Insta-Fame for your Health Organization

That Thing your Teenage Daughter Uses

You know, that app she posts a pic of her duckface on? It’s that thing the hip, happening kids today use to slide into each others’ DM’s, and use quotes by poets they don’t know as captions for pictures of their smoothies. I bet you never thought we’d come to this. I get your hesitation; I, myself, was hesitant at first. Even I – the great and powerful Oz, whoops, er, Red Eye – thought: What in the world could a health organization use Instagram for?

Actually, more than what you’d think.

Instagram is a fast-growing social media channel for pictures and short videos, that is becoming more and more popular, not just among the youth of today, but health campaigns, organizations and businesses, too. It has 300 million active monthly users that share an average of 70 million photos per day. I don’t know about you, but I like those odds for a health organization’s visibility.

So, what does this mean for YOUR organization? With our smart phones glued at our hips, it is all but ideal that customers and organizations alike are using this visually-appealing outlet to connect with one another. Having an Instagram account as a tool for marketing your organization sets you apart from all the other social media tools we’ve looked at so far. It allows customers to have an inside look at your operation while continuing to build brand recognition and loyalty.

Sounds a lot more life-changing than Kim K trying to “break the internet,” huh? So just follow me (get it?) and you’ll find that Instagram is so much more than what meets the eye.

Before Hopping on the Bandwagon

And before you can start posting pictures left and right, there are some things you need to first understand. Take a look at this glossary of Instagram terms to help you get to know the lingo. As you’ll notice, a lot of the terms are just repeats of words we already know from Twitter.

With every variation of social media there comes a slew of strategies and formulas to help your organization use it to the best of its ability. Instagram is no exception. The strategies to a successful Instagram are just simply:

• Knowing what you want your Instagram to accomplish – Goals and objectives are still very crucial. With Instagram, you’re targeting a potentially different demographic than other social media. What is Instagram going to do for your organization that the others have not?
• Deciding on your target audience – Who do you want to reach out to? Who do you want to inspire with your photos? What demographic will benefit from your health organization the most? (Helpful Hint: Insta hipsters might not always fit the bill)
• Deciding what type of content will get people talking – What kinds of photos, videos, etc. will get that target audience we talked about earlier inspired and loving your organization?

Since Instagram is all about seeing instead of just reading, let me give you an example to give you a better idea of where to go from here.

The non-profit UNICEF USA definitely learned those 3 strategies we just mentioned. Their pictures reflect that they have picked the audience they want to market their message to. (Who doesn’t like cute little kids?) They implement in their posts not only the goals of the organization as a whole – to raise awareness and support – but even more specific goals by showcasing individual children and their stories.

But, keep in mind, while UNICEF did a great job implementing these strategies they forgot the trick for non-profit’s instagramming.

Instagramming for your Non-Profit

What is this magical trick, you ask? Fundraising! That’s right, one of the most basic needs of your non-profit organization. You’d accept donations and praise donors on Facebook and Twitter – Instagram is no different!

When fundraising for your non-profit on Instagram, please take into account this [Primarily] Do’s & Don’ts List:

• DO: Use (but not overuse) hashtags to promote fundraising campaigns.
• DO: Use your main website as a donation center – and put that link in a picture!
• DO: Thank your donors!
  • Need an example? Check out (RED) the non-profit dedicated to fighting AIDs and their Instagram. People love to be praised and they love it even more when they can see the progress!

• DO: Promote fundraising events through your photos.
• DO: Offer incentives, like prizes for the best picture using your hashtag or special offers and discounts.
• DON’T: (I only gave you one so don’t freak out and rebel on me) Overwhelm your followers constantly asking for donations. There’s an art to fundraising; if you ask too often (or maybe even not enough) you won’t meet the fundraising objectives your organization has set for itself.

Speaking of Tips…

Want some helpful tips? Of course you do! Follow these guidelines and I’m sure you’ll have the hang of this Instagram thing in no time!

