LinkedIn can be a very valuable platform to include in your social media marketing strategy, but only if you know how to use it appropriately. Every day, we see physical therapists on LinkedIn making the same mistakes over and over again. However, this shouldn't put you off, because once you know what these common mistakes are, it is fairly easy to avoid them. Let's take a look at 5 of the most common marketing mistakes made on LinkedIn.
Not Signing Up For A LinkedIn Account
This one is pretty much a no brainer, but we are still surprised at the number of physical therapists who have not yet gotten themselves a LinkedIn account. With over 364 million members, LinkedIn is a valuable source of networking opportunities for professionals. LinkedIn gives you the ideal opportunity to get to know other physical therapists and health care providers who may be able to offer referrals and other support for your clinic. If you are not already using LinkedIn then your first step is to sign up as soon as possible and start building up a profile.
Having an Incomplete Profile
Almost as bad as not having a LinkedIn profile at all, is having an incomplete profile. Think about face to face networking with both patients and professionals. You always want to make the best first impression, right? Now think about what it says about you when someone looks you up on LinkedIn and sees that you have not properly completed your profile. It certainly doesn't create the impression of a credible professional. Your LinkedIn profile is not only a digital resume, but it is also a chance for you to showcase your professional qualifications, experience and expertise. You could be using LinkedIn to convince local doctors that you are the best physical therapist to refer their patients to, so make sure you complete your profile as fully as you can and don't forget to update it regularly.
Being Overly Promotional
Just like any other social media channel, the last thing that you want to do on LinkedIn is come across as being overly self promotional. This is a complete turn off for many people and if you are guilty of doing it in networking groups on LinkedIn then it is a sure fire way to get yourself banned. The ultimate goal is to prove how valuable you and your clinic can be to others in your network. They key to achieving this is not mounting a PR offensive, but instead building your credibility by cultivating relationships. Whether you are chatting to peers in a group setting, or simply updating your status always be aware of how you are coming across. Do not only share your own content or promote your latest offer. You should also take time to share other relevant and informative content and to engage in discussions offering advice where appropriate. This will do far more to prove your worth than constant promotional content.
Not Taking Advantage of LinkedIn as a Development Tool
LinkedIn is a little different from all of the other social media platforms in that it is specifically geared to professionals. This makes it a very powerful business development tool, but many physical therapists are not taking advantage of this. Not only can your LinkedIn profile be used to drive potential patients towards your website, but if you make sure that you are building up your profile and sharing lots of relevant information then your LinkedIn connections are going to start using it as a valued resource. When you achieve this level of credibility as a trusted professional in the physical therapy industry people will automatically put that same amount of trust in your clinic.
Not Creating a Company Page
Establishing a strong personal profile on LinkedIn is very important in order to cement your status within the industry, but it is also important to create a company page for your physical therapy clinic. You can use this to connect to all of the staff at your clinic and to offer updates about your clinic in much the same way as you would use your Facebook page. Encourage patients and professionals alike to follow your LinkedIn page for the most up to date information. With 41% of people saying that social media has an impact on choosing a health care provider it is more important than ever to have a strong presence on as many social media platforms as possible.
Now that you know about these mistakes, you have the opportunity to take advantage of the many benefits that LinkedIn has to offer. Talk to PatientSites today about our Social Media Plus feature and how it could help with your clinic's social media marketing strategy.