Making a high-quality and professional social media profile

Maintaining a professional image and providing content that is honest and ethical is required and appropriate

Social media and its well-known platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, have become so popular that many medical aesthetic practitioners have some form of social media presence. While many may also have personal social media profiles, posting content in a professional capacity, compared with what is posted on a personal platform, should have very different considerations. When posting in a personal capacity, there is potentially a different purpose and audience. However, on a professional/medical person's profile, maintaining a professional image and providing content that is honest and ethical is required and appropriate. Guidance on this can be found in the Code (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), 2018) or from the General Medical Council (GMC) (2013).

This article will provide tips on how social media presence can be boosted, how content can be created for specific audiences and how a professional and appropriate image can be maintained. It will also cover specific social media features and how to adhere to relevant guidelines.

Remaining appropriate and relevant

One of the first things to consider is what to post and, therefore, what is appropriate and relevant. When posting content, it is a good idea to think about who your audience is and who you are trying to attract. For example, as an aesthetic trainer, my posts are aimed at informing peers and medical colleagues about aesthetic treatments. My profile offers educational and informative content, such as ways to avoid treatment complications. If an audience is an existing patient base and/or new potential patients, then the content could include showcasing work by using before and after photos and differentiating yourself and your particular brand and aesthetic from others. Social media platforms provide the opportunity for potential patients to familiarise themselves with practitioners before even stepping foot into the clinic. In an age where people are scrolling through hours of content, it is vital to make those few seconds of attention count.

When posting in a professional capacity, content can include posts about aesthetic results you are proud of and educational achievements or training that is being undertaken. If you wish to showcase your work, focus on presenting your unique aesthetic look and what is offered to patients. A social media profile can act as a work portfolio. For instance, for practitioners who aim to achieve a natural, subtle and age-appropriate result, as opposed to a more treated or overdone appearance, this would be something that can be communicated with social media followers. Social media profiles can also be used to build your professional reputation and personal brand. Posts can display how you engage with your peers and ways that you immerse yourself in the medical aesthetics industry and conferences that you have attended. By posting positive patient reviews and thank you notes, this enables your potential patient base to build confidence in your ability and, therefore, encourage them to work with you.

Social media, advertising and professional bodies' regulation

Further to deciding what to post and narrowing down your target audience, there are also social media, advertising and professional bodies' regulations to consider. Professionalism, honesty, promoting safety and ethical working are all principles that should be adhered to in social media posts. The NMC's Code of conduct directs nurses and other medical personnel to ‘act in the best interests of people at all times’ (NMC, 2018)—this means the public, colleagues, patients and ourselves. Medical aesthetic practitioners need to maintain the trust that the public has in us. Keep in mind that the things that are posted on social media can be seen by anyone, including patients, employers and peers; therefore, something should only be posted on social media that you would be willing to say in front of a room full of people. If you would hesitate to do so, then it is probably not appropriate for public posting. Furthermore, there are strict guidelines and codes on not promoting or advertising prescription-only medication (POMs), such as botulinum toxin type A. It can be easy to disobey these rules without knowing it, so the Advertising Standards Agency's guidelines should be checked regularly (Advertising Standards Agency, 2020).

» … social media posts should not be misleading, exaggerated or negatively impact the relationship of trust that practitioners have with their patients «

The NMC's guidance on using social media responsibly directs nurses and other medical personnel to ‘stay objective and have clear professional boundaries at all times with people in your care’ (NMC, 2021), so social media posts should not be misleading, exaggerated or negatively impact the relationship of trust that practitioners have with their patients.

Therefore, with this in mind, an appropriate post could include before and after images of your work with patients who have consented to their results being shared. On the other hand, it may not be appropriate to rant about how 1 ml of filler for £60 is too cheap. That is not to say that the sentiment may not be appropriate; however, the manner in which it is said may not be. The aim in doing something like this could be to steer patients away from less safe practitioners; however, in this instance, the way in which this is communicated may not encourage your followers that you have chosen the right way to highlight it.

