Digital healthcare continues to grow to this day, valued at $96.5 million in 2020. There is no surprise in the leap of technological innovations and the shift towards patient-centered care. However, the growth of today’s modern healthcare system is fueled by healthcare marketing and strategies.
Healthcare marketing strategies have helped independent physicians to remain competitive and thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. It enables them to reach new patients and expand their practices.
With the rise of digital marketing and social media, independent physicians can more easily target their ideal patient demographics, create engaging content, and build their online presence. Let’s look at five strategies to help you succeed in this rapidly evolving industry and stay up-to-date with industry trends.
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What is healthcare marketing?
Healthcare marketing doesn’t simply involve promoting a clinic’s services and products to its target audience. It consists of identifying patients’ needs and preferences, developing messaging and content that resonates with them, and implementing marketing strategies that effectively communicate the value of healthcare services and products.
The primary goal of healthcare marketing is to build brand awareness, establish trust and credibility with patients, and ultimately drive patient engagement and revenue growth.
By educating patients through various mediums such as social media, content, and direct email, you enhance patient experience and gain new patients through referrals.
As you understand the needs and requirements of your patients and implement targeted marketing strategies, healthcare providers can position themselves for long-term success in a highly competitive industry.
Also Read: Top 5 Technology Updates for Patient Engagement
Healthcare marketing strategies for 2023
Here are the top five healthcare marketing strategies to include in your growth plan.
Social media is the hub where providers can engage with their patients, answer questions, have online discussions, and keep their audience updated about their practice. Studies indicate that around 80% of users take to social media to find health-related answers.
Social media also allows healthcare providers to share valuable educational content with their followers, including health tips, news updates, and information about new treatments and services.
With an active social media platform, you can:
- Build a reputation by cultivating reviews. 90% of patients assess their providers through reviews from existing patients.
- Keep active communication with patients. Real-time two-way communication can build trust and loyalty.
- Drive people to your website with viral content. Informative video content boosts patient engagement.
- Gain valuable patient insights into their preferences and interests.
2. Optimize search engine results
Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical to successful healthcare marketing strategies. It involves optimizing a healthcare provider‘s website and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords and phrases.
By improving their SEO strategy, healthcare providers can increase their visibility to potential patients, drive more website traffic, and improve their online presence.
Healthcare providers should also ensure that their website is mobile-friendly and optimized for user experience. It includes ensuring that pages load quickly, that the website is easy to navigate, and that the content is optimized for mobile devices.
You should optimize your online presence and build a responsive website to make your clinic visible to prospective patients.
While 82.8% of patients search for new providers via search engines, 63% choose a provider nearby. Hence, optimizing local listing and reviews is crucial to healthcare marketing.
3. Deploy PPC with paid search ads
PPC, or pay-per-click, is an effective way to kick-start your healthcare marketing, as it can generate instant results sooner than SEO.
PPC advertising involves placing ads on search engines and paying when users click on the ad. With this, providers can increase their visibility to potential patients and drive more website traffic.
To effectively use PPC as part of a healthcare marketing strategy, providers should begin by identifying their target audience and the keywords they use to search for healthcare services.
To ensure maximum return on investment (ROI) from PPC advertising, healthcare providers should also focus on optimizing their landing pages. You can create and run PPC ads on Google Ads, social media, and target demographic websites.
In addition, physicians should closely monitor their PPC campaigns and adjust their strategy as needed. It may include modifying ad content, targeting specific demographics, or increasing or decreasing ad spend based on performance metrics, such as click-through rates and conversion rates.
4. Leverage content marketing
Studies have shown that around half of patients search for reliable healthcare information online. Therefore, creating credible educational content for your patients is an efficient strategy to rank your site pages to drive traffic and provide information.
Once you have a solid marketing purpose, research keywords that will drive traffic to your website and fix the goal of your content. With this simple content marketing strategy, you can bring your webpage to the first bundle of SERP, making yourself visible to your target audience.
Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and informative content to attract and engage potential patients. By executing a strong content marketing strategy, healthcare providers can increase their visibility, build trust and credibility, and improve patient engagement.
5. Develop consistent branding
Consistent branding is vital to establishing a healthcare provider’s identity, building patient trust, and differentiating the provider from competitors. What makes you stand out from your competitors? What is that unique element that makes patients come back to your practice?
Find out what fits your brand image and include that in your marketing strategies. By investing in consistent branding, healthcare providers can build a strong reputation and attract new patients, ultimately driving growth and revenue. Keep your practice updated with the emerging technologies and trends in the healthcare industry.
