6 Healthcare Marketing Trends 2019

6 Healthcare Marketing Trends 2019

6 Healthcare Marketing Trends 2019

Today’s patients expect more from their Healthcare provider. Health websites and online forums have empowered patients with the ability to subject their service experience to scrutiny, analysis and evaluation. In this dynamic environment, it is important to adopt innovative marketing strategies to ensure your patients are fully satisfied throughout the service experience. In this article we discuss 6 Healthcare marketing trends for 2019 and how you can use them to create powerful marketing campaigns.

1) Content Marketing in Healthcare

Patients have access to more information than ever before. The growth of health information websites and online patient forums has changed the way patients understand their illnesses. Outdated 1-page pamphlets no longer satisfy, instead patients demand a complete understanding of their illness, at a level they easily comprehend and through a communication channel of their choice. Therefore, in order to maximise attention, marketers must produce the content patients want to read, in a way they understand, across multiple channels.

Content marketing reflects an industry transition from outbound ‘push’ to inbound ‘pull’ marketing. However, be aware of the importance of tone. If your content is overly sales focused it will be perceived as a sales pitch rather than the impartial advice patients are searching for. Aim to educate and build a relationship with your customers, invest in the content you produce in confidence your patients will benefit and continue to use your services.

2) Co-Creation of Healthcare Value

As we move towards a more patient-centric model of healthcare, patients must be engaged in dialogue to co-produce the service experience. Co-creation represents a move away from the one-way ‘do as I say’ style traditionally adopted by many service providers. Engaging the patient transforms them from a passive ‘user‘ to an active ‘contributor‘ and has been shown to improve psychological well-being, medical status and lead to greater satisfaction with their physician. The doctor-patient relationship will always be characterised by information asymmetry to some degree and embracing co-creation will not change this. It will, however, integrate the preferences of the patient to adapt the service to meet their individual requirements. For more, read our blog post on Value co-creation in Healthcare.

3) Digital Health/ Telemedicine

Digital Health/ Telemedicine- The integration of digital communication technology into healthcare presents the opportunity to revolutionise the patient/clinician relationship. For those who live rurally, lack appropriate transport links or are physically immobile; digital health allows remote access to vital medical care. This not only improves patient experience, but also significantly reduces the costs associated with providing care. Beyond primary care, public health promotions are benefiting from the digital revolution as unique demographics are better targeted with relevant health campaigns.

4) Social Media Marketing in Healthcare

To generate the most traffic from a social media campaign the customers must be encouraged to engage in conversation. Social media is not a one-way megaphone, it is a networking platform that demands a two-way dialogue. Considering this, build your posts around customer engagement with frequent calls to action. Most importantly, make sure your adverts are targeted. The big data available from social media giants such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram means patients can be targeted based on unique individual traits. Ensure that when building a campaign, it is centred around the patient. Social media marketing is one of many important healthcare digital marketing trends that you must employ.

5) Geo-Marketing/ Location Based SEO

Whether it’s a follow up appointment, emergency drop-in or just a check-up, being close to your service provider is vital. Considering this, it is important to market your services appropriately to those within a reasonable distance. Google’s latest update optimises businesses based on proximity to the searcher. Through mobile GPS technology, marketers are able to target potential customers in a specific location, even down to a neighbourhood or street. Through location-based push notifications, potential clients can be contacted when they are within a given distance of your business. Using this in conjunction with relevant psychographic and demographic data can maximise campaign ROI.

6) Video Marketing in Healthcare

As the way we consume media changes, the way in which we advertise must change to reflect this. Research shows that when reading, we remember on average 10% of the message. Yet when we watch a video, we remember 95% of the message (Insivia, 2013). In healthcare, the difference between life and death can be as simple as misunderstanding how, or when, to take a drug. It is therefore vital video marketing is adopted in healthcare marketing to assure a patient fully understands the message. From guidance through the patient-pathway to at-home self-help, the uses for video marketing are vast and we are yet to realise its full potential.

These six healthcare market growth trends will ensure that you’re online presence stays competitive in 2019.

Make sure your marketing strategy is ready for 2020 by reading our latest blog post ‘Healthcare Marketing Trends for 2020: Looking Forward‘.

References:

  • www.insivia.com/50-must-know-stats-about-video-animation-marketing-2013/

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4 thoughts on “6 Healthcare Marketing Trends 2019”

  1. Health Marketing

    Spot on regarding content marketing. People want value before purchasing a service, an online website can provide this with engaging informative content!

    keep up the good work

  2. Pingback: Healthcare Marketing Trends for 2020: Looking Forward - Efficacy Marketing

  3. Pingback: What is Healthcare Marketing? - Efficacy Marketing

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