According to a study at Stanford University, finding a healthcare practice that feels like an emotional fit can tip the scale for people. If your practice or business is in the wellness space, you can set the stage for that connection with an honest and strongly branded use of social media. However, social media has a mixed reputation, especially concerning healthcare. Which, given its expanding reach across all demographics, is truly unfortunate. Proof: the terms misinformation or disinformation have become commonplace.
Misinformation is information that isn’t accurate. Early on in the pandemic, public health officials, it turns out, offered misinformation about Covid-19 because it was a novel virus no one understood. Disinformation is false information shared knowingly and deliberately—sometimes by today’s version of the snake oil salesman. Fortunately, as someone invested in the wellness space, you can counter this trend and influence your followers and the future of social media by sharing only what you know to be true.
For Wellness Consumers, the Medium Remains the Message
According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, six in ten adults search the internet for information to help them make personal decisions that involve health. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research tracked the healthcare decisions of 1000 American adults and found that 57% chose a practitioner with a strong presence on social media over one with no or a weak presence.
Social media channels—from Spotify to LinkedIn—can benefit natural wellness brands. With more people using social media every day, it’s an excellent and affordable venue to share and reinforce your approach and values. Find the medium that works best for you, whether it's short videos on Instagram or podcast interviews on a streaming service. Then, differentiate your product or practice from competitors, attract the right new people, and build trust with current patients.
Doing Health & Wellness Social Media Well
It’s crucial to adhere to ethical guidelines, to base any advice or information you offer on proven science, and to be transparent about any conflicts of interest. The best posts help people become more health and wellness literate. Offer solid information without hype about your product, practice, or point of view, and your social media presence will make a positive difference for you and contribute to the greater good. Here’s how to grow an effective online presence:
Offer health-related information such as lifestyle tips and surprising facts, updates on new treatments and research, and advice for managing specific concerns. Build a presence that motivates people to adopt positive lifestyle changes and you’ll win the trust of prospective customers and patients.
Address misconceptions. When you counter common misunderstandings or misinformation with accurate, science-based information you can make a real difference in people’s lives while you earn their trust and appreciation.
Personalize your advice. It’s possible to use your social media posts to answer individual questions about health or about your practice or product. The answer you give can help more than just the person who asks the question. While online discussions don’t replace in-person care, or even tele-medicine, they can be the first step in engaging a potential patient or client and enabling them to make informed decisions.
Share your personal wellness story. Wellness companies and practitioners who share their health journeys influence more followers. People trust the wounded warrior, the compassionate innovator or expert.
Align your posts with your area of expertise. Social media is widely used by people looking for breakthrough advice and positive role models. A physical therapist offering a set of movements that helps everyone stay limber and strong as they age can inspire generations of followers.
Recommend proven products and/or services. If you’re seen as an authority in your field, whether you’re a nutritionist or life coach, recommend products with which you’ve had personal experience. Just be clear about your affiliations.
Remind your patients and clients to critically evaluate what they find on social media and encourage them to discuss what they’ve learned with you.
Stay on brand. Develop an overall strategy for your social media posts. Don’t post willy-nilly. Yes, if you feel inspired, share, but be sure you have an overall plan in place that will reinforce your brand across every platform where you’re active. Wherever possible capture attention with your post, then build on it. Link back to your website or podcast and follow your brand guidelines (hopefully you have guidelines), consistently using the visual elements and tried and true voice that sets your brand apart.
Again, to ensure that your social media influence is positive, it's crucial to follow ethical guidelines, rely on solid evidence, and be transparent about any potential conflicts of interest. After all, social media is pretty much an infinite realm, alive with inventiveness, imagination, and humor. So, remember to have some fun, whether you’re creating or scrolling. And, if you'd like help with writing or designing your posts, Astrid | Marlis is here with a promise to make the process fun and the results inspiring.
01.2025