• Go behind the scenes
  • People LOVE seeing how an organization runs, the in’s and out’s, and when it’s a health organization, that only adds to the trust and respect they have for you. Use your pictures to demonstrate what goes on behind the curtain.
    • Need an example? The March of Dimes‘ Instagram does the typical promoting of their organization as expected, but they also showcase in their photos just who makes the organization run, who supports it, volunteers for it; putting faces to names and real people to a cause.

• Balance business and fun
  • When posting, yes, you need to keep in mind what you are there to do, (promote your blog, get donations, spread awareness, etc.) But also, mix a little fun into it! Add some humor, bright color, pictures of real people, fun promos and offers, even short videos. Instagram is supposed to be light and fun; why not go for it?
    • Need an example? The Breast Cancer Research Foundation posts not only photos and information about the research they are doing, but also survival stories and even a picture of their unofficial mascot. (How cute is that??)

• Be real
  • Instagram was created for people to interact with other people. No one wants to feel like they’re talking to a computer or an unidentifiable figure of a brand.
•  Take interesting photos (in good quality)
  • I cannot stress enough how important it is to skip the grainy or irrelevant pictures. Too often I see pictures posted health organizations’ social media pages that are just plain text on a pretty colored background, or worse, pixelated nonsense. Instagram is a visual sensation. Give your followers something pleasing to the eye.
    • Need an example? The American Cancer Society – my favorite when it comes to social media, you’ve probably noticed – does a great job of this. Their photos are clear in quality and don’t just rely on text overlay – but use it in moderation – to get their varying points across. Just take a look at this beauties!

• Engage your followers
  • Double-tap their photos for a like, give them a follow-back, thank them in a comment for participating if they used a hashtag for your campaign. Those followers are bound to become potential clients if they feel like their opinions and support of your campaign are appreciated.

Now That You’re Insta-Famous

I’m super proud of you for making it through yet another social media blog. Hopefully, after this, you’re up to speed on all the great things Instagram has to offer.

Instagram has a way of bringing your health organization to life in ways other than tweets and shares. If you don’t take away anything else from this blog (*sad face*) just think of Instagram as Twitter for people that hate to read. And in this day in age, we are people who need to see things to believe them.

The way I see it, your health organization needs to use photos and videos to their advantage. Create meaningful content that excites and inspires people, cultivating a following on so much more than just a social media outlet.

 

Linking Up with your Health Organization

A Professional take on Social Media

Welcome back, fellow social media gurus! We’ve had a good run so far, haven’t we? We’ve talked about the good, the bad and the punny. We’ve gone through the fun, well-known social media sites and how your health or non-profit organization can utilize them to your benefit. Now you’re ready for the big leagues! I’m not talking about baseball here; I’m talking about LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a special brand of social media. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, it’s an entirely professional platform, meaning odds are, you’ve probably already heard of it (even if it’s just getting a thousand email requests from your friends to join).  I keep telling you what a big, fancy, professional health organization you are; now it’s time to showcase all your organization has to offer to groups of people just like you.

You’re probably groaning behind your keyboard, thinking: “Don’t I have enough social media accounts to maintain? Why this one?” Well since you asked, here’s why:

• Networking with other organizations & future customers
• Job opportunities
• Professional development
• 1.5 million other healthcare professionals have already started using LinkedIn

Believe me now? Wonderful! Let’s get started!

Devising a Marketing Plan

1. Create a Page

• That doesn’t seem so hard, right? Remember: LinkedIn is going to be one of your greatest assets when it comes to marketing your health organization. But first you have to create a page. Like Facebook, LinkedIn offers both personal pages and company pages. (Later on, you can go back & make a personal page for yourself.) This company page will act as the showcase for your organization, including potential employment opportunities, specialties, campaigns, and eye-catching images.
• Once you’ve set up your page, ask your fellow employees, customers/patients, vendors and volunteers to “follow” your page – remember that from Twitter? – to stay connected and stay visible. These followers can then write LinkedIn Recommendations, adding weight and credibility to your profile. Don’t pester them with a million email requests to join, but a health organization’s success has to start within.
  • Need an idea to get you started? The World Health Organization does a great job of including an eye-grabbing banner photo as well as providing a clear, concise bio in their LinkedIn page. They also provide a list of their other social media sites and contact information. They even included a career tab for those eager to be a part of the WHO team. Take note, people. This is what you want.

