This Audiologist-Turned-TikTok-Star Is Using Social Media to Teach People About the Importance of Hearing Health

Dr. Emily Taylor, often known as Dr. Ear Wax to her social media followers, is utilizing social media to teach the general public concerning the significance of listening to well being. Loud noise publicity is the rationale greater than 30 million individuals endure from everlasting listening to loss. But, with the proper safety and schooling, it may be preventable. As a working towards audiologist, Dr. Taylor is now on a mission to boost consciousness round listening to security. And it’s clearly a message individuals wish to hear. Dr. Taylor sat down with Jessica Abo to share her journey and the way different entrepreneurs can use social media to develop their manufacturers.

Jessica Abo: Dr. Taylor, you run your personal audiology follow in Maryland. How did your day job flip you right into a TikTok star? 

Dr. Emily Taylor: As an audiologist, one in all my favourite issues to do is ear wax elimination. And I assumed there was a enjoyable place for this on TikTok. In my thoughts, I used to be picturing this enjoyable channel for individuals to return to get their repair of gross ear wax removals. Little did I do know that’s not the route that my web page took, and I’m so comfortable it went in a special route.

Main up into September of final 12 months, 2021, I used to be going to my first music competition in what felt like ages. To have a good time, I used to be going to deal with myself to some new customized listening to safety. And one of many firms I like, referred to as Phonak, they simply got here out with a brand new hearing-protection line, so I needed to attempt it.

As my colleague was taking impressions of my ear canals, I made a decision to select up my digicam and begin filming. The primary footage reveals me having the impression materials put in my ear, after which it additionally reveals me taking it out.

Quick ahead to the competition. I had my sister take footage of me taking the customized listening to safety out of the pouch. After which, I had her movie me placing it in my ear after which panning over to the live performance.

After the competition, I got here dwelling, appeared on the footage, and began Dr. Ear Wax on TikTok. That first video fully blew up. Then, swiftly, I used to be getting hundreds of views each 20 minutes. It was thrilling.

What had been a few of the developments that you just observed within the content material?

I observed the most-viewed movies and those that went most viral had been those of me taking ear-canal impressions after which displaying the results of the customized listening to safety. Day-after-day, we had been getting tons of questions asking, “Why is that this essential? What are you doing within the video?” This gave me sort of the beginning of the platform to essentially use this as an academic software. It is a enjoyable solution to discuss to different individuals in that youthful era and train them concerning the risks of noise-induced listening to loss.

As somebody who experiences ringing in her ears every single day as a result of I went to too many concert events after I was youthful and did not find out about defending my listening to, it is a dialog we needs to be having with everyone so that individuals do not expertise what I am going by means of.

Noise-induced listening to loss most often is totally preventable, but we’re not having that dialog. This needs to be taught in well being class, and it is one thing that is really easy to stop.

How would you say social media has helped your small business?

With the expansion of our social media platforms, together with Instagram and TikTok, we have now been getting tons of cellphone calls asking to schedule ear canal cleansing visits, in addition to coming in for customized listening to safety. That is my favourite factor; to obtain a cellphone name from somebody who noticed us on TikTok they usually care sufficient to wish to shield their listening to, too. These are most likely my favourite cellphone calls to obtain.

Additionally, having a TikTok account like this, I get tons of questions on-line, and it provides me the chance to assist individuals all around the nation, which has been actually rewarding for me.

What recommendation do you’ve for entrepreneurs who wish to use social media to create model consciousness?

My first piece of recommendation is to do it. Put up the video. You by no means know what is going on to stay, so attempt a wide range of issues. My subsequent piece of recommendation is to be affected person. It would not occur in a single day. You’ll want to be constant, and simply give it time to essentially blow up. Our first few movies received little or no likes. Then, abruptly one video took off, which sort of fed all the opposite movies.

Put up what’s making you cheerful. Put up what’s feeling actual to you. And interact with the group; Interact with the followers. They wish to know that you’re a actual one who cares. When individuals ask me professional audiology questions, I really like responding to them. I really like educating the general public. I really like serving to individuals repair their issues, and I really like pointing them in the proper route.

Take heed to what individuals should say. Even when you thought your web page was for one factor, if different persons are having fun with it for one thing else, go off that. Additionally, if one video went viral, take into consideration why it was profitable, after which attempt to recreate it in different artistic methods.