Gaining Trust Through Social Proof

Your health system uses the latest technology and research to bring health and healing to patients throughout your region. You employ world-class practitioners who generate success stories every day, but how do you tell prospective patients they can trust you at their most vulnerable moments? Social proof can provide the evidence required by the communities you serve to know that you will take care of them.

WHY SOCIAL PROOF IS IMPORTANT

Letting your patients tell the community about the exceptional medical treatment you provide is at the heart of social proof marketing. Your patients don’t understand advanced medical terminology, but they can speak to the truths they experience. Patients will tell their stories from their emotional perspective, striking a chord with those facing their own healthcare decisions. Social proof works because we all have a human instinct to emulate the behavior of others, assuming we can attain the same positive outcomes.

FORMS OF SOCIAL PROOF

Social proof for healthcare services used to come in the form of a recommendation from a family member or close trusted friend. Now, more people are turning to the internet and the wider community of consumers to help them make healthcare decisions.

In the social media age, opinions and reviews are everywhere. Consumers find social proof in the form of patient testimonials, Yelp ratings, community engagement platforms, and so many others. With everyone seeking healthcare information and advice, social proof marketing should be an important part of your health system’s overall content marketing strategy.

NEW WAYS TO LEVERAGE SOCIAL PROOF TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Social proof does not need to be invented; it is already out there. To leverage the positive value of social proof for your brand, you need to corral the right messages and show them to a bigger audience. Here are some ways to strengthen your healthcare brand through social proof marketing:

• Let Your Patients Speak Out: If you haven’t already begun using patient testimonials in your marketing plan, you should start right away. If you are already using patient testimonials, it’s time to level up. Turn testimonials into videos you use in the office or at community events. Amplify those patient voices across all your platforms and continue to recruit new ones. Patient storytelling is an important voice to add to your brand.
• Share Your Popularity: Your patients don’t have to speak to be heard. They are visiting your website and other social accounts. The number of people, patients or not, following you on Instagram, Facebook, or even LinkedIn is proof you provide valuable information and offer social proof for your brand. Make sure these counts are visible to anyone who sees your social media content or stops by your website.
• Engage Your Audience: Levels of engagement are another form of social proof that can enhance your brand. Everyone may be talking about the latest weight loss technique, but if they are doing it on your social platform, your brand benefits. Engagement is a key indicator of social proof. Moderating social media to keep your audience positive and engaged can definitely work to your advantage.
• Trumpet Your Wins: Announcing awards and other recognition garnered by your medical staff may be part of your social media content strategy already. Take it up a notch by sharing case studies, reports, and headlines. When a traditional media outlet, medical journal, or local news spotlights activities in your health system, that is social proof. Make the most of it by publicizing it in social media and on your website. Go a step further and include announcements about community activities, volunteer service, or donations. These can all become part of the social proof that enhances your brand, showing your audience that the story is deeper than just medical expertise.

You wouldn’t dream of ignoring the latest medical research in building your healthcare organization, so why not employ up-to-date marketing strategies to solidify your brand? For help with social proof or any other part of your marketing strategy, contact LIGHTSTREAM today.