Social media has changed the way that we interact with

the world around us.

In many ways, it has helped to remove the barriers

between people and the companies that impact their

lives on a daily basis. We have grown accustomed to

engaging with everything from transportation companies

to quick service restaurants to apparel companies on

platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but

what you may not know is that some of the most

meaningful social media interactions that take place

involve health care.

Here are some eye-catching statistics about the

intersection of social media and health care that should

encourage you to increase your presence on these

crucial platforms.

1. Your Target Audience is on Social Media

The sheer number of active social media users is

staggering. No matter what demographic you have

targeted for growth, they are present on multiple social

networks:

72% of all internet users actively use social media.

Worldwide, this works out to 2.8 billion active social

media users.

 

 

• 43% of Baby Boomers turn to social media for

health information. If growing your Medicare patient

population is your goal, then it’s impossible to

overstate how important social media can be to

your overall success.

• 19 million people over age 55 use Facebook. This

broad group can encompass parents, family

caregivers, and people approaching Medicare

eligibility. As such, a variety of messages can

resonate with this audience.

2. Your Audience is Seeking Health Information on Social Media

Social media provides a unique opportunity for people of

all ages to have conversations around the things that

interest them most. When it comes to health care, social

networks play an important role in everything from

information gathering to connecting with people going

through similar experiences. Consider the following:

• 80% of internet users search for health information,

and almost 50% would like information about a

specific doctor. This means that it is not just

important to provide guidance on health-relatedtopics; it is also crucial to put a real face to your

providers wherever possible. Share your doctors’

awards and recognition, as well as any prominent

opinions they have offered within their disciplines.

• 60% of consumers say they trust doctors’ social

media posts. Compare this to the 36% who trust

posts from pharmaceutical companies.

3. Social media advertising is only effective for

Health care Organizations :

Social media channels, specifically Facebook, possess

powerful targeting capabilities that enable businesses to

serve ads to the exact right audience for their services.

Thanks to a recent multi-industry study, we also know

that Facebook ads are an especially useful tool for

health care organizations:

 

 

• On a cost-per-click basis, health care ads are 24%

less expensive than other Facebook ads, and they

convert more often than the platform benchmark.

With most major social media platforms shifting to

an algorithm-based system of delivering posts,

social media advertising is a necessary component

of any digital marketing plan.

• Whether you are a seasoned social media

advertiser or you are looking to expand your effortsto include social media, Facebook provides an

ecosystem where health care ads are highly

successful as compared to other industries.

So these were the major facts and statistics on social

media and healthcare .

Happy reading.