2. Start a Group

• Next, you’re going to want to launch a LinkedIn Group to help you not only interact with an audience that shares common goals, but also generate interest for your health organization. Invite your customers, employees, partners, and volunteers to be members, and appoint a responsible manager/moderator to head these groups. (You wouldn’t want them slacking off now would you?) These managers exist to approve discussion posts, pose questions, and decide who gets to join your group.
• On your page, you post statuses about relevant happenings in your organization. In your group, you send out messages to your members who act as “top influencers” of your health organization. Be sure to send out messages to your group at least once a week to keep them updated on campaigns, discussions, or special promotions. Messages need to promote a healthy group community with valuable content and thought-provoking discussions to keep members and potential consumers engaged.
  • Need an example? The American Heart Association is just one of many health organizations that run a thriving LinkedIn group with over 12,000 active members.

3. “All Aboard the LinkedIn Express!”

• As I said before, you don’t want to shove new technology down your employees’ ad volunteers’ throats, but getting them involved and active in your LinkedIn endeavor is crucial. How can it be successful if not everyone is doing their part?
• Make it everyone in your organization’s goal to create/update their own LinkedIn profile and expand their usage into organizational usage. Encourage them to use this platform to get your health organization’s message out to all of their personal contacts and the organization’s existing ones. Once the internal public is on board with LinkedIn, your health organization’s exposure and business can only skyrocket externally!
• Remember:

Be the Best You Can Be

Now that you have a clue of where to begin, here are a few quick tips that will gain your LinkedIn page the most visibility and interaction.

• Have a vibrant banner image
  • You don’t want some run-of-the-mill, bland banner image. Or worse, no banner image at all. Your organization’s page needs to be full of life and color. Give followers that “wow” factor when they visit your page.
    • Need an example? The CDC‘s banner is close to perfection. Beautiful images, bright colors, and even their tagline right in your face to be the first thing you see and remember about their organization.Plus, as a health organization, it always helps to show happy, healthy children, and doctors and health professionals doing what they do, to emphasize what you’re really about.

• Proofread everything
  • If I see any grammar or spelling errors in any of my readers’ health organization pages I will scream. You know better than this. If you want your organization to be taken seriously, it needs to conduct itself in a dignified, professional manner.
• Post updates frequently
  • The best way for your LinkedIn marketing strategy to succeed is to stay consistently visible and timely. Post status updates once or twice a day just to stay in the forefront of your followers’ minds.  You can even add links, discussion questions, and pictures that will make your updates interesting and more visible.
    • Need an example? The American Psychiatric Association consistently posts at least once a day every day with everything from testimonials, highlighting a specific Association  psychiatrist and their work, to information on mental illnesses and medicinal applications.

• Showcase your campaigns
  • LinkedIn has started offering this cool new program called Showcase. Showcase Pages act as an extension of your main organization page that allows you to focus on relevant content for your target audience and enhancing relationships with that audience. Emphasize the important campaigns or movements your non-profit or health organization is promoting recently. With this tool, there’s a better chance someone will see it and become an active follower of the campaign as well. As I always say, take advantage of the latest greatest technology.

Go Forth & Conquer

Think of LinkedIn as a method to fit all the puzzle pieces of a non-profit or health organization together. It is your network to get in touch with not only potential customers, but other organizations as well. Don’t believe me that LinkedIn improves your networking relationship? Then here, have an infographic:

You learn something new every day, right? Now you have the tools, the tips, and the strategy to make a great LinkedIn page and group; get out there and spread your health organization’s word to a whole new set of audiences on a powerful, professional setting.

The way I see it, LinkedIn can act as a launchpad to successfully get your health organization to the eyes and ears of your partners, employees/volunteers, and potential consumers that have the greatest influence on your organization.

