Newswise — October 27, 2017 – Plastic surgeons using social media to attract patients should know their audience's preferred social media platforms and the types of posts of greatest interest, according to a survey study in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
"Plastic surgeons can utilize social media best by considering their target audience's perspective," said Heather Furnas, MD, of Plastic Surgery Associates of Santa Rosa, Calif. Dr. Furnas is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The survey also suggests that patients rely on the plastic surgery practice's website over social media when seeking important information.
Plastic Surgeons on Social Media – The Patient's Perspective
Dr. Furnas and coauthors surveyed 100 patients making visits to their aesthetic plastic surgery practice regarding social media habits and preferences. The patients, average age 44 years, were nearly all women. Most were interested in facial plastic surgery; some were interested in breast, body, or other cosmetic procedures.
Among six social media platforms listed in the survey, Facebook was the clear winner in terms of use and engagement—about half of patients said they checked Facebook at least once daily. Instagram was second in engagement, with 30 percent of patients reporting at least daily use.
Most patients used YouTube and Pinterest, but engagement was low. While only about one-fourth of patients were on Snapchat, most of them used it daily. Twitter was the least popular social media platform.
The plastic surgery practice's website beat out all social media platforms as the go-to source of online information. More than half of patients said they were influenced by the website when selecting a cosmetic surgery practice, compared to just eight percent for Facebook. More than 60 percent of patients checked the practice website on the day of their visit.
Out of 11 social media post categories, most patients chose before-and-after photos of cosmetic surgery procedures. More than one-fourth wanted to see information about the procedures; few selected didactic types of information.
Plastic surgeons can better reach and engage with their target population if they use the social media networks popular with their patients’ demographic. For example, women prefer Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, but Facebook in particular is most popular among the age group of women most likely to be interested in plastic surgery. While Twitter is widely used by plastic surgeons to share and discuss research, the new survey suggests it's the least popular platform among cosmetic surgery patients.
The fleeting content on social media may be less important than the information provided by the plastic surgeon's practice website.
"These results suggest that the website should be considered the centerpiece of a practice's online content," Dr. Furnas and coauthors write. "Social media should be viewed as an adjunct to attract and engage users, enticing them to explore the practice website."
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® is published by Wolters Kluwer.
Click here to read “Social Media and the Plastic Surgery Patient.”
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000003769
###
About Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
For more than 70 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® (http://www.prsjournal.com/) has been the one consistently excellent reference for every specialist who uses plastic surgery techniques or works in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. The official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® brings subscribers up-to-the-minute reports on the latest techniques and follow-up for all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair and cosmetic surgery, as well as news on medico-legal issues.
About ASPS
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 7,000 physician members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2016 annual revenues of €4.3 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in more than 180 countries, maintains operations in more than 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide.
Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the health care industry. For more information about our products and the organization, visit http://www.wolterskluwer.com/, follow @WKHealth or @Wolters_Kluwer on Twitter, like on Facebook, follow on LinkedIn, or follow WoltersKluwerComms on YouTube.
For more information about Wolters Kluwer’s solutions and organization, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
MEDIA CONTACT
Register for reporter access to contact detailsCITATIONS
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
RSS