Social media is something that is now acceptable for everyone, not just teenagers. Everyone from celebrities, to the average person, to medical professionals, and businesses are turning to social media for numerous reasons.
Social media is not only acceptable but it is also important for all businesses and individuals, including physical therapist practices. The problem with social media, however, is that it can be incredibly time consuming. How does a physical therapist maintain a viable presence on social media sites without devoting too much time to it, instead of tending to other important aspects that come with being a physical therapist?
The notion of “devoting as much time as you feel is necessary” is not a viable option. Physical therapists need options that will help them achieve the necessary social media goals they have established while doing so in a timely manner.
The following are some viable, time-based options that can work for the busy physical therapist that understand the importance of having an online presence on social media sites.
For a small business owner, or a physical therapist at a small clinic time management is paramount for achieving desired goals. Learning how to free up your time is one way to be successful with work and your presence on social media. Here are some tips for freeing up your time:
Plan your day – By establishing either the night before, or first thing in the morning, everything that you want to achieve you can stick to a schedule and maintain productivity.
Assign tasks – If you have a staff, even a small one, by providing a division in labor everything can be achieved while keeping one person from devoting too much time to social media instead of other important tasks.
Eliminate unnecessary interruptions – Avoid extra time spent on irrelevant or unimportant phone calls. Unless urgent, delay conversations with employees who do not have work relevant issues. If you get “stuck” on social media, discipline yourself to close the site once you have achieved any desired goals
One of the easiest ways to avoid spending excessive amounts of time on social media is to establish time restraints. Here is a list of ways to achieve this goal.
Use software that automates your social media posting
Assign specific members of your staff to handle all customer service related questions and concerns
Allot a specified time to devote to social media. Thirty minutes is the suggested time to devote to this, see the breakdown of time in the next segment.
It is possible to get all that you need to get done on social media completed in just 30 minutes each day if you know how long to spend on each site. If you don't use some of them then you can redistribute your time elsewhere. Here is a brief breakdown:
Twitter – Ten minutes should provide enough time to respond to direct tweets/messages, scroll through your feed to share or retweet relevant content. The use of an automation app can tweet events, specials, blog posts or other content when schedule.
LinkedIn – Six minutes to share relevant industry content and interact on your company page and LinkedIn groups
Facebook – Six minutes is adequate time to scroll your feed, respond to comments, and share and promote your important content.
Pinterest – Use four minutes to pin new content, repin the content of others, and interact with others, even if it is just a “thank you” for a like or share.
Google+ - Take two minutes to update your status in which you pose questions and share important content
Instagram – In two minutes share photos of your office, staff, or other relevant industry photo. Scroll your feed taking time to like and comment on anything relevant.
If you are devoting far too much time to social media and are starting to feel overwhelmed by it, by looking at the above options, it is quite possible for you to find the perfect plan that allows you to have the social media presence you need but will not leave you feeling overwhelmed. Using social media properly and in a timely fashion can benefit businesses, including physical therapists, and their client base. Get in touch with us today and find out how we can help to streamline your efforts with our Social Media Plus feature.