My patients don’t use social media
I’ve heard that several times at client meetings. We show the various elements of social media and how they might be used, and at least one person in the audience questions whether these tools offer any value for a generally older audience.
My answer is always the same: Absolutely!
Want data? Here you go:
- A Baby Boomer turns 50 every 8 seconds. And as a generation, they are vastly more Web-enabled than their parents.
- 75% of all Internet users watched at least one video last month. Simple math says a good portion of those are seniors, and that a site like YouTube provided many of those videos.
- Nearly half of those who use the Internet for health purposes (which is 80% of all Web users) are doing so on behalf of somebody else. Want to bet a lot of those are helping an elderly parent or grandparent?
- The fastest growing demographic on the Web are seniors. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is over 25.
- People who use the Web are three times as likely to have commercial insurance as those who don’t.
Consider that a patient traveled from Virginia to Green Bay, WI, for a fairly routine shoulder surgery because he saw the doctor doing the surgery on YouTube. The patient was in his 50s, and in case you were wondering, was not a Green Bay Packer fan. Or consider that Aurora Health Care’s podcast strategy was triggered by a woman in her mid-40s listening to one on alternative treatments for her breast cancer while gardening.
In terms of percentages or sheer numbers, the younger generation dominates the use of social media. But there is a large number of people my age (don’t ask) using these tools, and it grows every day. Women of child-bearing age are huge users of social media. And as that huge mass of the Baby Boomer population starts turning into that “older patient” audience that we’re always asked about, you can bet that they will be using these tools.
Since getting involved in social media is very easy and inexpensive (bordering on free), why wouldn’t you want to at least put a toe in the water?
I’m lucky. My wife is a nurse. On the other hand, she’s not very comfortable using the Internet. So, if I have a crippling stroke (heaven forbid), it will probably be my 25-year-old son who is searching the Web to learn about new and innovative treatments. He’s totally immersed in social media. Are you? When he digs around where he’s comfortable, will he find your program?
I completely agree that using social media to target those in an older audience is a important mix in attraction strategy. More and more people are jumping into social networks and expecting companies to be there. That said, companies need to have a strategy so they aren’t wasting there time and they need to have the commitment to not just post but to be an active part of the network.
Great comment and I couldn’t agree more. Never a good idea to jump in without a plan, and then not truly participating.
Great information. I agree 100% Everyday, Social Media is becoming more of a preferred method of communication.
I just wrote a post on “Social Media For Health Care” I would love to know your opinion on it.
http://blog.business-bits.com/?p=12
Keep up the great work.
Jim