If you're a healthcare provider who is struggling to get your practice seen in the digital world, this list of healthcare content marketing ideas is for you.
From finding new ways to market your business, getting patients involved and creating something unique - all these tips will help find success for your healthcare practice online.
What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.
It’s an ongoing process that requires ongoing attention and effort, but it can be extremely effective in building brand awareness and generating leads for your healthcare organization.
And when done well, it can help you establish thought leadership in your industry, which can lead to even more opportunities down the road.
To get started with content marketing, you need to first understand what it is and how it can benefit your healthcare organization.
Keep reading to learn more about content marketing best practices for the healthcare industry.
Why Content Marketing Matters for Healthcare Providers
In a world where patients have access to a wealth of information at their fingertips, it's more important than ever for healthcare providers to create and curate content that is accurate, helpful, and engaging.
Providing relevant content that is full of educational and relevant information is crucial in today's complex healthcare market. As one study found, around 80% of web visitors in the US look up healthcare-related information on the internet.
You must have a positive first impression on these prospective patients during their research and discovery stage or you'll lose a valuable customer.
Here are four reasons why content marketing matters for healthcare providers:
1. Content Helps You Educate Patients and Build Trust
With so much information available online, patients are often looking for guidance on everything from understanding their diagnosis to choosing the right treatment options.
By creating content that is both educational and trustworthy, you can build relationships with patients and help them feel confident in their care.
2. Content Can Drive Patient Engagement and Adherence
Patient engagement is critical to ensuring good outcomes and preventing readmissions.
By creating compelling content, you can encourage patients to stay involved in their care plan and adhere to their treatment program.
3. Content Can Help You Increase Referrals
If your content is truly valuable, patients will be happy to share it with their friends and family members who may also be in need of your services.
Quality content can help you reach new patients and grow your practice.
4. Content Can Support Your Business Goals
Content marketing can help you achieve a variety of business goals, from increasing website traffic to generating leads for your sales team.
By aligning your content strategy with your overall business goals, you can ensure that your investment in content marketing pays off.
Covering the Basics of Healthcare Content Marketing
As a healthcare marketer, you know that content is key to engaging your target audience and driving results.
But where do you start? Next, we'll cover the basics of content marketing, including creating a site, starting a blog, and using social media.
1. Creating a Site
Your site is your online home base and should be the foundation of your content marketing efforts.
Make sure your site is well-designed and informative, with clear calls-to-action that encourage visitors to take the next step in their journey with your brand.
2. Starting a Blog
A blog is a great way to share fresh, relevant content with your audience on a regular basis.
Use your blog to showcase your thought leadership, share industry news and insights, or highlight customer success stories.
3. Using Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool for amplifying your content and engaging with your audience.
Use social media to promote your healthcare blog posts, drive traffic back to your healthcare practice website, or build relationships with potential and current patients.
Building Your Base with Article Marketing
Whether you’re a healthcare marketer, hospital administrator, or doctor, if you want to succeed with content marketing, you need to start with a solid foundation.
That foundation is built on quality articles that provide value to your audience and help you achieve your marketing goals.
To get the most out of your article marketing efforts, follow these best practices:
1. Write for Your Target Audience
When writing articles, always keep your target audience in mind.
What kind of information do they need? What questions do they have? How can you help them?
Answering these questions will make it easier to write articles that resonates with your audience and helps you achieve your marketing goals.
2. Keep it Relevant
Your articles should be relevant to your target audience and your overall marketing strategy.
If an article isn’t relevant, it’s not going to be effective.
Make sure every piece of content you create has a purpose and will help you achieve your desired results.
3. Make it Engaging
If you want people to read your articles, they need to be engaging.
That means writing headlines that grab attention, using strong storytelling techniques, and providing valuable information that keeps readers hooked until the end.
Don’t forget to include calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout so readers know what they should do next.
4. Optimize for Search Engines
If you want people to find your articles, you need to optimize them for search engines.
That means including relevant keywords and phrases, using proper formatting, and making sure your articles are mobile-friendly.
5. Promote Your Articles
Once your articles are published, it’s time to promote them.
Share them on social media, in email newsletters, and on your website.
You can also submit them to article directories or partner with other websites to get your articles in front of a wider audience.
By following these best practices, you can build a solid foundation for your content marketing efforts and set yourself up for success.
Upgrading to Video Marketing
Video marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach and engage your target audience.
In order to upgrade your healthcare content marketing strategy, consider incorporating video into your mix.
Here are some more best practices to keep in mind:
1. Keep It Short and Sweet
People have short attention spans, so make sure your videos are tight and to the point.
2. Hook Them in from the Start
The first few seconds of your video are crucial in grabbing people's attention. Make sure you have a strong opening that will entice viewers to keep watching.
3. Tell a Story
Video is an excellent medium for storytelling. Use it to highlight patient stories, staff experiences, or anything else that will help bring your brand to life.
4. Get Creative
There are endless possibilities when it comes to video production, so don't be afraid to experiment and get creative. Be sure to test different ideas and formats to see what works best for you and your audience.
When to Do Email Marketing
Email marketing is a great way to stay in touch with your current and potential patients.
It can be used to promote new services, events, and content on your website.
But how do you know when email marketing is the right choice?
Here are a few scenarios where email marketing could be a good fit for your healthcare content marketing strategy:
- You want to announce a new service or event.
- You want to promote content on your website (like a blog post or video).
- You want to send a monthly newsletter.
- You want to stay in touch with patients after they’ve been seen in the office.
- You want to cultivate relationships with potential patients.
Email marketing can be an effective tool for promoting your healthcare business. Just be sure to consider your audience and goals before sending out any emails.
How to Maximize Your Healthcare Website to Increase Traffic and Conversions
Assuming you have a website for your healthcare business, there are various ways to maximize its potential to increase traffic and conversions.
To start, make sure your website is mobile-friendly and responsive. This is increasingly important as more and more people use their smartphones and other mobile devices to access the internet.
Next, pay attention to your website design and user experience.
Is it easy to navigate? Does it look professional and trustworthy?
These are important factors that can influence whether someone decides to stay on your site or not.
Last but not least, make sure your website's content is high-quality, relevant, and engaging.
This is what will ultimately convince people to convert, whether that means signing up for your newsletter, downloading a white paper, or becoming a paying customer.
Get Started with Your Healthcare Content Marketing Strategy
Healthcare content marketing can be a great way to connect with potential and current patients, build trust, and drive conversions.
But as with any type of marketing, there are certain best practices that should be followed in order to achieve success.
We hope that our this article has given you a good foundation on which to build your own healthcare content marketing strategy.
Remember to focus on creating high-quality, targeted content that provides value to your audience, and you'll be well on your way to achieving your marketing goals.
Stay up to date with our latest digital marketing tips and feel free to contact us with any questions or for help with your strategy!