As someone who spent the first 8 years of my career working in a couple of (fantastic) TV newsrooms, I feel fortunate to have landed in social media marketing. That’s because it offers many of the same characteristics I loved about news creation, as well as a constant stream of opportunities to learn something new.

Below, I’m sharing “old-school” journalism tidbits that still matter today for helping healthcare brands build trust, increase engagement, and drive website conversions:

1. Be Conversational

The best social media posts sound natural and easy to understand. When writing for TV, one of the earliest (and toughest) lessons to learn is to see beyond the jargon and just say what happened. A few examples, with more conversational alternatives:

The subject was extricated from the vehicle. Rescue workers pulled the man from the car.
The suspect fled on foot with an unknown amount of money. He took off with some cash.
The structure fire remains under investigation. Investigators still aren’t sure what caused it.

This is also crucial when writing social media posts. It’s best to avoid wordy, passive sentences. This is possible even as a healthcare practice by letting your brand or provider’s personality shine through. Here’s an example I like from #ShareSLO, a group that uses social media to promote all things San Luis Obispo County.

2. Be Concise

In today’s scroll-first social media environment, attention is earned in seconds, not minutes. Users often decide whether to engage with a post in just a few seconds, which means brevity matters. In journalism, there’s a simple editing rule: before running a piece, take one thing out. With social media, the same idea applies—before you publish, take something out. Tightening your message sharpens your hook and makes it easier for your audience to quickly understand why it matters.

This isn’t just a stylistic choice. It directly impacts performance. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok prioritize content that captures attention quickly in crowded feeds. Leading with your most important point, eliminating filler, and making every word count shows respect for your audience’s time—and increases the likelihood they’ll stop, engage, and take action.

3. Put People First

In both journalism and social media, “the human angle” is what makes content resonate. In healthcare marketing, that means going beyond surgical technicalities to include patient experiences, motivations, and outcomes. Highlighting real stories, relatable concerns, and real patient results helps prospective patients see themselves in your content. This approach also builds trust, drives engagement, and leads conversions. (I also wrote about putting people first in this past blog post.)

4. Be Prepared for a 24/7 Cycle

The funny (and exciting) thing about news is that the “news” has a way of happening when people are off work. Journalists are conditioned to a 24/7 news cycle with the understanding that just because you are not at work, that doesn’t mean the work stops. Social media is like that, too.

For your practice, the conversation doesn’t stop when you log off, and in today’s social media landscape, it often peaks after hours. Platforms like Instagram and Reddit are highly real-time and comment-driven, where a single question or message can quickly turn into a patient inquiry—or a missed opportunity. Having a plan in place for timely responses—through notifications, tools, or team coverage—helps demonstrate responsiveness and builds trust, which can directly impact whether someone chooses to book a consultation.

5. Details Matter

I had a news manager once who used to say, “The devil is in the details.” It’s as true with scripts as it is with social media posts, blog posts, and emails. In both journalism and social media, small details can make—or break—your credibility. In healthcare marketing, this is especially critical. A broken link, a misspelled word, or an unclear claim doesn’t just create a poor user experience; it can erode trust with prospective patients. Before publishing, take the time to review everything: captions, links, hashtags, and even image descriptions. Accuracy also extends to compliance, so be sure that content is clear, appropriate, and aligned with medical guidelines. You can move quickly without being careless, but it requires a habit of slowing down just enough to double-check your work.

6. Be Visual

People process content visually before they ever read a word, which makes strong visuals essential for stopping the scroll. Today, that means prioritizing short-form video and authentic imagery over static, overly polished content. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok reward Reels, behind-the-scenes clips, and educational content that feels real and engaging.

In cosmetic surgery marketing, this can include before-and-after transformations, quick procedure explainers, or candid moments that showcase your team and patient experience. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s relevance and authenticity that help your audience quickly connect with your message. Be creative. Show your customers using it in unique places. I love how the makers of Tile, a tiny chip you can use to track just about anything, did this:

7. (Please) Don’t Give It Away

One of the biggest advantages of social media is guiding potential patients from your post to your website, where they can learn more and take action. The key is to create interest without giving everything away. Instead of summarizing the full story, lead with the most compelling detail and leave room for curiosity. This is especially important on conversation-driven platforms like Reddit and Threads, where users are actively seeking deeper information and meaningful dialogue. Rather than relying on outdated “clickbait,” (which can turn patients off!), focus on setting clear expectations while giving users a reason to explore further. When done well, this approach not only drives clicks, it attracts more informed, genuinely interested patients.

8. When in Doubt, Leave It Out

There’s still truth in the old newsroom instinct: if something doesn’t feel right, don’t publish it. That internal check matters even more in today’s fast-moving, highly visible social media environment, where posts can be quickly shared, scrutinized, or misunderstood. Maybe the information isn’t fully verified, the tone feels off, or the message could be misinterpreted. Those are all signals worth listening to. In healthcare marketing, especially, where accuracy and professionalism directly impact trust, it’s better to pause, revise, or leave something out than risk posting content you’ll need to correct later.

You may think social media marketing isn’t life-or-death, and that it’s “just a post.” But, in healthcare, where reputation, trust, and patient decisions are on the line, every word matters.

Ready to Elevate Your Social Media Marketing Strategy?

Etna Interactive partners with healthcare practices to create social media that builds trust, drives traffic, and converts. Reach out to our experts to learn more, or call us to take the next steps toward a smarter strategy.

This blog post was originally published in 2014, updated in 2024, and last updated in May 2026.

8 Social Media Marketing Lessons I Learned in a Newsroom… That Still Matter Today