5 tips to maximize your professional social media presence
It’s no secret that social media has changed almost every field, including the medical world. From the ways that we disseminate research to networking on a global scale, social media has revolutionized the way we communicate.
So, how do we embrace the revolutionizing force that is social media as medical professionals? Martha Ramirez, ISTH Social Media Specialist, shares her top five tips on elevating your professional presence on social media.
- Be authentic and genuine. Whether you post short videos of your daily life on Instagram or longform discussion posts on LinkedIn, it’s important to remain true to your self and your voice as a medical professional. Don’t feel pressured to be someone you’re not or fall into the gimmicks—it can be perceived as inauthentic in your posts and confuse your audience. Instead, engage with others in a way that feels natural just as you would in real life.
- Don’t be afraid to try new things. Social media is constantly evolving, with new features coming out frequently. Trying something new online can be a fun way to break your routine, like signing up for a new platform like Threads. You may find that new platforms or app features cater to your communication style better than others! For instance, X (formerly Twitter) recently added a subscription feature that allows users to post longer tweets. If you normally avoid X because you find that you always run out of characters, you may consider subscribing to be able to create longform tweets. This will not only help you increase your presence and reach on the app by posting more, but it will also allow you to engage with potential colleagues and professionals that you might have missed before.
- Keep your bio details up-to-date. It’s important to keep your profile and biographical details as updated as possible. Your profile will be one of the first things a user sees if they run across one of your posts online. If someone visits your profile, you know you’ve piqued their interest in some way; maybe you told a mutual connection congratulations for the promotion or maybe one of your informational posts is going viral. Either way, your profile will let users know who you are and what type of content to expect from you, so it’s important to give them an accurate picture. You can consider including your job title/field and areas of research interest. If you feel comfortable, it’s also nice to include what hospital/lab/organization you are associated with along with a personal fact or two. Short and concise is best when it comes to bios. Here’s a few good examples:
- Interacting with others’ content is just as important as posting your own. Once you’ve joined a social media platform, the best thing you can do is actually use it. Follow people who are interested in similar topics to you. Comment and repost content that is relevant to your field. Engage in conversations with others, whether it’s asking a follow-up question, congratulating them on a recent award or simply sharing your input in a conversation. Post about your daily life, career updates, interesting medical news—the possibilities are endless.
- Have fun! Social media is meant to be social, or in other words, engaging, fun and conversational. Remember, you can post about your professional world, but it can be fun to also share a funny meme or tell a memory. Keeping things light and relevant will make using social media fun for you and your followers, and it also makes you relatable and humanizes you.
Now, grab your phone and give your social media accounts a refresh if needed! Don’t forget to follow the ISTH at @ISTH on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We love to stay connected!