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Using New Media to Promote
Health & Medical News
Lee Aase
Manager, Syndication and Social Media
Mayo Clinic
National Press Club
May 7, 2009

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About Lee Aase
• B.S. Political Science
• 14 years in politics and government at
local, state, national levels
• Mayo Clinic since April 2000
• Media relations consultant
• Manager since 2004
• Media Relations/Research Comm
• Syndication and Social Media
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Disclaimers
• These results not typical
• Use as directed
• Read and follow label directions
• Side effects may include vertigo, watery
eyes, crackberry thumb and iPhone
application addiction
• Social media tools are an essential part of a
balanced communications diet
• If insufficient media coverage persists,
consult your communications doctor
• Your mileage may vary
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If You’re Tweeting, Use This Hashtag
for Questions, Comments, Discussion
#allhealth
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Mayo Clinic’s Origin
http://tinyurl.com/32xbjx

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Sources of Information Influencing
Preference for Mayo Clinic
Word of mouth 84
Stories in the media 57
MD recommendation 44
Advertising 27
2006 Study
Internet/Websites 26
Personal experience 24
Mailings to home 18
0 20 40 60 80 100
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Mayo Clinic Medical Edge
News Media Syndications
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First Foray in New Media
• Existing Medical Edge radio mp3s
• Launched Sept. ‘05; Downloads up
8,217 percent Oct. vs. Aug.

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Step 2: More, Longer Podcasts
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Step 3: podcasts.mayoclinic.org
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newsblog.mayoclinic.org
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sharing.mayoclinic.org
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Mayo Clinic’s “Magazine Rack”
• News Blog - Breaking research news;
“Hard” news - Like U.S News, Time
• Podcast Blog - Evergreen “news you
can use” - Like Prevention
• Sharing Mayo Clinic - Features;
behind the scenes at Mayo Clinic,
and stories from patients in their own
words - Like People
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Key Tool: Flip Video Camera
• Affordable for all campuses (and you)
• Recording interviews (with tripod)
improves existing processes
• Authenticity without writer’s cramp
• Provides potential blog resources
• Audio of full interview
• Video excerpts
• Limited group of video editors to
ease adoption, ensure quality
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Two Case Studies of Mainstream
Media Facilitated by Social Media
• Wall Street Journal Health Blog
• Pitched via Facebook
• Previewed on News Blog
• Embedded from YouTube
• CBS Radio Network
• Flip audio downloaded from news
blog made national network air
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In the last two weeks...
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Don’t (just) pitch the media.
Be the media.
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Virality Case Study
• Alerted to interesting video of 90 y.o.
couple playing piano in Gonda atrium
• Embedded in Sharing Mayo Clinic,
posted to Facebook, Tweeted on
4/7/09, one month ago today
• Video had been seen 1,005 times in six
preceding months since upload
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The next day...
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Six days later...
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April 22
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May 1
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Sunday, May 3
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May 4
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Cinco de Mayo
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Yesterday
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Lessons
• You can’t manufacture virality, but
you can prepare for, contribute to it
• Developing infrastructure gives you
a platform for launch
• Mainstream media coverage will
make this even bigger
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Retroactive Roadmap and
Philosophy for Future
• Start with current activity extensions
or high-probability pilot
• External consultants and case
studies help build internal buy-in
• Build on success step-by-step
• Take advantage of cheap technology
• Facilitate with small core team, but
make social media everyone’s job
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For Continuing Education ...
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Contacting Me
• Google Lee Aase or SMUG U to find
SMUG
• Twitter: @LeeAase or @mayoclinic
• Friend me on Facebook
• aase.lee@mayo.edu
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