The healthcare industry has transformed in the past decade. Thanks to the internet and smartphones, patients now have more power and control when making healthcare-related decisions.
Patients used to rely on recommendations by their physicians, friends and family when looking for medical specialists. Now, they have the tools to search for information online, helping them choose the best healthcare provider.
This is why hospitals, clinics and doctors can no longer afford to ignore digital healthcare marketing. Healthcare marketing strengthens your online presence, allowing your brand to be at the forefront of people’s minds.
Several healthcare marketing trends have flourished this 2020. Leverage these strategies to gain more patients for a successful year.
1. E-A-T Content
Google considers healthcare websites as YMYL or Your Money, Your Life. The search engine giant holds higher standards for these web pages since they significantly impact the health, happiness and security of users.
As a YMYL website, you need to focus on building the Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness (E-A-T) of your content. Write about topics that fall under your specialisation. Above all, your blogs and copies should answer the concerns and queries of the user. Google will see that your content is relevant and rank it higher on the search engine results page.
Also, include a short bio of the author in your blog articles. This way, users see the credentials of the writer and know that they’re qualified to speak about such topics.
2. Local SEO
Healthcare consumers are highly likely to choose medical providers near them. Include keywords related to your location in your content. If your dental practice offers root canal treatments, for instance, make sure to list the areas where the service is available. This ranks your clinic higher when someone makes a local search for your services.
Publish localised content as well. Write about public health trends and issues in your area to attract local patients. If you’re outsourcing your content marketing, it also helps to hire a firm that’s based near your location. For instance, an agency offering digital marketing services in Northampton is the wisest choice for a dental clinic located in Kingsthorpe. They’re more familiar with local news and public health trends.
3. Patient Portals
Waiting time is the bane of many patients. The longer they have to wait, the more dissatisfied they become with the service of the healthcare firm. In a 2018 study, 30 per cent of the respondents admit to leaving the hospital due to long wait times.
Minimise your waiting time by transferring some of your administrative tasks online. Patient portals let people check in, pay their bills and renew their prescriptions without having to go to the hospital, reducing their waiting time.
These online portals also let patients access their health records, lab results and other medical documents any time of the day. This level of convenience improves your overall patient experience, increasing their satisfaction with your service.
Keep in mind that at the heart of your healthcare marketing strategy is your patients. Design your marketing campaign around theirs needs to make the delivery of your healthcare services as seamless as possible. This allows you to continually satisfy the demands of your consumers, helping you retain old patients and gain new ones to increase your bottom line.
