5 Ways to Create More Engaging Plastic Surgeon Videos and Build Your Surgeon Brand
Video is one of the most powerful ways for plastic surgeons to connect with patients, showcase expertise, and build trust. But creating videos that feel natural, authentic, and engaging is not always easy. Many surgeons feel shy in front of the camera or worry about coming across as too formal. The key is to strike the right balance — professional yet approachable, educational yet personal.
This article explores fresh, practical ideas to make surgeon videos more compelling. From involving the whole surgical team in content creation to showing hobbies, behind-the-scenes moments, and personality-driven stories, these strategies help humanize the practice and build stronger connections with patients. By layering in authenticity, teamwork, and personal touches, surgeons can create videos that not only educate but also inspire confidence and trust.
1. Involve the Surgical Team in video making
- Team Introductions:
- Meet the Team: Create a video introducing each member of the surgical team, highlighting their roles, expertise, and contributions. This humanizes the practice and helps patients feel more comfortable with the entire team.
- Personal Stories: Have team members share their personal stories or why they love working in the practice, adding a personal touch to the content.
- Collaborative Content:
- Team Demonstrations: Film team members demonstrating different aspects of a procedure or discussing their roles during surgery. For example, a nurse could explain pre-operative care, while an anesthesiologist talks about patient safety during the procedure.
- Roundtable Discussions: Host a roundtable discussion featuring the surgeon and key staff members discussing common patient concerns, trends in plastic surgery, or the practice’s approach to patient care. This format showcases the team’s collective expertise.
- Behind-the-Scenes with the Team:
- Day in the Life of the Team: Show a day in the life of the surgical team, including preparation for surgeries, patient interactions, and post-operative care. This behind-the-scenes glimpse helps build trust and transparency.
- Team-Building Activities: Film team-building activities or community events that involve the practice staff. This not only shows the team’s camaraderie but also highlights the positive work environment.
- Patient Interaction Videos:
- Team-Patient Interactions: Record videos that showcase interactions between the team and patients, such as consultations, follow-up appointments, or patient care after surgery. This emphasizes the collaborative approach to patient care and reassures patients that they’ll be well-supported throughout their journey.
- Educational Content Featuring the Team:
- Specialist Insights: Have different team members contribute to educational videos, sharing their specific knowledge. For example, a dietitian on staff might provide post-surgery nutritional advice, or a physical therapist could discuss recovery exercises.
- FAQ Sessions: Create videos where team members answer frequently asked questions related to their specialties. This provides a well-rounded perspective and gives patients confidence in the entire team.
- Testimonial Support:
Supporting Patient Testimonials: Team members can be part of patient testimonial videos, discussing their role in the patient’s care and how they worked together to achieve the desired outcome. This shows the collaborative nature of the practice.
2. Keep Surgeon Videos personal and natural, yet professional:
- Conversational Tone:
- Casual Language: Encourage the surgeon to speak in a conversational tone rather than reading directly from a script. This makes the video feel more personal and relatable.
- Bullet Points: Use bullet points instead of a full script, allowing the surgeon to speak naturally on each topic.
- Personal Anecdotes:
- Share Stories: Include personal stories or experiences related to the topic. This adds authenticity and helps viewers connect with the surgeon on a personal level.
- Patient Journeys: Discuss specific patient journeys (with permission), focusing on their unique stories and outcomes.
- Minimal Editing:
- Natural Pauses: Allow for natural pauses and slight imperfections in the video. Over-editing can make the content feel less genuine.
- Keep It Real: Small mistakes or informal moments can actually make the video feel more authentic and personal.
- On-Screen Interactions:
- Engage with Others: Include interactions with staff or patients on-screen. This shows the surgeon in a natural setting, engaging with others in a professional yet personal manner.
- Visual Cues:
- Body Language: Encourage the surgeon to use open and welcoming body language, such as smiling or using hand gestures, to make the video feel warm and approachable.
