By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA
One word to describe social media is engagement. Social media allows relationships to develop and it fosters connection among the community. A two-way conversation emerges and collaboration surfaces.
Twitter, one platform in the social media arena, allows real-time communication to occur in 140 characters or less.
Sharecare’s recent Twitter chat engaged the community with information to help them learn about the importance of sleep. Sharecare’s sleep experts gathered online for a spirited conversation about sleep problems and solutions.
During lunchtime on the east coast, and morning for those folks on the west, Sharecare’s community of tweeps gathered to engage in a chat about sleep using the hashtag #geturzzzs.
For two hours a community gathered to learn from Sharecare’s experts. From learning about Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD) to finding out how much sleep is enough to simple tips to help you sleep better, Sharecare’s sleep experts offered helpful information. And, while 140 characters isn’t much room for detailed information, some tweeps were sent a link where they can go for more information.
So just how far did Sharecare’s Twitter chat reach?
Exposure = 3.38M impressions
Accounts Reached = 1.73M+
What does this mean?
According to Alex Crumpler, Social Media Manager at Sharecare, “Reach reflects the size of the Twitter audience associated with this specific chat. It’s the real size of the potential audience. Exposure is the total number of times tweets about #geturzzzs were delivered to Twitter users, where each receipt of a tweet is an impression.”
I would say the power of social media reaches far beyond tweeting which type of coffee you like at Starbucks. Social media is influencing the way in which consumers obtain and share health information. Twitter is a powerful platform to help educate consumers and raise awareness of health issues.
A few of the tweets from Sharecare’s Twitter chat
@BarbaraFicarra
Rotating Shifts? Night Shift? How can I deal with shift work sleep disorder (SWSD)? – bit.ly/lQev4m #geturzzzs @sharecarenow
@MountSinaiNYC
@cathypoley Usually vivid dreams mean waking briefly after the dream so you remember it better. May be a sign of fragmented sleep #geturzzzs
@BarbaraFicarra
Practice good sleep hygiene, arrange a sleep schedule, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. goo.gl/pBBVh #geturzzzs @sharecarenow
@thesleepdoctor – Dr. Michael Breus – @JuliaRosien Sleepiness means you are about to fall asleep. Fatigue means you are not sleepy but it is difficult to move etc. #geturzzzs
@MountSinaiNYC
Thanks for the sleep chat today @pamnease @BarbaraFicarra @juliarosien @SleepDrTeam @Kartelboss22 #geturzzzs @sharecarenow
@PiedmontHealth
@BarbaraFicarra @Sharecarenow there is no fix. Avoid light in the AM, alerting agents at night, and ? sleep aides during the day. #geturzzzs
Sharecare’s Sleep Experts
Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA, Health Educator, Dr. Steven Feinsilver, Sleep Medicine, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Michael Breus, Sleep Expert and Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Scott Leibowitz, Co-Medical Director, The Piedmont Sleep Disorders Center, Dr. Rachel Salas, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Twitter chat
Keep your eye out for the next twitter chat from Sharecare to help empower you.
About Sharecare
Sharecare created by Jeff Arnold, founder WebMD and Dr. Mehmet Oz, a leading cardiac surgeon, health expert and Emmy-award winning host of “The Dr. Oz show” is an interactive, social Q&A platform designed to greatly simplify the search for quality healthcare information and help consumers live their healthiest life. The platform allows people to ask, learn and act upon questions of health and wellness.
Sharecare collectively brings together top leaders in the health care industry to provide consumers with multiple perspectives within a single website dedicated to improve health and wellness for healthier lives. Sharecare is in partnership with Harpo Studios, Sony Pictures Television and Discovery Communications.
Your turn
Have you participated in a Twitter chat? What was your experience like?
As always, thank you for your valuable time.
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