What is Healthcare Marketing?
Healthcare marketing encompasses a variety of outreach and communication efforts aimed at patients. And since the industry us always advancing the healthcare marketing trends are important for competitive medical industry. Healthcare marketing is often designed to achieve one of the following:
- Attract new patients
- Maintain contact with current patients
- Support patients throughout their healthcare journey
- Educate the public
Healthcare marketing, a broader term that includes individual healthcare advertising campaigns, has proven incredibly effective for medical practices. Keep in mind that the best marketing is both targeted and strategic – and gets results!
How Does Healthcare Advertising Get My Practice More Patients?
Our world is becoming increasingly digital, with today’s patients pursuing different avenues to reach new healthcare providers. While many still rely on referrals from doctors, family and friends, more and more now turn to online resources to find the information they need. In fact, Google receives more than one billion health-related questions a day! Whether patients are scouring medical journals or scrolling through social media, the stage is set for digital healthcare advertising to make a major impact.
Here at Motivated Marketing, we recognize the value in traditional advertising – found in print materials, on billboards, on TV, on the radio and more. But our marketing specialists also believe that a failure to embrace digital advertising could leave an entire group of potential patients unreached.
Plus, it’s important to consider that today’s patients have more choices than ever before. While this benefits patients, it’s a challenge to providers who now face intense competition. This has prompted many to boost their ad spend, allocating more and more of their budget toward digital healthcare advertising. Providers spent over $10 billion in healthcare advertising in 2017, a sum that was projected to reach $11.56 billion by 2021.
2022 Top 14 Healthcare Marketing Trends
- Increasing Use of Tech Tools
Today’s medical practices have a wide variety of digital tools at their disposal, including paid search and paid social. Paid search allows your marketing specialist to bid on certain relevant keywords, often earning an ROI of $2 for every $1 spent. Paid social, another useful tool, utilizes targeting to reach a particular audience. - Boosting Omni-Channel Efforts
Many healthcare brands have realized that one brief connection with a potential patient is not enough to get an appointment on the books. Omni-channel advertising is a great solution, designed to extend the interaction from the ad to the actual practice. - Analyzing Data With CRM Software
With an incredible amount of data available, many providers now look to CRM software to crunch the numbers. These analyses can help reveal what’s working and what’s not – and inform healthcare marketing efforts moving forward. - Opening Online Patient Portals
From test results to medical records, online portals give patients easy access to their health information and encourage them to be more involved in their care! - Writing Blogs
Many patients today are more likely to read a blog online than a brochure, and marketing specialists recommend using this to your advantage! Blog content, especially easy-to-read case studies or articles about trending topics, is a great way to keep patients informed and engaged. - Informing Through Infographics
Infographics, like blogs, are an effective way to grab patients’ attention. This form of online content appeals to the “visual learner” crowd, using images and icons to convey the message. - Providing Video Content
Videos boast a high retention rate and have proven especially helpful in the healthcare industry. Whether introducing a physician or explaining a procedure, video content often makes healthcare practices more approachable. - Posting Testimonials & Reviews
Shining the spotlight on rave reviews is invaluable, giving patients confidence in their healthcare choice. Questionnaires are a simple way to amass reviews and to learn more about improving the overall patient experience. - Focusing on Mobile Optimization
With more and more online searches now occurring on smartphones, it is crucial that your website is mobile friendly. Patients won’t wait long for a site to load before clicking away. - Enhancing the User Experience
Again, today’s patients have a low tolerance for websites that lack functionality or look unappealing. From confusing navigation to cluttered design, a website can go wrong any number of ways – but your marketing specialist can help make sure yours gets it right! - Prioritizing SEO
Search engine optimization is a must-have tool for healthcare marketing trends and daily necessity. It pairs perfectly with good online content, using certain terms to boost your website’s rank in search results. First, your marketing specialist will research the best terms to use, then ensure these words and phrases are used strategically in your web content. - Developing a Social Media Strategy
It’s no secret that social media use is more prevalent than ever, and most practices have at least some sort of presence on one platform or another. But the occasional post simply won’t cut it. It’s important to develop a strategy that both promotes your practice and provides helpful information. For instance, some businesses follow the 80/20 model that says 80% of posts should give value (tips, advice, etc.) and 20% should be strictly promotional. - Incorporating Native Ads
Native ads refer to the integration of ads into the surrounding platform, most often Facebook and Instagram. They are disguised to blend in seamlessly, used to boost brand awareness without patients even realizing they are viewing an ad! - Getting More Acquainted With Your Audience
Targeting is only effective if you have accurately defined your audience. Tools like Google Analytics can help you hone in on the patients you’d most like to reach, allowing you to target based on demographics, interests, and more.
Can I Do My Own Healthcare Advertising Instead of Hiring An Advertising Agency?
Sure, it is certainly possible to handle your own advertising campaign. But is it recommended? That’s a very different question.
Crafting a comprehensive healthcare marketing strategy is no easy feat – and we’ll be the first to tell you, it is often quite time consuming. While you may have some creative thinkers on your team, you likely lack the resources of a full-service advertising agency.
Here at Motivated Marketing, our team includes a unique mix of strategic planners and stellar creatives. Our primary goal is to make your brand shine, and with over a decade of experience in the healthcare industry, we’re confident we can do just that. Our team is ready to revamp your marketing effort with vital healthcare marketing trends. Whether you’re interested in digital marketing, traditional marketing or a hybrid approach, our talented team is here to help.
How Costly Is Healthcare Advertising?
Contrary to the old adage, “You get what you pay for,” our team promises top-notch campaigns, no matter your budget! In fact, we’re proud to offer various packages catered toward small businesses as well as medium to large companies.
While some of our clients employ us to handle every service under the sun, others focus their limited budget on just a few. Our marketing specialists can help determine a strategy that gets the most bang for your buck.
What Sets Motivated Marketing’s Charleston Advertising Agency Apart From Other Advertising Companies?
One interaction with our team will prove that Motivated Marketing is like no other. We believe that our clients are the very best on the planet – and the world-class campaigns we develop prove it! With 15 years in the biz under our belts, we know how to grow your business while maintaining its identity.
In addition to healthcare, we’re well-versed in automotive advertising and legal advertising! Here are some of the services we offer:
- Brand Development
- Digital Advertising
- Direct Mail
- Email Marketing
- Graphic Design
- Media Buying
- SEO
- Social Media
- Video Production
- Web Development
To consult a marketing specialist, contact us today! Feel free to shoot us a message or call 843-856-7322. We can’t wait to talk strategy and innovative healthcare marketing trends.