Taking Flight with your Health Organization

Making the World a Healthier Place in 140 Characters or Less

Wow, we both deserve a pat on the back. You for making it through your first two social media blogs, and me for getting you here – you’re welcome, dear reader.

Now has come the time for your health or non-profit organization to soar to higher heights and fly farther into the realm of social media; and of course, I’m talking about Twitter. And I’ll apologize now for all the bird puns.

I know what you’re thinking: isn’t Twitter just for teenagers to put a hashtag in front of every word they write? (Or maybe even some of you after reading that are asking what the heck a hashtag is – don’t worry, we’ll get there!) I hate to be the one to tell you but you have been drastically misinformed.

Twitter has become the fastest way for people to express ideas, share and gain knowledge, and amass a fortune of followers with similar ideals. Why is this good for your health organization, you ask? I’ll break it down for you – just so you can start to get the hang of this whole limited character thing.

1. More visibility of your organization
2. Branching out networks
3. Build relationships with customers

Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it? But before you go cracking eggs, there are a few things we need to discuss.

Lingo You Might Need to Know

Some days it might sound like the kids today are speaking Greek when it comes to Twitter, but believe me, it isn’t hard to catch on fast. Here are some terms you’ll want to know before we get started.

• Hashtag – The number/pound symbol (#) is not just that anymore. It can go in front of any word or phrase. If a user searches for or clicks on the hashtag, they can see every tweet using that same keyword or phrase.
• Follow – Remember when people used to get magazine subscriptions? Following is basically the same exact thing. You are subscribing to another account and will be notified when they tweet.
  • The same applies when a user follows you organization back. They will be notified first when you tweet and be instantly informed with the goings-on in your organization.

• Handle – This could be the name of your organization or a shortened version. Something easy to remember and concise.
  • Need an example? The CDC has a twitter with the handle @CDCgov. Not only is it short and memorable, but it doesn’t stray far from the name of the organization itself.
• Retweet – A shared tweet (or a post) that another person has tweeted, commonly seen as RT. Think of it like re-blogging or like the share button on Facebook.
• Trending – Happens when a hashtag is used frequently and by enough users that it becomes popular and conversed about all over the world or in a set country.

Now that you’re hip to all the Twitter lingo, keep reading and I’ll show you how to hatch out one heck of a health organization Twitter page!

Healthy Practices for a Health-Practicing Twitter

With every social media your health organization chooses to use, there are a few things you’re going to want to keep in mind before you press ‘tweet.’

• Know your Goals (and Your Limit)
  • Using social media to its full potential is like defusing a bomb. One slip and it’ll be a nightmare for your PR department. With only 140 characters to spare, you want to make sure your organization is putting out useful, valid information that won’t be misconstrued. Lay out what you want to accomplish early on, and think of Twitter as just another way to get consumers to the “bigger picture,” i.e. your blog or your website.
• Tweet habitually
  • Twitter is about timeliness. You don’t want to tweet so frequently within an hour that followers get annoyed, but you don’t want to space out the time in between tweets that they forget you exist. You want to interact and put out information on peak days and hours. Tweet between 2-8 times a day, over the span of a couple of hours. Research says that the best time to tweet ranges between 11 am and 1 pm.
    • Need an example? The American Public Health Association posts at least 5 times over the span of 3 hours, spread out over certain intervals. This makes their content fly to the top of their followers’ news feeds, but does not overwhelm them.

• Establish a bond with your followers
  • You need to interact with your followers as often as you can. Respond to their tweets, favorite & retweet their tweets when they mention your handle or organization, etc. They are what makes your Twitter page successful. Once you build a relationship with your followers, you’ll be amazed at the mutual benefits that you both receive.
    • Need an example? The American Heart Association retweets their followers’ tweets frequently and mentions other organizations in their own tweets as well.

