Kaiser Permanente

Amid rapid growth and shifting health communications needs, Kaiser Permanente turned to us to stabilize, streamline, and scale their social media systems resulting in major gains in engagement.

Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States partnered with What Works Studio to strengthen and formalize its regional social media ecosystem. The organization needed a unified operational approach, reliable reporting, and a content strategy that could support both marketing and public health communications.

What Works Studio developed the systems, processes, and performance structure that became the foundation of the region’s digital presence, resulting in stronger engagement, more efficient workflows, and measurable gains across every major metric.

“Working with the What Works team was a pleasure from start to finish. I found their expertise invaluable,” said Denise Russo, Senior Director, Regional Marketing Communications, Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente first engaged What Works Studio to audit internal social media operations and provide a comprehensive analysis of how to improve performance. The organization needed structure around reporting, content development, advertising strategy, and channel management. They also needed a partner capable of developing procedures that could be adopted across teams and integrated into ongoing marketing and communications initiatives.

What Works Studio developed and instituted unified processes for organic and paid social media operations. This included audience development, lead generation, brand awareness and consideration campaigns, product marketing, public relations support, content planning, copywriting, creative development, and full advertising budget management. We created a reporting framework that provided actionable insights for leadership and allowed teams to optimize campaigns in real time.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, What Works Studio became a central partner in managing urgent regional communications. We developed rapid-response workflows that delivered accurate, timely health information to the community across all major social platforms. Our team produced content related to safety protocols, vaccination availability, mental health resources, and telehealth options while monitoring social sentiment to identify concerns and address misinformation. We scaled social listening, expanded reporting capabilities, and provided ongoing recommendations to support evolving patient needs. Paid campaigns were optimized to reach high-priority audiences and strengthen access to essential services at a time when digital channels were the primary touchpoint for members.

For more than six years, What Works Studio served as a trusted extension of Kaiser Permanente’s regional marketing team. Our work supported integrated campaigns, performance tracking, and the refinement of systems and processes that improved efficiency, strengthened operations, and elevated the organization’s digital communications.

Key Outcomes

• Increased net follower growth by 6,290%

• Increased social media engagement rate by 136%

• Increased total engagements by 48%

• Increased total social media followers by 15.4%

• Increased published posts on Twitter by 18.6%

• Established the region’s first unified social media operations framework

• Created the reporting and analytics structure used to guide performance

• Provided critical public health communication support during the COVID-19 pandemic