Authentic Marketing for Healthcare Organizations
The concept of healthcare marketing typically evokes an uncomfortable reaction from consumers. That’s not surprising; people’s well-being should not be exploited for profit, and there are many cases of this in the modern healthcare industry — the opioid crisis is a prime example. However, there are still a lot of healthcare providers with good intentions and who want to offer the absolute best form of care they can to their patients.
This requires marketing so future patients can find the right care provider for them. However, marketing in the healthcare industry should be done much different than it would be by a car manufacturer or in an industry like Hollywood. George Washington University explains this issue well:
Marketing in the health fields is often seen as distasteful or unfavorable, making it more important to build friendships and bonds with other people in the industry. These relationships increase referrals from those doctors and health professionals without muddying the water with tacky marketing techniques.
For this reason, it’s very important that marketing promotes trust with patients, and that starts with understanding them and getting on their level. In the digital age, this is done in ways that were unimaginable 20 years ago. The three primary tools you must utilize in healthcare marketing are informational articles, SEO, and social media.
Informational Articles and SEO
It’s not inauthentic to let people know that you can help them, but it’s also good to let them know how they might be able to help themselves. A medical institution ought to utilize the space on its website with a blog about how individuals may best take care of themselves, as well as when is best to see a doctor. These blogs are also good for the purposes of breaking down information about medication and exercise.
However, how are people going to find the important information you have to give them? In the digital age, this is accomplished with a practice called search engine optimization (SEO). The idea is that you can optimize your content marketing using the commonly searched keywords of your target audience to make your domain a top result on search engines.
Keyword research is important — especially if there is a local community you serve. Look at the things people are saying and writing about in your community and utilize your content to address their concerns if you have services they need.
Social Media
This leads to the importance of social media, because the best way to find localized keywords in this age is by monitoring Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Using social media as a way to promote patient care isn’t just an SEO tool; it’s also a way that you can promote your services to those who need it. It offers you a way to do this by going directly to where potential patients are. In 2019, that’s 79 percent of Americans!
Quality is important in social media marketing. In the past, it was thought that if an organization put something on social media numerous times, it would make people pay attention simply due to the number of times they saw it. However, that’s simply not true. Consumers can’t be “worn down” — eventually their patience with the brand will simply deplete. You’ll need to use better quality, pricing, or branding to win customers over, because waiting until their brains are tired won’t work.
Good marketing requires acknowledging and recognizing market change and growth, and that means using all aspects of new technology. That’s why social media has become so vital in recent years, even within the healthcare industry.
Digital Safety
Your marketing must be authentic. Pristine marketing must reflect pristine services. It’s important that when we talk about marketing, we also recognize the importance of putting one’s money where their mouth is. Make sure you are putting as much effort into your healthcare services as you are into the marketing of them.
This translates to digital services as well. In the medical industry, record-keeping is vital. Ensure that your staff is reporting records in a timely manner, because poor record-keeping could literally cost lives.
While it’s important to use new technology in marketing healthcare services, make sure that people are getting what they promised. Bring your A-game on both fronts. By doing so, you can effectively change your local community and contribute in ways that are bigger than a marketing campaign or brand.
That said, how have you used current digital marketing tactics to interact with the community you serve? Let us know in the comments below!
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