In the previous article, we talked about medical marketing and its importance to doctors in general and for bariatric surgeons in particular. We also clarified the role of healthcare marketing in helping bariatric surgeons reach more patients effectively and how to build a relationship of trust with them.
Today, we are continuing our series about marketing bariatric and endoscopic surgeons. We will clarify the goals that bariatric surgeons should pursue, in addition to identifying many facts and rules related to the success of digital medical marketing.
What are the goals of digital medical marketing for bariatric surgeons?
Bariatric surgeons should build a marketing plan to achieve a set of goals, such as:
Continuous and effective online presence: Physicians’ and surgeons’ lack of interest in being present online in addition to their neglect to build a good reputation and relationship of trust with current and potential patients reduces their chances of acquiring new patients. Especially with competitors’ interest in highlighting the special features in their clinic or centers and highlighting the modern devices and technologies used in their surgeries. They also display their professional experience in the field. From this, we can conclude the importance of the physician’s online presence and the necessity of their interaction with the public, whether through the doctor himself or by resorting to specialized medical marketing experts.
73% of Internet users turn to search engines to find the right treatment for their illness.
Source: medconnect inc
Successful communication with patients through social media: Obese patients are motivated to follow the Facebook pages of bariatric surgeons and social media accounts. As a way to explore patient opinions and experiences with you as a surgeon, the prices and quality of your services or to be well-rounded about their medical condition. In 2011, statistics indicated that approximately 56% of Facebook users join surgeons’ pages to take advantage of discounts and offers available on bariatric surgeries, so you have to meet these demands by providing various promotional offers periodically.
41% of patients confirm the impact of social media on their decisions regarding choosing the best doctor.
Source: health works collective
Overcoming negative comments: Overcoming negative comments is one of the most important advantages of digital marketing. Dealing with angry patients is not easy because they sometimes harm the doctor’s reputation; especially since these comments are seen by potential patients. However, there are specific strategies to deal with those comments and effectively managing your online reputation. Managing your reputation as a bariatric surgeon mainly depends on how you treat your patients. For example, you should strive to solve problems that your patients are exposed to effectively instead of ignoring them, which increases the anger of the followers and exposes you to more negative comments.
Show the personal side of the surgeon: It is always necessary to realize that social media is an effective tool for communication between its users and not advertising platforms. This means that using these websites only as advertisements is completely wrong! Bariatric surgeons must take advantage of social media to establish a real relationship between him and his followers. Through publishing useful medical information to educate patients and success stories and cases, and answering their inquiries. All of these things highlight the surgeon’s true personality, which helps him build a strong relationship with his followers and gain their confidence based on his experience and professionalism.
What are the basic rules for successful digital marketing for bariatric surgeons?
Of course, there is more than one digital marketing rule that bariatric surgeons and physicians must apply to their content before it is published to appear in the best way possible, and among these rules:
Diversity in the content offered: One of the most important rules in medical marketing through Facebook is that the content should be brief, useful, and focused. Your page and site must be visually appealing. It is necessary to diversify the content displayed with pictures, texts, and links to articles and various medical information, and videos and questions to the audience – this creates an engaging interaction.
Choosing the right time to publish the content: You must determine the best timing to post your content on Facebook pages to target patients while they’re actively using this platform. It is better to be advertising and marketing in the morning or afternoon because they are the best timing for the majority of users.
Advertising and marketing for bariatric surgeons depend on their ability to interact and publish distinguished medical content that makes you present among competitors. There are many tools in digital marketing that make your marketing influential and engaging.
Sharing medical content on a scientific basis: Developing a customized advertising and marketing strategy to help you achieve your goals – based on scientific evidence from various sources – strengthens the position of the surgeon in front of patients, especially among bariatric surgeons
