In the digital age, healthcare marketing has evolved significantly, adapting to the changing landscape of communication and technology. Gone are the days of relying solely on traditional advertising methods like billboards and television ads. Today, healthcare providers have embraced the power of the internet and social media platforms to engage with their audience in real-time and personalize their campaigns. Moreover, there has been a fundamental shift in the core philosophy of healthcare marketing, from being product-centric to patient-centric. This patient-centric approach recognises the importance of understanding and addressing the unique needs and concerns of patients.
A robust marketing strategy is now more crucial than ever for healthcare institutions aiming to stand out in a saturated market and communicate their value, expertise, and trustworthiness. Trust, in particular, plays a vital role in building strong patient-provider relationships, and a transparent and consistent marketing strategy can help reinforce that trust. However, marketing in the healthcare sector comes with its own set of challenges, including navigating stringent regulatory frameworks and understanding diverse patient demographics. Join us as we delve deeper into these topics and explore the significance of marketing in the healthcare industry.
1. Introduction - Why You Need a Marketing Strategy
2. How to Create Your Own Healthcare Marketing Strategy
3. Understanding Your Clients as Consumers
4. Marketing Tactics for Healthcare Marketing
Want to skip straight to the important bits? Click here to get our framework for creating a healthcare marketing strategy.
Over the years, healthcare marketing has undergone significant transformations, adapting to the changing landscape of communication and technology. In its early stages, healthcare marketing primarily relied on traditional methods of advertising. Billboards, placed strategically along highways and busy streets, showcased the latest medical advancements or introduced new healthcare facilities to the public. Television ads, with their wide reach, played a pivotal role in informing audiences about new treatments, medical products, or the expertise of specific medical professionals.
However, as the digital age dawned, the strategies employed in healthcare marketing began to shift. The rise of the internet brought about a new era of online advertising. Websites became virtual front doors for hospitals and clinics, offering a platform to provide essential information, share patient testimonials, and even book appointments. The emergence (and dominance) of search engines meant that healthcare providers had to optimise their online presence to ensure they appeared at the top of search results, leading to the adoption of search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques.
Social media platforms further revolutionised the landscape. With platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, healthcare providers found new avenues to engage with their audience. These platforms allowed for real-time interaction, sharing of health tips, patient success stories, and even live Q&A sessions with medical professionals. The ability to target specific demographics through online ads meant that campaigns could be more personalised than ever before.
Parallel to these technological advancements, there was a notable shift in the core philosophy of healthcare marketing. Earlier campaigns were largely product-centric, focusing on promoting a particular service, treatment, or medical equipment. The messaging was straightforward, emphasising the features and benefits of the product or service in question.
However, as the industry evolved, there was a growing realisation of the importance of placing the patient at the center of all marketing efforts. This patient-centric approach emphasised understanding and addressing the unique needs and concerns of patients. Instead of merely showcasing a product or service, healthcare providers began to highlight how they could solve specific problems or improve the quality of life for their patients. This shift recognised that patients were not just passive recipients of care but active participants in their health journey. By understanding their needs, fears, and aspirations, healthcare marketers could craft more resonant and effective campaigns.
In today's competitive landscape, healthcare providers face the challenge of distinguishing themselves in a market brimming with options. A robust marketing strategy is not just a luxury but a necessity for healthcare institutions aiming to carve out a distinct identity in such a saturated environment. It's not merely about promoting services; it's about communicating value, expertise, and most importantly, trustworthiness.
A well-crafted marketing strategy does more than just advertise; it tells a story. It conveys the mission, values, and expertise of a healthcare provider, making it easier for potential patients to understand what sets one provider apart from the rest. Whether it's showcasing state-of-the-art facilities, highlighting the expertise of medical professionals, or sharing success stories of patients, effective marketing paints a comprehensive picture of what a healthcare provider brings to the table.
