It’s no secret that digital and social media have become an integral part of healthcare marketing strategy in recent years. As an important extension of traditional advertising tactics, they allow hospitals to connect and engage directly with patients, plus both can be very cost effective mediums that provide easily trackable results. But creating an effective digital and social media campaign requires thoughtful strategy and intensive ongoing maintenance.
University of Maryland Medical Center Nurse Recruitment: A Case Study
In our work with the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), we found a great way to extend integrated marketing campaigns by incorporating social media. After the launch of a rebranding campaign, “Medicine on a Mission℠,” our new goal was to attract the right candidates for their nursing department.
One way to do this was to utilize social media. What better way to reach the applicant workforce for new nurses—which is typically recent college graduates—than online videos and a Facebook page dedicated to recruitment of nurses? The online videos were posted to a landing page on the system’s website and shared on Facebook.
UMMC Nurse Recruitment Landing Page
UMMC Nurse Recruitment Facebook Page
But social media wasn’t the only aspect of this effective campaign. We also created print ads geared toward more experienced nurses (e.g., advanced practice nurses).
UMMC Nurse Recruitment Print Ad
Six months after launching the campaign, traffic to the nursing recruitment page of the website had increased by 40% and Facebook likes continue to increase. But the real test of the effectiveness of the campaign has been the quality of candidates—finding the right people for the right positions—that have made inquiries to UMMC.
The nurse recruitment campaign for UMMC was just one of many ways that SPM has used social media to complement an integrated marketing campaign. The important thing to note here is integrated. Social media should be an extension of a campaign, not the sole focus. The most effective campaigns are diverse and cover a wide array of mediums.
What are some creative and unique ways you have used social media in healthcare marketing? Let us know by commenting below!
Shannon Curran
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