How Important is Healthcare Marketing During a Pandemic?

With all elective procedures coming to a halt and primary care visits plummeting throughout the pandemic, many healthcare organizations are in full recovery mode and the end is not in sight yet. So, when you are trying to rebound financially should a marketing strategy be at the top of your list of things to do? If you want your patients back and your doors to stay open, the answer is absolutely YES!

Where do you begin?

Map out your consumer’s journey.

With people spending more time at home, the way they find their preferred healthcare provider has changed. You need to meet them where they are. Think about the content they are looking for, where they look for it, and how you can get them to connect with you over your competitors.

According to Mobile Marketer, 9 out of 10 consumers buy products and services from companies they follow on social media and 75% of people spend with a brand they follow on social media (an increase of 12% over 2019).

Eighty percent of Internet users, or about 93 million Americans, have searched for a health-related topic online, according to a study released by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. That’s up from 62 percent of Internet users who said they went online to research health topics in 2001, the Washington research firm found.

Provide valuable content.

When prospective patients find you, they want to know more about you and the services   you provide. Healthcare consumers today are more savvy than ever. They want to be  informed before making decisions or choosing a provider and they are starting their search online. The content on your website needs to reflect the level of care you provide. Content needs to be clear, concise, understandable and transparent. And most importantly, you need to position yourself as a thought leader in the industry. That will make you their trusted source.

You also need to give them a reason to interact with you – share webinars, do live chats and be available for questions. Quality connections will increase your ability to convert consumers into patients.

According to a study by trialfacts.com, this is what prospective patients are searching for:

66% looked online for information about a specific disease or medical problem

55% looked online for information about a certain medical treatment or procedure

47% looked online for information about doctors or other health professionals

Differentiate yourself.

Everything you do should be focused on answering the question – “Why should someone chose us over the competition?” Consumers have an expectation that no matter where they go, they will be taken care of, so your marketing efforts need to tell them why you are different or better than the rest and give them a compelling reason to choose you!

Spend your dollars promoting the programs and services that are unique to you. You need to be perceived as better than the rest!

In a ThinkGoogle survey, 82% of consumers said they believed that “the majority of healthcare providers have the same capabilities and offer similar quality services.” But 91% of those who said that also indicated they would make an extra effort to find a provider that is perceived to be better than the majority.

Having worked for a healthcare system for 16 years, I have seen the value branding and strategic marketing can have to your bottom line. You have to treat your marketing spend as an investment, not an expense and done right, it will pay off with the results you need.

Want to know more? Visit our healthcare business hub to find a variety of case studies, helpful blog posts and Agency for Change podcast episodes featuring healthcare business leaders. KidGlov is a boutique, full-service, advertising, branding and content marketing agency and certified B Corp, with offices in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, specializing in nonprofit marketing, healthcare marketing, financial services marketing, social impact marketing, and purpose-driven businesses.