The social media tech boom of the last 20 years has been, in many ways, a boon to businesses all over the world. It has allowed companies to grow exponentially through better customer reach, focused advertising, and brand promotion.
However, this benefit does not come without its drawbacks. Some consequences of the influence of social media include online misrepresentation accusations, online privacy accusations, and online experience accusations. This has become especially true for the treatment center industry.
Yes, social media has become an effective advertising tool. Unfortunately, there are also significant risks associated with treatment centers using social media in this way. Leavitt Coastal Valley can help mitigate your risk. Our department, specifically dedicated to the field of mental health, ensures that your treatment center or wellness facility is covered properly in the event of online threats to your brand.
The Benefits of Social Media for the Treatment Center
It is nearly impossible to function effectively as a business in the 21st century without an online presence. We understand this and strive to promote our own healthy online presence. However, it is important to understand the difference between online presence and social media.
An online presence simply means that you are available online for the inquiring clientele. A company website is the best representation of this.
On the other hand, a social media presence represents direct communication with others on a real-time basis. Some current and popular examples of this include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. This direct interaction can generate traffic, but it can also leave you vulnerable.
First, let's look at a few ways that social media can benefit your company:
- Interacting with potential clients in real time and fielding their questions
- Creating a community that is going to be the most receptive to your offerings
- Updating your audience with regularity on any changes occurring in your business
- Creating more content that will help you generate greater audience attention against competitors in your field
- Projecting the desired tone and message of your treatment facility
While those are some pretty impressive benefits, they may not overshadow the risks.
The Risks of Social Media for the Treatment Center
Businesses that engage in social media have been at risk more than ever in the last few years. This is largely due to a higher level of scrutiny turned toward businesses' online activity.
The issue is that much of this scrutiny does not have to exist on the basis of reality. Anyone can make a false claim online. Unfortunately, this happens more often than people think. Even more unfortunate, these claims can dismantle a business' credibility, as well as cause immeasurable financial harm. Yes, this is also true for the treatment center industry.
Here are some of the risks that a treatment center faces by actively engaging in the social media landscape:
- Exposure to “trolling” (this term refers to someone with opposing viewpoints online that relentlessly attacks your own) that causes significant stress and misinformation
- Misinterpretation of what your treatment facility offers
- Backlash from former clients that claim you did not provide them with what they were promised
- Possibility of unintentionally offending a population, potentially damaging your reputation
- Cyber-attack and bad actors misrepresenting you
Based on the above risk factors, you might ask yourself if the benefits outweigh the risks. Either way, Leavitt Coastal Valley can help protect you.
Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks?
Is having a social media presence that helps you connect with your clients on a real-time basis worth the risk of being misrepresented? Will these risks be worth contending with potential competitors? Do the benefits come with too much risk of potentially offending future clients?
These are all reasonable questions and ones you will have to determine for your own treatment center. There is no correct answer to these questions. There will always be some give and take.
Perhaps you will take a more minimal approach to social media, with very strict guidelines on content creation. Maybe you go all in and try to become the most recognized treatment facility across the major platforms. Whichever way you lean, Leavitt Coastal Valley can help you achieve your vision.
How Leavitt Coastal Valley Can Help
The mental health and wellness industry has one particular aspect that makes them particularly vulnerable to unwarranted attacks. Ultimately, recovery cannot be guaranteed, and it is not always quantifiable.
Unfortunately, not everyone will necessarily experience the results they desire from your treatment facility. This is no slight against the incredible work you do. It is just the nature of the industry. A social media presence can leave you vulnerable to backlash from dissatisfied clients.
If you are being accused of misrepresenting your business and not providing what was promised, whether true or not, it can be threatening to your business. There is even the potential that you could face legal action.
This is where professional liability insurance may come into play. Let us protect you by ensuring you are covered in the event of unwarranted accusations and dissatisfied clientele.
You should be able to represent yourself however you choose. However, remember social media can bring added risk. Let us help you focus on how you can connect with your clients rather than worry about how a few bad actors can bring down your business.
Contact Us to Get Started
Social media can be a boon for any business. It can help build your brand awareness, attract future clients, and inform others about what makes your business special. However, social media presence is not without its risks. This is especially true with treatment centers and recovery facilities. Leavitt Costal Valley has a special department that focuses on the mental health industry because we understand that recovery is never guaranteed, even though clients may not understand this. While you aim to offer your clients help with recovery, there is always a chance of dissatisfaction. Your social media presence can leave you vulnerable to litigation, retaliation, and financial harm if this ever happens. For more information, contact us at (805) 925-8607.
