Making Connections: The DFM Embraces Social Networking

Online social networking—using Web sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to connect with friends, family, colleagues, and customers—has reached a critical tipping point, attracting everyone from high school students to grandparents to business CEOs.

In fact, two-third of the world's Internet users now visit social networking and blogging sites, making them more popular uses of the Internet than e-mail, according to a recent report from The Nielsen Company (pdf).

Capitalizing on the potential to reach a larger audience, the Department of Family Medicine (DFM) has stepped up its social networking strategy. This ongoing effort not only promotes the DFM on sites where people are congregating, it also encourages peer-to-peer communication and sparks potential collaborations—activities that may ultimately help the department better fulfill its mission.

Overview of Social Networking Tools

Although there are scores of social networking tools on the Internet, the DFM is focusing its efforts on Facebook, Twitter, and, to a lesser extent, LinkedIn. A brief overview of each follows.

Facebook. Facebook users join networks organized around friends, colleagues, organizations, or shared interests. The primary business advantage of Facebook and networks like it is that "friends" can act like partners by sharing each other's achievements with their network of friends. This word-of-mouth distribution is by far the most influential way to reach other audiences, since the information is coming from a trusted source.

Create a profile and become a fan of DFM on Facebook »

Twitter. Twitter users send and receive short, 140-character updates known as "tweets." Tweets can be delivered to email, web, or smart phones. In business, Twitter is used to share information and promote interactions among colleagues or customers. (See a short video explaining Twitter.)

Create a profile and follow DFM on Twitter »

LinkedIn. LinkedIn is geared primarily towards business users for professional networking opportunities. Benefits include connecting with colleagues or organizations with similar interests, and promoting work to a wider audience via LinkedIn's searchable member database.

Create a profile and join DFM on LinkedIn »

Although it's not specifically a social networking tool, YouTube also has some social networking components. Users can leave comments and start discussions around the videos posted there. In fact, the success of the DFM's YouTube Channel, which now has over 600 subscribers, served as a launch point for the department's social networking activities.

The Role of Social Networking in the DFM

How can DFM faculty and staff best use social networking tools to advance the department's work? DFM Webmaster Jim Witkins offers some ideas:

• Sign up and create profiles on any or all of the social networking sites.
• Begin connecting with colleagues, alumni, partners, and friends of the DFM.
• Post Facebook updates or Tweets about your current work or research results.
• Include links to the DFM Web site in your profiles and posts.
• Become a fan of the DFM on Facebook, or follow the DFM's Tweets.
• Set up a niche Facebook group around a common interest. Visit the Integrative Medicine group for an example.

In general, be willing to experiment, says Witkins. "These tools are free, and their use can grow organically. I encourage anyone in the department to give them a try. If you find them useful in your work, feel free to run with it."

Witkins does caution users to be mindful of their online presence. "It's wise to assume that anything you post on a social networking site is visible to everyone, even if you've restricted your network to approved members."

As food for thought, Witkins also recommends the article "Take Two Aspirin And Tweet Me In The Morning: How Twitter, Facebook, And Other Social Media Are Reshaping Health Care"

Potential Value for the DFM

While businesses and organizations are still learning how to take full advantage of social networking, Witkins believes it can go a long way in strengthening the DFM's "brand."

"Our department is made up of highly successful individuals, and their reputation goes a long way," he said. "If individuals incorporate social networking into their work routine, they can promote their own work as well as build awareness for the department as a whole."

Going one step further, Witkins also believes that social networking has the potential to enhance how the department carries out its mission of providing better healthcare to the people of Wisconsin. "Social networking encourages two-way communication with patients, partners and peers," he said. "If we embrace it, we can potentially transform how we conduct our clinical, research, educational, and service activities."