Strange dance moves, cringey challenges, off-beat lip-synching … yeah, TikTok came from humble beginnings. But who hasn’t gone through an awkward phase? Now that TikTok has graduated from middle school, it’s emerging as a new marketing opportunity for organizations. Even in healthcare.
While you’ll still find plenty of dancing on the app, TikTok has become more than a social channel for teenagers. It has more than 138 million monthly active users in the U.S. — making it a great platform for healthcare brands to build an audience.
But what kind of TikTok posts are appropriate for your brand? We’ll help you figure that out. See examples from 10 healthcare companies that are killing it on the platform and read why their content is working.
You’ve probably seen Cleveland Clinic’s #MaskUp video for COVID-19 spread prevention. Reaching over 1 million views in 24 hours, it paved the way for health content to thrive on the platform.
Looking for inspiration? This healthcare TikTok pioneer is a great place to start. One of their best posts (besides #MaskUp) tells the story of Andy’s multi-organ transplant. They show Andy’s journey to recovery, including moments like his first bite of food after the procedure. Viewers congratulate Andy and share their loved ones’ organ donor stories in the comments.
@clevelandclinic Cleveland Clinic has performed a first-in-the-world full multi-organ transplant to treat a patient with a rare form of appendix cancer.Upon completion of the lifesaving surgery, Andy received five digestive organs all together and at the same time. #fyp #patientstory #transplants #surgerytiktok ♬ original sound – clevelandclinic
Cleveland Clinic has performed a first-in-the-world full multi-organ transplant to treat a patient with a rare form of appendix cancer.Upon completion of the lifesaving surgery, Andy received five digestive organs all together and at the same time. #fyp #patientstory #transplants #surgerytiktok
♬ original sound – clevelandclinic
TikTok for healthcare tip: Build community by sharing your patient success stories.
CHNO’s posts embrace fun sounds, songs, or trends. And they keep it real. When there’s king cake in the break room — a Louisiana specialty — they don’t walk. They run. In their non-slip shoes.
@childrenshospital_nola Where are our Louisiana people who can relate? #kingcake #nola #chnola ♬ River Deep, Mountain High – Glee Cast
Where are our Louisiana people who can relate? #kingcake #nola #chnola
♬ River Deep, Mountain High – Glee Cast
TikTok for healthcare tip: Post something your local audience can relate to and watch how it sparks conversations in the comments.
Dr. Mekala doesn’t take himself too seriously, and neither does his staff at North Texas Surgical Specialists. Their team has fun with TikTok, letting viewers in on inside jokes with a behind-the-scenes feel. Sharing a healthy dose of workplace humor can help your practice feel more inviting to patients. It shows the humans behind the masks in all their quirky glory.
@ntx_surgicalspecialists One of the best surgical teams out there!! Inspired by: @realdrnyc #fyp #doctorsoftiktok #surgeon ♬
TikTok for healthcare tip: Let viewers see your team’s sense of humor.
Not every healthcare worker wants to ham it up in front of the camera. Medicine Explained found a workaround. Their visuals are all doodles on scrap paper. And it works. They’ve mastered the art of keeping it simple, from low-tech visuals to bite-size content that’s easy for viewers to digest.
TikTok for healthcare tip: Make your educational content “snackable.” Don’t overcomplicate it.
Doctor Mike has over 23 million followers across social media channels, including TikTok. His secret? Blending pop culture with educational content. An avid boxer, Doctor Mike references sports often (like in the video below). He also pulls in scenes from popular TV shows, like Grey’s Anatomy or Sex in the City, to connect with his audience while sharing healthcare content.
@doctormike Learn CPR #fypforyoupage #learnontikok #cpr ♬ original sound – Doctor Mike
TikTok for healthcare tip: Talk about last night’s episode, game or talk show (if it makes sense for your brand).
A little information, a lot of inspiration. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals uses TikTok to tell the stories of the children they support. Almost all of their TikToks feature their pediatric patients. The children even create some of the videos. Watch how Hallie teaches viewers about her awesome prosthetic in the clip below.
