Company social media by employees is a fact of life. 73%of employees (Pew Research) use social media at work. If you’re a crusty boomer, it’s bunching your shorts, but you’ll just have to get used to it. There are plenty of other recruits to pick from.
The support from the CEO and other colleagues will push your content in front of new people and increase its status as a marketing tool.
The first rule is to not coerce participation. You’ll be asking people to use their own personal social media, and that may feel like The Man over-reaching to some. Take the light approach, and others will join in as they see the results.
Become the company social media evangelist
The first step is lure as many people to follow your practice or company as possible. This is about as non-invasive as it gets, and quickly spreads out the reach of your feed.
The next action you want is to encourage employees to share content. A simple share is great. A share with a comment is even better. Let people talk about their contribution to the news, for example, “I was the OR nurse for that head transplant,” or “We installed that MRI machine in a renovated barn.” Enlist their help to make your content a story. Those are the best, and they will get shared.
Expand your company social media team
You should also cultivate people on your augmented social media team to create content. Every company has people who are natural born photographers and video shooters. Give them a little coaching and turn them loose.
Most people are fascinated by healthcare and geeky medical devices. Let your team explore the inner workings of your hospital or company. Encourage someone to create a series of 15-second videos starring their colleagues. Show your people on the road – meeting, installing, drinking, training. Little snippets like this keep it real on social media.
Related: Social Media and PR Tie the Knot.
As for the crusty boomers, they may need some training on a platform. It’s worth it to teach them because they like to work hard and avoid having a real life.
Social media without company involvement is like a sad birthday party with a clown and a single guest. It might be the best show on earth, but it’s no fun if you can’t share it. Only you can know how far you can push it at your company. Try an evolutionary approach and let it grow. And if you encounter one of the anti-social, step aside and keep going.