Instagram for Doctors and Surgeons

Hi, my name is Leanne Levitt from Business for Surgeons, and welcome to the 2nd video for Doc Social. So, in my previous video, we talked about the increasing benefits of Social Media in the medical industry, and now it's time to put into practice and get specific.

I'm going to be talking to you today about how to construct an Instagram account and post specifically tailored to doctors and surgeons. So the Instagram for Business account is a great way to showcase your specialty, raise your profile and get your reputation and brand out there. An increasing number of doctors and surgeons are using Instagram to raise their profile locally and internationally.

It takes years and even decades to train for your chosen specialty, so you want to showcase that, right? Of course, so let's go through it. How to construct an Instagram account. Ensure you sign up for Instagram for Business. Three benefits are getting found, access to analytics, and Instagram ads.

I've got 3 accounts for you to have a look at. We've got Awake spine surgery, Sarcoma Strong, and Business for Surgeons. Have a look at these accounts, check them out, see what Other people in the industry are doing. So we're onto your profile now, or specifically your bio. So this is situated at the top of your Instagram account. Does it say who you are and what you do?

It doesn't need to be fussy, expensive or complicated, it just needs to have a clear message. So a great example, and we've used them before, is Sarcoma Strong. In my previous video, I was all about creating awareness. So Instagram is a great platform for that, and that is what Professor DiCaprio and his team do perfectly, so check it out.

Great example, your bio should include your username, email, and website, but this depends on where you are in your Business, but you can always build on that. Your profile picture. This can either be your foundation or practice logo, you in your white coat, suited.

And booted or in action in the OR. I've been working with Socoma Strong for 2 years now, and they've only just produced their new snazzy logo. So check it out. Ensure that your logo is professional, nevertheless, but it's best to get something out there than not at all.

I'm sure that Business surgeons will be going through a rebranding at some point in the next few years, so just make a start. DMs, your patients and clients can contact you using what we call a direct message. So this is situated in the navigation bar. Top right is the airplane.

Icon. There's a great way for you to engage with your patients and clients and take inquiries. So how to construct an Instagram post. First of all, you need to ensure you have a great picture. So number one, find a picture which is suitable. At Business surgence, we're predominantly a Business platform. So I

Tend to be suited and booted and have professional photographers at hand. But it depends on your target market. There are quite a few free images out there of um pictures of Surgery, doctors, OR. You need to ensure that you check the licensing agreement before you use these.

And also if you're using pictures of colleagues and patients and clients, ensure you have their permission first. Number 2, add your location, so this can be the location of your patient, client or Business partner. Number 3.

Need to write your content. This can be long, short, or to the point, as you would like. I mean, sometimes even a motivational quote is enough. Put yourself in the shoes of your patients and clients and what they would like to read.

Number 4, emojis. So the fun part, OK. There are plenty of medical emojis out there. And a Business for surgeons, if you look at some of our posts, I can go quite emoji mad, but it's all good fun and it just brings your post to life. Number 5, hashtags.

A hashtags to your posts. This is very important. It categorizes your posts and also ensures that people, the right people, find them. So you can categorize your posts like hashtag Zurich, New York City, Durban, and then further down.

You can also categorize it into hashtag sarcoma, ortho, Spine, so that your chosen specialty is featured and the right person is going to find it. And number 6, make sure at the end of your post you have a call to action. This can be your email, your phone number, but it needs to state clearly how your patients and clients are going to find you. OK, so.

That wasn't too complicated. It's gonna take you 5 or 6 goes to get into it, so just have a go. Keep posting, keep putting yourself out there. Ensure it's professional, and it'll be great. Lastly, we have stories. Did you know that 58% of people who viewed stories went on to buy the product or book an appointment, which is.

Huge, so it is worth investing in stories, in your day to day life. So the stories are situated in little circles at the top of Instagram account. And these are typically a slideshow format, only available for 24 hours. I would suggest posting 3 to 5 stories a day, and these can give you and your practice a live behind the scenes footage and is a.

Great way to connect with current patients, prospective patients and clients and people who want to see the authentic side of your Business. So, great stuff. We've come to the end of that. Thank you so much for having me again. And we look forward to our next video which will be Instagram versus Twitter. Pros and cons. Check it out.