Pinterest

If you’ve ever heard someone say, "I’ve been pinning for an hour. I’m addicted!" and had no idea what this person was talking about, I have one word for you: Pinterest.

Pinterest is a fabulously popular social media site that allows users to find, share, and organize images called "pins" that are displayed or "pinned" on electronic "boards." A "board" is like a digital folder that helps you organize your pins. For example, you might have boards for Healthy Recipes, Exercise, and Places I’ve Traveled. Images are uploaded from the web or from your own computer or smartphone. Since it’s social, users can "like" other people’s pins, comment on them, and "repin" or share them. They can also add friends and become part of a "pin group board," where you and selected others upload pins to the shared boards.

Why is this important for you and your medical practice? Pinterest is one of the fastest-growing social media sites in history. It launched in March 2010, and by October 2012 it had reached more than 25,000,000 active monthly users and debuted on the list of top 50 most-visited web sites in the United States.

According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of adults who are online are searching for health, and Pinterest is another social media channel you can use to reach them. If you’re thinking, "But I already do Twitter and Facebook," consider this: Approximately 80% of Pinterest users are female and, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make 80% of health care decisions for their families. See the connection? It’s not farfetched to posit that Pinterest may turn out to be one of the most effective social media sites for the health care industry.

Because many people are visual learners, Pinterest can be an effective tool for patient education. Several renowned institutions, including St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Mayo Clinic, use Pinterest effectively to educate the public, share patient stories, and discuss newsworthy topics.

As physicians, you can use Pinterest similarly to build your brand and help market your practice more creatively.

You’ll find that Pinterest is very easy to learn and use. And because it’s a visual site with little to no text, it requires minimal effort on your part, or your staff’s part. A few minutes per day or every few days are sufficient to establish a presence and make connections.

There are many ways you can use Pinterest to build brand awareness and reach patients. Here are a few:

• Explain how medical or cosmetic procedures work, such as fillers and sclerotherapy.

• Explain how medical devices work, such as lasers and dermatoscopes.

• Generate awareness of medical conditions, such as psoriasis, eczema, and skin cancers. Infographics are especially effective.

• Provide inspiration. Many skin conditions are psychologically challenging. Pinning inspirational images can give patients hope.

• Share your product recommendations.

• Share uplifting patient stories and testimonials.

• Introduce and update the public to you, your staff, your office, and your services.

As for creating pin boards, the categories are endless, but here are some ideas to get you started: Patient Stories, Healthy Skin Habits, Sun Safety, Before and After, Acne Tips, Cosmetic Services, Parenting Tips, Words of Inspiration, and Meet Our Staff.

If you haven’t been on Pinterest yet, take a visit there and explore what it has to offer. And don’t be surprised if you become addicted.

Dr. Benabio is physician director at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com; connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc, and on Facebook (DermDoc).

If you’ve ever heard someone say, "I’ve been pinning for an hour. I’m addicted!" and had no idea what this person was talking about, I have one word for you: Pinterest.

Pinterest is a fabulously popular social media site that allows users to find, share, and organize images called "pins" that are displayed or "pinned" on electronic "boards." A "board" is like a digital folder that helps you organize your pins. For example, you might have boards for Healthy Recipes, Exercise, and Places I’ve Traveled. Images are uploaded from the web or from your own computer or smartphone. Since it’s social, users can "like" other people’s pins, comment on them, and "repin" or share them. They can also add friends and become part of a "pin group board," where you and selected others upload pins to the shared boards.

Why is this important for you and your medical practice? Pinterest is one of the fastest-growing social media sites in history. It launched in March 2010, and by October 2012 it had reached more than 25,000,000 active monthly users and debuted on the list of top 50 most-visited web sites in the United States.

According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of adults who are online are searching for health, and Pinterest is another social media channel you can use to reach them. If you’re thinking, "But I already do Twitter and Facebook," consider this: Approximately 80% of Pinterest users are female and, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make 80% of health care decisions for their families. See the connection? It’s not farfetched to posit that Pinterest may turn out to be one of the most effective social media sites for the health care industry.

Because many people are visual learners, Pinterest can be an effective tool for patient education. Several renowned institutions, including St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Mayo Clinic, use Pinterest effectively to educate the public, share patient stories, and discuss newsworthy topics.

