Social media content for sensitive services

Key takeaways

Social media content for sensitive services should inform quietly and never pressure. People facing illness, debt, bereavement or legal trouble read privately and act when ready. Explain what happens, what it costs and how to get help, in a calm voice, and judge success by enquiries, not engagement.

• Readers of sensitive content rarely like, comment or share.
• Explain process, cost and first steps. Never use fear.
• Health details are special category data. Never share them.
• Sector regulators set rules that override marketing habit.

What makes a service sensitive?

A service is sensitive when people need it at a difficult time or would not want others to know they are using it: funeral care, family law, debt advice, mental and sexual health, addiction support, care for relatives. The buyer is often anxious, and may be vulnerable.

• How to create social media content that attracts the right customers
• Social media for regulated industries in the UK

What tone should you use?

Use a calm, plain, practical tone. Write as a knowledgeable person would speak to someone having a hard week: clear, unhurried and without euphemism or drama. Avoid exclamation marks, urgency and humour about the subject. Kindness in this setting is mostly clarity.

• Brand voice guidelines for social media
• Plain English on social media: drop the jargon, win buyers

What should you post?

Post what removes uncertainty: what happens when someone contacts you, what the first conversation covers, what it is likely to cost, how long things take, and what their options are. Introduce the people they will speak to. These are the things an anxious person needs before making a call.

• What happens first, step by step.
• Typical costs and what affects them.
• The options, explained without bias.
• Who they will speak to.
• How to make contact privately.

• Turn customer questions into FAQ posts on social media
• Should you post prices on social media?

What should you never post?

Never post anything that could identify a client, exploits fear or guilt, promises an outcome or targets people because of their vulnerability. Information about someone's health is special category data under UK GDPR and needs the highest level of care. If in doubt, leave it out.

• Client stories without explicit, informed consent.
• Fear, guilt or shame as a motivator.
• Guaranteed outcomes.
• Before and after images of medical conditions without care.
• Replies in public that confirm someone is a client.

• GDPR and social media marketing in the UK

Which rules apply?

The advertising codes require marketing to be responsible and not to cause fear or distress without good reason. Sector rules add more: the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) governs financial promotions including debt services, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) governs solicitors' publicity, and health advertising has its own restrictions. Check with your regulator.

• ASA rules for social media advertising in the UK
• Social media for UK healthcare businesses
• Social media for professional services firms

How do people make contact, and how do you measure it?

People make contact privately, often by phone or a discreet message, and seldom from the post itself. Offer a private route in every post and never ask for comments. Measure enquiries and ask gently how people found you. Public engagement will be low and that is appropriate.

• Does low engagement matter if the right people enquire?
• Dark social: the enquiries your analytics never show

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see with UK firms in sensitive sectors: either no social media at all, from fear of getting it wrong, or generic awareness-day graphics. A small set of calm, factual posts explaining the first steps and costs is usually both safer and more useful than either.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses
• The right-customer content scorecard for social media

Sensitive content checklist

Check every post.

• The tone is calm and plain.
• It explains a step, a cost or an option.
• No client could be identified.
• No fear, guilt or pressure is used.
• No outcome is promised.
• A private contact route is given.
• Sector rules have been checked.

Next step

Write one post explaining exactly what happens in the first conversation with your service. It is the question most people are too anxious to ask.