Trust is the cornerstone of the healthcare industry, and plays a very significant role in how you develop your marketing strategy. Patients entrust healthcare providers with their well-being, often during their most vulnerable moments. As such, the role of marketing extends beyond mere promotion; it plays a pivotal role in building and reinforcing trust. A transparent and consistent marketing strategy can effectively communicate a healthcare provider's commitment to patient care, safety, and excellence.
Patients today are discerning. They're not just seeking medical services; they're in search of reliable and trustworthy healthcare partners. They want to know that they're in capable hands, that their concerns will be heard, and that their health and well-being are the top priorities. Effective marketing strategies emphasise these aspects, showcasing a healthcare provider's dedication to patient care, their track record of success, and their commitment to continuous improvement.
Moreover, in an age where information is readily available, patients often turn to reviews, testimonials, and other forms of social proof to gauge the reliability of a healthcare provider. A proactive marketing approach that highlights positive patient experiences, addresses concerns, and showcases expertise can significantly enhance a provider's reputation, further solidifying the trust factor.
Healthcare, by its very nature, deals with some of the most personal and sensitive information about individuals. From diagnosis to treatment plans, every piece of data holds significant importance, not just medically but also emotionally and ethically. As such, marketing in the healthcare sector requires a heightened sense of responsibility and accuracy. Misinformation or misrepresentation can not only harm the reputation of a healthcare provider but also have serious implications for patients who rely on accurate information to make informed decisions.
The healthcare sector in Australia operates within a stringent regulatory framework, especially when it comes to patient information and advertising practices. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the National Boards have set guidelines that healthcare providers must adhere to when advertising their services. These guidelines are designed to protect the public by ensuring that advertisements are truthful, not misleading, and place the well-being of patients above commercial interests.
Furthermore, the Privacy Act 1988, which includes the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), governs how personal information, including health data, is handled, used, and disclosed. This act ensures that patients' privacy is safeguarded, and their data is not misused or disclosed without proper consent.
For healthcare marketers in Australia, this presents a unique set of challenges. They must craft compelling marketing campaigns that not only resonate with their target audience but also strictly adhere to the regulatory standards set by AHPRA and other governing bodies. This means ensuring that any claims made in advertisements are substantiated, not exaggerating the benefits of services, and always prioritising the best interests of the public.
Any deviation from these guidelines can lead to significant penalties, including fines, legal actions, and damage to the reputation of the healthcare provider. Thus, healthcare marketing in Australia requires a meticulous approach, where compliance with regulations is as crucial as the effectiveness of the campaign itself.
The healthcare needs and preferences of individuals are as diverse as the population itself. Different demographics have distinct healthcare requirements, cultural beliefs, and communication preferences. For instance, the healthcare concerns of a young adult will differ vastly from those of a senior citizen. Similarly, cultural nuances can influence healthcare decisions and preferences. A one-size-fits-all approach to marketing is not just ineffective but can also be perceived as insensitive. Healthcare marketers face the challenge of crafting campaigns that resonate with diverse groups, ensuring that each demographic feels seen, heard, and catered to.
In the intricate landscape of healthcare marketing, a piecemeal approach can be detrimental. A disjointed strategy, where different elements don't align with a central vision or message, can confuse patients and dilute the core message. On the other hand, a well-rounded and comprehensive marketing strategy ensures consistency, clarity, and maximum impact.
A comprehensive strategy encompasses everything from a strong online presence, including a user-friendly website and active social media profiles, to effective patient engagement initiatives. It's about creating a seamless experience for patients, where every touchpoint, be it digital or physical, reinforces the healthcare provider's commitment to excellence and patient care. Such a cohesive approach not only amplifies the effectiveness of marketing efforts but also fosters trust and loyalty among patients.
In conclusion, healthcare marketing is a delicate balance of responsibility, regulatory compliance, understanding diverse needs, and strategic cohesion. With a comprehensive and thoughtful approach, healthcare providers can navigate these challenges effectively, building lasting relationships with their patients and establishing themselves as trusted partners in the healthcare journey.
