The way we view healthcare is changing. Each year, the healthcare sector evolves more and more to focus on the patient, and patients themselves are becoming more involved in their own well-being.
When you think about healthcare, the services you need are rarely elective. Healthcare may be a necessity — but a patient's choice to schedule an appointment at your practice or center is up to their discretion. This means that healthcare providers must adapt how they engage with their ideal customers to stay afloat.
What is Healthcare Marketing?
Healthcare marketing is a catch all term used to describe marketing in the healthcare sector. The healthcare sector can include public hospitals, individual providers, suppliers, insurers, physician groups, and even surgical centers.
One of the most important aspects of healthcare marketing is a dynamic digital marketing strategy. Google reported that 77% of patients use search engines to research their healthcare decisions. With over 3/4 of your potential patients using Google and other search engines to base their healthcare decisions, healthcare professionals can't afford a substandard digital marketing strategy.
Easy Healthcare Marketing Tips
If you find yourself feeling stuck when it comes to your healthcare marketing strategy, start by examining your current healthcare marketing strategy using these tips.
1. Make Sure Your Website is Mobile-Responsive
One of the easiest ways to kick start your healthcare digital marketing strategy is to make sure your website is responsive. In the same study mentioned earlier, Google reported that 21% of patients used their computer or mobile device to book an appointment with their healthcare provider; and that number is expected to continue to grow. Search engines will also rank your website lower if it is not responsive to a variety of devices.
Making sure that your patients have a painless, convenient, mobile experience with your brand online will increase your new patient conversion rate.
2. Offer Multi-Channel Contact Points for Potential Patients
Today's patients want information instantaneously. Offering multiple touch points for potential and existing patients to get in touch with you about general information and information increases your conversion rate. Here are a few different contact methods you can implement for basic questions and appointments:
- Contact forms on your website
- Live chat
- Social media
Remember, these methods should only be used for general inquiries and appointments. You should always keep HIPPA compliance in mind, and use your discretion to navigate what types of communications should be kept secure.
3. Remember: Your Product is Your Service
Doctors, physician groups, and other healthcare professionals have a special product that is different than retail businesses; service. In the healthcare sector, your product is essentially the services you provide your patients.
The best way to market your services to potential patients is to have a clear ideal of who your patients are. Crafting patient personas will identify the needs, concerns, and behaviors of who you are targeting with your services. You can use our free Buyer Persona Workbook to learn more about creating your center or practice's patient personas.
4. Always Manage Your Online Reputation
As a healthcare professional or provider, your service's reputation is crucial to the way patients view you. In fact, Google reported that 94% of participants based their decision to schedule an appointment on the reputation of the facility or provider. You can maintain your online reputation by following closely to online reviews.
Patients will often use Google, Yelp, and Facebook to give insight into their personal experience with your brand. You should address both positive and negative feedback accordingly, which will show potential patients that you are transparent, trustworthy, compassionate — and ultimately the best decision for their healthcare.
5. Make Local SEO a Priority
A majority of your patients are going to be local to your area. This means your competition will likely be other local healthcare providers, hospitals, and centers. Local SEO gives you the opportunity to rank higher in the search engine results pages for specific, location related phrases that patients search for like "surgical center Lenoir NC". Optimizing your website content for local keywords will improve your local SEO rankings.
Healthcare marketing differs from marketing other products and services, but is the same in the fact that the customers, or patients, should be the central focus. If you are having trouble navigating healthcare marketing for your practice or center, contact a trusted healthcare marketing agency or team of marketing consultants to help you get the job done.
If you want to see double-digit growth, contact The Diamond Group. As a HubSpot Agency Partner, we believe in the inbound methodology. We are a digital marketing group that offers supercharged website design and inbound marketing solutions to maximize your businesses potential. Whether you need a custom web design, a full inbound marketing strategy, or just want double-digit growth, The Diamond Group has your back.
