People go viral in all types of ways – doing dance trends, sharing makeup routines, telling stories, and even, in Dr. Jen Caudle’s case, sharing the healthcare info you need, pandemic and otherwise.
Caudle, “America’s Family Doctor,” is a Rowan Medicine family physician who also happens to be a healthcare influencer. She’s racked up followers on Youtube (58.5k), Facebook (462k), TikTok (64.1k), Twitter (10.9k), and Instagram (54.4k). Plus, she’s a regular contributor on national shows like The View, The Rachael Ray, CNN, Fox, Tamron Hall and TODAY.
Caudle is appearing on our first Women’s Empowerment Series panel, “Algorithms, Haters & You: How to conquer social media,” on October 11. But first, she’s got some tips for SJ Mag readers on starting their own social media influencer empire.
1. Just get started.
Easier said than done, but you can’t build a following if you don’t make the accounts.
“You just have to start doing it,” says Caudle. “The good thing about having just gone through the pandemic is that a lot of people jumped onto social media to share their knowledge, and there’s a place for everyone — whether you want to talk about law or clothes or healthcare or just your daily life. There’s a place for you and your expertise.”
2. Find your niche.
You may know exactly what you want your account to talk about, or it may take some time. Either way, you’ll want to settle into a consistent message.
“You have to search within yourself and think about what talents and skills you can bring that others may not have,” says Caudle. “Then, you can figure out how to best communicate them.”
3. Pick the platforms you love.
You don’t have to be on every platform all at once, she says.
“If it seems overwhelming, just start with the platforms you enjoy being on,” says Caudle. “If you want to post 5 times a week on Linkedin but you hate Linkedin, you’re probably not going to be very successful with it. There’s no right or wrong way to do it — just determine your goals and what you enjoy, and let that decide where you’re going from there.”
4. Provide value.
You have a unique perspective, and it’s important that you use it.
“There is so much content and information on the internet,” she says. “Think about what you have to offer that may not be talked about — and trust me, there’s still so much out there that hasn’t been covered, and even more that hasn’t been covered by your perspective.”
5. Tailor your content.
Caudle uses a handful of different platforms, and she’s found that different platforms bring in different audiences.
“I have different age groups, interests, demographics across different platforms,” she says. “What people want to hear about in a Facebook post is often different than what they want to watch on a TikTok video or Instagram reel.”
6. Keep an eye on the data.
Keeping an eye on your posts’ engagement and analytics to see what does and doesn’t do well will give you a big insight into what your audience is looking for on that platform. But give it time, she says — you want to look at the overall trends, so just one post won’t tell you everything you need to know.
7. Know that things change.
What you know about social media today may not be what works for you tomorrow, she warns.
“That’s the thing about social media — it’s always changing, whether it’s the services, the design or the algorithm,” says Caudle. “A year ago we weren’t going Instagram reels the same way we are now, and we were sharing information on Facebook way more frequently than we are now that the platform started cracking down on misinformation. Keep up with the changes, and tailor your content accordingly. Or else it may get lost on your feed.”
8. Engage with your audience.
You’re on social media to connect with people, so make sure to read comments, respond and like/comment on other’s work, she says.
“Engaging with people is how you earn trust and create a community around your work,” says Caudle. “And it also helps you grow. There are a lot of times that my audience tells me when I’ve explained something in a confusing way, or when I should go back and expand on a certain topic. It helps me grow as a creator, and it helps them get more value out of my content.”
Want to hear more from Dr. Jen Caudle? Join her and 3 other South Jersey social media influencers and experts at our first Women’s Empowerment Series panel of the season: “Algorithms, Haters & You: How to conquer social media.”
Grab your ticket today
Dr. Jen Caudle @DrJenCaudle/Family Physician, Rowan Medicine
Facebook: 407,000 followers, YouTube: 55,700 subscribers
Jen Kavanaugh Senior VP, Media & Marketing, The Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles followers on Twitter: 3.5M, Instagram: 2.2M, Facebook: 3M
Kayleigh Summers @thebirthtrauma_mama
TikTok: 391,000 followers, Instagram: 137,000 followers
