Thanks to Ed Bennett, a web manager and creator of “Found in Cache,” we can see exactly which hospitals are involved in social networking and what tactics they are employing. Ed’s statistics for April 19, 2009 show the following hospitals in the United States that are taking advantage of some sort of social networking tool:
• 240 hospitals using some sort of social media
• 129 YouTube channels
• 88 Facebook pages
• 155 Twitter accounts
• 23 Blogs
Since there are over 5,000 hospitals in the United States, it is fair to say that the 240 currently involved with social networking are the early adopters. They are taking advantage of the opportunities and experimenting.
Just who is on-line and why should a hospital or medical practice enter the social networking culture?
According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project December 2008 Tracking Survey:
| Age Groups | 18 – 32 | 33 – 44 | 45 – 54 | 55 – 63 | 64 – 72 | 73+ |
| Use Internet | 87% | 82% | 79% | 70% | 56% | 31% |
| Use Social Networking sites | 67% | 36% | 20% | 9% | 11% | 4% |
| Create Social Network site Profile | 60% | 29% | 16% | 9% | 5% | 4% |
| Read Blogs | 43% | 34% | 27% | 25% | 23% | 15% |
| Get health Info | 68% | 82% | 84% | 81% | 70% | 67% |
| Research products | 84% | 84% | 82% | 79% | 73% | 60% |
In March, 2009, according to compete.com unique visitor traffic at the following sites looked like this:
Facebook 91,054,535
MySpace 55,594,761
Twitter 14,031,985
The numbers above are national but do provide a sense of the volume of online traffic. Based on the volume of younger adult use, it might make sense to start utilizing social networks by having a sports medicine or birthing/maternity “presence.” Use social network sites as a tool that integrates with traditional promotion tactics – not as a substitute – at least not until you are able to measure your reach and penetration.
Before you embark on the social networking element of your outreach, consider how social media should fit in with your overall strategy. Just because it is a fun, new tool doesn’t mean you forget about employing basic marketing analysis. Consider the outcomes you are hoping to obtain and plan backwards.
Once you have made a plan and have set some targets, you are ready to begin. Keeping in mind, you already have a full plate and plenty to manage makes adding something new a little scary. Start small and keep it simple. You will encounter naysayers, so work hard to prove your concept and support your work with solid data. As you become more comfortable and develop your metrics, you will be able to layer in new elements.
My next post will profile how some organizations are using social media.
