why? It contrasts other practices because it resembles retail businesses the most; as a matter of fact, it is elective and consumer-direct. Patients are not looking to restore or fix functions; they are looking to improve their aesthetic appeal.

The distinction is rather important because it shows that cosmetic surgery marketers must strategize their marketing efforts as if they were dealing with a retail business. So, what is the product cosmetic surgery practices sell? Expertise.

Retail businesses strive to reach potential consumers right where they are; they let them know about their product to, hopefully, convert them into customers. Your cosmetic surgery practice should operate under the same idea, and this is why social media marketing is so critical to the specialty in comparison to others.

People look at their social media feeds all the time.

According to a chart developed by Global Web Index, people devote 33% of their online time to social media.

Moreover, the Pew Research Center revealed that 68% of all U.S. adults use Facebook, while 35% and 29% use Instagram and Pinterest, respectively.

Numbers speak for themselves: tapping into social media will let you reach the largest population of consumers. That is beneficial enough on its own, but a strategical social presence will convert them into leads, and ultimately, sales.

Building rapport with the appropriate people erases randomness from the equation and nurtures satisfied patients. Why settle for the “shotgun approach” if you can use a surgeon’s scalpel?

The Scalpel Approach: Overview

Your website alone will not bring in the leads, much less sales. You have to reach your prospects, and social media marketing lets you appeal to your followers with valuable information, and I emphasize valuable.

Blasting your followers with sales-y and promotional content will turn them off; remember we are talking about medical procedures, not products. The trick is selling your expertise as if you were a retailer, without talking like you are one.

The best way to showcase the expertise of your practice is addressing the questions of your followers with the information they want. It serves a double-duty: it builds a bond with your “fans” and highlights your professionalism and knowledge.

A perfect example would be posting an informational chart with skin care information that prompts readers to speak about their concerns. If they tell you that blemishes and wrinkles trouble them the most, you can tailor your content to their needs, raising their interest and doing you favors at the same time.

To list a few benefits of replying to the inquiries of your followers:

• You can generate strong backlinks if you tie your answers with in-depth blog posts on the subject in your site.
• You can improve your credibility sharing before and after photos.
• You can lead interested patients into concluding deals with you through special promotions.

These are just loose ideas to get the ball rolling. Different social media platforms call for different content, and you must be consistent with your efforts.

A word on aftercare and social media.

Social media is undoubtedly one of the fastest ways to connect with patients and future prospects, and building doctor-patient trust is essential in the field. You can shower your customers with attention and care during their visits to your practice, but can you take care of them after they leave?

Some procedures require therapy or treatment post-surgery. Where do patients look for information? Google; however, it could lead to misinformation, which could worsen the effectivity of your surgery, and it ultimately blows your standing.

Encourage your patients to connect with you through social media, that way you can continue to serve them with accurate information straight from their care provider. They will put you in high regard and, both will benefit from your actions.

Let Digital Marketing Agency explore the specifics of each social media platform, and how you can market your cosmetic surgery practice through them.

The Scalpel Approach: Facebook

Facebook is quintessential for social media marketers due to the sheer volume of users and Facebook ads. Advertising works fantastically here because you can narrow the audience to specific demographic and behavioral criteria—After all, it would not make sense to advertise post-pregnancy tummy tucks to populations aged below 24.

Besides being more efficient, narrowed-down advertising is cheaper; Facebook ads are auctioned and priced according to competition and reach, so a focalized scope will likely have less competition.

These ads work in tandem with your social media presence because they raise awareness. They let prospects know who you are and what you do; they catch the attention of interested users who are considering cosmetic surgery; and then, you can convert them into leads.

In any case, do not let Facebook ads become your only Facebook tool. Ads are good occasionally, but sharing content is the definitive way to turn visitors into leads. “How to” posts, before and after shots, aesthetic trends, satisfied patients, and replying to questions; all of this coalesces into trust and authority.

Whenever you decide to deliver offers through Facebook ads, make sure they are the very best; Additionally, make sure you have narrowed down the scope. Facebook will charge every time your ads appear in the feed of a user, so try to get as many leads as possible to maximize your investment.

You can craft highly-specific messages and define your target audience with demographics, interests, behaviors, connections, and more. An example of an efficient ad campaign would be tailoring a facelift offer for middle-aged women near your practice (instead of statewide).

A word on dealing with comments and criticism in social media.

You must respond to comments swiftly. No matter the tone, you should answer cordially, thanking the user for speaking up.

Now, if the post was complimentary: communicate that you are glad to be of service. This promotes your practice as professional and consumer-friendly.

In a perfect world, you would rather not receive negative reviews, but you will. You must offer the user a chance to address their concerns with you privately; should you reach an agreeable solution that satisfies the patient, politely request them to update their comment.

Prompt and cordial replies will do wonders to your reputation and will serve as proof of your commitment to patients.

The Scalpel Approach: Instagram

Instagram is far more visual than Facebook and calls for a different tactic. Short, concise, and pleasing content will help you engage with over 400 million active users per day.

Due to the heightened anonymity of the platform, people are more likely to engage with healthcare content. So, let us break down the strategy to maximize your reach.

The Right Hashtags

Telling people to use hashtags is about as precise as telling them to be themselves on a date. There are several methods to mount a proper hashtag campaign, but the first that comes to mind is looking at your competitors and influencers—the latter define the “effective hashtags” of your industry.

You might think #liposuction is right, but people who actually browse for liposuction might be going for #lipo or even #weightloss. You can explore hashtag metrics with keyword research tools such as Ubersuggest.

Additionally, it might be easier to compete with these keywords; broader terms are expensive and they are not necessarily searched by people who want to purchase a product.

For example:

Good search volume but hard to compete with others and expensive.

Easier to compete with, and also cheaper.

Work with Influencers

Marketers are diverting more funds to their influencer marketing budgets for a good reason. According to a study conducted by Tomoson, every $1 spent on influencer marketing makes $6.50 in revenue.

The performance of influencer marketing is outstanding when it comes to customer acquisition. Building strong relationships with influencers invariably leads to more trust as they share your content and you tag them in your posts.

Get Closer

In other words, tell your followers what happens behind the curtains; this does not mean showing them actual procedures. Show them the office, an average job day, or satisfied customers (with their permission, of course).

These glimpses tell them they are part of the process, and makes them feel more comfortable—a key emotion when we are talking about cosmetic surgery.

Conclusion

You do not need to blast emails or invade Facebook feeds to dominate the market; in fact, it might be a deterrent for prospects. Engaging your consumers with high-quality content, transparency, and education is the way to go today.

A sound social media plan bridges the gap between your practice and potential customers, and it does not have to be a headache. We discussed several loose ideas to get started, but if you would like to outdo your competitors with a professional tailored strategy, DMA is committed to solving marketing problems with an individual focus.

DMA | Digital Marketing Agency | www.digitalmarketingagency.com