Engaging in social media is something that doctors have reluctantly accepted as a necessity for their marketing strategy. They heard from various digital marketing “gurus” that they needed to be where their patients were, lower their walls, film themselves doing the most innocuous of routine tasks, and share their private life in detail. It caused them to enter social networks kicking and screaming.
It is true, as a society, we consume social media in a way never even imagined just a few years ago, but the pendulum is swinging. The chance to reclaim your personal moments again is on the horizon.
The Newest Social Media Trend - Share Less!
Just a few days ago, I was sitting in a Silicon Valley coffee shop downing the smoothest flat white I have had this side of the hemisphere, when my phone chirped. I ignored it and got back to finishing an outline for a talk I was about to give at Facebook. Before I even got to the next bullet point, my phone chirped again, and then an email came in. They were all from the same person.
The title of the message was ominous and short: “Did you see it???”. That alone was enough to pique my interest, but I wasn't completely sold. As I opened the email, staring at the YouTube link that lied in wait, I hovered over it for a split second before clicking. “This better be important,” runs through my mind. Letting out a sigh, I clicked. The screen loaded almost instantly. I saw the title before the video started to play: “Game of Thrones, Final Season, OFFICIAL TRAILER”.
My senses became overtaken with excitement and anticipation and, at that moment in time, nothing else mattered—I just wanted to see a fire-breathing dragon! While there were only small snippets of dragons and white walkers in the two-minute commercial that commingled with HBO’s upcoming line up of other shows, I was reminded of how powerful those 20 seconds of Game of Thrones footage—with no story or context—were. Many emails, messages, and even actual phone conversations were had about those magical 20 seconds. It was enough to keep us salivating until the next teaser surfaced.
I would not have been this excited had I been able to follow all the actors on set, see leaked clips on the internet, or follow the Instagram accounts of everyone related to the show. And your audience can’t build that same level of excitement either if you are too accessible. Inaccessibility and a certain shroud of secrecy are what helps to create a buzz and demand.
We know stats show that behind-the-scenes information about a doctor is the third highest consumed content on social channels. But there is a way to capitalize on this without giving away all of your mystique.
3 Ways to Use Scarcity as a Tactic to Win in Social Media
There is a finite amount of time and content that you can produce. You don’t need a never-ending stream of content, you just need amazing content that can go the distance when you post.
1. Post something about your private life sporadically, but make it special
When you finally do decide to post something outside of office hours, and you let your followers have a peek into your private life, make it something that is both captivating and potentially very special for them to be a part of. For example, do not just share that you are participating in a charity, but explain why that charity matters to you or has personally affected you.
2. Don’t be too personally accessible
We hear nowadays that we need to be available to our potential patient in every single way—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Your time is valuable, and it needs to be demonstrated that your time is something to be cherished. You want patients to know they can come in and see you, but that they are lucky to do so. If “anyone” thinks they can have access to you and your time is not valuable, then there is no reason for them to value your time or your services.
3. Try to tie your personal messages into your overall strategy
When you do decide to share personal information, content, and insights into your life, try to find a way to integrate this into your overall digital strategy. Sharing content about your path in life and how you made these decisions can be that inside look that patients want to see, but also solidify your position in how you are trying to market and position yourself.
Sharing Less While Still Sharing More
Overall, you are not going to generate the same buzz as a fire-breathing dragon, but for many of you, the same principles apply. Throttle back on how much information you divulge and put a lot of emphasis on the quality of the “personal life” posts you share. Reclaim some of your privacy, yet be genuine to who you are when you create content for your social audiences. By posting a little less and making it a bit harder for people to find out information about you, you may actually create more excitement.