• Use appropriate grammar
  • Remember: you’re a professional, well-organized health organization, the last thing you want to sound like is somebody who just got on an AOL chatroom in 2001 for the first time. Avoid abbreviations like ‘gr8,’ ‘thnx,’ or the all-encompassing ‘lol.’ Yes, you only have a few characters to get your message out there, but you can do it without sounding ridiculous. Just don’t do it.
• Don’t overdo it with the hashtags
  • Hashtags can be useful, but nobody likes to see #every #word #hashtagged. (Can you say #boring?)  Limit yourself to about 2 hashtags per tweet. Any more than that can make your tweets unprofessional and difficult to read. You want your tweets to justify themselves without the constant need for hashtags.
    • Need an example? The American Cancer Society uses between 1 and 2 hashtags on average when they tweet. It isn’t overbearing but also provides the opportunity for conversations to arise from the keywords and phrases they hashtag.

 

• Find a consistent style
  • You’re a big, fancy. wide-reaching health organization; you probably have a slew of different employees or volunteers running your social media accounts. However, like with every form of media, settle on a style that is unique to your organization and make sure everyone tweeting from your account follows that style. You don’t want each tweet different from the last in terms of phrasing and word-choice.
• Include links, pictures, etc.
  • A blank, bland tweet is a strong health organization’s kryptonite. Adding a link to your tweet increases the retweet rate to an 86% chance. Link up your blog, relevant articles, your organization’s website, just to name a few. You also want to add pictures or videos to create an eye-catcher. Tweets that have images have a 2 times higher engagement rate than those without. Be it infographics or pictures from your most recent event, these are more likely to generate a response from followers.

• Provide followers with beneficial, attention-grabbing content
  • Really that’s all there is to it. This is probably the most important step. You want your tweets to convey your health messages in a way that makes them relatable but also interesting, and of course retweetable. The higher the retweets, the more exposure your health organization gets.

Flying Free

Now that you’ve been caught up on all the tips, it’s time for you to spread your wings and go take the Twitter world by storm!

Much like Facebook, Twitter does not have all the tools necessary to be your sole social media outlet for your health organization. But, it is a great way to engage with your followers – and potential consumers – quickly and easily.

Through retweets, mentions, and hashtags, Twitter allows your health organization the opportunity to reach your target audience on a wide scale. Maybe your messages could spread through the Twitter-verse to audiences you didn’t even think of.

The way I see it, Twitter can create a unique connection between health organizations and its consumers/followers, but only if used to its fullest potential.

Make Facebook your ‘Best Friend’

Facebook: It isn’t just for college kids anymore

In fact, you’d probably have to be living under a rock to have never even heard of it. There are hundreds of social networking sites floating around out there, but none of them so influential as Facebook. Whether it’s personal profiles, business pages, or open or secret groups, users are constantly surfing, updating, and engaging in the simplest and fastest way to reach the masses since the printing press.

So, at this point you’re probably asking: But, isn’t Facebook just for sharing funny cat pictures and stalking your ex? Why would I want to use it for my health organization?

Whether we like to admit it or not, Facebook has become part of our lives in a big way. Why, I bet as you read this – on your phone, tablet, or laptop – you have another tab open to Facebook right now. I won’t lie, as I write this, I have my own Facebook page open in another window. Why? Because it’s the king of all social media. On a daily basis the site gets a total of 1.038 billion active users.

This isn’t just good news for Mark Zuckerberg; it’s good news for your health organization as well! That means you and your organization have that much more of a chance of potential consumers seeing your page and what you have to offer.

Want more good news? 94% of users say they consult their friends and specialized pages on Facebook for health information. Users put their trust in their friends and their social networks, looking for accurate, exciting, and useful health information. All the more reason to unlock the kingdom for yourself!

And truth be told, if you don’t already have a profile, group, and/or page on Facebook, you are severely behind the times, my friend. But don’t worry! I’m here to help you get started.

Learning the Basics

There are multiple ways to engage your audience on Facebook. However, not every one of them are necessarily appropriate for your organization’s messages.

