If a Tweet falls in the forest, but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
In a 2011 article, CBS News reports that even if a Twitter user has 57k followers, less than 2% of people engage with their Tweets. The article successfully argues Twitter as a waste of time for the average small business if the goal is to actually broadcast a message. While Twitter for business does help with SEO and minor social media relationships, it is not the ideal way to be heard by a large audience.
So what’s a small business to do?
If you are looking to make some noise on Twitter, look no further than Thunderclap.
I was recently introduced to the online tool while working to promote author Ben Arment’s upcoming book, “Dream Year: Make the Leap from a Job You Hate to a Life You Love” and it is definitely a great way to increase social reach. Created by De-De Digital Product Studio in 2012, Thunderclap messages have reached over 1.5 billion people in 235 countries.
According to the website,
“Thunderclap is the first-ever crowdspeaking platform that helps people be heard by saying something together. It allows a single message to be mass-shared, flash mob-style, so it rises above the noise of your social networks. By boosting the signal at the same time, Thunderclap helps a single person create action and change like never before.”
How it Works for Online Marketing
Take the current campaign for Arment’s book launch as an example. With the book hitting shelves on August 5th, his goal is to reach as many people as possible the day of the release. By creating a Thunderclap campaign, he is able to reach an audience of almost 300k! Thunderclap works with Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, but for the purpose of this blog, we will focus on the Twitter aspect.
3 Simple Steps
1. Craft a simple actionable message with a deadline – one message, one time, one date.
The message for Arment’s campaign is, “Frustrated by an unrealized dream? Check out Ben Arment’s new book and take the leap to make it happen. #dreamyear [insert link to product]” It not only includes a call-to-action, but it includes hashtags and the link to the book.
The deadline for this particular campaign is August 5th because that is when his book launches. The deadline is also the day the message will be automatically broadcast by all supporters. The message will only go out once and campaign managers can choose the date and time.
2. Consistently promote the campaign using all available channels.
This is what makes Thunderclap work. In order to create noise, you must ask your followers, employees, friends and family to donate a Tweet. It only takes them a few seconds and by donating a Tweet they are giving Thunderclap permission to automatically broadcast the actionable message via their account on August 5th.
Additionally, Thunderclap requires a goal to be met in order for the message to go out. For Arment’s campaign, at least 250 people need to join in by August 5th or it fails. Thunderclap recommends setting a low goal for your first campaign, but goals can be set as high as 500 supporters.
3. Build on your momentum.
Ask your supporters to share with their followers and try to create a domino effect. Promote the campaign on your website, blog, newsletter, etc; Thunderclap even has a great widget that you can easily embed into your site. Work hard to meet your goal because, if met, you could reach your largest audience yet. If the goal is not met, the message won’t go out at all.
Thunderclap works for businesses because it allows users to develop a specific message, for a specific time and for a large audience. It is the best way to broadcast your most important content at the most strategic time.
In addition to the campaign, Thunderclap offers comprehensive analytics for brand managers.
To learn more about Thunderclap or to start a campaign for your business, visit www.thunderclap.it
If you want to see what it’s like to be a supporter for a Thunderclap campaign, join the Dream Year Book Launch Campaign – we have 8 days left to gain 100 more supporters!
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.