Watch Out Healthcare Digital Marketers – Cambridge Exposed Us!

Ever since Facebook opened up their advertising platform, we have been running ads! We started running ads when we could target individuals in ways will never be ale to now. Before Facebook pulled back the reigns, we talked about the good ole days of Facebook targeting; and now…we are truly exposed.

The public always knew something was weird when they would use their phone to buy something on Amazon then noticed that same product in an ad on Facebook.

The public always made jokes about how they would dump Facebook because of us marketers putting too many ads in their newsfeed.

But these ads worked and the public was always suspicious. No matter if we created breast cancer awareness ads or fundraising ads, Facebook responded to the demand and released this platform to start turning a profit and now this social platform is freaking bloated.

The public is visibly pissed especially those individuals who are influencing the next generation of social applications. Now, our grandparents are adopting faster than the original adopters can get off the platform; we just can’t stop sharing our kids photo on one post and then fight over guns the on next post. It is getting tiresome and exhausting.

But…we are exposed. The public is learning through Cambridge Analytica the depth “us” healthcare marketers had access to the public’s insights, allowing us to target people in ways we only dreamed fifteen years ago.

Each major issue, Facebook has pulled back the reigns a little more. Each time, we save our insights from previous campaigns to help us navigate the new restrictions allowing us to continue our goals and objectives. I think we are honestly addicted to targeting, data, and how far we can break through aggregate data; getting closer and closer to the user.

BUT…we better get nimble. We better make sure that we have not become simple technicians who can only operate only one ad platform to reach the healthcare consumer. We better have a portfolio of options and truly rediscover what it means to be a communications practitioner; because the user base will start shrinking, especially if Zuckerberg doesn’t reign it in and/or gets toasted when called to testify before Congress.

Just recently I audited a healthcare system that had more Facebook accounts than there are hospitals in their respective state. Facebook for healthcare systems started as the catch-all for marketing communications. This led to the creation of a large user base that is as disconnected as the house brands the healthcare system supports.

It is time to reign it in…time to audit your social media presence and truly understand how Facebook is embedded in your operations. Then ask yourself, how and why are we using this as a connection to the healthcare consumer. Then re-ask yourself…why?!

Social Health Institute has audited 8 states, 1061 hospitals, 761 Facebook Pages and we have found lots of fascinating insights. Join us as we try to better understand how hospitals and healthcare systems are using Facebook. Soon we will be launching HospitalIndex.org; a portal for benchmarking and custom reporting that will allow us to better understand how healthcare systems using digital and social media. Join us!