Tips on Successfully Leveraging Facebook Groups in Healthcare

Prior to May 2009, companies on Facebook used either personal pages or group pages to reach out to an audience. With the introduction of Facebook’s business pages, companies have found a unique and flexible way to share their products, services and insights with audiences. Now, Facebook Groups can be used in conjunction with company pages in order to organically reach the appropriate healthcare audiences as well as provide stronger brand messaging for an organization.

Below SPR has summarized five recommendations on using these Facebook Groups, adapted from the article,”How To Use Facebook Groups To Increase Traffic And Engagement,” by Jayson DeMers:

Provide interest-based, not company-focused, groups. When creating a group, don’t make it about your company. Instead, find a common interest based around your company that keeps people engaged.
Tip: When naming your interest-based group, don’t use your business name, use keywords that are relevant to what the group’s discussions will be centered around.
Have something to offer. Want to keep your group members engaged? Introducing a free offer is a great way to stay connected. By pinning these types of posts to the top of a group, companies can maximize visibility. These offers can be in the form of a printable coupon, an eBook, or webinar for example.
Test messaging and content. A great way to test out messaging and content is through a Facebook Group. Find out if content flies or flops before crafting campaigns around it.
Create an event-based group. Is your company hosting an event for the general public, i.e., having a health fair at a local hospital for example? Create a group where members can get key information and post comments and questions before and after the event. If it is a public event, group members can post photos sharing their experience.
Offer top-notch customer service. Seventy-one percent of users who have a positive social experience relating to customer service are likely to recommend a business to friends or family. Because business pages don’t allow for ease of direct customer feedback and assistance, creating a customer service or feedback oriented Facebook Group is a great way to connect with an audience.

Offering a company Facebook Page as well as a Facebook Group can increase your company’s brand visibility and improve customer service response time while keeping customers engaged and coming back.

How does your healthcare organization use Facebook Groups to enhance your business objectives?

If you’re in healthcare, insurance, technology or other professional services industries, and need help with a PR, marketing or social media campaign, contact Scott Public Relations.

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