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NHS Choices – Social media strategy development and activity management

By Rob Meiklejohn on January 1, 2012

NHS Choices is the country’s biggest health website and ‘the online front door to the NHS’. It delivers healthcare information on a wide range of topics to the general public and the site receives over 8 million visitors per month.

NHS Choices asked RMM to perform an audit of its existing social media footprint, with a view to developing a social media strategy for the organisation, and a set of activity recommendations.

Our research uncovered a number of key insights, which helped to inform plans for social media activities and initiatives. At the heart of this was the new role we defined for NHS Choices’ social media activity – namely, ‘to provide objective, trustworthy information and guidance to healthcare communities online – in order to put people in control of their healthcare choices.’

The associated social media activity roadmap is enabling NHS Choices to develop social tools and content that better meet people’s needs. It is also enabling the organisation to activate NHS Choices’ resources and network to become a key influencer on specific healthcare topics (such as healthy living).

We’re now in the process of helping NHS Choices to pilot social media activities as part of this roadmap – the most recent of which was the ‘Get Ready for Summer’ initiative.  The activity used Facebook’s ‘Groups’ feature to provide expert guidance and engage members of the public on getting fit, losing weight and eating healthily.  This helped drive over 10,000 additional Facebook fans to NHS Choices’ Healthy Living Facebook page, with hundreds joining and engaging in conversation through the Groups.

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Rob Meiklejohn

As a member of RMM’s social media insights team Rob compiles research reports, keeps track of existing best practices, conducts competitor benchmarking and performs data analysis for a wide range of clients. Rob has worked on projects across a range of sectors including healthcare, automotive and business continuity.

Rob is also responsible for monitoring emerging social media trends and technologies and understanding what implications these have for both RMM’s clients and the industry as a whole.

Before joining RMM Rob studied for a BA and MA in English Literature at the University of Sheffield where he wrote his dissertation on contemporary American literature and, somehow, TV series The Wire. Away from the laptop Rob enjoys reading, gaming, music on vinyl, and making the most of his ‘compact’ frame and infamous right foot in undignified five a-side football tussles.

One response to “NHS Choices – Social media strategy development and activity management”

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