The outbreak of the coronavirus made businesses in the healthcare industry more lucrative than ever. The healthcare industry includes medical practices, drug manufacturing, medical equipment production, and research and studies. The market is projected to reach $149.17 billion by 2025.
Of the various industries in the business world, healthcare is highly supervised and regulated since what is at stake are the lives of real individuals. And with more options than ever before, such as telemedicine services, and more information available online, the market has increasingly become more competitive.
While you might be happy with your current volume of patients, you need to stay competitive in this ever-evolving industry. There is no guarantee you will keep your patient volumes forever. Thus, here are 7 healthcare marketing strategies you need to try implementing this year.
Healthcare Marketing Strategies to Try in 2021
#1 Consistent Branding
You may feel like your expertise sets you apart from other healthcare providers, but we all know most patients think one white coat looks just like the next. You have to figure out what makes your brand unique from the others. It could be the family-friendly ambiance of your office or spa-like environment.
#2 Optimize Online Experience
Having a website is not enough these days for any business across different industries. Patients would look you up on the internet before engaging your service. You must place an important consideration on your website design that ensures optimal user experience, such as easy navigation to figure out your location, how to contact your office, and set an appointment.
#3 Responsive Website
In line with the second tip, optimum website user experience includes a responsive website. This means that it could easily adjust to any screen size, including tablets, smartphones, and laptops. Having a responsive website is crucial as it helps in ranking your page in the Google search engine.
Furthermore, your website should be able to load in a jiff. Patients are less willing to put up with slow loading websites. A 5-second lag could lose you a potential client with a slow website. You may want to test your website speed with Google’s PageSpeed Insights.
#4 Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool for businesses, especially in this digital age. Ranking on Google’s search engine can make or break your healthcare business. However, doing so is a lot more complex than repeating the term “healthcare provider” about a hundred times on your website, hoping Google ranks you #1.
The major part of SEO involves using the right keywords and phrases for Google to understand your website and rank you for the proper and relevant health-care-related search terms. SEO also includes backlinking, managing sitemaps, and posting your healthcare website on Google My Business.
#5 Leverage Social Media
The average adult individual all over the world spends at least 144 minutes on social media each day. With this in mind, healthcare businesses should take advantage of their social media presence to gain more patients. Although it is a common practice to rely on organic social media for marketing, paid advertising should also be looked into.
Organic social media refers to posting updates, photos, and events directly on Twitter, Facebook, or Youtube. This is good enough, but for the most part, you solely rely on algorithms. With paid social media advertising, you can expand your market to reach new potential customers even if you are not yet connected.
#6 Ask for Feedback and Reviews
It is not that easy for your healthcare service front office staff to ask for feedback right before walking out the door. One easy solution is to opt for automated reviews. Patients may use a tablet at your office to rate the service quality. Those rating high scores automatically receive follow-up emails asking them to leave a review on your website.
For those rating your healthcare service poor scores, you may reach out to them for elaboration and for you to resolve the issue. With reviews and feedback from patients, you allow your business to evaluate clearly your performance to see the need for any further improvements.
#7 Traditional Media Options Help
Even with digital advancements, traditional media options are still considered good investments. These include advertising on radio, television, newspaper, and billboard. Make sure, though, to be strategic in choosing this option as it is a major investment.
All these tips considered, it is crucial to keep in mind to have an “always keep learning” mentality. Marketing is ever-evolving. To stay on top of your game, you need to learn how to adapt to changes.