As physicians, you can use Pinterest similarly to build your brand and help market your practice more creatively.

You’ll find that Pinterest is very easy to learn and use. And because it’s a visual site with little to no text, it requires minimal effort on your part, or your staff’s part. A few minutes per day or every few days are sufficient to establish a presence and make connections.

There are many ways you can use Pinterest to build brand awareness and reach patients. Here are a few:

• Explain how medical or cosmetic procedures work, such as fillers and sclerotherapy.

• Explain how medical devices work, such as lasers and dermatoscopes.

• Generate awareness of medical conditions, such as psoriasis, eczema, and skin cancers. Infographics are especially effective.

• Provide inspiration. Many skin conditions are psychologically challenging. Pinning inspirational images can give patients hope.

• Share your product recommendations.

• Share uplifting patient stories and testimonials.

• Introduce and update the public to you, your staff, your office, and your services.

As for creating pin boards, the categories are endless, but here are some ideas to get you started: Patient Stories, Healthy Skin Habits, Sun Safety, Before and After, Acne Tips, Cosmetic Services, Parenting Tips, Words of Inspiration, and Meet Our Staff.

If you haven’t been on Pinterest yet, take a visit there and explore what it has to offer. And don’t be surprised if you become addicted.

Dr. Benabio is physician director at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com; connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc, and on Facebook (DermDoc).

If you’ve ever heard someone say, "I’ve been pinning for an hour. I’m addicted!" and had no idea what this person was talking about, I have one word for you: Pinterest.

Pinterest is a fabulously popular social media site that allows users to find, share, and organize images called "pins" that are displayed or "pinned" on electronic "boards." A "board" is like a digital folder that helps you organize your pins. For example, you might have boards for Healthy Recipes, Exercise, and Places I’ve Traveled. Images are uploaded from the web or from your own computer or smartphone. Since it’s social, users can "like" other people’s pins, comment on them, and "repin" or share them. They can also add friends and become part of a "pin group board," where you and selected others upload pins to the shared boards.

Why is this important for you and your medical practice? Pinterest is one of the fastest-growing social media sites in history. It launched in March 2010, and by October 2012 it had reached more than 25,000,000 active monthly users and debuted on the list of top 50 most-visited web sites in the United States.

According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of adults who are online are searching for health, and Pinterest is another social media channel you can use to reach them. If you’re thinking, "But I already do Twitter and Facebook," consider this: Approximately 80% of Pinterest users are female and, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make 80% of health care decisions for their families. See the connection? It’s not farfetched to posit that Pinterest may turn out to be one of the most effective social media sites for the health care industry.

Because many people are visual learners, Pinterest can be an effective tool for patient education. Several renowned institutions, including St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Mayo Clinic, use Pinterest effectively to educate the public, share patient stories, and discuss newsworthy topics.

As physicians, you can use Pinterest similarly to build your brand and help market your practice more creatively.

You’ll find that Pinterest is very easy to learn and use. And because it’s a visual site with little to no text, it requires minimal effort on your part, or your staff’s part. A few minutes per day or every few days are sufficient to establish a presence and make connections.

There are many ways you can use Pinterest to build brand awareness and reach patients. Here are a few:

• Explain how medical or cosmetic procedures work, such as fillers and sclerotherapy.

• Explain how medical devices work, such as lasers and dermatoscopes.

• Generate awareness of medical conditions, such as psoriasis, eczema, and skin cancers. Infographics are especially effective.

• Provide inspiration. Many skin conditions are psychologically challenging. Pinning inspirational images can give patients hope.

• Share your product recommendations.

• Share uplifting patient stories and testimonials.

• Introduce and update the public to you, your staff, your office, and your services.

As for creating pin boards, the categories are endless, but here are some ideas to get you started: Patient Stories, Healthy Skin Habits, Sun Safety, Before and After, Acne Tips, Cosmetic Services, Parenting Tips, Words of Inspiration, and Meet Our Staff.

If you haven’t been on Pinterest yet, take a visit there and explore what it has to offer. And don’t be surprised if you become addicted.

Dr. Benabio is physician director at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego. Visit his consumer health blog at thedermblog.com; connect with him on Twitter @Dermdoc, and on Facebook (DermDoc).