Talking about psychiatry on social networks: it's possible!

Context

Encéphale is an organisation that federates French-speaking psychiatrists by way of an annual congress gathering 4,000 participants, a journal, and a community website: Encéphale Online. Founded by Professors Jean-Pierre Olié and Henri Lôo, it is now directed by Professor Raphaël Gaillard, a psychiatrist at Saint-Anne’s Hospital in Paris.

Encephale online was launched by Europa Digital & Publishing (ED&P) in 2012. Access to the platform’s content is restricted to mental healthcare professionals (psychiatrists in practice, psychologists who have already participated in the congress, general practitioners, nurses and medical students). Simultaneously, other means were also set up to facilitate the sharing of the field’s latest news, as well as information about the organisation’s activities and congress. These were a YouTube channel, a Twitter account and a closed, members-only LinkedIn group, all managed by the website’s editorial coordinator. In 2017 our client decided to optimise its online presence, and called upon the services of ED&P for assistance in the matter.

Objectives

• To surpass the competitor congress’ digital performance
• To increase the number of Encéphale Online members and page views
• To withdraw from LinkedIn, which abandons private groups, and strengthen Encéphale’s presence on other social networks

Challenges

• This medical community is traditionally very wary of social networks
• The necessity to keep publications strictly confidential: articles on psychiatry cannot be made available to the general public as they are “partially understandable” 
• Encéphale’s competitor has been in existence for several years and already has thousands of members

Methods

The team at ED&P developed a digital strategy and implemented the following actions, in collaboration with Encéphale Online’s editorial committee:

• In March 2017, creation of a closed Facebook group for doctors to use on a daily basis to share cases, articles, studies, job vacancies, news…
• In July 2017, creation of a public Facebook page, which Europa’s community manager uses to promote the congress and news in psychiatry
• “Boosting” of the YouTube channel and Twitter account
• Monitoring of social media and key hashtags by the community manager, who provides regular feedback to Encéphale Online’s editorial committee
• Since 2018, intensified on-site digital coverage of the congress
• Pre-event promotion actions, using targeted advertising campaigns on social networks

Results

Thanks to close collaboration between the editorial committee, the editorial coordinator and the community manager, Encéphale has enjoyed the following results:

• The closed Facebook group now counts 1,300 active members every day 
• The congress’ Facebook page has 3,400 followers and as many ‘likes’: the objective to surpass the competitor’s digital performance has been largely achieved
• In the context of an overall downward trend on Facebook, the reach is very significant, showing an average of 1,200 likes and 70 engagement per publication
• Doctors are now using social media to prepare the congress (surveys, questionnaires…) and to open up to a larger audience (videos, WebTV programmes…)
• Separating channels by means of a closed Facebook group, a public Facebook page and a Twitter account ensures that all scientific exchange remains strictly confidential 
• Encéphale Online now has more than 6,300 members, which represents an increase of 30,4% over 2 years

The Europa Digital & Publishing team