- Eye Contact: Maintain direct eye contact with the camera, simulating a face-to-face conversation with the viewer.
- Authentic Settings:
- Real Locations: Film in settings that reflect the surgeon’s daily environment, such as their office or consultation room, rather than in a studio. This helps viewers feel like they’re getting a genuine glimpse into the surgeon’s world.
3. Showcase your Surgeon’s own hobbies or personal interests in Videos
- Show the Human side of the Surgeon:
- Relatability: Sharing hobbies or personal interests helps humanize the surgeon, making them more relatable and approachable. Patients often feel more comfortable with a surgeon they perceive as a well-rounded individual.
- Building Trust: When patients see the surgeon as a real person with interests outside of their professional life, it can build trust and foster a stronger patient-surgeon relationship.
- Differentiation:
- Stand Out from Competitors: Highlighting unique hobbies or interests can differentiate the surgeon from competitors, giving them a distinct personal brand that appeals to potential patients.
- Memorability: A surgeon with an interesting hobby or passion is more likely to be remembered by patients, which can be beneficial for word-of-mouth referrals.
- Connection with Patients:
- Shared Interests: If a surgeon shares a hobby or interest that aligns with a patient’s, it can create an instant connection. This common ground can make consultations feel more like a friendly conversation.
- Increased Patient Engagement: Patients are more likely to engage with content that showcases a surgeon’s personal side, leading to increased social media interaction and brand loyalty.
- Content Variety:
- Diverse Content: Incorporating personal hobbies into promotional content adds variety to the content mix, making the surgeon’s online presence more dynamic and engaging.
- Potential for Broader Appeal: Content that showcases a surgeon’s personal interests might attract a broader audience, including those who share similar hobbies or are simply curious about the surgeon’s life outside of the operating room.
- Positive Brand Image:
- Well-Rounded Professional: Showing that the surgeon has a life outside of work portrays them as a balanced, well-rounded individual, contributing to a positive brand image.
- Community Engagement: Hobbies that involve community activities (e.g., volunteering, participating in local events) can highlight the surgeon’s commitment to the community, enhancing their reputation.
4. Personality-focused Videos can build patient trust and your surgeon brand
- Complementary Content:
- Balanced Mix: Include personality-focused videos alongside educational, testimonial, and procedural content to create a well-rounded content strategy. This mix ensures that while the surgeon’s expertise is highlighted, their personal side also shines through.
- Contextual Integration: Use personality videos to introduce or close educational content. For example, a video where the surgeon shares a personal story could precede or follow a detailed explanation of a procedure, adding a personal touch to professional content.
- Social Media Engagement:
- Social Media Series: Develop a series of personality-focused videos for social media, sharing different aspects of the surgeon’s life over time. This keeps the audience engaged and looking forward to the next installment.
- Engagement Boost: Encourage followers to engage with personality-focused videos by asking questions or sharing their own experiences related to the hobbies or interests featured. This fosters a sense of community and trust.
- Patient Onboarding:
- Introductory Videos: Use personality-focused videos as part of the onboarding process for new patients. These videos can be sent in follow-up emails after a consultation or included in welcome packets to help new patients feel more connected to the surgeon.
- Personal Touch in Follow-Ups: Include personality videos in follow-up communications with patients, such as post-procedure emails or check-ins. This reinforces the personal connection throughout the patient journey.
- Website and Blog Integration:
- Website About Page: Feature these videos on the “About” page of the practice’s website, where potential patients can learn more about the surgeon’s background, interests, and approach to care.
- Blog Posts: Pair personality videos with blog posts that explore the surgeon’s interests in more detail, offering a deeper insight into their life outside of the clinic. This creates a narrative that patients can connect with.
- Community and Event Promotion:
- Event Highlights: If the surgeon participates in community events, hobbies, or charitable activities, create videos around these events and promote them as part of the practice’s community involvement strategy.
