Social media secrets every MSK practice should know

Your MSK practice - whether you’re a chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherist, or part of a multidisciplinary team - provides essential care, helping patients overcome pain and return to the activities they love. But in a competitive landscape, clinical skill is only part of the equation for growth. To attract new patients and build a thriving business, you need to connect with people where they spend their time. That place is social media.

An effective social media presence does more than just fill your appointment book - it builds trust, establishes your practice as an authority, and creates a loyal patient base. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and the caring ethos of your practice long before a patient steps through your door. With the right strategy, you can turn passive scrollers into engaged, lifelong patients.

Let's explore the secrets to mastering social media for your practice and how integrating your efforts with powerful practice management software like TM3 can supercharge your growth.

1. Share educational content that adds real value

Your primary goal on social media should be to provide value. Patients are actively searching for reliable information about their health. By creating and sharing educational content, you position your practice as a trusted source of expertise. This builds a powerful foundation of credibility.

Think about the common questions your patients ask every day. These are your content goldmines.

Ideas for educational posts

• Myth-busting posts: Address common misconceptions about pain, injuries or treatments. For example, "Is cracking your knuckles bad for you? The physio's perspective."
• Simple exercise demonstrations: Create short videos or infographics showing safe, effective stretches for common issues like desk-related back pain or runner's knee.
• 'Anatomy 101' series: Break down complex musculoskeletal topics into easy-to-understand posts. Explain what a rotator cuff is or how the sciatic nerve works.
• Injury prevention tips: Offer seasonal or activity-specific advice, such as "How to prepare for ski season" or "Gardening without the backache."

By consistently offering helpful, professional advice, you become the go-to resource in your community. When a follower eventually needs treatment, your practice will be their first choice.

2. Build trust and connection with your community

While expertise is crucial, patients ultimately connect with people. Social media is the perfect platform to showcase the personality of your practice and the practitioners behind it.

Authenticity is key. Let your audience see the real people who make your practice special.

Ideas for posts with the human element

• Meet the team: Feature regular posts introducing your practitioners. Share their specialisms, their passion for MSK health, and a fun fact about them.
• Behind-the-scenes glimpses: Post photos or short videos of your practice environment, practitioners' meetings, or professional development days. This makes your practice feel approachable and transparent.
• Patient success stories: With explicit consent, share anonymised stories of patient recovery. Focus on the journey and the outcome, such as "From shoulder pain to playing tennis again." This is social proof in its most powerful form.

These posts help create a genuine connection and show that you are not just treating conditions; you are caring for individuals.

3. Engage and interact to boost loyalty

Actively participating in conversations with your audience is essential. It’s not enough to post and step back - two-way interaction builds loyalty and makes your practice stand out in a crowded space.

Ways to maximise engagement

• Respond promptly to comments and messages: Acknowledge every comment, even with a simple "thank you." Answer questions thoroughly and professionally to show followers their input is valued.
• Ask questions: Encourage interaction by posing open-ended questions in your posts, such as "What activities help you feel your best?"
• Run polls and quizzes: Use interactive features to make your content fun and gain insights on what matters most to your community.
• Collaborate locally: Partner with other healthcare professionals, gyms or wellness businesses for joint campaigns or educational content, expanding your reach within the local community.

Meaningful engagement turns your social platforms into dynamic community spaces that foster long-term connections.

4. Choose the right channels

Selecting the best social media platforms for your MSK practice makes your marketing more focused, effective and manageable. Each platform offers unique strengths, so it's important to choose those that align with your goals and audience. Here’s a quick guide:

• Facebook: Great for building community, sharing success stories and promoting events.
• Instagram: Ideal for engaging visuals - exercise demos, infographics and practice highlights.
• LinkedIn: Perfect for networking and sharing professional updates with other healthcare providers.
• YouTube: Best for detailed video tutorials and educational content.
• TikTok: A creative way to connect with younger audiences using quick, educational clips.

Quick tips for choosing your channels

• Focus on two or three platforms to start - quality is better than quantity.
• Consider where your ideal patients spend their time online.
• Ensure your choice matches your strengths - if you're great with video, start with Instagram or YouTube.
• Monitor your results over time and be ready to adapt as you discover which platforms drive the best engagement and patient leads.

By using the right mix of platforms tailored to your practice’s goals - whether you’re a chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist or run a multidisciplinary practice - you can showcase your expertise, connect with patients and grow an engaged online community. Knowing what works is key to success on social media. To truly grow your MSK practice - whether physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic or multidisciplinary - you need insight into the real impact of your efforts.

5. Track results and optimise your strategy with TM3

Knowing what works is key to success on social media. To truly grow your MSK practice—whether physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, or multidisciplinary—you need insight into the real impact of your efforts.

How TM3 supports social media growth

• Analyse the source of new patients: TM3 makes it easy to track where new patients are coming from, so you can see which social channels drive the most bookings.
• Understand your patient demographics: Use reporting tools to review patient data and tailor future content so it resonates with your key audience.
• Monitor patient engagement and retention: Track each patient's journey from discovery on social media to treatment and follow-up. This helps you refine your practice’s approach for better outcomes and higher satisfaction.

With TM3’s data-driven insights, you can refine your strategy, maximise your social media impact, and grow your practice. Want to know more? Contact the team today.

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