LinkedIn is a valuable inbound marketing tool for healthcare organizations. While patients and prospects may use the network's profiles to learn more about doctors, specialists and other healthcare providers, it's also a way to get yourself out there, active and engaged with other industry professionals.
In fact, making LinkedIn a part of your inbound marketing strategy is a powerful way to position yourself as an expert and a smart way to glean meaningful word-of-mouth referrals or to attract up-and-coming healthcare superstars who are looking for a new place to further their career.
Use LinkedIn As Part of Your Inbound Marketing Strategy
From HubSpot we've learned that content is king. From LinkedIn, we learn that LinkedIn is King when it comes to B2B lead generation and marketing - that's what it's all about as you establish yourself as an authority and leader in your field. According to LinkedIn:
- 80% of B2B leads happen through LinkedIn.
- 96% of posts and 86% of conversions happen in Discussion Groups (keep that in mind as we'll discuss that further on...).
- 80% of LinkedIn members prefer to use LinkedIn to connect with other companies.
So, if you aren't actively using LinkedIn's platform as part of your inbound marketing strategy, now's a great time to start.
Build LinkedIn Groups Aligned With Your Personas
LinkedIn networking goes beyond setting up individual profiles for your doctors and staff. The type of networking you want to do needs to happen in the form of those Group Discussions we mentioned above.
Your LinkedIn groups, which can start with dozens and lead to hundreds, should be carefully curated based on the target personas you want to rub elbows with. Perhaps they're the bigwigs and leaders of organizations aligned with your healthcare specialty, and it's probably also the renowned doctors and specialists who work in or just outside of your own target groups. Maybe you even include the medical departments of universities and med schools from which you'd like to have access to in order to match your next batch of interns.
By creating a LinkedIn group, or groups, aligned with your target personas, you have a chance to connect with new prospects in more meaningful ways. Read, Why and How to Build a LinkedIn Group for Healthcare Marketing, for more detailed information on establishing a group.
Drip Content for Steady, Front & Center Contact
Another reason starting a LinkedIn group is a fantastic idea? As the group's owner, you get to be the boss. You control the information flow and that's a great position to be in.
Now, your job is to drip that information in slowly, methodically and regularly. Your inbound marketing strategy is key here because it's tremendously important to select the just-right information to drip. The goal is to establish yourself as a leader in the industry and that means content you share, and discussions you moderate, need to be worthy of that. Learn to hold that delicate balance between being a constant presence, without ever being annoying.
Don't be discouraged by any initial lack of momentum. If you're thoughtful regarding healthcare news and information you create and share, and you bide your time over days, weeks, months, and quarters, prospects will begin to see you're not just another fly-by-night company hungry for a quick sale. Rather, you prove you're passionate about - and dedicated to - your mission, and there's all the time in the world.
Slowly, but surely, your brand becomes a presence in the foreground of their minds, and it's you prospects will turn to and engage with when it's time to share information, referrals or talent with your organization.
