Healthcare marketing presents unique challenges because the industry is highly regulated and sensitive. With so much healthcare information available, it can be difficult to stand out online because it is constantly changing due to new patient needs, regulations, and technological advancements.
To remain relevant in 2024, it’s critical to keep up with the most healthcare marketing trends. This means adjusting your strategies to better meet the needs of patients and providers.
Doing this also helps you stay competitive and keep a strong online presence, which is crucial for getting and keeping the attention of your target audience.
Healthcare Marketing Trends to Grow Your Medical Practice
In the competitive healthcare world, having a strong marketing plan is vital to stand out. However, promoting health systems comes with special challenges that need a unique strategy. Since healthcare is always changing, it’s important to be adaptable and think ahead.
To help with that, we’ve found 10 important trends for healthcare marketing in 2024. Take a look at these healthcare marketing trends to include them in your plan for long-lasting success:
1. Recruitment Marketing on LinkedIn
Healthcare organizations are using LinkedIn a lot for hiring. They’re putting effort into making their company look good to potential employees. This involves creating appealing job posts and sharing smart content on LinkedIn.
The platform is good for this because it lets companies share detailed and insightful content, like industry updates and expert opinions. This helps companies show off their expertise and connect with other professionals.
Making their LinkedIn pages look professional with good pictures and descriptions helps them reach a lot of healthcare professionals. It’s a smart and cheaper way to find and hire good healthcare workers compared to the old-fashioned methods, and it’s a big trend in healthcare marketing.
2. Healthcare Podcast Appearances
Podcasts are a booming trend in healthcare marketing. With podcasts, you can use audio content to inform, interact, and establish a connection with your audience. They make it possible to have in-depth conversations, speak with experts, and share important healthcare knowledge.
While creating your podcast may seem daunting, being featured on niche healthcare podcasts offers a powerful marketing opportunity. This helps you connect with new audiences, and boost your reputation as a healthcare expert.
3. Social Media Strategy
Building trust with patients and consumers depends on having a strong presence on social media. People check out your social media every day to see what your health system stands for and how others view it.
Having a well-defined direction in your social media marketing strategy is crucial, along with a deep understanding of how to engage in an ethical, HIPAA-compliant two-way conversation with patients.
To make this easier, many healthcare organizations hire outside agencies to manage their social media.
These agencies understand privacy laws well and handle patient questions with care and respect, making sure the online presence stays responsible and follows the rules.
4. Patient-centric Content
Content marketing in healthcare takes various forms, such as targeted blog posts, symptom checkers, or informative resources. Patient-centric content involves addressing specific patient needs, educating them about conditions and treatments, and providing empathetic support.
To understand these questions, analyze data or consider common queries from your contact center. This patient-centric approach, focusing on their needs, concerns, and experiences, is a vital trend in healthcare marketing.
It builds trust and engagement by offering empathetic, educational, and value-driven content. To make this work, figure out different types of patients and tailor your messages to them. Use stories to make medical information more relatable, and use digital channels so more people can access it.
Key reasons why patient-centric content is a top healthcare marketing trend include its impact on improved patient engagement, informed decision-making leading to better health outcomes, and the fostering of enhanced patient loyalty by addressing their needs and concerns.
5. Video Content Marketing
Video marketing is a powerful tool for healthcare organizations to convey complex medical information effectively. It’s a top trend in healthcare marketing for 2024 due to its engaging nature and ability to educate, inform, and build trust with the audience.
Healthcare video content can encompass patient testimonials, educational videos, live streams of medical procedures, and various formats to engage and inform effectively.
Creating healthcare video content involves investing in equipment or hiring professionals, planning a content calendar with diverse topics, and promoting videos on your website, social media, and email campaigns.
The significance of video content in healthcare marketing lies in its ability to simplify complex medical topics for better communication, capture and retain viewer attention for higher engagement, and showcase transparency and trust through patient testimonials and educational content.
6. Using Automated Solutions
Automated solutions significantly simplify healthcare marketing tasks, allowing for increased efficiency. In 2020, a study found that 90% of large healthcare organizations were using these tools, and the number is probably even higher now.
Automation and AI are big trends in healthcare marketing because they simplify tasks, allow personalized communication, and provide insights from data. In healthcare, these technologies help create personalized experiences for patients, optimize how marketing money is spent, and improve patient outcomes.
If you want to use automation in your healthcare marketing, pick a platform that fits your needs. Use AI tools for personalizing communication, and think about using chatbots or virtual assistants to help patients.
The reasons automation stands out as a top healthcare marketing trend include its efficiency, scalability, ability to deliver personalized experiences, and the provision of valuable data insights for informed decision-making.
7. Influencer Marketing
In healthcare, influencer marketing involves teaming up with influential figures like doctors or healthcare advocates to promote products, services, or health causes. These influencers have the trust of their followers, making their endorsements highly valuable.
This trend is crucial in healthcare marketing because it utilizes the trust and credibility of influencers to convey healthcare messages effectively. It extends reach, boosts credibility, and provides authentic endorsements, which is especially important in a field where trust is key.
To engage in influencer marketing, identify healthcare influencers with genuine followers and relevant expertise. Collaborate on content that educates or advocates for health topics and promote it through your marketing channels.
8. Adoption of Telehealth Options
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has become increasingly popular and is expected to continue growing. Telehealth involves using technology to provide remote healthcare services and consultations, offering convenience and accessibility.
To embrace this healthcare marketing trend, assess local telehealth regulations, choose a suitable platform, and train staff on telehealth protocols. Telehealth stands out as a crucial trend for several reasons.
It provides convenient access to healthcare, reducing travel and wait times for patients. It addresses healthcare access disparities, ensuring that even those in remote areas can receive care.
Additionally, telehealth supports ongoing healthcare monitoring and follow-up, contributing to better health outcomes and patient satisfaction.
9. Earn Positive Ratings
Building trust with consumers and patients is crucial for your health system, and positive patient reviews play a key role in achieving this. Not only can great reviews attract new patients, but they also instill confidence in existing ones.
To encourage more positive reviews, reach out to satisfied patients with follow-up communication, asking them to share their experiences on social media or third-party review sites. Remember to express gratitude within HIPAA guidelines when acknowledging their feedback.
10. Consistent and Right Use of SEO and PPC
Every day, people search over 1 billion health-related questions online, seeking information about their conditions, symptoms, and medications. Being visible to these individuals with reliable advice not only attracts new business but also enables timely care for those in need.
While search engines answer informational queries and social media reflects values, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads are crucial when a patient is ready for immediate care. PPC ensures your health system appears in front of qualified consumers, and you only pay when they click on the ad.
Optimizing targeting and ad copy is essential for cost-effective clicks, often requiring expertise that some health systems find in agencies due to the economic challenges of employing in-house PPC specialists.
How to Grow Your Healthcare Organization this 2024?
Healthcare marketing is influenced by technology, changing patient habits, and evolving rules. To navigate this changing landscape, it’s critical to keep learning. Simply knowing this isn’t enough; these trends work best when they’re part of a well-rounded marketing strategy.
Be ready to adjust your marketing plans to match the new trends as they come up. It’s about making your strategies flexible to fit in with what’s happening in the healthcare industry. Following healthcare marketing trends is a powerful way to adapt to the changing landscape.
So if you need help with all your social media strategy needs, contact Medsquared today. Let us guide you through the dynamic world of healthcare marketing, ensuring your organization not only stays relevant but thrives amid change.