If you’re in the healthcare industry every New Year brings with it the need for fresh healthcare marketing ideas. That’s because technologies undergo updates, new players enter the market and consumer needs and behaviours are constantly changing. If you own a business in the healthcare industry, that’s a big challenge to overcome because the bulk of your time is spent in helping patients who need you. So just how can you stay abreast of the latest healthcare marketing ideas and ensure that your practice is always one step ahead? You work with a healthcare marketing agency that can handle this for you. The good news is that digitisation makes it so much easier to plan, implement and monitor the success of your healthcare marketing campaigns. The difficult part is deciding who to partner with. Here are some ideas to make the year ahead a marketing success.
Dominate your industry with Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Local search marketing
If you own a business you need to be visible in the search engines. This means, when someone in your area is searching for a product or service that you offer, your website is presented as a solution to the query. If you don’t, the competitor that is visible and active will be receiving your leads.
The more services or products you offer, the bigger the search net that you can cast. Because there are so many keywords and synonyms that users use to search, you will never run out of ideas for a SEO healthcare marketing campaign.
Patients searching for your product and service should be able to find your Google Maps listing easily. They should be able to get to your website or call you with one click.
Content marketing
Search engine optimisation campaigns also give you the opportunity to educate and inform your patients. The Internet can be a dangerous place for patients to self-diagnose or self-treat, but if they have access to credible information through your digital channels, you can ensure they receive accurate information to make informed decisions.
Get To Page One With Google Ads
If you don’t have the time to rank a new website and you need new patients quickly, Google Ads can get you to the first page of Google search results very quickly.
One of the common healthcare marketing trends is to use Google Ads as a springboard for the first few months after launching a new site, and then whittling your budget down as your site’s organic content starts to rank.
The biggest disadvantage to Google Ads is the cost factor. Google Ads work on a bidding system and they typically work best for brands with big budgets. If you set a daily or a maximum cost per click to manage your expenses, a bigger competitor can outbid you quite easily for your keywords of choice.
Google’s remarketing feature is a useful compromise for brands that want to monopolise their online healthcare marketing without breaking the bank. Remarketing allows you to collect the cookies of visitors to your website and then to show graphic ads to these users for up to two years after their visit.
With remarketing enabled, all you need is one click to your website to pull the user into your database. You can create engaging graphics or promotions to remind users about your brand over a long period of time. And, you can use the tool on any traffic.
Social Media Marketing For The Healthcare Industry
Social media for healthcare marketing presents a cost effective and targeted way to reach out to your target audience. According to SproutSocial half the world (over 3 billion people) are active on social media channels, which is a very big market to tap into.
Patients appreciate practitioners who maintain social media presences because they feel like they can connect with them. Ultimately, this results in greater patient satisfaction rates because it enables patients to be connected with medical and dental professionals in real time. It creates a foundation of trust, which is an essential component of a practitioner-patient relationship.
Social media also makes medical and dental issues more human and enjoyable and progressive practices can use their channels to educate and inform patients – so they don’t have to consult Dr Google.
Marketing To Your Existing Patient Base
While new patients generally create the benchmark for practice expansion, marketing to your existing patient base is equally important. New players enter the market all the time. They may charge lower fees or offer better locations.
Some of them may have bigger marketing budgets than you do. If you do not remind your patients about recall appointments or show them that you have their interests at heart, they could decide to start visiting a competitor.
Your online reputation really matters
Existing patient testimonials form part of an effective and credible strategy for healthcare marketing. After all, the best way to attract more patients (like your existing, satisfied patients) is to consider the people closest to them.
Reviews and referrals count for a lot online. Positive Google reviews will ensure you stand out to potential patients. Want to improve your practice performance and satisfaction levels? Send a survey out to patients and staff and find out what patients really want.
Would you like referrals from your current patient base? Ask them to do just that. You will probably be surprised at how many happy patients will agree.
Looking for more inspiring healthcare marketing ideas? Get in touch with us and let’s brainstorm: 1300 163 058.