- Live Streaming: Use live video streams during these events to show the surgeon in real-time, engaging with the community. This real-time interaction can significantly boost trust and rapport.
- Consistency in Branding:
- Authentic Branding: Ensure that these videos align with the overall brand message of the practice. Consistency in tone, style, and messaging across all content types builds a cohesive and trustworthy brand image.
- Patient-Centric Branding: Position the surgeon’s personality as an extension of the practice’s commitment to patient-centered care, emphasizing that the surgeon’s personal values and interests translate into a caring, compassionate approach to patient treatment.
5. Behind-The-Scenes content can be very appealing as it offers a more authentic view of the surgeon’s practice
- Office Tour:
- Clinic Walkthrough: Offer a guided tour of the clinic, showing patients what to expect when they arrive. Highlight the cleanliness, modern equipment, and comfortable patient areas.
- Meet the Team:
- Staff Introductions: Create videos that introduce key members of the team, such as nurses, anesthesiologists, and administrative staff. This helps patients feel more familiar and comfortable with the people they will interact with.
- A Day in the Life:
- Surgeon’s Routine: Showcase a typical day in the surgeon’s life, from morning preparations to patient consultations and surgeries. This provides insight into the surgeon’s work ethic and dedication.
- Procedure Prepping:
- Preparation Process: Film the preparation process before a surgery, such as sterilizing instruments, setting up the operating room, and going over patient charts. This demystifies the surgical process and emphasizes the care and precision involved.
- Patient Journey:
- From Consultation to Recovery: Follow a patient’s journey through the consultation, surgery, and recovery phases (with consent). This comprehensive view can reassure potential patients by showing the full process and outcome.
- Training and Learning:
- Continuing Education: Share content about the surgeon’s ongoing education, such as attending workshops or conferences. This demonstrates a commitment to staying updated with the latest advancements in the field.
FAQs about Creating Engaging Plastic Surgeon Videos:
Q: Why should a plastic surgeon bother making videos?
- Videos help patients get to know the surgeon before a consultation. They build trust, answer common questions, and show expertise in a way that feels more personal than written content.
Q: What makes a surgeon video more engaging for patients?
- Authenticity. Patients prefer videos that feel real and approachable rather than over-produced. Smiles, natural pauses, and small personal touches often make the biggest impact.
Q: Do surgeons have to appear in every video?
- No. Videos can feature the surgical team, animations, slides, or voiceovers. The surgeon can ease into camera work by starting small and letting team members share the spotlight.
Q: How does involving the surgical team help?
- Team videos show that patient care is a group effort. When patients see nurses, anesthetists, or admin staff on camera, they feel reassured about the support they’ll receive.
Q: Should surgeons talk about personal hobbies in videos?
- Yes, if they’re comfortable. Sharing hobbies or interests makes the surgeon more relatable and memorable. It shows they are a real person, not just a clinician.
Q: What kind of behind-the-scenes videos do patients like?
- Office tours, team introductions, and day-in-the-life clips are very popular. They give patients a clear picture of what to expect when they visit the clinic.
Q: Do videos need to be highly polished?
- Not always. A clean, well-lit video with good sound filmed on a mobile phone can be just as effective as a studio shoot. Patients value clarity and warmth more than perfection.
Q: How long should a surgeon’s video be?
- Short is best – or as long as you can keep their attention (check your Youtube stats). Aim for 1–2 minutes per video. If the topic is complex, break it into smaller parts so patients can watch in manageable chunks. Use the Hook Point strategy of Brendan Kane to structure your video.
Q: Can surgeon videos be reused across platforms?
- Yes. The same video can be shared on the website, social media, email newsletters, and blogs. This saves time and ensures consistent messaging.
Q: What’s the biggest mistake surgeons make with videos?
- Trying to sound like a presenter instead of speaking naturally. Patients connect more when the surgeon talks as if they’re speaking directly to one person (use the word YOU), not performing for an audience.
Further Reading about Video Making