Today on the Podcast: Become the Local PT Everyone Follows: Build A Massive Following On Social Media w/ Josh Funk
Listen Now:
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About This Episode
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Josh Funk, founder and CEO of Rehab 2 Perform, to break down how he built one of the strongest rehab brands online—now spanning 16 locations across MD, VA, and DC.
What we cover:
- How Rehab2Perform grew a 100,000+ follower social media presence
- What makes their content engaging, educational, and shareable
- Key principles for building trust and brand recognition online
This episode is a must-listen for PT Owners who want to build their online following!
Listen Above or Read The Summary Here:
Building an Intentional, Differentiated Brand
Josh emphasizes that a strong brand is about much more than a logo or a color scheme. True branding involves intentional decisions about every aspect of the patient and community experience. He advises owners to ask themselves, “What do you want to be associated with, what do you want to be known for?” That clarity shapes everything from clinic layout and partnerships to how staff interact with patients.
Josh encourages owners to go beyond surface-level branding documents and instead, consider how people experience your business through all senses—what they see, hear, and feel when they interact with your clinic both in-person and online. He recommends developing a comprehensive brand guide that includes not just visual standards, but also tone of voice, key messages, and even what your business is not. As Josh puts it, “One of the things that we did in our recent brand refresh was also, this is who we’re not. This is what we don’t do. It’s very important to clearly define those things and have those conversations because at the end of the day, the more clarity the consumer can get, the easier it is for them to make decisions.”
Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, Josh and Neil agree that focusing on a specific niche leads to stronger growth and better outcomes. By communicating clearly who you serve and who you don’t, you attract your ideal patient and staff, and set your clinic apart from competitors.
Mastering Omnichannel and Social Media Marketing
Josh describes omnichannel marketing as ensuring your business shows up consistently across all the places people interact with your brand—website, physical clinic, social media, community events, and more. He stresses the importance of minimizing friction for potential patients so they can easily understand who you are, what you do, and how to take the next step. “Ideally, you have as little friction as possible for people to understand who you are, what you do, how you solve people’s problems, what your value is, and then getting leads.”
Josh shares that their marketing budget is typically 4-5% of revenue, with a heavier investment in Google ads but increasing strategic use of Meta platforms and location-based advertising tools like GroundTruth. He also highlights the value of boosting organic posts that perform well, rather than relying exclusively on paid ads.
A key takeaway is the evolution of their social media strategy. Initially, Rehab 2 Perform focused only on Facebook, but as the clinic grew, they added Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube, adapting their content for each. Josh describes how empowering clinicians with a passion for social media to carve out time for content creation resulted in more authentic, engaging posts. “Not everything needs to be salesy… Sometimes it’s just attention and engaging and entertaining potentially,” he explains.
- Start by identifying team members who naturally enjoy social media and give them structure and time to contribute.
- Leverage real patient stories and team personalities to create authentic, relatable content.
- Continually adapt your approach, recognizing that what works today may need to evolve tomorrow.
Personal Branding and Leveraging AI Tools
Josh and Neil agree that building a personal brand as a clinic owner is just as important as building the company brand. Josh admits he didn’t start early enough but now sees tremendous benefits in being active on platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram. “If you put yourself out there, you’re more likely to find people who are like you or who are in similar situations, have walked the path, potentially put themselves in the arena also,” Josh says.
He encourages owners to overcome hesitation about self-promotion, reminding them that authentic sharing opens doors to unexpected opportunities and connections. “I view it as literally having nothing but upside.”
To streamline content creation, Josh uses AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to turn everyday conversations and team meetings into engaging posts, making it easier to maintain a regular online presence. He suggests, “Just start recording your conversations,” then use AI to summarize and repurpose them for social media or blog content. This approach ensures your voice and expertise shine through, without overwhelming your schedule.
- Identify the associations you want tied to your name—what do you want to be known for in your community?
- Use AI tools to help generate content ideas, outlines, and drafts based on your real-life expertise.
- Focus your posts on education, engagement, and entertainment, with only occasional direct promotion.
By focusing on intentional branding, omnichannel consistency, authentic team-driven social media, and leveraging AI for content creation, PT practice owners can build a magnetic presence that attracts ideal patients and opportunities.
Common Questions Practice Owners Ask About This Topic:
- How can physical therapy practices increase their social media following?
- What content strategies work best for healthcare providers on social media?
- How do I engage patients online as a physical therapist?
- What are the benefits of building a brand presence on social media for chiropractors?
- How can healthcare providers establish trust with patients through social media?
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See how the right marketing ideas can help you grow your Physical Therapy or Chiropractic clinic