If you’ve used WordPress for any amount of time, you’ve no doubt heard of a plugin called Jetpack. This plugin is Automattic’s go-to plugin for all of the functionality that they choose not to bundle within WordPress core. It has a lot of useful functionality such as stats, social media posting, subscriptions, and more. It’s also a huge mess.
While some of the functionality that you get from Jetpack is useful, the trade offs are far from worth it.
You have to register to use it
You are required to create a WordPress.com account to use the modules on this plugin. The only reason for this is so that Automattic can advertise certain products to you and track your usage, and it provides no value to you. Only the inconvenience of creating yet another online account.
Most of the modules come pre-activated
A module is kind of like a sub-plugin. Jetpack comes with 32 modules such as stats, publicize (the ability to post to Facebook or Twitter directly), or improved comments. Most people only end up using one or two of them at a time. However, all but 6 0r 6 modules are automatically activated once you register, meaning that you load more resources on the front end of your site and have a lot more to configure. Even worse, you can’t de-activate many of these modules without using a snippet to expressly prohibit them.
It kills site performance
Because of the above point, you end up with a LOT more resources then you need being loaded on each and every page of your website and this hurts your loading times. To prove this point, I created an empty WordPress install on our development server and ran some tests using Pingdom’s speed test tool.
This is the base install, running the twentyfourteen theme without caching or any plugins activated at all.

That’s a very respectable loading time. We’re looking at sub 1-second times with only 12 resources (a javascript file, image, or stylesheet would count as a resource).
Next, I installed Jetpack and activated it with WordPress.com. I didn’t manually activate any modules – this is a base Jetpack install.

We’re starting to get slower now. Those extra 9 resources (almost double our base install!) nearly doubled the load times on the web site. It’s still rather quick, but the comparable performance hit is immense.
Next, I decided to see what would happen if I activated all of those extra modules.

