Effective Healthcare Marketing 7 Tips for 2021

We are currently seeing a digital transformation in the healthcare industry. Providers are investing in healthcare software development, and patients are starting to expect care backed by digital solutions. While this trend was already well underway at the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the process. With everything changing so fast, effective healthcare marketing is more important than ever. Today we’re going to bring you seven tips on how you can maximize your practices’ exposure. 

With the rise of online health platforms and telehealth tools, healthcare businesses need to adapt their marketing strategies. Check out the following tips to develop a successful healthcare marketing strategy in 2021.

Transparency and Communication 

Consumers have certain expectations when they interact with or buy from a business online. They want information about the product or service they are buying, easy communication, and resources to help with decision-making. When healthcare providers move online, they need to do their best to meet these expectations. Make it easy for customers to message you and try to respond in a timely way. Provide clear information about the services you provide and offer information about the different available options.

Telehealth is Growing

Telehealth options have been around for a while, but adoption rates grew considerably during the pandemic. Healthcare businesses should not expect this to change. People have seen how telehealth can meet some of their needs, and many will want to stick with it. As a result, healthcare businesses should look to integrate telehealth with their services. Whether it is developing your own app or using an existing platform, healthcare providers need to develop a strategy for offering telehealth services.

Offer a Consistent Experience

Patients now visit your website, they find you in an app, and they might interact with your social media accounts. With so many contact points, healthcare businesses need to aim for a consistent experience across all channels. Beyond developing branding and messaging that can be used across all channels to deliver a consistent experience no matter where your customers find you. Just like in the nonprofit sector, consistent experiences are key to building a long-term relationship. If you can guarantee the trust of your clientele, effective healthcare marketing is a free bonus. 

Focus on Search

The days of finding a healthcare service in the phonebook are long gone. Modern consumers find service providers by searching online. If patients can’t find your website in search, you will lose a lot of business. This means that healthcare businesses will need to invest a portion of the marketing budget in search engine optimization (SEO). With a good SEO strategy, you can increase visibility in search engines and make it easier for customers to find your website. 

Go Where the Patients Are

Beyond your website, you need to go to the platforms your patients use. This means building a presence on social media. Find the sites your patients use the most and open an account. Social media provides valuable marketing opportunities and can also offer a key communications channel for connecting with new customers.

Simple Messaging

Healthcare businesses now have more ways to reach patients than they ever did in the past. While this does offer more opportunities to communicate, you need to make sure the messaging lands. One key to being effective online is to keep the messaging simple. Your patients may not understand the jargon that is familiar to you and your colleagues. Try to communicate your messaging in plain English and connect with consumers in a friendly and personal way.

Be Aware of Reviews

With everything being online, you need to be aware of patient reviews posted on different platforms. Some patients are going to post reviews, and many will use this information when making a decision. Do your best to encourage patients to leave positive reviews and develop a strategy for effectively replying to negative reviews without being confrontational.