Profile: Offers a personal way to communicate with friends & family and share videos, photos, and thoughts

• Profiles are usually used by individuals alone to connect with the people in their lives. While having a personal profile may not be the best way for your health organization to get in touch with its consumers, if used ethically, it could be a great tool for individual health professionals to stay connected to patients.

Group: About a particular subject with multiple members that can communicate within the group

•  A Group consists of members, as opposed to having friends. For your organization’s purposes, this provides a platform for members – whether they are friends with one another or not – to communicate with each other and allows you (the Administrator) to interact with them on a personal level as well.

Page: Allows users to “follow” or stay updated on an organization or business; best option for health organizations

• Pages are specifically designed for marketing, promoting, etc., ideal for a health organization or any health professional. Instead of getting friends or members, users are “fans” of and “like” a certain person or organization. Every time the administrator of the page posts an update, those who like it get a notification.
  • Need an example? The World Health Organization‘s Facebook page has 2,689,233 likes and updates consistently every few hours every day. The success of this page just goes to show that this may be the best tool Facebook has to offer for your organization.

Now that you know what method you want to use to reach your Facebooking consumers, let’s focus on how to keep them engaged with your health organization!

Building a Better Facebook Page

You’ve taken the right steps so far. You’ve investigated the best way to promote your health or non-profit organization on Facebook, and now you’re ready to create your web masterpiece!

Follow these 4 easy tips and you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful Facebook page for you and your organization:

• Be Credible
  • Nobody likes a liar, especially when it comes to health information. People look to healthcare providers and organizations on Facebook for reliable, credible information, not meaningless claims. Consumers take their health seriously – as they should. The average patient/consumer doesn’t know as much as the health professionals, and is putting their trust in the fact that those professionals’ pages will provide them with accurate information. Make sure your sources are dependable. Put yourself in your clients’ shoes and ask: Would you believe the information you’re giving?
    • Need an example? The Mayo Clinic is a respected name in health and medicine, so of course their Facebook page would be no different. They back-up their stories with research from credible physicians and other reputable sources, and are quick to provide truthful answers to important questions.

• Be Relatable
  • The whole point of Facebook – and social media in general – is to provide information on a platform that can reach a multitude of different audiences. Content must be easy to relate to and directed towards your health organization intended audience.
    • Need an example? Harvard Health Publications has a Facebook page that posts studies, diets and recipes, and other ways to strive for healthy living that is current and applicable.
• Stay Connected with the Public
  • Your fans are what drives you. By staying involved with them, the fans feel more a part of something bigger. They are more likely to come back and remain a fan if they feel as though their thoughts, opinions, and questions are being well-received. Respond to comments, like comments, & offer rewards for page likes, instead of being a static page that just posts news updates. If you have a hotline, be sure to add the telephone number along with any other contact information for organizations or healthcare professionals.
    • Need an example? The non-profit, Mental Health America, does a fantastic job of responding to users’ comments in a timely and gracious manner. They are also sure to add their website and hotline information.

• Be Unique
  • Remember that conversation we had about making blogs unique? Well, the same goes for Facebook! There’s nothing worse than a generic-looking page. Get creative and stand-out among your competitors, and give users a reason to give you a “like.”
    • Need an example? The health and wellness organization, Everyday Health page draws you in with a bright cover photo, and a plethora of photos and videos dedicated to helping users take better care of themselves.

Facebook: Final Thoughts to Consider

Think of Facebook as sort of the St. Louis Arch of social networking. In a way, its like the gateway to the west; a gateway to all other forms of social media.

With its vast popularity, it’s almost unbelievable that any health organization’s success wouldn’t skyrocket due to a page. However, Facebook is not the end-all-be-all of your social media experience.

Yes, it is a great tool to connect and create loyalty with potential patients, establish a reputation, and get your organization’s name out to multiple audiences, but it is meant to serve as a road sign to your website. Your Facebook page cannot serve as your only social media outlet.

The way I see it, Facebook is just one piece to your health organization’s marketing strategy, but without a doubt an important one every health or non-profit needs to try to stay relevant in the ever-changing social media game.