In the first post in our physician branding series, we talked about how to define your brand. The brand that represents who you are as a physician and a person. Now that your brand is clearly defined, it is incumbent upon you to make sure your digital physician brand supports who you are and what you bring to healthcare. This digital presence includes everything you do online, whether it is through Doximity, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media platform you are using. Employers are checking social media when considering potential hires, and everything they find about you should support who you claim to be.
Your Online Profile Matters
More than 700,000 physicians are using Doximity, and you should be one of them. Doximity is a portal that allows you to communicate and connect with other doctors. It is a great tool for getting referrals and for promoting your brand. Keep in mind that prospective employers and colleagues want to see you, as well as learn a little about you. Even if you consider yourself to be camera shy, go ahead and have a professional headshot taken to accompany your profile.
LinkedIn is also an important consideration for brand identity. One of the reasons LinkedIn can be helpful is that it allows you to build your network outside of the medical ‘bubble.’ Your LinkedIn profile should closely correlate to how you are identified on Doximity, but you can also use it to address your interests beyond medicine by getting involved in groups or topics that you are passionate about.
Know How to Use Feedback
A critical part of your profile is the feedback you receive from colleagues. The most important method of acquiring that feedback is to actually ask for it. You can even offer to write it for them, but then allow them to tweak or personalize it for you. Never fabricate feedback and always include a full name and location. Your feedback has to sound conversational because if it is too formal or technical sounding, it won’t feel real.
Post a Blog Article
Users of LinkedIn find out pretty quickly how easy it is to post an article and put it out there for your network and others to consume. A blog article is a great way to give prospective employers a glimpse into who you are and what you care about. Periodic blog posts will help you develop your “voice” and allow others to have an understanding of what types of things are on your mind. There are plenty places on the web where you can publish articles such as Medium and WordPress. If this is something you enjoy and can dedicate time to it, it can be a great way to advance your career. It is also a great way for you to create your own content to share on your social media profiles.
Create a YouTube Channel
Is there a better way to present who you are and why you are passionate about what you do then by visually demonstrating it in front of your audience? YouTube provides the perfect opportunity to create short, visual snippets demonstrating your skills for your future employers and patients. Obviously, you won’t be visually demonstrating surgical skills, but you can certainly explain techniques or strategies that are unique to you. You can share your thoughts about the healthcare industry in a way that highlights your personality. Your visual identity should be light, fun, and informative and support all of the digital physician brand building blocks you have already set in place.
If you missed our first article, “Defining Your Physician Brand”, click here, and stay tuned for our next piece of branding content, “Selling Your Physician Brand In-Person.”
