If you have done any reading about digital marketing in the last few years, there is no question you have seen a recommendation to use social media to market your practice. These discussions usually start and end with “traditional” uses of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, where you can share information about your practice and your services. However, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube also offer ways to market your practice that may seem less traditional yet are valuable nonetheless.
The Meteoric Success of Dr. Ear Wax
As an example, let’s look at the story of Dr. Emily Taylor, aka “Dr. Ear Wax.” An audiologist based in Maryland, Dr. Taylor downloaded the TikTok app during the COVID-19 pandemic. The TikTok app allows users to share short videos. In September 2021, Dr. Taylor decided to upload a video of another audiologist taking an impression of her ears before she attended a music festival. Under the handle @dr_ear_wax, Dr. Taylor now has over a million followers on TikTok.
Dr. Taylor’s videos became a viral success. She originally planned to mostly upload videos about earwax and earwax removal, expecting them to be popular. However, as she experimented with different video topics, styles, and lengths, she discovered that the most popular videos were about ear impressions. Another popular topic is why you should not use cotton swabs to clean your ears.
Overall, Dr. Taylor found that people were interested in learning about audiology. Viewers of her videos often submit comments and questions, and Dr. Taylor strives to answer every legitimate question she receives. She feels that her greatest goal on TikTok is not to gain more followers but to educate people about hearing healthcare.
How Hearing Professionals Can Leverage Social Media
The story of Dr. Ear Wax demonstrates that people are interested in audiology—and there is room to educate (and entertain) in the hearing healthcare space. Here are a few tips on using less traditional social media strategies to grow your practice and share valuable information about audiology:
- Try new social media platforms. Set up accounts for your practice on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Each of these allows you to share videos.
- Keep it short and simple. Don’t worry about filming long, complicated videos. Dr. Taylor found that short videos performed best on her TikTok channel. You don’t need fancy equipment, either. A smartphone will do the job perfectly well!
- Focus on education. People are interested in audiology—and many of them have not received education on what might seem basic to you, like protecting their hearing at a concert or how to clean their ears. Let people’s questions be your guide on the content you create.
- Be consistent. For example, Dr. Taylor set a goal of uploading two videos to TikTok per day. Set your own schedule for sharing social media content and stay consistent.
- Showcase happy patients. Don’t be afraid to include patients in your videos, especially if you want to include content like making ear impressions. Simply ask your patient to sign a waiver before you share any content that includes them. You can also offer to include their social media handle in the post.
Of course, platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram can attract viewers outside of your immediate area. While you may gain some new patients from local viewers, the global reach of social media allows you to provide education to a wide audience.
To learn more about social media and how you can use these platforms to your advantage, we invite you to contact us today at AudiologyPlus.
