The healthcare industry is evolving. And as healthcare digital marketers, we must evolve with it. These days, competition is fierce, and to stand out from the crowd, healthcare brands need to have a strategic digital marketing strategy that not only provides real value to audiences but also makes interactions with their brand both authentic and seamless.
So, with this in mind, here are some of the key trends we see for digital marketing in the healthcare industry to give your brand the edge.
1. Mobile-first Digital Marketing
We live in the age of the smartphone, where everyone is constantly scrolling through their screens in search of the next best thing.
That’s why you need to have a mobile-first approach to your digital marketing strategy.
But what does this mean exactly?
Put simply, it means tailoring your marketing in a way that prioritises mobile usability.
These days, the majority of people use their mobile phones to browse the web, with statistics showing that 54% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. In fact, 74% of online users say they are more likely to return to a website if it’s mobile-friendly.
Patients and customers now expect to access your services and information easily from their phones, not their computers.
For healthcare companies, this means it’s more important than ever to optimise your website, apps, and digital content for mobile users.
A fast, seamless mobile experience isn’t just nice to have but an essential part of your business.
So, if you are not thinking about prioritising mobile users in your healthcare digital marketing strategy, then now is the time you start.
2. Getting Rave Reviews
People are more untrusting of brands than ever. It’s not enough to just have a standout sales page waxing lyrical about how great your healthcare service or product is. Potential patients and customers need proof.
Never has it been more important for healthcare companies to have great reviews. It is fast becoming the deciding factor on whether people choose you over your competitor.
But this doesn’t just mean a few testimonials on your website. People want third-party proof.
Setting up a Trustpilot account and making sure your Google reviews are glowing is a must for healthcare brands.
And it’s not just the quality of the reviews that really matters but the quantity, too. It’s no good having only a handful of reviews, even if they are all five stars. People need to see great reviews and a lot of them.
So how do you do this?
Well, focus on building and maintaining an excellent online reputation. This, of course, comes from having excellent customer service and also implementing review management strategies.
For example, responding to all reviews, good or bad, in a timely manner and trying to resolve any issues as fast as possible. Encouraging happy customers to leave good reviews while proactively addressing negative feedback will all influence a healthcare provider’s image, credibility, and trustworthiness.
3. Video Content is King
When it comes to digital marketing and your healthcare SEO strategy, video content is now king.
People are far more likely to hit play on a video than scroll through a lengthy blog post. And effective video content can have a huge return on investment, with 87% of marketers saying it has directly boosted sales.
Video content is gaining popularity in healthcare digital marketing as it can convey complex information in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner.
We are seeing more and more healthcare providers using videos in a variety of innovative ways, including patient education, procedure demos and health tips.
The visual nature of videos makes them a powerful tool for building trust, educating patients, and promoting your services. Video content is also highly shareable compared to other forms of content marketing, which increases its reach and impact.
If you are a healthcare business, then you should be seriously thinking about adding video content to your content marketing repertoire.
4. Think Local
Many businesses have historically overlooked the importance of local SEO, but now we are seeing a shift. More healthcare brands are realising the importance of having a strong online presence in their local area.
When it comes to people’s health, they are most likely to choose a service that is local to them. If you are a healthcare clinic with a physical location or a company that serves patients from a particular geographic area, then you need strong local SEO.
For those not familiar with the term, it simply means improving your visibility in the Google Search results in your local area. Thus, driving more traffic to your website.
To boost your visibility in local search results, optimise your digital presence for local queries. To do this start by updating your Google My Business profile, using location-based keywords, and encouraging local reviews.
These strategies help connect healthcare providers with their target audience, increase local traffic, and build community trust.
So, when it comes to digital marketing in the healthcare industry, think local.
5. Create Content That Resonates
While video content is important, that doesn’t mean that other forms of content marketing should be ignored. In fact, having a mix of content is essential to really engage with your target audience.
What you should be looking to do with your healthcare content marketing is to stand out with an authentic and original brand voice. One that speaks directly to your target audience, understands what they want, and answers their pain points.
Nowadays, people crave content that is super personalised and highly relevant to them. So, instead of thinking generally about your healthcare content strategy, it’s time to get a lot more specific. You should be creating content that is precisely targeted and niche.
What healthcare brands need to be prioritising is the creation of content for specific segments of their audience rather than generic content that tries to speak to all of them.
Personalisation is only getting more necessary in marketing and having different types of content for different subsections of your audience will mean you can create content that truly resonates.
6. Stay Social
Social media marketing is becoming ever more important for brands. With everybody perpetually online now, many brands are using social media as their primary means of engaging with customers.
What is so great about social media is that paid ads can promote your products and services, while organic social media can help humanise your brand, as well as build a long-standing and trusted relationship with your patients and.
Building a strong social media community around your brand pays off in dividends and is why so many healthcare companies are investing in a solid social media strategy.
In fact, here are some health brands that are winning the social media game
Remember, well-thought-out and creative healthcare content marketing will build trust, educate your audience, and position you as a thought leader in your field.
In turn, leading to loyal patients and customers and a highly successful healthcare business. YAY!
So, if you have a healthcare company and are in need of strategic digital marketing services to drive traffic and, most importantly, results, then get in touch now.
