Personalized Social Media Strategy Triples Engagement & Expands Reach 10X

I first met Dr. Railey (Jen) not in a marketing meeting but as a temp receptionist at her chiropractic office. We quickly bonded over daily lunch walks, shared business interests, and her growing need for marketing help.

After five years growing her practice and focusing on patient care, Jen knew she needed to stay visible but struggled with social media. Her educational content lacked engagement and wasn’t driving results. Meanwhile, her receptionist had been taking the initiative to turn reviews into Canva graphics. While they were being posted frequently, the results weren’t consistent with the effort put into posting every week.

After nearly two weeks in the office, I saw firsthand the genuine care Jen had for her patients. I knew that if we could capture that same warmth and authenticity online, it would transform her practice’s digital presence.

The Challenge

Jen’s practice had built a loyal patient base, but her social media wasn’t reflecting that. Here’s what we were up against:

• No strategy or systems – Posts went out inconsistently without tracking what worked or why.
• Low engagement – Informational content wasn’t sparking conversations or driving interest.
• Audience mismatch – Many followers were from her professional network rather than her target patients.
• Limited resources – No budget for ads, paid tools, or extra help—it was all organic, all manual.
• Content constraints – Reviews were running low, and patient testimonials via video were difficult to collect due to discomfort and lack of a streamlined system.

The Plan

With these challenges in mind, I set out to make social media work for Jen without adding more stress to her plate. Here’s how we approached it:

1. Creating Engaging, Personal Content

Rather than sticking to the overly clinical, impersonal approach many chiropractic offices take, I leaned into Jen’s real-life relationships with her patients. The first post I created under this strategy outperformed 80% of all previous posts. It was personal, behind-the-scenes, and friendly—exactly how Jen interacted with her patients in real life. It even came up in conversation on a hike with local business owners who had seen it. That was the first sign we were onto something.

2. Testing New Posting Times & Formats

I started posting at different times and days to see what got the best traction. I also experimented with different types of content—videos, patient stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and more—to see what resonated most.

3. Shifting the Focus to Real Patient Stories

We tried incorporating more real-life patient experiences through video, but we quickly ran into issues: many patients were uncomfortable being filmed, and we lacked a streamlined way to collect consent and schedule these recordings. Despite the challenges, we tested different ways to capture patient experiences while respecting their comfort levels.

4. Optimizing the Limited Resources

Since we had no budget for paid advertising or professional video production, everything had to be done manually with free tools. Every piece of content had to work harder to get results, so we focused on high-quality, engaging posts that encouraged interaction organically.

5. Making Social Media an Extension of the Office

Instead of just talking at an audience, we built a sense of community—just like Jen does in person. Social media wasn’t just a place to share information anymore; it became a space where patients could connect with the practice in a more personal, engaging way.

---

The Impact of Our Strategy

For the first time, Incline Chiropractic systematically tracked and analyzed its social media engagement, providing valuable insights into audience behavior, content performance, and best practices. The strategy implemented in mid-2024 focused on increasing engagement by diversifying content formats, improving efficiency, and posting more strategically. The results? A dramatic improvement across all key metrics.

Key Performance Gains

• Engagement Rate: Increased from 4.8% to 15.2%, far exceeding the industry standard of 5.9% for healthcare.
• Content Efficiency: While posting 32% less content, engagement per post increased significantly.
• Format Diversification: Expanded from primarily photos (90%) to a more balanced mix: 45% photos, 29% video, and 23% other formats.
• Audience Reach: Achieved a total reach rate of 1,007%, meaning content reached an audience 10x larger than the follower count.
• Follower Engagement: Posts reached 43% followers and 57% non-followers, proving content is resonating beyond the immediate audience.

Why Did It Work?

1. Content That Resonates
   • Video was the most engaging format with a 23.9% engagement rate—more than photos, gifs, or text posts.
   • Personal and behind-the-scenes content performed exceptionally well, with top posts including employee appreciation, office humor, and family moments.
   • Educational content, especially health tips and injury prevention videos, attracted high engagement.
2. More Strategic Posting
   • Posting was reduced from 65 posts in 20 weeks to 44 posts in 24 weeks, increasing the quality and impact of each post.
   • The most effective posting days were Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, aligning with when the highest number of followers were active.
   • The best-performing times were 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, leading to better reach and interaction.
3. Increased Engagement Efficiency
   • Despite posting 21 fewer times, engagement more than tripled from 202 engagements in early 2024 to 635 in the latter half of the year.
   • A focus on meaningful, interactive content rather than frequent, lower-quality posts led to a deeper connection with the audience.

Top-Performing Content

• Most Engaging Posts: Employee appreciation, family moments, and relatable office humor.
• Most Effective Videos: Injury prevention tips, office updates, and holiday travel advice.
• Greatest Reach: Community-centered events like Kid’s Day and birthday celebrations.

What This Means for Next Year’s Strategy

With this data-driven approach, Incline Chiropractic now has a clear roadmap for continued success in 2025:

• Increase video content further, especially educational and personal insights.
• Continue posting consistently on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at peak engagement times.
• Create more personal and behind-the-scenes content to strengthen community ties.
• Experiment with interactive elements (e.g., polls, Q&A, and live videos) to further boost engagement.

Final Takeaway

Tracking engagement for the first time has provided invaluable insights that not only validated the 2024 strategy but also set a strong foundation for future success. By focusing on quality over quantity, leveraging video, and prioritizing engaging formats, Incline Chiropractic has outperformed industry standards and built a thriving online presence. The next step? Doubling down on what works and continuing to refine the strategy for even greater impact in 2025.