That got nasty real quick. This result actually surprised me quite a bit. We’ve nearly quadrupled the amount of resources and added a whole second to the load time.
As you can see, Jetpack adds unneeded load time to your site with very little gain for all that extra time. The main problem here is that most people don’t need 90% of those resources. It’s very poor coding to just activate everything automatically with no concern for what’s actually needed.
The UI is very disparate from WordPress
This one surprises me a lot. Jetpack is written by the same people who work on WordPress every day and maintain it: Automattic. Yet, the experience is very different from the normal WordPress one and can be frustrating to figure out if you’re new to the WordPress world. On top of that, it hooks into the top of your admin menu when it’s far less important than your posts, pages, or settings.
All of this being said, the modules in Jetpack are very useful. Despite some of the performance issues and the way they choose to handle registration, they are also well-written. Jetpack isn’t evil, it just has enough issues that we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not worth the tradeoff. If you’re looking for a good list of alternatives for individual modules, you can find one here.
Video is an often overlooked method of connecting with future (and current) patients and building credibility, especially in the medical industry. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more and more services have switched from in-person to hybrid or 100% online and people are utilizing digital platforms more than ever for things like finding credible providers and hosting virtual visits.
Video marketing for doctors is becoming more necessary in helping form personal connections by allowing people to get a sense of their doctors before scheduling a visit.
In this blog, we will cover why you should use video marketing for doctors, types of videos to make, and tips for ensuring your videos are successful.
Why Use Video?
Video marketing for doctors isn’t just about making specialist introduction videos to post on a website. Patient testimonials, informational videos, introductory videos for doctors, and office overviews are great tools to engage your audience and turn curious viewers into lifelong patients.
The first and most important outcome of video marketing for doctors is establishing trust and credibility.
When a patient can watch a quick interview with their physician, they feel a connection and gain an understanding of the doctor’s background, qualifications, and personality.
Many people searching for a provider will automatically self-disqualify if they feel a practice or particular physician may not be a good fit, so providing them with a glimpse into a doctor’s personality will help them feel at ease, knowing in advance who will be trusted to care for them.
They may feel drawn to a particular physician based on personal or medical backgrounds, forming a bond that helps the patient feel at ease with their provider choice.
On top of building trust, video marketing for doctors establishes a platform for education. People turn to the internet to search for medical information that pertains to their situation, so being a source of accurate information is a valuable way to position your practice. It also helps deter misinformation, as these videos are being produced by experts in the field and hosted by credible sources.
Video Types for Successful Marketing
Informational Videos
Many people search the internet to learn about their diagnoses and potential treatments, which is where informational videos come into play.
As a doctor, you may often find yourself explaining complex concepts to your patients repeatedly. If there’s a topic that comes up often in your practice, it’s probably a great subject for an educational video.
People usually turn to the internet to learn about a diagnosis or treatment before visiting a specialist, so providing accurate information is a great way to help guide a patient on their health journey. As a bonus, you’re establishing your expertise while providing education.
Patient Testimonials
Patient testimonials are another great tool to show your audience proof of credibility. Since video is more personal than a text-based review, patient testimonials can feel more like a friend’s referral. The audience can see the patient’s genuine enthusiasm and may feel more invested, as a result.
Introductions and Office Tours
Introductions and office overview videos provide a glimpse into the world of your practice. Viewers can get to know doctors, their backgrounds, their personalities, and take a tour of the office before even scheduling an appointment. Providing this type of content is an important part of video marketing for doctors, as it establishes a welcoming atmosphere for anyone considering an appointment.
For example, check out this introduction video we did for a new doctor joining the team at the Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies.
This video is great because it’s short, informative, easy to embed on on a website, use for a social post, or include in an email newsletter.
Tips and Tricks for Great Videos
Sound
Consider recording audio separately from video. You can find inexpensive, great quality unidirectional microphones to use, and this is an easy way to automatically increase the production value and professional feel of your video. A great tip to remember is to use a clapboard or have your subject clap in front of their face when sound and video are both recording, as it helps when the time comes to sync audio to video during editing.
Lighting
Lighting is another simple way to increase production value and make your videos look more professional. Simple, soft lights are preferred (even a large ring light is a great investment for this) and will help fill in any dark shadows if you’re also using overhead lighting, which can be unflattering on its own.
There are tons of great resources online that explain three-point lighting, if you’re looking to step up your lighting game even further. If you don’t want to use separate lights, natural lighting is a great supplement. For this, place your subject facing a window (don’t place the window behind them) and the natural light will be much more flattering than overhead indoor lighting.
Framing
When framing your scene, keep it simple. Avoid clutter in the background, and have your subject stand slightly off-center. While we love visual interest, a lot of background items can be distracting, so it’s a good idea to stage an area so it feels welcoming and clean, without distracting from the subject matter.
Length
You may have a lot to say about your subject matter, or want to help a new doctor get a complete introduction out into the world, but keep in mind that most people do not have the attention span or interest to watch a long video online.
Keep it simple! Ask yourself, “what are the main points I want to get across?”
It’s always better to provide the necessary facts and invite a viewer to contact your office for more information, or refer to an article or blog post that explains your video topic in more depth.
We want to establish trust, get to the point, and invite people to interact with your content. Keeping videos under two minutes is a great rule of thumb. If you have a longer video, consider breaking it into shorter clips for social media.
Include a CTA
A CTA, or “call to action,” encourages follow-up from viewers. It’s as simple as listing your phone number or website at the end of the video and saying something like, “for more information, get in touch!” You may want to offer a link to one of your blog posts or to the contact page from your website. The point is to encourage people to do something based on the content you’ve provided. Video marketing for doctors isn’t just about getting your practice seen; it’s also about creating a comfortable space for interaction with people who may be looking for guidance or services you offer.
Why a Distribution Plan is Important
Once you make your videos, where do they go? If they sit on your website, you may notice very little interaction, so creating a distribution plan will ensure you make the most out of your videos. When deciding how to utilize your content, you should first establish the purpose of each video. Is it short and educational? This may be a great candidate for not only your website, but YouTube and social media. Is it a tour of the office? In addition to your home page, this may be a great video to embed in a marketing email for new or potential patients. For more information about full funnel marketing check out this blog we wrote.
Think about what you want your video to accomplish and where it could best achieve those goals. Don’t be afraid to post cross-platform, either! The more people your video can reach, the better! Video marketing for doctors can be tricky, so don’t hesitate to reach out to a marketing agency with a video production team if you want help figuring out a plan or managing distribution.
No matter where you are in your marketing process, video marketing for doctors can be an effective way to humanize your practice and establish your expertise. Video brings people together and offers a more personal experience, which is why people are often more receptive to video marketing. With these helpful tips and ideas to keep in mind, you’ll be able to up your game and see more online interaction with easily made, high-quality videos.