X (Twitter) 101 for healthcare providers

About half of Americans sometimes or often get the news through social media, according to Pew Research Center. And though X (formerly Twitter) has an open-ended future since Elon Musk purchased it in 2022, it remains a potential news source for many, with 225 million daily active users as of fall 2023. And many of those users are Millennials — a valuable market segment.

X also has the advantage of allowing users to post many different types of content, including text, photos, and videos. Paid social media marketing options can allow users to further grow an audience and attract attention. Plus, 1 in 4 patients would follow their doctor on social media if they posted regularly, according to Tebra’s fourth annual Patient Perspectives report. 

X has the potential to be a valuable part of a medical practice marketing plan. But what's the best way to create X (Twitter) bios for doctors, post, and engage? Read on to learn more.

Part of succeeding on X is sharing content and joining conversations in a thoughtful manner. But how? Consider the following 4 components when building an X presence to stand out.

An X bio is an elevator pitch to other users as to why they should follow an account. X (Twitter) bios for doctors shouldn’t be salesy. Instead, the bio should say something about the account holder, and is an opportunity to link to a practice website, online booking form, or other social media.

At the very least, X (Twitter) bios for doctors must let people know who you are and what you do. If the profile will be practice-focused, set your city as your location. 

A clear username, or handle, is also part of creating an identity on X. A good choice will be clear, straightforward, and reflective of the provider or practice brand. Ideas include: 

An X account won’t serve a healthcare practice without followers. In addition to creating content, following other accounts and engaging with them through meaningful replies to their content can build awareness of an X profile. These X accounts can include prospective local patients, other doctors in the same field, or interesting medical journals and associations.

Marketing experts often apply the behavioral rule of reciprocity in this area. It often works because many users will return a follow automatically to be polite and build their own connections. But following other accounts doesn’t guarantee that they’ll follow back. And be sure to do a purge for inactive X accounts every so often to increase levels of engagement.

Posts (formerly tweets) can consist of a self-contained short thought, a longer threaded discussion, a link to interesting content elsewhere, a promotional image for a sale, and much more. Since the messages are short, users are able to share more frequently on X than on many other platforms.

Social media marketing experts suggest that from at least 3 and up to 30 posts a day on X are required to build reach. It might feel difficult to accumulate enough content to achieve a schedule this consistent, but information is everywhere. For practices with strong content marketing strategies, X is a place to link to articles for exposure.

Accounts can also repost (formerly retweet) content from other accounts. This can be a way to stay active, build trust, and engage with others.

Hashtags (#) — keywords that tag a message to make it easier to find — remain relevant on X. Users can find specific content by searching for specific hashtag keywords on X. It is ideal to have 2 hashtags per post. Popular healthcare hashtags in the medical field include:

Take advantage of increased search traffic tied to trending topics or significant news-cycle subjects by creating a related tweet and jumping on the bandwagon with hashtags.

Lastly, healthcare conference attendees can search for and use the event-specific hashtag and add it to a conference-specific topic to effectively network with other professionals. They can also help brand a medical practice if they are unique and personal to the business. Hashtags like #DrJoesHeathTips or #DentistDilemmas can become something that followers look forward to seeing in their feeds. Including the unique hashtag in X (Twitter) bios for doctors can be a way to highlight it.

Exploring the profile styles of colleagues and competitors can be a source of inspiration. Searching for the word “physician” in the X search bar can lead to a host of examples. Here are a few to get started:

These profiles are human, accessible, and informative. They include photos and different types of content, and sometimes include select non-professional interests. Dr. McNally, for example, mentions her love of sports, which makes her more approachable. Discussing non-medical-related interests can help draw followers into more healthcare-focused discussions.

No matter what method you choose for content sharing on X, make sure you are in compliance with HIPAA. Unsure about how to balance social media and protected health information? Here’s a guide for navigating sensitive patient information.

X (Twitter) bios for doctors, regular posts with hashtags, and consistent content can be a way for providers and practices to build rapport with patients.