As we progress further into the digital age, online marketing has become one of the foremost assets in a variety of industries. However, we often don’t see online marketing associated with the healthcare industry despite potential progress and gains digital marketing can bring to the industry.
Online marketing tools like social media, content marketing, and SEO can become invaluable tools to healthcare industry professionals, assisting to create transparency and improve patient relationships to an extent that was not previously possible.
Are you looking to connect better and with more patients in Markham? Keep reading below to learn tips from our marketing experts on how you can leverage online marketing in the healthcare industry.
Engage and Connect with Patients Through Social Media
Social media is an invaluable tool to healthcare online marketing strategies. A number of recent studies have released data indicating beneficial trends in the relationship between patients and social media.
According to Infographics Archive, 60 percent of social media users are more likely to trust posts and activity from doctors over any other group. Another study found that 57 percent of patients’ decision to receive treatment at a healthcare facility are strongly influenced by that provider’s social media connections, indicating that patients trust healthcare organizations that engage with patients online.
These trends paint a compelling picture for healthcare professionals, offices, and organizations to utilize social media in their marketing strategy. Patients are already keen to trust healthcare professionals and facilities that are on social media, so all that is left for you to do is engage. In this way, leveraging social media will allow you to build a visible and reputable reputation among healthcare consumers and potential patients, which in turn will help bring more patients through your doors.
Influence Potential Patients with Educational and Informative Content
According to data from the Pew Research Center, over 70 per cent of internet users in the last year looked online for health information. In fact, searching for health related information is the third most popular online activity.
However, out of all this activity, only a fraction of it involves potential patients already looking for a healthcare facility or searching to immediately book an appointment. Much of this activity is people looking up medical symptoms or procedure information for ailments they may have or may just be interested in.
Being in the healthcare industry, you can leverage this trend in search activity by creating content that provides information on health conditions, answers to questions, quick tips, and advice that people can get without going to a doctor. Implementing this content marketing strategy through a blog or educational videos can help you set yourself apart as a trusted industry expert and increase engagement on your site, eventually leading to more leads and appointments booked.
Create a Hassle Free Experience with a Easy to Navigate Website
Web design is a crucial aspect of any online marketing campaign. Your website is often the first impression a potential patient has of your facility or organization, so it’s important that it’s designed based on user experience (UX) standards and provides a smooth, hassle-free experience.
Users and potential patients want to find the information they want quickly so that they can take action, but if you’re website is out of date or difficult to navigate, these users will quickly bounce off of your site and onto to one that provides them with the information they want. Effectively, a poorly designed website will send potential patients straight into your competitors arms.
Ensure that your website is designed for ease of use and is patient focused. This means utilizing modern design features like effective use of whitespace, clean lines, and other minimalist elements, and clearly indicating areas for patients to take action such as account logins and appointment booking/contact pages.
Be Visible at Patients’ Time of Need With SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the ribbon that pulls online marketing together. Regardless of strong social media engagement, stellar content, or an attractive website, you won’t generate the leads you need without an effective SEO strategy.
By optimizing your website and content according to SEO trends, patients will be more likely to find you when searching for facilities through search engines like Google. For healthcare professionals and facilities, it’s best to use a locally targeted SEO strategy as it’s more likely for local patients to visit your facility than it is for patients who are located farther away.