Now that you know why you need a marketing strategy, let’s discuss how you can actually create one. At Hawk Health Digital, we follow a simple, yet powerful, approach to creating marketing strategies for our clients, but before we get into the step-by-step process, let’s first explore what a strategy is.
Put simply, a marketing strategy is about 3 things:
Too often, marketers and business owners think a strategy is simply about how they’ll promote the business. While this is often an important part of the strategy, it’s not the reason you create one.
All strategies start by defining a problem. This is an important step, as without a problem you will find it hard to set clear, achievable goals. In our experience, healthcare brands and businesses most commonly suffer from these three problems:
Notice something? None of these problems talk about revenue, but solving each of them will, without fail, increase the number of patients you work with and the amount of revenue you generate.
Overcoming these three problems is the fastest way to grow your business, and developing a strategy that simultaneously solves these issues is much simpler than you may think.
In marketing terms, it helps to think about your business in the above terms as each can be overcome with very clear strategies and tactics, which we’ll discuss very shortly.
Once you’ve discovered the problem you want to solve, you then need to attach a goal to it. I won’t dive into goal-setting in too much detail, as there are plenty of resources available to help you with this, but I will say that your goal should follow the SMART framework, and tie back to the major problem you want to overcome.
Next, it’s time to identify the solution you’ll pursue in order to solve the problem. This is what many people refer to as ‘the strategy’, and what you choose will depend on what you determined was your biggest challenge.
For example, if your biggest problem is not enough people know about you, or, put another way you have low brand awareness, then your marketing efforts need to focus on changing this. If you have trouble converting website visitors into leads, your challenge relates to consideration - not enough people are putting you in their top 3 choices for preferred supplier, and your marketing should focus on building more credibility and showcasing your expertise. If you can’t turn your leads into patients (i.e. low appointments) then your marketing needs to concentrate on connecting with the prospects and building more trust.
At Hawk Health Digital, when we develop a strategy for a client we ensure we are solving all three problems simultaneously, and just adjust the emphasis on each one as needed, based on each client’s unique needs.
If you are handling your own marketing it can help to focus on one specific problem at a time.
Finally, you’ll choose the tactics that best implement the strategy - in other words, the marketing activites that will help you solve your awareness, consideration, or decision problem.
Choosing tactics is often the fun part of, and we’ll discuss them in more detail throughout the rest of the blog. To help you identify which tactics solve which problems we’ll add a note to each one.
As a healthcare professional, it can be difficult to think of clients as ‘consumers’, but it’s important to remember that just because they are seeking medical or wellbeing advice doesn’t change how they seek and digest information. More importantly, their decision making process doesn’t change - they look for solutions to their problems, evaluate a variety of providers, and choose the one they feel will best meet their needs.
Before choosing the specific tactics you want to use, understanding your audience is key, and more importantly you need to understand their journey from awareness to post-treatment.
The patient journey often begins with awareness. Whether it's recognising symptoms, understanding a health condition, or simply seeking preventive care, patients primarily turn to online searches, social media, and word of mouth to gather information. You need to ensure a strong online presence to be easily discoverable during this phase.
Once armed with information, patients evaluate their healthcare options. They consider factors such as the reputation of the healthcare provider, patient reviews, proximity to their location, and the range of services offered. Your online reputation, transparency in services, and patient testimonials play a significant role during this phase.
The decision phase is crucial. It's when a patient finally chooses a healthcare provider. Clear communication, transparency in pricing, and the ease of accessing services can greatly influence this decision. You need to ensure that patients have all the necessary information to make an informed choice.
The patient journey doesn't end with treatment. Post-treatment care, follow-up consultations, and open communication channels are vital for patient satisfaction. Tools like patient portals, feedback mechanisms, and regular follow-up calls can ensure patients feel valued and cared for, fostering loyalty.
Now, let’s dive into the marketing tactics that work best for healthcare businesses, and that can help solve all 3 of the main barriers to growth.
Good for: Awareness, Consideration
In today's digital age, content marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for healthcare providers to connect with their audience. By offering valuable, relevant, and consistent content, your healthcare business can not only inform and educate but also establish yourself as an authoritative voice in the industry.