@cmnhospitals Hallie Bea shares about her #rotationplasty and prosthetic! Check it out. #amputation ♬ original sound – CMN Hospitals
Hallie Bea shares about her #rotationplasty and prosthetic! Check it out. #amputation
♬ original sound – CMN Hospitals
TikTok for healthcare tip: Include your patients’ voices in content creation. Try sharing your success stories straight from the source.
Rule No. 1 of marketing: Know your audience. Perelel Health, an OB/GYN-founded vitamin brand, has this concept down. Perelel Health uses TikTok to connect with millennial parents. They share funny posts about common parenting struggles balanced with TikToks about their product. Their consistent branding, relatability and credible background build a strong “Know, Like and Trust” factor with viewers.
@perelelhealth it only happens every blood moon, lunar eclipse. #perelel ##momclub #momsoftiktok #fyp #momsquad #FriendsReunion #bloodmoon ♬ original sound – Sara Foster
TikTok for healthcare tip: Use your content to build your “Know, Like and Trust” factor with your audience.
An ER resident doctor in Chicago, Dr. Goodcoff excels at driving engagement on TikTok. Some of his best educational posts don’t teach viewers anything at all. Instead, he poses a scenario about an imaginary patient’s symptoms and invites commenters to make a diagnosis. Challenging viewers to solve this “medical mystery” gamifies his content, making it more fun to get involved.
@seethemedlife Can you diagnose them with ONLY a history? #camping #wildernessmedicine #medical #doctor #medschool #medstudent #medicalschoolgunner #USMLEstep1 #usmle #paschool #premed #MCAT ♬ Suspense, horror, piano and music box – takaya
Can you diagnose them with ONLY a history? #camping #wildernessmedicine #medical #doctor #medschool #medstudent #medicalschoolgunner #USMLEstep1 #usmle #paschool #premed #MCAT
♬ Suspense, horror, piano and music box – takaya
TikTok for healthcare tip: Think outside the box to incentivize viewers to engage. Include a clear CTA, like “Make your diagnosis in the comments.”
Nationwide Children’s Hospital blends valuable info with current trends. They answer patients’ FAQs through TikToks with popular sounds like “It’s Tricky” by Run-D.M.C. The end result? Hopefully more people choosing the right location (Urgent Care or Emergency Room) for their ailments.
@nationwidekids Urgent care or emergency room? From burns to seizures, find out where to seek help. #UrgentCare #HospitalTikToks #fypシ #EmergencyRoom ♬ It’s Tricky – RUN DMC
Urgent care or emergency room? From burns to seizures, find out where to seek help. #UrgentCare #HospitalTikToks #fypシ #EmergencyRoom
♬ It’s Tricky – RUN DMC
TikTok for healthcare tip: Give your audience the info they need using the latest TikTok trends.
Dr. Werlin was named “Most Compassionate Doctor in America” from 2008 to 2014, and it’s easy to see why. This infertility specialist (an Albert Einstein lookalike??) uses TikTok to share his favorite moments: calling his patients to tell them they’re pregnant. Warning — Dr. Werlin’s account is one of the most feel-good spaces on the internet. Once you land on it, you won’t want to leave.
@md.lawrence.werlin You’re pregnant ! Dr werlins famous way to announce since the 70’s! #ivf#infertility ♬ original sound – Dr. Larry Werlin, MD, FACOG
You’re pregnant ! Dr werlins famous way to announce since the 70’s! #ivf#infertility
♬ original sound – Dr. Larry Werlin, MD, FACOG
TikTok for healthcare tip: Let your heart shine through your content. Show viewers how much your team cares.
Using TikTok can boost exposure for your organization, but it needs to fit within your overall strategy. Like most social media channels, the platform doesn’t produce results with a “drop-it-and-run” approach. It takes a long-term commitment to reap benefits.
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