TikTok, which was launched internationally in 2017, has been making waves. It has also experienced astronomical growth over the past couple of years. During the first half of 2021, it was the most downloaded and highest-grossing non-game app worldwide. It has been downloaded more than 2 billion times and used by approximately 700 million monthly active users in over 150 countries.
TikTok, indeed, has gained traction and following from around the world which provided marketers with brilliant opportunities to reach diverse audiences, engage with their potential clients, and eventually grow their customer base. It has quickly become a crucial component of the digital marketing campaigns of several businesses including healthcare providers.
However, is this social media platform suitable to build and grow your chiropractic practice? Should you be on TikTok?
Before jumping on the bandwagon, first things first.
How does TikTok work?
TikTok is a video-based social network app that allows users to film short videos (up to 3 minutes), edit them with filters, effects, captions, and music, and subsequently upload them for their followers and the world to see.
To gain followers and to make it work as part of your marketing plan, it would take some real thought, effective strategy, and some creativity. You need to produce creative and entertaining videos as well as make use of relevant hashtags. You may also use TikTok’s paid advertising features such as brand takeovers, native ads, and sponsored hashtag challenges.
Is your target market on TikTok?
This fast-growing social platform is dubbed as the Gen Z app. According to Sensor Tower, over 40% of TikTok users belong to Generation Z which refers to those who were born between 1997 and 2012. In the US, 62% of users are between the ages of 10 to 29.
Although this social network resonates with the younger demographic, older age groups are now catching up fast. Today, 21% of TikTok users are over 40 years old. With the continuous pandemic lockdown, and surge of older content creators, this percentage of adult users is projected to increase.
Given with these statistics, do you think this platform will help you reach your target audience, build a community, and engage with your current and potential patients?
Will TikTok be valuable to your chiropractic marketing strategy?
It’s 2021. Patients significantly depend on the internet to look for chiropractors and their services. By now, aside from your website, you may already have one or even multiple social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Do you still need TikTok?
To answer this question, you need to define your goals and desired campaign outcomes such as:
- Establish and boost online presence
- High patient retention
- Build and maintain relationships with patients
- Expand your reach
- Attract new patients and make it easier for them to find you
- Showcase your practice and expertise
- Share pertinent information and knowledge
Remember that your existing and prospective patients may be using different social media platforms. However, trying to reach them on every social media channel may become overwhelming and impractical. With this and your goals in mind, you need to assess if TikTok will make sense to your chiropractic practice.
It is also one of the best platforms where you can easily share your story, snippets of your practice, behind-the-scenes, short tutorial videos and other information campaigns without being too formal and stiff. By doing so, you can maintain a strong relationship with your current patients, as well as attract and build trust with new and potential clients.
Will you be able to produce good quality video content?
Take note that content types on TikTok are quite different from what you usually post on other social media networks. It thrives off fast-paced trends, user-driven challenges, memes, and informal, genuine and fun videos. It therefore requires niche content with a lot of creativity and even humor. For chiropractors to thrive in TikTok, creating fun and entertaining videos that are related to their practice is the key.
In a nutshell, if your target audience is on this platform, if you can produce good quality, niche content and you find it essential to grow your practice, and if it resonates with your values and ideals then, by all means, leverage TikTok in your chiropractic marketing strategy plan.
Nevertheless, being on TikTok doesn’t guarantee immediate increase in foot traffic in your clinic however it does give you a unique and creative way to interact and engage with your existing patients which then increases the likelihood of patient retention and referrals.
It is also one of the best platforms where you can easily share your story, snippets of your practice, behind-the-scenes, short tutorial videos and other information campaigns without being too formal and stiff. By doing so, you can maintain a strong relationship with your current patients, as well as attract and build trust with new and potential clients.
In a nutshell, if your target audience is on this platform, if you can produce good quality, niche content and you find it essential to grow your practice, and if it resonates with your values and ideals then, by all means, leverage TikTok in your chiropractic marketing strategy plan.
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