This document provides recommendations for using Instagram effectively in a healthcare setting based on an analysis of different hospitals' Instagram accounts. It finds that MD Anderson uses Instagram most effectively with high-quality, people-focused posts. Other hospitals could improve by reducing text-heavy posts, increasing posting frequency, using hashtags and descriptions better, and focusing more on engaging content rather than advertising. The document also provides tips on goals of increasing social engagement and driving traffic through video teasers and calls-to-action, noting the importance of testing strategies and monitoring key performance indicators.

1. Instagram
Observations
and Best
Practices

2. Basics on Using
Instagram in a
Healthcare Setting

3. What’s
Going On?
Throwing a hospital celebration?
Someone famous stopping by? Special
events or special visitors are
opportunities to connect with your fans,
and expand your reach.

4. How it Works
Some are curious about how hospitals work
but some might be scared. Showing how
things like X-Rays, MRIs or other technical
things work can help demystify them for
people. Also, showing staff in action
humanizes the care.

5. Surprise
Them
When you’re in a highly
specialized field, it’s easy to
forget that the things you take
for granted may delight and
astound lay followers. For
example, a fun or informative
#TBT is always a good idea.

6. Quality is Key
Whether you’re using Instagram for business or
personal reasons, people want to see interesting,
engaging and, most importantly, well-crafted pictures.
Before a post goes up, the question should always be,
“Is this a picture I would ‘like?’”

7. What
Others are
Doing
Now that you know the
basics of Instagram best-
practices for healthcare,
we’ll take a look at what
other hospitals in the
Houston area are doing,
and why some are
successful, and others
aren’t

8. By the
Numbers
Hospital Posts Followers Following
MD Anderson 429 7,071 86
Texas Children’s 256 3,554 84
Houston Methodist 303 1,295 160
Baylor, Scott & White 329 1,023 150
Memorial Hermann 78 676 16
St. Luke’s 122 232 880
As you can see, some hospitals in the area use
Instagram far more effectively than others. In
the following slides we’ll analyze their Instagram
content to explain why they are successful or
not.

9. The Over-
Follow
St. Luke’s uses Instagram the least
effectively out of the area hospitals.
There are two main problems with
how they use Instagram:
• Their ratio of followers to who
their following is considerably out
of balance. Being selective is a
much better strategy
• Many of the images aren’t terribly
interesting, and don’t establish
any personal connection with
followers

10. The Middle
Baylor, Scott & White and Houston Methodist
have similar stats. Both do okay, but have a
few issues holding them back from really
utilizing Instagram properly:
• Both hospitals post print-style
advertising/graphics with far too much text
in the image (Houston Methodist
especially). Images with too much text
aren’t just impersonal, too much text can
affect the visibility of a post (phantom
advertising essentially). These types of
images do not create a seamless viewing
experience for user.
• BS&W, in particular, does not post very
frequently (about once a week). The lag
between posts gives people time to forget.

11. Pretty
Good
At around 3,500 followers, Texas
Children’s has twice the number of
its nearest competitor. But they too
can do better. Like the hospitals in
the previous slides, Texas
Children’s posts text-based, print-
style posters and phantom ads.
Also, more than a few of their
photos are likely stock photos
which say nothing about the
hospital or its people. Overall, the
majority of their photos are fairly
high-quality, and demonstrate a
personal connection.

12. Doing It
Right
MD Anderson’s posts are high-quality
and people-focused. While they could
post a bit more frequently, they use
hashtags and descriptions to great effect.
All their posts have a “personal touch.”

13. The Good
News
• Memorial Hermann has
already been posting high-
quality images on Instagram
• Those photos are, for the
most part, people-focused,
and tell stories
• Depending on goals, a few
changes can significantly
improve the performance of
the social channel

14. Possible Goal
#1: Increasing
Social
Following and
Engagement
• Creating content designed to keep
them within the Instagram platform
• Utilizing Popular Hashtags (sites like
Hashtagify or Iconosquare can help
you identify them)
• Sponsored Posts with clear “follow”
verbiage
• More frequent posting at peak
engagement times (more info in next
slide)
• Cross-promotions (e.g. emphasizing
Rockets relationship—Rockets’ mascot
Clutch the Bear follows Memorial
Hermann)
• Regular “features” (e.g. weekly 30-
second cuts from “Body of Experts”
videos)

15. Increasing
Social
Following and
Engagement:
Peak Times to
Post Studies suggest that Wednesdays are the best day to
post, and that 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. are the best times of
day to post on Instagram.
Example: Posting at 2 a.m. could be a way to the
hospital overnight staff’s stories.

16. Increasing
Social
Following and
Engagement:
Instagram’s
Audience

17. Possible Goal
#2: Site Traffic
and Content
Engagement
• Creating content and captions
designed to entice users over to
memorialhermann.com
• Teaser videos
• CTAs that drive users to site content (e.g.
the Watch More button)

18. Where the
Two Goals
Overlap
The two goals aren’t mutually exclusive, and include some
common elements that will be essential to both
• Either make a 30-second teaser version of video, or release the clips weekly,
rather back-to-back
• Sponsored posts are new, but have the potential to increase visibility beyond
current following
• Image/profile description need to have purpose—whether it’s a pointed hashtag
or a link to services/information

19. Going
Forward
• Post content that reinforces a personal (and
personable) connection to people.
o Using “social speak” i.e. hashtags and tagging when
appropriate
o Account description should be clear, and give
insight into Memorial Hermann (e.g. “for an
appointment, call…”)
o Post frequently, at peak times
o Before posting, always ask, “Is this something I
would like?”
• Use videos 30-second videos as teasers–e.g. “Come
back next week to see more #BodyOfExperts
#Healthcare #SurvivorStories #PatientStories”

20. Lessons Learned
from First Paid Test
• Link accounts for seamless monitoring and incremental
community growth (when site traffic and engagement are the
main goal)
• Include Memorial Hermann Social Team on implementation of
any plans including social partners, particularly as related to
KPIs and reporting/monitoring internal needs
Impressions Clicks Views
Video
Completions CTR View % Completion % Spent CPC CPV Post Likes Post Comments Link Clicks
26,822 67 9,539 1,077 0.25% 35.56% 11.29% $726.69 $10.85 $0.08 391 3 73

21. Questions?