What started off as a small video-sharing site has now transformed into the most-used online platform in the US 一 and one of the most promising ways to grow your pharmacy practice.

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Today, more than 250 million Americans use YouTube on a regular basis, totaling 81% of the population.

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On YouTube, users can create and watch content, interact with like-minded people, and form connections that transcend the digital world.

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About YouTube

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In addition to the personal opportunities it affords, YouTube gives businesses many tools to succeed.

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In fact, 62% of businesses use YouTube to advertise their services, connect with their viewers, and generate leads to their own sites. YouTube is therefore one of the most powerful ways that businesses can market themselves.

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Because your pharmacy is a business, it is essential to consider how YouTube can kickstart your growth. Learn more about the platform, those who use it, and how you can reach them. Then, in your next marketing move, make it a priority to get connected. Your patients are already on YouTube, and they’re waiting for you to get on it, too.

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Who Uses YouTube

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With such a high percentage of Americans relying on YouTube for information and entertainment, you can reach almost anyone (and any patient) on the platform.

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However, like most social media platforms, YouTube reaches a specific demographic, which can be broken down into 5 main categories: gender, age, location, education, and income. These demographics, taken from the Pew Research Center, show that YouTube is used most by the following people:

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• Women (80% are active users)
• Adults under 50 (91% active users)
• Urban residents (84% active users)
• College-educated people (89%)
• People who make at least $75K (90%)

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If your pharmacy’s patient base includes any of these demographics, prioritize connecting with them on YouTube. Knowing and understanding YouTube’s demographics can also help you decide what to post, when to post, and which features you should be using to reach patients on the platform.

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For more information on who uses YouTube, as well as who uses all of the top social media apps, visit our blog.

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What to Post on YouTube

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As the largest video-sharing platform, YouTube is the ideal place to post all of your pharmacy’s reels, clips, and other filmed content. There’s a reason why videos are becoming the most popular medium to share information, and why you should implement them in your pharmacy’s social media strategy.

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Videos can help your pharmacy to present information in an easily accessible way, and they can offer a more personal alternative to written or photo-based posts. 

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When it comes to posting your own videos on YouTube, aim to film content that is around 10 minutes long. Videos between 7 and 15 minutes tend to perform the best on YouTube’s algorithm.

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A top spot on the algorithm can help more viewers to see your videos and more patients to come your way. As far as what you should post on YouTube, the options are limitless. Ultimately, you should aim to both educate and entertain your patients with your content.

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As you begin brainstorming, draw inspiration from these video ideas:

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• Pharmacy tour 一 Give a quick overview of your storefront to help your patients get to know your pharmacy and how it operates on a day-to-day basis. A tour can help patients learn about the produces and services you offer, and it can encourage them to get more involved in your practice. In your tour, feature both your store’s exterior and interior areas, including everything from your front-end to your dispensing area.

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• Team introduction 一 Help your patients get to know your pharmacy on a personal level by introducing them to the people that keep it running. In your video, show off your pharmacists, technicians, and support staff. Have each team member introduce themselves, talk about their experience in the industry and in your pharmacy specifically, and include a few fun facts about themselves.

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• Health and wellness tips 一 Make your content educational by posting a variety of health and wellness tips. These tips can range from recommending healthy practices to promoting OTC items in your store. Especially in times like cold and flu season, they can help patients maintain good health and good spirits.

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• Medication Q&A 一 Another way to educate patients is by teaching them about the medications they take every day. On your YouTube channel, spotlight a particular prescription medication and break it down in simple terms for your patients to understand. Explain what the drug is, how it works, what it does, and how patients should take it. Medication education can help to ensure that patients take their pills properly and even increase adherence. 

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• Games and challenges 一 In addition to providing informative content, create entertaining content that features fun games and challenges. These kinds of videos can be an excellent way to get your staff involved, show off your skills, and let patients get to know you beyond your role as a pharmacist. Fun challenges could be trying to pronounce difficult-sounding medications, reading messily-written prescriptions, or hosting a pharmacy trivia challenge.

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For even more ideas on what to post on YouTube and other top platforms, read here.

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When to Post on YouTube

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Now that you know what to post on YouTube, you need to know when to post it. Like all other social media platforms, YouTube has both high and low engagement rates throughout the day 一 times when many users are online, and times when they aren’t.

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For your pharmacy’s channel, aim to post when your audience is on so that you can reach the most viewers.

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According to a study conducted by the Federator, the times when YouTube users are most active 一 and when you should try to structure your posts 一 are between 2 and 4 PM. The study also found that it is best to post on weekdays, particularly Thursdays and Fridays.

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For pharmacies who are looking to post on the weekends, though, 9-11 AM sees the highest engagement rates, so try posting earlier in the day.

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As far as how often you should post on YouTube, once a week is best practice. Well-spaced videos will prevent your followers from feeling overloaded with content and help you to stay inspired to create higher-quality videos.

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Other Available Features

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In addition to its standard video capabilities, YouTube also offers several other features that you can make use of, although many are restricted by subscriber count.

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If you can make use of these features, they can give you additional options for interacting with patients and keeping your content diverse. If you can’t, don’t worry: there are many other platforms with fewer restrictions that you can use in addition to YouTube.

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• Live videos 一 Live videos allow you to record content in real-time and interact with your patients in a quick and easy way. Live videos can be used to offer updates, answer questions, and address anything that doesn’t warrant a dedicated video. Per YouTube’s restrictions, all creators can host live videos via desktop, but only creators with at least 1,000 subscribers can host on mobile.

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• Stories 一 YouTube stories give you the ability to post short videos and pieces of content that are less than 15 seconds long. They are best for daily updates and temporary announcements, considering they disappear from your account after 7 days. Currently, stories are only available to YouTube creators who have 10,000 subscribers or more 一 so, unless you have a large following, try making use of stories on other platforms, like Facebook and Instagram.

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• Community posts 一 YouTube’s community posts function similarly to status updates on other platforms. The feature allows you to post written or photo-based content that your subscribers can respond to. Community posts also give you the options to upload polls, GIFs, and other media. Currently, only creators with at least 1,000 subscribers can upload community posts. However, all creators can interact with subscribers in their video descriptions and comment sections, still allowing for strong communication capabilities.

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Conclusion

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As the most widely-used social media platform, YouTube offers many opportunities to creators and viewers alike. For pharmacies specifically, it can enable you to create engaging content and interact with patients in a much more personal way.

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With the right guidelines in place, it can also give you the chance to increase your following and your patient base. If you are looking to expand into the world of social media, don’t count YouTube out. Start creating videos and start making lasting connections.

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Looking for even more ways to grow your social media presence across multiple platforms? Discover RxLocal’s Social Media Assistant and find out how you can watch your numbers grow and your pharmacy succeed.