Staying Updated: In the ever-evolving field of medicine, it's imperative to provide content that is both current and accurate. Patients rely on healthcare providers for trustworthy information. By regularly updating blog posts, e-books, and other educational materials with the latest medical research and guidelines, healthcare facilities can ensure that their audience is well-informed, reinforcing their position as reliable sources of medical knowledge.
Engaging Formats: While the accuracy of information is paramount, the way it's presented also matters. Utilising engaging formats like infographics, videos, and interactive quizzes can make the learning process more enjoyable for patients. Such formats not only simplify complex medical concepts but also cater to different learning preferences, ensuring that the content resonates with a wider audience.
Guest Posts: Collaborating with medical professionals or patients can bring diverse perspectives to your content. While medical professionals can offer expert insights, patients can share personal experiences, making the content more relatable. Such collaborations not only enrich the content but also enhance its credibility and reach.
Video Testimonials: There's immense power in visual storytelling. Video testimonials allow potential patients to see real-life recovery stories, capturing the emotions and journey of patients. Such testimonials offer a genuine glimpse into the care and expertise provided by the healthcare clinic, fostering trust and confidence among viewers.
Written Reviews: Encouraging satisfied patients to leave reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp can significantly enhance a healthcare clinic's online reputation. These written testimonials serve as endorsements, assuring potential patients of the quality of care they can expect.
Case Studies: Providing detailed accounts of specific treatments showcases a healthcare clinic's expertise and success rates. Case studies offer a comprehensive look at the patient's journey, from diagnosis to recovery, highlighting the clinic's approach, treatment options, and outcomes.
Important Disclaimer - AHPRA set strict guidelines around how testimonials and case studies can be used, and should you choose to use them you need to ensure you meet them.
Virtual Tours: Offering virtual tours of the healthcare clinic allows potential patients to explore the premises from the comfort of their homes. Such tours give them a sense of the environment, facilities, and the level of care they can expect, making them more comfortable with the idea of seeking treatment there.
Procedure Demonstrations: Educating patients about specific treatments or surgeries through video demonstrations can alleviate fears and uncertainties. By visually walking them through procedures, healthcare providers can demystify complex treatments, ensuring patients are well-informed and at ease.
Q&A Sessions: Hosting live Q&A sessions where medical professionals address patient queries can be immensely beneficial. Such sessions offer patients direct access to experts, allowing them to get answers to their concerns in real-time, further establishing the healthcare clinic's commitment to patient education and care.
Good for: Awareness
In today's interconnected world, social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses across sectors, and healthcare is no exception. With the ability to reach vast audiences in real-time, social media offers healthcare providers a unique opportunity to engage, educate, and build trust with their patients.
Demographic Research: To effectively leverage social media, it's crucial to understand where your target audience spends their time. Different platforms attract different demographics. For instance, while Instagram might be popular among younger audiences, older patients might be more active on Facebook or LinkedIn. Conducting demographic research helps healthcare providers pinpoint which platforms will offer the best engagement opportunities with their target audience.
Platform-Specific Content: Each social media platform has its own style, audience, and content preferences. Tailoring content to fit these nuances can significantly enhance its effectiveness. For example, while Instagram stories might be perfect for quick health tips or behind-the-scenes glimpses, LinkedIn could be better suited for in-depth articles or professional updates. Understanding and adapting to the unique characteristics of each platform ensures that the content resonates with its audience.
Interactive Content: Engaging the audience is key to social media success. Interactive content, such as polls, quizzes, and challenges, not only captures attention but also encourages participation. Such content can foster a sense of community, helping patients understand you and making them feel more connected to you.
Health Tips: Offering daily or weekly health tips, facts, or myth-busting posts can position you as a trusted source of information. Such content not only educates but also offers value, increasing the likelihood of it being shared and expanding your reach.
Behind-the-Scenes: Healthcare, while crucial, can often seem impersonal. By showcasing the human side of healthcare – introducing staff members, sharing day-in-the-life posts, or giving behind-the-scenes tours – you can humanise your brand, making it more relatable and approachable for patients.
