Kansas City, MO -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/20/2010 -- A medical practice with a good marketing strategy already has a website and a Facebook page. Now it’s time to expand and enhance that presence with rich video content. YouTube can give your practice an edge that other sites can’t: searchable, low-cost video exposure that engages and informs current and possible patients. No, you didn’t major in video production, but the rest of this article gives you access to Jonathan Whistman and Jamie Verkamp, medical marketing experts and partners at (e)Merge. Together, they’ll help you establish a YouTube channel that is professional, absorbing and gives life and personality to your medical practice for those searching for you on the web.

First, create an account with your business’s full name. This ensures those who google your practice are directed to your YouTube channel. You also need a camera. Verkamp says the most user-friendly and affordable is the all-digital HD Flip ($150 www.theflip.com). This camera is very small, simple to use and easily imports video straight to your computer.

“Now comes the most exciting and intimidating part: planning out your library of content,” says Verkamp. “One series of videos could be interviews getting to know your staff. Conduct the interviews in an area with few distractions and interruptions. This way, you can do the interview in one take and avoid complicating the process with editing.” Verkamp also thinks a series of educational resource videos are a great idea. Your staff can explain a condition they’ve been seeing recently, or you can ask pharmaceutical reps for videos about products and procedures your patients may be interested in. You can also be creative. “I’ve found great videos of patients telling their stories. You can also take your camera to events that your practice participates in or facilitates. These ideas humanize your operation,” says Whistman. It is important to remember your patients’ rights to privacy under HIPAA, so be certain to obtain signed waivers from any patient participating in sharing their stories. Also remember to avoid capturing a patient’s image on camera without their prior knowledge and consent.

Now that you have uploaded your videos, it’s important to cross link your YouTube page with your other social media and your website. You also want to make your YouTube contribution a consistent one. “Use your calendar to remind yourself to post video,” says Whistman. “Patients will not continue to visit your page if the content is stale. If you can keep your video fresh and fun, you’ll build an audience, and as a result, a broader patient base.”

(e)Merge is a medical practice growth consulting firm specializing in providing innovative, patient-centric marketing initiatives and medical mystery shopping services that enhance patient experiences to increase referrals. Programs are designed to strategically achieve sustained patient volume growth for medical practices and health organizations. For more information, call 1.877.362.6584 or visit http://www.emergewithus.com.