Get ‘Social’ Now!

Srishty Chawla discusses how social media is revolutionising business growth, offering strategies for expanding reach, building brand trust, creating engaging content, leveraging influencer marketing, and staying ahead of future trends.

Social media has evolved from a platform for personal interaction into a vital tool for business growth and brand development. The Indian aesthetic market is projected to reach US$ 2.67 billion by 2028, with the anti-ageing market expected to grow at a 9 per cent CAGR from 2023 to 2028. These are significant figures, yet only 52.3 per cent of the digital audience is aged between 18 and 44. Young professionals, some as young as 22, are earning MBAs and substantial incomes, giving them disposable income to spend on aesthetic procedures.

Today’s culture is increasingly open, with Gen Z and millennials becoming more independent and confident. This generation is all about choice. In this context, discussing aesthetic medicine in the digital landscape is crucial, as everything from payments to audience engagement is now digital.

Expanding reach and targeting audiences

One of the key advantages of social media is its unparalleled ability to reach a vast audience. Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube enable businesses to transcend geographical boundaries and connect with potential customers worldwide. With 52.3 per cent of the digital audience aged between 18 and 44, the market potential among younger demographics is immense.

Contrary to popular belief, digital media encompasses much more than just social media. To maximise impact, it is essential to amplify your social media efforts with consistent messaging across all digital platforms. This approach ensures that an audience scrolling through YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram will grasp the essence of your medical procedures. This strategy not only raises awareness but also helps you reach diverse audiences across multiple channels.

Building brand identity and trust

For businesses in sectors like aesthetic medicine, building trust is paramount. Social media serves as a powerful tool for cultivating brand identity and authenticity. Even though the aesthetic market is growing, there still exists a large gap of misinformation.

Clients are often confused about which procedures to choose due to the numerous advertisements promoting different products. Some may even fear that businesses are more focused on their own benefits than on the customers’ needs. Therefore, aesthetic medicine professionals must be transparent about their procedures.

Most people want to associate with a credible brand and need to feel confident that the procedure will work. This is what you should focus on addressing through your social media platforms: ensure you educate your clients while also elevating your business.

Your trust is built by being transparent with your patients and involving them in the entire process. This includes explaining the equipment you will use, outlining the step-by-step procedure before surgery, and addressing any doubts they may have before and after the procedure. Additionally, showcasing beforeand-after results from previous clients is crucial, as reliability is paramount in every procedure.

Additionally, it is imperative to maintain consistency between offline and online brand representations. Social media should accurately reflect your brand’s identity and values. Building your brand and engaging with existing and potential clients is essential for effective content marketing. Potential clients often research clinics and procedures extensively online before making decisions

Engagement and content strategy

It is also important to note that effective social media strategies go beyond mere presence; they involve creating engaging content that resonates with the target audience. You should shift from viewing content as king to recognising its role as queen. This means that while content remains pivotal, its quality, relevance, and potential for engagement are now paramount. SEO has emerged as the best strategy to ensure that our brands rank high on search engine pages such as Google. The essence of optimising your content for better engagement lies in using keywords and posting relevant content across different social media platforms. Content marketing through platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Quora allows businesses to not only educate but also actively engage with consumers seeking information and solutions.

YouTube is excellent for creating extensive content, such as a content repository. You can organise this content into channels focused on topics such as skin, hair, or overall cosmetic procedures. Quora is another often-overlooked platform where people seek solutions, making it effective for you to provide answers. WhatsApp is also extremely useful for engaging with both current and potential customers.

Influencer marketing and performance metrics

Influencer marketing has emerged as a potent tool for businesses looking to amplify their reach and influence. Consumers often trust influencers who authentically endorse products or services. This is particularly important today, as many consumers of aesthetic products are young people who are heavily influenced by social media personalities who have successfully used these brands. Collaborations with influencers can significantly enhance brand visibility and credibility, especially in industries like aesthetic medicine, where personal recommendations and endorsements carry substantial weight.

Driving conversions through performance marketing

Social media platforms offer robust tools for performance marketing, including targeted advertising, keyword optimisation, and retargeting strategies. These tools enable businesses to precisely target their ideal audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviours, thereby maximising the conversion potential of their marketing efforts.

There will always be some investment required because, even on platforms like Instagram, the algorithm tends to favour content that involves financial investment or comes from verified accounts. Organic reach alone is often insufficient; you must be willing to invest effort and resources to achieve effectiveness. It is important for all of us to conduct our own research to understand which strategies are working for others and which are not. This is the path we must follow if we want to see results.

Embracing social media

Looking ahead, the integration of social media into broader marketing strategies will continue to evolve. Businesses that embrace data-driven approaches, leverage emerging trends, and prioritise consumer engagement are poised to thrive.

Social media is not just a digital trend but a fundamental component of modern business growth strategies, offering opportunities for expansion, engagement, and brand building. It’s transformative power in driving business growth cannot be overstated. From enhancing brand visibility to fostering consumer trust and driving conversions, social media platforms provide businesses with the tools needed to succeed.

Build your brand – be it personal or for your clinic, on social media – and analyse both past and current conversations. Understand what your patients are looking for and ensure you are putting out the right content.

The above article has been extracted from Srishty Chawla’s recent talk at the Aesthetic Medicine India Conference 2024 in Mumbai.

“Social media serves as a powerful tool for cultivating brand identity and authenticity. ”

About Srishty Chawla: The CEO & Co-founder, One Source Group, Srishty Chawla has headed marketing remits over the last decade, ranging from Nobel Laureate Shri Kailash Satyarthi to India’s demonetisation. An award winner several times over at the APAC and global levels for public affairs, advocacy, reputation building and more, Srishty’s teams today work with the likes of OMRON Healthcare, FDC Limited, Rising Pharma, and more. Srishty oversees all that is social, digital, customer-base building, and creative, at both One Source the firm, as well as One Source, the 35,000+ member-strong forum.