Good for: Awareness, Consideration
In the digital age, where most patients begin their healthcare journey with an online search, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has become a critical component of a healthcare provider's digital strategy. SEO ensures that when potential patients search for healthcare services, your clinic appears prominently in the search results, driving organic traffic and increasing visibility.
Google My Business: One of the cornerstones of local SEO is maintaining an updated Google My Business profile. This profile displays crucial information like operating hours, services offered, contact details, and even patient reviews. An accurate and comprehensive profile not only enhances visibility in local search results but also provides potential patients with all the information they need at a glance.
Local Keywords: To rank prominently in local search results, it's essential to incorporate location-specific terms in your website content. For instance, terms like "[city] healthcare clinic" or "[neighborhood] dental services" can significantly improve your visibility among local searchers. These keywords signal to search engines that your clinic is relevant to local users, boosting your ranking in local search results.
Local Backlinks: Collaborating with local businesses, blogs, or community websites can be a valuable strategy for local SEO. By securing backlinks from these local entities, you not only drive relevant traffic to your website but also strengthen your association with the local community in the eyes of search engines.
Using Tools: Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush offer invaluable insights into what potential patients are searching for. By leveraging these tools,you can identify high-volume search terms relevant to your services, ensuring your content aligns with patient queries.
Long-Tail Keywords: While generic terms like "dentist" or "physician" might have high search volumes, they are also highly competitive. Targeting specific, long-tail keywords like "pediatrician near me" or "best orthopedic surgeon in [city]" can yield better results. These specific queries often indicate a higher intent to seek services, making them valuable targets for SEO.
Regularly Updating Content: The healthcare field is ever-evolving, and so are patient queries. Regularly updating website content ensures that it remains relevant to current search trends, patient concerns, and medical advancements. Fresh, updated content is also favored by search engines, improving your chances of ranking higher in search results.
Responsive Design: With a significant number of users accessing websites via mobile devices, having a responsive design is no longer optional. A responsive website adapts to various screen sizes, ensuring a seamless experience whether a user is on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
Page Load Speed: Mobile users, in particular, are often on the go, making page load speed a critical factor. Slow-loading pages can deter potential patients, leading to higher bounce rates. Ensuring quick loading times, especially for mobile users, enhances user experience and can positively impact SEO rankings.
Easy Navigation: On smaller screens, navigation needs to be intuitive. Simplified menus, clear call-to-action buttons, and easily accessible contact information ensure that mobile users can find what they're looking for without hassle.
Good for: Awareness, Consideration, Decision
In the competitive landscape of healthcare, standing out is essential. Paid advertising strategies offer healthcare providers a way to gain immediate visibility, target specific demographics, and engage potential patients effectively. These strategies, when executed well, can drive traffic, increase patient acquisition, and enhance brand awareness.
Targeted Ads: In PPC (aka Google Ads) campaigns, specificity is key. Creating ads tailored to certain treatments, services, or conditions ensures that they appear to users with the highest likelihood of conversion. For instance, an ad specifically for "pediatric dental care" will attract parents looking for dental services for their children, ensuring relevance and increasing the chances of a click-through.
Budgeting: Effective PPC campaigns require careful budget management. By setting a budget and continuously monitoring campaign performance, healthcare providers can ensure they're getting the best return on investment. Adjusting budgets based on which ads or keywords are performing best allows for optimisation and better resource allocation.
A/B Testing: The success of a PPC ad often lies in its details. By trying out different ad copies, designs, or call-to-action buttons, healthcare providers can determine what resonates best with their target audience. A/B testing provides insights into preferences and behaviors, ensuring that ads are as effective as possible.
Facebook and Instagram Ads: Facebook and Instagram offer detailed demographic targeting options, allowing healthcare providers to reach specific age groups, locations, interests, or behaviors. For instance, a maternity care clinic can target women in a certain age bracket, in a specific city, ensuring that their ads are seen by potential patients.
