Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Chiropractic Marketing with Social Networks and Video

By Matthew Loop, DC

When they first originated, I don't think anyone could've imagined just how lucrative and powerful social networking websites like YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter were going to be for business growth and exposure. When I introduced social media and simple video marketing to the chiropractic profession three years ago, I was confident that these Web 2.0 platforms would change the face of marketing as we knew it. With that confidence, I still could not have predicted the explosion that has taken place globally in such a short amount time.

Discovering how to leverage social media and video marketing for my chiropractic practice was one of the best things that I could've ever done. As many are aware, this type of marketing / advertising is free so there is virtually no risk to the chiropractor. In 2005, I first began meeting and interacting with people from my local community on Myspace. I was literally meeting 50 people every single day which was getting me tons of free traffic exposure very fast. Initially, I was testing and tweaking certain things on my profile for greater conversions and how I was presenting myself. Then, I began to notice the phone calls and the new patients coming it. I have to say, I was pretty thrilled when this began to happen.

Marketing on social media can yield instant results but it's absolutely phenomenal for positioning yourself in the long-term! It's similar to planting seeds within the community and getting into every nook-and-cranny possible. If you set yourself up correctly, you can brand yourself as an authority in whatever specialty you choose and gain trust and credibility with your community. Then, you can keep tabs and consistently build top-of-the-mind awareness with the friends and subscriber lists that you've built. The avalanche occurs after you've amassed several thousand people that you keep in touch with regularly that need you or refer new patients to your chiropractic practice for the conditions that you treat.

Perhaps the greatest goldmine that I discovered for chiropractic marketing and other forms of marketing is online video submission. When you make and upload online videos, it's a simple and easy thing you can do that yields huge results in your chiropractic practice and its popularity in your community. There are a couple tricks to learn though, like how to properly compress your video through Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. It's vital that you do this before trying to upload to YouTube or video sharing sites.

I first noticed years ago that videos were getting a wonderful index status on the major search engines. We are visual creatures, and people respond more to watching videos online than they do to articles and blogs. When someone can see your face and hear your message, they automatically feel like they know you and can trust you. This is pure gold for your credibility in your community and in the chiropractic world. These videos are available to be viewed 24/7, so you know the internet is working for you, even when you're sleeping! I carry my camera and tripod everywhere I go so that when I'm inspired to make an informative video, I can just do it. Some of the best I've made used the ocean or beautiful mountains as a background.

Now is the time to learn the power that chiropractic video marketing can have on your practice. Nearly 52% of online content today is video! When people go online to look for solutions to back pain and neck aches, they want to ideally find videos for "one on one" instruction and information online. The more videos and material you have online, the more they trust what you have to say and believe your credibility in the business. There is no better way to literally stifle the competition.

It's truly awesome when you have the ability to give people a tour of your office, so that they can really see where you work and the environment of your practice. I know it sounds funny, but I carry my video camera and tripod with me everywhere, because I'm always inspired by some new idea for an informational video and promo for my chiropractic practice. I've shot videos everywhere! It says something about the success of my practice that I've made promo videos in the office, at home, in the mountains, near oceans, and even in Costa Rica! Wouldn't you like to hear answers about your back pain from someone sitting in a majestic location? Viewers come with me on this journey, and are better able to trust me when I speak to them in the flattering natural light.

Keep in mind that volume is really important when it comes to chiropractic video marketing. You want to make at least 1-2 videos a week to begin to successfully canvas the search engines with your material. This helps you to gain credibility in the market. When you outsource the videos production, you're going to pay a lot of money. It really is so simple and easy to do it yourself. Ask people to subscribe to your YouTube video channel at the end of each one.

Make sure you're relaxed and having a good time while making these videos. You want to present yourself as being the warm, professional, and friendly person that you are. That way, people will feel like they know you, and they'll want to stop in to your office and utilize your services.

You need a good coach to teach you the secrets of SEO and chiropractic marketing using web 2.0. When you learn the skills from someone who found success doing the very same thing, you are then perfectly equipped to create your own success and take your chiropractic practice to new heights. You can't learn any of this from a so-called "guru". When you find the right coach, there's no stopping you! - 16459

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