Top Digital Marketing Strategies in Healthcare

With the rise of telehealth, digital health platforms, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, digital marketing has become one of the most critical elements that healthcare providers use to reach new patients and build reputations as thought leaders.

Here are some of the top healthcare digital strategies marketers can use to build engagement and bring in more leads.

Create a Responsive Website

Most people are not visiting a healthcare website on their computer. In fact, 59.5% of all web traffic came through a mobile phone in April of 2022. Healthcare marketers need to account for this critical change in building their websites. A responsive design will ensure that everyone has the same convenient experience no matter what screen they use.

Not only is a responsive website critical for creating a better patient experience, but it improves website ranking on Google too. Google announced in 2020 that it is committed to mobile-first indexing for websites so that only websites that appear properly on mobile phones will appear in search results.

A website that patients can use is critical for a digital presence, and a responsive site is vital to ensuring that everyone has the same experience.

Build a Social Media Presence

In the past, medical professionals viewed social media use as unprofessional. The growing influence that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media outlets have in our lives, though, means that it is now critical for marketing efforts. In fact, one survey found that 79% of users turn to social media for answers to their personal health-related questions. Marketers need to capitalize on this to reach critical audiences with valuable and accurate information.

Concentrate on Social Proof

Social proof is one of the most powerful forms of marketing. Patients look to others to find recommendations and determine whether they can trust a healthcare provider. Some of the best ways marketers can utilize digital social proof include:

• Ratings and reviews on Yelp, HealthGrades, Vitals, etc.
• Q&A segments
• Text and video patient testimonials
• Community involvement

Videos are a compelling way to gain social proof. Even with the simplest video setup, you can still create high-quality videos that potential patients want to watch.

Invest in Personalization

“Personalization” has been a buzzword in eCommerce and digital retail marketing for a while, but healthcare marketers have been slow to adopt this practice. With HIPAA restrictions and concerns over patient data use, they have rightfully been hesitant to compromise any patient data.

However, there are a number of ways to create a personalized experience while maintaining robust data privacy. Patient portals and mobile apps enable healthcare establishments to give patients direct access to the information that matters most and display content specific to their condition or treatment.

It’s also possible to customize web pages based on general patient journeys. For example, if a web page is getting traffic for the keyword phrase “thyroid treatment in Sacramento,” you can create content with that journey in mind.

Digital marketing continues to be one of the most powerful ways to attract new patients at scale. With these strategies in place, you can drive growth for your brand in 2022.

Interested in expanding your digital brand? Advertise in our online publications, known for their credible content that physicians rely on.

Article Written by: Alex Brown