Retargeting Campaigns: Not all users who visit a healthcare website will take immediate action. Retargeting campaigns display ads to these users as they browse other sites or social media platforms, reminding them of the services they viewed and encouraging them to return and convert.
Engaging Ad Content: The content of the ad plays a significant role in attracting clicks. Using engaging formats like videos, patient testimonials, or special offers can capture attention and drive action. An ad showcasing real patient recovery stories, for instance, can resonate deeply with viewers, fostering trust and interest.
Good for: Consideration, Decision
In the realm of digital marketing, email remains one of the most effective channels for building and maintaining patient relationships. For healthcare providers, email marketing offers a direct line of communication to patients, allowing for personalised interactions, timely updates, and consistent engagement.
Opt-in Forms: One of the first steps in email marketing is building a list of interested recipients. Using opt-in forms on your website or during patient registration ensures that you're reaching out to individuals who have expressed interest in receiving communications from your healthcare clinic.
Patient Categories: Segmenting your email list based on patient categories, such as new patients, long-term patients, or those requiring specific treatments, allows for more tailored communications. This ensures that patients receive relevant information, enhancing engagement and reducing unsubscribe rates.
Regular Updates: Keeping your email list updated is crucial. Removing inactive users, updating patient details, and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations ensures the effectiveness and legality of your email campaigns.
Educational Content: Offering educational content, such as health tips, preventive care information, or updates on medical advancements, positions you as a trusted source of knowledge. Such content not only informs but also reinforces the value of staying connected with your clinic.
Personalised Recommendations: Using patient data (while ensuring privacy compliance) to send personalised health recommendations or check-up reminders can significantly enhance patient engagement. Such personal touches make patients feel valued and cared for.
Newsletters: Regular newsletters updating patients about your clinic, staff achievements, new services, or community involvement can foster a sense of community and keep patients engaged with your brand.
Open and Click-through Rates: Monitoring metrics like open rates and click-through rates provides insights into how your emails are performing. Low open rates might indicate issues with your subject lines, while low click-through rates could point to content relevance issues.
Feedback Surveys: Including feedback surveys in your emails can offer direct insights from patients about what they value in your communications and areas of improvement.
A/B Testing: Experimenting with different email formats, content types, or sending times using A/B testing can help identify what resonates best with your audience. This iterative approach ensures continuous improvement in your email marketing efforts.
In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, few industries experience as much rapid change as healthcare. The combination of medical advancements, regulatory shifts, and evolving patient behaviours makes healthcare marketing a particularly dynamic field. This dynamism underscores the importance of agility, foresight, and a commitment to continuous learning.
Healthcare marketing isn't just about promoting services or facilities; it's about communicating trust, expertise, and care in an environment that's deeply personal and often fraught with emotion. As new treatments emerge, regulations change, and patient preferences evolve, healthcare providers must ensure their marketing strategies remain relevant, accurate, and empathetic.
Moreover, the rise of digital platforms has revolutionised how patients seek and consume medical information. From online reviews to telehealth consultations, the digital age has introduced a plethora of channels and touchpoints that healthcare marketers must navigate. This digital transformation demands not only technical proficiency but also an understanding of the nuanced ways patients engage with online health content.
Furthermore, global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the need for adaptability. Such events can dramatically shift patient concerns, behaviors, and expectations, requiring healthcare marketers to pivot their strategies swiftly and effectively.
In this ever-evolving landscape, continuous learning becomes paramount. Healthcare marketers must stay abreast of the latest medical research, digital trends, and patient insights. Regular training, industry seminars, and collaboration with medical professionals can provide the knowledge and insights needed to craft informed and impactful marketing campaigns.
In essence, the dynamic nature of healthcare marketing emphasises the need for a proactive and adaptable approach. It's not just about keeping pace with change but anticipating it, understanding its implications, and harnessing it to foster genuine connections with patients. In a field as vital and personal as healthcare, the ability to communicate effectively, empathetically, and accurately can make all the difference in patient care and trust.