Health Care and Social Media: Building Relationships Via Social Networks‪.‬

INTRODUCTION Health care companies must choose their marketing channels wisely to reach consumers effectively. Health care marketers promote a service that is complicated, expensive, and even frightening (Shaw, 2008). Until recently, the only channels that these marketers had to choose from included television, radio, magazines, and newspapers. New technological advancements have health care marketers thinking of more unique ways to reach consumers. Since health care is such an intimidating service, it is more important for marketers to establish relationships with their customers, not just marketing services to individuals. These relationships should embody trust and honesty between the health care providers and their potential customers. This type of relationship is easier to create thanks to social media networks and other online communities that are available for use by health care providers.