The idea of writing a blog or recording a podcast is too much for some doctors to ever consider. While it may represent a huge loss of opportunity, I understand that, for some, it’s too big of an ask. But even if you’re not in a position to write a blog post, you can still powerfully influence your presence by claiming your public-facing profiles.
The public profile is an essential core for the public physician.
What is a public profile?
Public profiles are web-based properties where you can park basic information about yourself and what you do. The sites belong to someone else, but they’re built with the intention of helping you create a public information page. The most commonly used sites are also commonly known and referenced, and they search very well. By that, I mean if someone Googles your name, these sites tend to rank near the top. That means that people will click on them. And what they find may be all they understand about you.
So if you choose to do nothing else, you should at least take the time to claim and build out your profile. They represent the greatest way to impact your digital footprint with minimal time and effort.
Here are a few of my favorites places to park a profile (click through for a deeper dive where there’s a link)
- Doximity. Affectionately known as “LinkedIn for doctors,” this social network is built around a rich profile that is specific to our profession.
- LinkedIn. A professional networking resource that is perhaps the most commonly referenced site for maintaining your digital CV. While it isn’t tailored for doctors, it’s still an important piece of internet property to squat.
- HealthGrades. If you Google your name, HealthGrades will appear near the top. The information there that may or may not be correct, but you can opt to sign in and update it. Given the HealthGrades dominance in search, I believe it makes sense to keep this one up-to-date.
- Your hospital. This is the most commonly overlooked profile available to doctors. Hospitals and health systems tend to search very, very well. Overlooking your hospital’s directory page is a mistake. Take it seriously and keep it up-to-date.
To reiterate, if you do nothing else online, keep these sites current and fresh. It may be the only thing people can find about you (hopefully not).
This page is part of a bigger project: The Public Physician, a field guide for life online. To read more check out the Public Physician landing page. Happy reading!