Making good ‘impressions’
Engage with experts to make social media work for your practice.
F020 – Combatting Misinformation and Positioning the Specialty on Social Media
1-3 p.m. | Friday, March 7
Location: W207A
The most modern marketing tool for your dermatology practice is likely already in your back pocket — or bag. It’s social media, and it’s not just for entertaining youth. Social media is a great professional tool that can be used to educate the public, positively position the specialty, and enhance your dermatology practice.
Admittedly, social media can be a fast-paced and time-consuming marketing effort. But with the right instruction, dermatology practices can use it to develop a solid strategy that leads to a positive long-term outcome. Today’s session, F020 – Combatting Misinformation and Positioning the Specialty on Social Media, will provide that instruction to attendees, giving them tips and approaches for building and maintaining a reliable and reputable presence on social media.
Session director Samantha Karlin, MD, FAAD, and a panel of speakers will walk through all the essential steps to set your practice up for success — from developing educational and engaging content to managing negative comments.
Set clear goals for success
“First, you want to set clear goals to hold yourself accountable. Then, you’ll want to determine your key audience and the platforms where they are most active,” said Dr. Karlin, a dermatologist with Soine Dermatology & Aesthetics in Covington, Louisiana, and an AAD social media correspondent. “Next, you’ll want to establish your brand and tone of voice and build a network on social media.”
Still, the million-dollar question remains: How do you create engaging content that educates the public and positively positions the specialty? According to Dr. Karlin, staying organized and having a plan goes a long way toward helping a dermatology practice post consistently on all social media channels. She recommends conducting a content brainstorming session once a month or quarterly. This can be done with the office staff to generate topics, ideas, success stories, etc., that would be of interest to your target audience.
“Think about common questions that you’re hearing in your practice or trends that are popping up in your feed,” Dr. Karlin said. “Position yourself as the expert by identifying yourself as a board-certified dermatologist and sharing evidence-based information on the wide variety of conditions you treat.”
Keep it professional
During the session, speakers will address the importance of recognizing and applying standards of professionalism to social media posts as well as responding appropriately to negative comments. Dr. Karlin cautions that although social media can be more casual than other forms of communication, it is important to always remain professional.
“Avoid sharing controversial opinions or unsubstantiated claims, which can erode the public’s trust in our specialty,” she said. “Never argue with your audience or speak badly about others publicly or privately. And while not all negative comments warrant a response, some situations may benefit from careful engagement.”
Success over time
Measuring the effectiveness of your social media campaign also takes skill and practice. During the session, attendees will learn how to identify key metrics to track and measure the campaign’s success over time. Panelists will discuss how each social media platform has its own algorithm with different features and content types for consideration. The session will also share how dermatologists can get involved in the Academy’s social media efforts to amplify its mission and to positively position the specialty on social media.
“With more and more patients turning to social media for health care and skin care advice, it’s increasingly important for dermatologists to provide a reliable and credible source of information and combat misinformation shared by non-dermatologist ‘influencers,’” Dr. Karlin said.
Your Dermatologist Knows
10-11 a.m. | Friday, March 7
AAD Resource Center
Exhibit Hall, Booth 3309
One of the AAD’s most successful consumer positioning strategies of late is #YourDermatologistKnows. Stop by the AAD Resource Center this morning to learn about this robust social media campaign that has generated 125.2 million impressions and 20.4 million engagements in 2024.
Meet the tech-savvy dermatologists who serve as the Academy’s social media correspondents and take a picture with AAD’s fun props to post on your own social media channels to spread dermatology’s message. Show us you’re following the AAD on social media and get a free #YourDermatologistKnows t-shirt, while supplies last.
Be sure to use the official meeting hashtag #AAD2025 in all your posts and stories, and don’t forget to tag @AADmember so we can reshare your content!
