How Healthcare Marketing is Evolving
Providers Competing for Patients are Investing in Strategies, Technology
Billboards and TV ads once were the primary media healthcare providers used to market their services. But billboards aren’t targeted – of the hundreds or thousands of people who pass a billboard in a day, how many are actually in need of specific medical services? (And with more people working from home these days, billboards don’t have the same reach they used to)
TV advertising offers some degree of targeting, but the audience for traditional TV has been shrinking steadily over the past few years. With billboards and television ads losing impact, operators of healthcare practices and boutique hospitals have begun investing in new ways of reaching potential patients.
Digital Marketing Campaigns for Healthcare
Disclaimer: Rules about healthcare privacy and marketing are always evolving, and they may vary from one social media platform to the next. |
Facebook ads, Google Ads, and YouTube ads can be effective ways to reach new patients, although healthcare providers must be mindful of HIPAA regulations when using these tools. For example, healthcare providers cannot target internet users by health conditions, but they can target demographics such as occupation or Facebook interests.
Digital marketing can also help in the retention of existing patients, but providers must have permission from a patient in order to send them marketing messages. A double opt-in process – one in which a patient agrees to receive marketing materials, then confirms that by validating their email address or entering a numeric code received in a text message – is the best way to avoid violating HIPAA marketing rules
Improving the Patient Experience
People who are short on time and digitally savvy are looking for healthcare experiences that are efficient. They prefer options like online appointment scheduling, telehealth appointments, and the ability to complete new patient paperwork online.
To improve the patient experience, healthcare marketers can use technology, such as:
DocMeIn – This free online appointment scheduling software is designed for small and solo health practices. A la carte pricing for add-on services, such as text message reminders, helps providers get the most benefit from this software with minimal costs.
QueueDr – This scheduling software reduces patient wait times by bumping up patient appointments to fill cancellations and no-shows.
Doxy Me – This HIPAA-compliant, secure video conferencing software can be integrated with electronic health records, and patients can pay providers through this platform.
Rethinking Healthcare Websites
A website is the foundation for digital marketing and for the overall patient experience. Visitors want to know what services are offered, but they may also be looking for wellness content, at provider bios, and for content that demonstrates a practice’s provider-patient philosophy.
BoxCrush has built new websites for healthcare providers and launched multifaceted marketing campaigns to generate reviews, improve patient engagement, and drive new patients to conversion goals. Ask us how we can help you attract and retain patients.