Social media for podiatrists and chiropodists: a practical guide

A podiatry clinic serves very different people: older patients who need regular nail and skin care, people with diabetes who need foot checks, runners and sports players with pain, children with growing feet and people about to have nail surgery. Each group searches for different things and worries about different things.

Many of your patients are not heavy social media users, but their families are. A clear Google Business Profile and a Facebook page that answers practical questions often matter more than chasing trends.

Two to four posts a week is enough. Collect the questions patients ask at the chair and turn each one into a short post or video.

• Monday: a foot care tip, such as how to cut toenails safely.
• Tuesday: a treatment explainer, such as what happens during nail surgery or a biomechanical assessment.
• Wednesday: a footwear post, such as what to look for in school shoes or running shoes.
• Thursday: meet the team, with roles and registration.
• Friday: practical details, such as appointment availability, home visit areas or prices.

UK titles: the HCPC lists "chiropodist" and "podiatrist" as protected titles. Only use them in your bio, page name and posts if you are registered. The HCPC's social media guidance also says any promotional activity you are involved in must be accurate and not likely to mislead.

Insoles and orthotics: the ASA's advice on orthotics says conditional claims about the support or comfort of insoles are likely to be acceptable, as long as they do not go as far as saying they relieve discomfort without evidence. Medicinal claims may make the product a medical device and need solid clinical trial evidence. The ASA has upheld complaints about claims that orthotics treat conditions such as ulcers, varicose veins, joint pain and diabetes, and says unqualified claims about improving posture are unlikely to be acceptable without strong clinical evidence.

US: the FTC's endorsement guidance says that if you cannot show a patient's experience is typical, the ad must make clear what people can generally expect. A single "pain gone in a week" story can mislead on its own.

This is general information, not legal or clinical advice. Rules differ by country and change, so check with your regulator, professional body or a lawyer before you post claims, prices or photos of the people you serve.

Sources: HCPC: The professions we regulate and their protected titles, checked 15 October 2026; HCPC: Guidance on use of social media, checked 15 October 2026; ASA Advice Online: Orthotics, checked 15 October 2026; FTC: FTC's Endorsement Guides, what people are asking, checked 15 October 2026

Treatment photos are some of the most useful content a podiatrist can post, and some of the most sensitive. A distinctive tattoo, nail polish, scar or piece of jewellery can identify someone, and the photo reveals a health condition.

The HCPC says you should not share images related to someone's care without their permission. The ICO treats data concerning health as special category data. In the US, HHS says the HIPAA Privacy Rule generally requires written authorization before protected health information is used for marketing.

1. Get written consent that names social media specifically, and keep it with the patient's record.
2. Crop out faces, tattoos, jewellery and anything else that could identify the patient.
3. Keep notes, screens, appointment books and paperwork out of shot.
4. Show results that are typical for that treatment, not your single best case.
5. Warn viewers before graphic images, or use a cover image, for nail surgery, wounds or fungal infections.
6. Take a photo down promptly if the patient changes their mind.

Sources: HCPC: Guidance on use of social media, checked 15 October 2026; ICO: What is special category data?, checked 15 October 2026; HHS: HIPAA Privacy Rule, marketing, checked 15 October 2026

If you post prices, show the full price. The CMA's price guidance says the headline price should normally include unavoidable charges, and that hiding them until later is illegal drip pricing. If a home visit always costs more, say so in the same post.

Google's guidelines say individual practitioners who see patients at the location during stated hours can have their own profile, and that a practice with several practitioners should have a profile for the location as well. Ask every patient for a review the same way, for example in a follow-up text. Google's policy bans incentives for reviews and selectively asking happy customers.

Sources: GOV.UK (CMA): Providing clear and accurate information about prices, summary, checked 15 October 2026; Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google, checked 15 October 2026; Google Maps user-generated content policy: fake engagement, checked 15 October 2026

Foot problems follow the seasons: sandals and fungal nails in summer, new school shoes in late summer, running injuries in the new year and dry, cracked heels in winter. Plan posts a few weeks before each one.

Disclosure: Zolyp, which publishes this guide, makes an AI social media manager. It plans a balanced week across your content pillars, writes the captions and designs the visuals in your brand voice, and schedules them to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads. You can add your own photos to any post, and you start by approving every post. Brand Brain can hold words you never want used, such as "cure" or "pain-free". Zolyp does not check posts against HCPC or ASA rules, so read every post before you approve it. Everything in this guide works just as well done by hand.

• Week 1: check Google hours, services and prices.
• Week 2: film two short answers to common questions.
• Week 3: one treatment explainer with consented photos and one footwear post.
• Week 4: reply to reviews, note which posts brought bookings and plan next month.