Idealised images

The importance of promoting a ‘healthy and realistic body image’ (Guest, 2016) should not be forgotten when discussing social media use, and practitioners should be mindful of the impact that idealised and edited images have on the audience. The plethora of edited and distorted photos in social media can contribute to a negative self-image and anxiety about not being as good as others, and, as health professionals, we should try not to exacerbate the problem.

Social media features

After considering what to post, there are other features of social media that can be used to interest audiences. Hashtags are a useful tool that signpost someone to relevant content, whereas reels and stories are features that can capture those who are drawn to visual or verbal content (Box 1).

Box 1.Instagram reels and stories

Features such as reels and stories can be an informative and fun way of explaining a concept or giving out some information about yourself. Furthermore, social media platforms like to reward users who use all their features. As a result, there is an increased likelihood of your post appearing on the explore pages, and increased exposure will follow.

In addition to this, these features allow you to showcase you as a person and offer a glimpse into your personality. Note that maintaining your professional image and protecting your reputation as a medical practitioner should always be evident. People can feel as though they know you, helping them to feel at ease if they decide to meet you in person. Remember, it can also be easy to form a negative opinion or impression of someone who acts in a non-professional, non-ethical way when communicating with their audience.

Hashtags are a useful tool to expand your audience and reach potential patients. When using a hashtag on a post, it will appear on the page for that hashtag. As an example, if you use the hashtag ‘#lipfiller’, your post would appear on the feed of all those who follow this hashtag and, therefore, they would be able to see your post. This means that people who do not follow you can be reached. Again, the use of hashtags needs to be appropriate, maintaining honesty and clarity in the information that is being published. So, for example, an image that shows a before and after result following a treatment such as cheek filler, hashtagging appropriately with #cheekfiller or #beforendafter would be fine. However, it would not be appropriate to hashtag #faceliftresult or #safeforeveryone, as this would be inaccurate and misleading. Followers trust what medical practitioners say, and claiming, for example, that it would be safe for everyone is wrong.

Converting visitors into followers

So, once these social media features have been mastered, how can new visitors be converted into followers? You may find that medical aesthetics profiles can be very similar, and it can be difficult to stand out. It is important to think about your niche and something unique about you. Do you want your page to be educational, or do you want to focus on showcasing your work? By choosing a niche, this will allow your target audience to find you. Furthermore, consider maintaining a certain theme. If the theme of your page is aesthetic treatments and the possible results that can be achieved, it would not be appropriate, for example, to randomly post about growing vegetables. This would not fit in with your theme and can, therefore, be confusing. Share content that your audience will be interested in and try to have your own voice. Remember: in our day-to-day interactions with patients, they want to hear what we are saying, as our advice comes with medical knowledge and is based on evidence and, so, is very valuable.

» Profiles that incorporate an element of fun and humour, within the boundaries of good taste and professionalism, can also be interesting and notable «

Making your posts eye-catching and interesting can set you apart from countless other profiles. Engaging captions and hashtags can give the follower an idea of your sphere of interest in a small amount of time. For example, in a post about a conference attended, an appropriate hashtag about updating and continuing professional development would give the follower an understanding of why you chose to attend and post about the event. The photo is there to be eye-catching and draw people to your profile or capture an idea with an image and showcase something. Giving your social media profile a theme or a colour scheme, as well as a differentiating feature of some kind, such as a logo, can make it memorable to visitors. A profile that is easily recognisable can add to the impression of professionalism and will help you stand out. Profiles that incorporate an element of fun and humour, within the boundaries of good taste and professionalism, can also be interesting and notable. This hybrid approach will allow you to resonate with your audience in both a professional and personable manner.

Conclusion

Social media can be used in many positive ways, including disseminating evidence-based information to the public. The healthcare profession as a whole can benefit from these ‘interactive platforms and adopt them for development, collaboration and better health outcomes’ (Hazzam and Lahrech, 2018). There are positive aspects of social media; however, being mindful of the importance of maintaining a professional image will ensure that the integrity of the healthcare and medical aesthetics sectors is maintained.