by Mark Sanna, DC, ACRB Level II, FICC
President & CEO Breakthrough Coaching
Communication is becoming more digital, and more visual, every day. Video is rapidly becoming the preferred way for practices to increase online visibility, convey expertise, and engage and educate new and existing patients. With the increase in simple high-definition cameras, as well as easy-to-use video editing and distribution options, video has become a highly affordable option for promoting your chiropractic practice. Online video consumption is one of the most popular Internet activities worldwide. Improvements in mobile technology and broadband networks have helped make watching videos become a significant part of users’ online experience.
According to Statista.com:
- The number of US digital video viewers in 2020 is 232 million.1
- If you link to a video in an email, the recipient is 96% more likely to click through than to ignore or delete it.
- And if someone looks you up online, they’re more likely to click on a video than a text result.
Video can also improve your search engine optimization (SEO) and rankings if you take the time to plan a solid strategy for your online video content. Websites containing video consistently show a lower bounce rate and increased time-on-site versus sites without video content. Video also helps with search engine optimization efforts as sites with this type of content, according to the National Research Corporation, are 50 times more likely to appear on Google’s first page results than sites without video content.2
Chiropractic practices can use video in a variety of ways. Here are seven ideas and examples to get you started.
- Educational Videos
Providing patient education videos on your website can help educate current and prospective patients about common conditions and procedures, from explaining the benefits of chiropractic care for back and neck pain to showing how chiropractic care enhances performance in sports and other activities. You will probably want to create a separate page on your site for these videos, titled something like “Video Library” or “Chiropractic Care Videos.” You can also host the videos on your YouTube or Vimeo channel. For the best SEO results, use a specific title for your video and include keywords in the title and description. For example, “Chiropractic Care during Pregnancy” is better than “Chiropractic Care.”
- Pre- and Post-visit Instructions
Instead of giving patients a paper handout with instructions — or worse, only verbal instructions — provide video that includes this information along with frequently asked questions about their visit. You can make the video available on your website or patient portal, or email or text a link directly to patients. Create a pre-first visit video that includes a brief (2-3 minutes) welcome and introduction of the doctor, along with a link to the map of your location, and a link to your new patient paperwork for completion before the visit. This video greatly decreases no-shows. Another great video is the post-first adjustment video. Include a brief video congratulating the patient on their decision to try chiropractic, how they should expect to feel after their first adjustment (better, worse, the same), along with any instructions for home care.
- A Facility Tour
Consider filming short videos showcasing your facility and amenities to let patients know what they can expect. This is especially important for chiropractic practices that offer ancillary procedures, such as active care exercises, massage therapy, laser, decompression therapy, and other services. A view of patients exercising with brightly colored stability balls and tubing in your Rehab Suite can provide hope to patients who are in the early stages of acute care. A preview of your facility also decreases the “fear of the unknown” factor. Many patients are surprised at how attractive and professional chiropractic offices look when compared to the offices of some of the other health care providers they have visited in the past.
- New Patient Workshops and Wellness Seminars
In the past, chiropractors would deliver new patient workshops and wellness seminars in their practice. You’ll find that you can reach more potential new patients including your patients’ friends and family members by emailing or texting them a link to videos of your workshops rather than requiring them to attend one in person. You can produce video on the most common conditions that you care for, along with benefits that may not be commonly associated with chiropractic care such as better sleep, better stress management, and improved physical performance. Ask your patients to share the link with someone they think might be helped by chiropractic care and they’ll be happy to help spread the word.
- Patient Testimonials
Personal stories from satisfied patients are one of the best ways to promote your practice. Patient testimonials provide social proof that chiropractic works. Patients also love sharing their personal chiropractic success story when they know that it might inspire someone else to give chiropractic a try. For best results, keep patient testimonial videos short (two minutes or less). Be sure to obtain and keep on file a HIPPA Authorization from patients granting their permission to share their testimonial prior to making them public. Patient testimonials are also some of the most highly viewed content on chiropractic practice websites.
- Enhance Social Media Pages
You can leverage the same video content you use on your practice’s website for use on your social media channels. Create a series of Chiropractic Health Tips. You can link to them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and include them in status updates on LinkedIn. If you have a practice Facebook Page, there is a video tab where you can store these videos permanently.
- Promote Services to Existing Patients
Research on how different generations make health care decisions shows that Generation-X (born in the mid-1960s to the early 1980s) and Millennials (born in the early 1980s to the early 2000s) respond better to video messages above other forms of marketing. Prior to adding a new product or service to your practice, produce a brief video explaining its benefits. You’ll help build demand even before you launch your new addition.
Patients are often unaware that chiropractic can help conditions other than the one that they sought care for. By expanding their knowledge through brief educational videos, you can help equip them to refer others to your practice. For example, headache, neck pain, and low back pain patients are often amazed that chiropractic care can help conditions involving the extremities. Their significant other may be left at home suffering with TMJ or knee pain if you don’t let them know that you can help. Video is the absolute best way to do this!
Remember to keep your videos short as attention spans, especially on the web, are not what they used to be. The optimal length should be under two minutes, but attention must be grabbed in the first 10 seconds or you’ll risk users clicking away. Take action to engage your patients and build your brand with video. Get started today!
References:
- https://www.statista.com/topics/1137/online-video/
- https://hcmg.nationalresearch.com/public/News.aspx?ID=12
Dr. Mark Sanna is a member of the Chiropractic Summit and a board member of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. He is the President and CEO of Breakthrough Coaching (www.mybreakthrough.com 1-800-723-8423).
Why is the Discount Challenge prize amount $11,181? Because that is the average “per-occurrence” fine for Medicare inducements. That’s not $11,181 per patient, that’s not per provider, that’s PER VISIT. Stinks, doesn’t it? To us, the prize amount is worth the investment if we can help our profession better understand proper discounting.