Skip to content

Social Media Tips

Home » Client Manual » Social Media Tips

Overall content tips

In general, post content that is sure to engage and interest your followers.

  • Keep messages easy to read and understand as readers often scan their newsfeed.
  • Utilize infographics, images and videos.
  • Strive to be a thought leader, using insightful and useful information.

Otherwise, keep in mind the different audiences and content rules for specific social media platforms outlined below.

Don’t post any medical advice

Very important: Do not post any medical advice or diagnosis to your page.

It is ok to talk about general medical information (info about treatments or health conditions), but if a user asks for advice or diagnosis, direct them to book an appointment to discuss their specific case.

Don’t post PHI without written authorization to share on social media

Very important: Do not post any protected health information (identifiable information such as name, contact info or other information that can be traced to a person regarding a past, present or future health condition or treatment) unless you have written authorization from them to share info on a social media site. Verbal permission unfortunately won’t cut it when it comes to HIPAA.

If not 100% sure you have written authorization from a patient, avoid posting any PHI. Respect the privacy of your patient’s medical history at all times.

If users share their images on posts or in messages…

Users will share photos in messages or on your client’s timeline (they are hidden from the public timeline, but you should interact with them, see below).

Users *Will* Post Their Images to Your Posts/Asks Directly – thank them for their share and comment on the photo, but don’t re-share unless you have HIPAA authorization.  Feel free to share the link to your website’s Share Your Photos page and ask if they would like to share (this will gather proper HIPAA permissions).

For fertility practices: Adhering to SART advertising guidelines on social media

Any practice that is a member of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), should follow SART’s advertising guidelines, which are becoming increasingly strict in terms of presenting data. For example, when mentioning success rates, SART guidelines require the data be presented in full (all age ranges for multiple categories) and accompanied by a link to the practice’s clinic summary report on SART’s website.

In light of this, we recommend avoiding social media posts related to success rates data.

Twitter content tips

  • Think of Twitter as a “mini-blog.”
  • Each tweet should be short and to the point, 71-100 characters is best. Delivering the main message using keywords/hashtags (see below).
  • Since tweets are so short, it’s a good idea to share a link to a website with a comment. Share links to your website, blog and other interesting website pages. Use a link shortening service, such as bit.ly, so URLs don’t take up too many characters.

#Hashtags on Twitter

Hashtags are a valuable way to share content with people who otherwise may not see your content.

  • Best practice is to include 1-2 hashtags within the content. if possible (example: Here are some tips for coping with #cancer treatment).
  • Don’t overload a tweet with hashtags. It begins to look like spam.
  • If a tweet is too long, add the hashtag in the copy instead.

Facebook content tips

  • Posts with 80 characters or less receive 66% more engagement. Ideal: 40-80 characters.
  • Share health and wellness content like news, stories and links relevant to your followers, such as links to your website, blog and other interesting website pages. You can also share videos, event information and office activities (but be careful not to accidentally include PHI).
  • Invite individuals who have liked posts to like the page.
  • Facebook is a visual social media, so don’t be afraid to post interesting photos or graphics with an informational or fun caption.
  • Photos of people always perform better, specifically your practice’s team. Try to use real photos when available.
  • Share posts from other reputable Facebook pages to help diversify content and be recognized as an expert on a topic (because you know other expert sources). This includes news sites like Today Show, Good Morning America, American Medical Association, etc.

#Hashtags on Facebook

Hashtags should be used sparingly on Facebook. Use hashtags for large events or occasions like NIAW, National Women’s Health Week, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, etc.

Instagram content tips

  • Ideal caption length is 138-150 characters.
  • Utilize tagging opportunities and add as many as possible  (e.g. @ASRM or @ local media/reporter).
  • Utilize IGTV to post videos over 60 seconds.
  • Instagram stories can be used to share content from other users.

#Hashtags on Instagram

  • Hashtags on Instagram help categorize posts and make them discoverable.
  • The ideal number to use is 7-10 per post.
  • Place hashtags in the first comment, rather than post.

Monitor notifications & interact with your followers

Facebook

  • Check comments and messages periodically so you can respond to your followers or answer questions.
  • Use the “like” button on users’ comments when appropriate.
  • Use your Activity Log (under “Edit Page”>”Use Activity Log”) to highlight comments, hide comments or delete comments to control what appears on your timeline.

Twitter

  • Mention other Twitter users if applicable (e.g. “@MyPracticeName just tweeted a great article: ow.ly/epq9M”).
  • Retweet other users’ tweets (e.g. “Great blog! RT @MyPracticeName New blog by Dr. Sgarlata: DHEA Supplementation & Female #Fertility. http://ow.ly/ecb9S #infertility”). Add your own comment before or after the original tweet if there’s space.
  • Thank others for retweeting or mentioning you (e.g. “@MyPracticeName, thank you for including me in your tweet!”).
  • Recommend users that you are following to your followers on Fridays, using the #FF (Follow Friday) hashtag (e.g. “#FF @MyPracticeName @resolveorg @AttainFertility”).

Follow others to widen your reach and discover sharable content

  • Social media is about building a community. Following others will allow you to a.) get more engagement from the public, and b.) help your content reach other authorities like specialty organizations and the local media.
  • You can also follow organizations and associations, such as nonprofits, that are concerned with the conditions you treat or your community (example: Resolve the National Infertility Association). Content from these sources (that fits social media guidelines) can make for a great share.