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Start with a clear objective: decide whether the post’s primary goal is to educate patients, build trust, promote a service, share a success story, or drive clinic bookings. Defining a single, measurable objective (educate about knee pain, increase bookings by 10%, grow followers) makes all subsequent choices—format, caption, CTA—more effective. Know your audience: map typical patient personas (e.g., post-op knee patient, desk-worker with neck pain, athlete with a sprain). For each persona list common pain points, questions, preferred content formats (short videos, Before/After, carousel infographics). This helps tailor tone, level of technicality, and imagery. Brainstorm content pillars: choose 3–5 repeatable themes such as Patient Education, Home Exercises, Clinic Behind-the-Scenes, Success Stories, and Injury Prevention Tips. These pillars create consistent expectations and simplify planning while improving brand recall. Plan a content calendar: decide frequency (e.g., 3 posts + 5 stories per week) and assign pillars to days (Education Mondays, Exercise Wednesdays, Testimonial Fridays). Use scheduling tools (Later, Buffer, Meta Business Suite) to maintain consistency—consistent posting increases visibility on Instagram’s algorithm. Craft the visual: prioritize clear, high-quality imagery. For Instagram: - Reels: 15–60s demos of exercises, quick tips, or myth-busting. Use portrait 9:16 and hook viewers in the first 3 seconds. - Carousel: 4–8 slides to explain a condition step-by-step or show progression. Start with an attention-grabbing cover slide. - Static post: clinician portrait with short tip or quote. - Stories: polls, Q&As, short clips from treatment or exercises. Design principles: use readable fonts, consistent brand colors, and simple layouts. For exercise demos, show proper form, highlight common mistakes, and use on-screen text for key cues (e.g., “Keep knees aligned,” “5 reps x 2 sets”). Write an engaging caption with structure: Hook — one-line attention grabber or question; Value — 2–4 concise points, tips or steps; Social proof — brief patient outcome or clinician credential; CTA — specific and low-friction (e.g., “Save this for later,” “DM to book a free consult,” or “Which tip helped you most—comment below?”). Keep captions scannable with line breaks and emojis where appropriate to match brand tone. Optimize for discovery: include 5–15 targeted hashtags mixing broad and niche tags (#Physiotherapy, #KneePain, #PostSurgeryRehab, #PhysioTips, #DeskWorkerRelief). Add location and industry tags if promoting a clinic. Use SEO-friendly wording in the first sentence and alt text (describe the image for accessibility and search). Make the content evidence-based and compliant: cite brief references when making clinical claims (“Research shows…,” linked in bio or saved story). Follow local regulations about patient consent and advertising. For testimonials or patient images, always get signed consent. Hook viewers fast (especially for Reels): start with the problem or a surprising stat (“Did you know 80% of people with low back pain improve with targeted rehab?”), then demonstrate the solution. Use captions or subtitles because many users watch without sound. Include micro-engagement prompts: ask a one-word response (“Yes/No”), use sliders or polls in Stories, invite followers to tag a friend who needs the tip. Early engagement improves reach. Repurpose and amplify: turn a long blog or video into a carousel, pull 3–4 short clips from a longer session for Reels, convert key tips into shareable quotes or Reels. Cross-promote to Stories and highlight evergreen content in a pinned Instagram Highlight. Measure what matters: track reach, impressions, saves, shares, comments, profile visits, and website clicks. Pay special attention to saves and shares—these indicate perceived long-term value. Use these metrics to iterate: double down on formats and topics that drive saves, and revise underperformers. A quick posting checklist: - Objective defined - Persona targeted - Content pillar chosen - Visuals shot (good lighting, clear framing) - Caption: Hook / Value / Proof / CTA - Hashtags + location added - Alt text written - Patient consent obtained (if applicable) - Post scheduled at peak audience time - Story + highlight created for evergreen posts Example post workflow (exercise demo Reel): 1. Objective: teach a safe glute activation for low back patients. 2. Script 15–30s Reel: 3s hook (“Stop using your back—activate your glutes!”), 10–20s demo with on-screen tips, 3–5s close with CTA (“Save to try later”). 3. Record with steady camera, good light, and clear movement. 4. Edit: add captions, branded intro, and music at low volume. 5. Caption: short hook, 3 quick cues, evidence note, CTA to save/share. 6. Add 8 hashtags, alt text, post, then share to Stories with a poll (“Will you try this?”). Finally, iterate weekly: review analytics, ask followers what they want in Stories, and test one new format each month. Small, data-driven adjustments compound—over time you’ll build a trusted Instagram presence that educates patients, attracts referrals, and grows your clinic’s visibility.