I’m an Ophthalmologist. What Types of Content Should I Post Online?

“I’m an ophthalmologist, but I’m a little lost on how to use the Internet to the advantage of my practice. What types of content should I post online to get the most out of the investment I’ve made in my website and social media?”

If you’ve ever asked yourself (or anyone else) this question, rest assured that you’re not alone. We get it all the time – and it’s not just from ophthalmologists. We’ve heard it from optometrists, biotech engineers, family practice physicians, and many others.

So if you’re a little lost when it comes to what you should post on your website, blog, or social media channels, here are some ideas for starters:

Educational Content

• About different diseases of the eye
• About different surgeries to treat these diseases
• Common misconceptions people have about eye surgery (and more importantly, what’s true about them)
• Common misconceptions people have about the ophthalmic profession

Behind the Scenes Content

• Biographical content about you and the other physicians in your practice
• Fun facts about your office staff
• Behind the scenes in your office
• “Out of the Office” content – remind your patients that you’re a normal person just like them!

Promotional Content

• A promotional video, if you have one
• Quick, helpful links to your website
• Promotions, discounts, and offers your practice may be running
• Online trivia and polls on Twitter

Sharing Others’ Content

It’s also important to remember to share others’ content, not just to post your own. Sharing content from a variety of sources is a valuable tactic to increase engagement among your followers and the original author and their followers.

A few more tips for posting content online:

• Share a variety of content. We’ve all seen the Twitter accounts that have “automated” their posts…and only post the same photo OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Don’t be like them – spice it up! Try to choose a mix of different types of content to engage with patients in different ways.
• Remember your audience. If you’re going to be targeting other physicians with your posts, a little more technical content is ok…but if your primary audience is potential patients who are interested in your services, keep the content you post accessible for everyone.
• Use a service like Buffer to make your life easier. Buffer uses analytics to select the optimal times to post your content for the best changes of higher engagement. You can connect multiple social media accounts and schedule tweets, posts, and the like so that you can post on your own terms and don’t have to constantly be checking social media.
• Above all else, focus on providing value. The most engaged followers and the best business leads will only come from social media if you are constantly offering value at every turn…and asking for very little in return. The time will come when you can ask your followers for something in return (like subscribing to your newsletter or clicking on a link to your website), but don’t get caught up in that – just focus on providing value.