Healthcare marketing is an increasingly competitive field, and it is dominated by players who have the foresight to plan ahead and predict changes. Like every business sector, the consumers’ primary attention has shifted to digital.
Analyzing trends allows you to acquire insights that will help you create an ideal plan for long-term success. If you want to achieve success in healthcare marketing in 2017, you need to jump on this year’s trends before your competitors do.
Healthcare Marketing Trends to Look Out For In 2017
How do you go about doing this? Well, first, you need to take note of these trends and prepare for them. It’s not necessary to adopt them all in your marketing strategy, but it’s important to be aware of these trends if you want to continue to thrive in the healthcare marketing field.
1. Informed consumers make informed decisions.
With the growth of the Internet, the way consumers think and buy has changed drastically. They no longer blindly follow the advice their healthcare providers have to offer. Instead, they make informed decisions based on research they’ve done themselves. Research shows that one in three adults in the United States have used the Internet to learn about a medical condition. In 2016, 72 per cent of Internet users have search online for health related information. Healthcare marketers must keep this in mind if they want to attract their target audience.
2. A patient’s time is just as valuable as a doctor’s.
In a patient-centric world, convenience is key. Today’s patient wants convenient service and swift appointment times. They expect and require a retail-consumer experience, which means that by providing convenience, those working in the healthcare industry can successfully market, advertise and provide the ideal and efficient service that consumers want. This change has led to a new consumer reality, and healthcare marketers need to realize that.
3. Telemedicine is more relevant than ever.
Medical technology advancements have now made it possible for patients to receive care in the comfort of their own homes. Telemedicine is a rapidly growing area within the healthcare industry, and companies should try to monetize it. An increasing number of patients are open to virtual doctor visits, DIY diagnostic tests, and self-monitoring of vital signs using wearable devices. Convenient and efficient connectivity will help physician-patient relationships grow while improving profitability and efficiency of service providers.
4. Responsive websites attract users.
We’re sure you know this by now—mobile has become an integral part of the digital marketing landscape. A large number of patients research not only medical conditions but also healthcare options on their mobile phones. You may have a great website, but if it’s not compatible for mobile use, you’re going to miss out on a lot of potential business.
A poorly designed mobile website will result in an unsatisfactory user experience. As a result, you website will be ranked lower in Google’s search results than the responsive mobile websites of your competitors.
As mentioned before, the Internet is one of the primary sources of medical information for consumers. Ranking low is search results could negatively affect your business. So make it a priority to design a responsive mobile website that doesn’t take a long time to load.
5. Smarter content wins patients.
Today’s informed consumers pay attention to content that is authoritative, interesting and shareable. To successfully boost your consumer base, you need to create smarter content for your target audience. Compelling blog posts and authoritative information about the healthcare market are great ways to go about capturing the attention of your audience. Ensure that the information is reliable—you need to earn the consumer’s respect and build trust.