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Amol Ghemud Published: August 14, 2018
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Over the last few years, digital marketing has started playing a very important role in every industry including the healthcare industry. While it was possible earlier to work without digital marketing and opt for more traditional methods, today, however, it has become almost indispensable.
This is because an ever increasing number of people are not only becoming active online by effective use of internet but are also looking for solutions to their problems, including health related, online; consequently, anyone in the healthcare industry neglecting digital marketing can find themselves adversely affected.
Over the last few years, every industry is welcoming the big data and digital marketing in their line of business due to its numerous advantages. While it was possible in the earlier days to reach out the customer through the traditional way of marketing, but now it is difficult to target, as we have seen how innovative technology is taking over and how people got scattered on various medium.
For most of us, a question might arise how can marketing spread its footprints in the healthcare industry?
A recent report reveals that out of 20 searches on Google one search will be related to healthcare this is because, as a maximum number of people going online for information and searching for a solution for their health related issues.
Formerly word of mouth marketing played a vital role in the healthcare industry; as we used to visit a doctor on the recommendation given by the family and friend zone even though his/her clinic is miles away. Looking at the healthcare trends, the patients will employ newer avenues to reach the hospitals and doctors for advice. Healthcare marketing is not a new one for us, we have seen it earlier also in various form like
Organizing Health camp by hospitals.
Radio ads.
Doctor promotion via scrolling on T.V sets.
Testimonies.
Banners on public transport.
The above listed marketing trends for healthcare industry, are much more relevant today looking at the present scenario in the world. More and more consumers opt out of outbound marketing efforts taken by companies and respond positively to inbound marketing activities. Marketing in healthcare industry is not only dependent on outbound marketing any longer.
Here is a checklist you need to go through before you start implementing Inbound Marketing. It will give you an overview – how you should begin devising a plan for you business with Inbound Marketing.
DIGITAL MARKETING: WHY SHOULD THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY WORRY ABOUT IT?
Digital marketing includes, among other things, social media marketing, search engine marketing, content marketing, and mobile marketing. The healthcare industry should worry about digital marketing because it is an effective and an inexpensive way of marketing as compared to traditional methods. The following are the ways in which digital marketing can affect the healthcare industry:
Search engine marketing: As already mentioned, the number of people that are looking to the internet as an answer to their problems has increased, and will keeping on increasing, with the passage of time. Businesses that employ search engine marketing – including search engine optimization and ad campaigns – will gain higher visibility than those who don’t.
Social media marketing: Not only are more and more people becoming active online, they are also becoming active on social media. And, today, social media is akin to “word of mouth” marketing; in healthcare sector, in particular, “word of mouth” plays a very important role. Social media is very powerful and having a good reputation there is absolutely essential.
Mobile marketing: Courtesy of advancements in mobile communication technology, a significant number of people who are online connect to the web through their various mobile devices; these people are expecting not just information but also a good user experience when they deal with you online through a mobile device; this is what mobile marketing is all about. It goes without saying that a bad user experience will turn these users away from you.
INBOUND MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
1) Create a Robust Website for your Practice
Patients most of their time, prefer to research on Google regarding their medical issues than to spend in the doctor’s office, the waiting room and the surgery center combined. Also, make sure that you include a robust patient resource section. Patients are online hunting for medical information. If yours is the site serving this information up, better for your practice.
Additionally, managing one, responsive, efficient site allows healthcare organizations to focus on developing a single, strong web strategy, which increases visibility, reach and conversions, while decreasing expenditures and effort.
2) Center your Web Interface around the Patient
Sure, the website is for your medical practice. But, if you center your site solely upon your practice, you are missing the point. A strong digital healthcare site should be centered around the patient, not around you.
3) Invest in Video
People are far more likely to view a video than they are to read details on a whitepaper.
What better way to leverage your skilled staff than to put them on camera? Fill it full of animated elements and help diagrams that show what is happening inside their bodies and what treatment looks like. Studies reveal that a high-quality video on your landing pages’ increases conversion rates by 80 percent.
To be able to rank on the search engines you need to research the most relevant keywords to include on each page of your site. A little of this goes a long way in helping your practice to gain buoyancy in search results.
4) Include High-Performing Keywords
The key, of course, is to devote your optimization time and ad spends on the right things. In particular, make sure that you’re paying attention to services and location.
Why services? The Google research found 45% of users are looking for procedure information (i.e., “chemotherapy”) or department information (i.e., “pediatrics”).
And why location? Because a survey conducted by Healthcare Success found consumers are more likely to choose a hospital based on convenient location (58%); than the amount of copay (45%) or even outcomes data (30%).
5) Leverage Patient-Generated Reviews
Today, patients are mostly relying on patient-generated reviews to help vet the doctors in their area. People want to know about your bedside manner, not about what diplomas hang on your wall. Add a review section to your website.
Encourage patients to rate your doctors. Include testimonials on your site.
6) Develop Fresh Content and Constant Interaction
Make sure your site has a news section and a blog area. Patients are looking for information. The search engines are, too. Google rewards fresh, relevant content.
When it comes to content marketing, hospitals are in an enviable position — yet many don’t realize it. The Google study mentioned earlier found 37% of health searchers are trying to learn more about conditions/diseases, and an additional segment is researching symptoms.
The format of this content isn’t the most important thing — it can be presented in a blog post, article, video, or even infographic — what’s essential is that’s truly well-informed and useful.
The internet can be used to build brand loyalty by opening new lines of communication with patients, care givers and prospective patients. Hospital marketing staffs of the future may need to engage social media and online specialists who can help maintain an online presence and respond to consumer enquiries as they arise in the various online outlets.
7) Don’t Underestimate Social Media
Social media is a great way to engage today’s patient. Leverage your Facebook page to post patient reviews, videos, blogs, articles and more.
Perhaps more than in any other field, the power of the testimonial is a key in health care, as patients and families researching diagnoses often turn to patients with similar experiences. Social media gives hospitals and clinics the opportunity to share patient stories and connect consumers.
Conclusion
A strong healthcare digital marketing strategy is most effective when it is managed in a streamlined way, where each component is in sync with one another, rather than soiled.
Would you like to know more about why you should consider an inbound marketing methodology for your Healthcare industry marketing efforts?
Amol has helped catalyse business growth with his strategic & data-driven methodologies. With a decade of experience in the field of marketing, he has donned multiple hats, from channel optimization, data analytics and creative brand positioning to growth engineering and sales.
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