The healthcare industry is always changing. And so are the ways that patients find new providers and facilities.
It’s vital that healthcare organizations and medical offices find ways to meet their target patients where they are – online and through search engines.
That’s where a healthcare marketing strategy comes into play.
If you want to reach and engage more patients, you will need to include a variety of tactics in your strategy to ensure that…
…your brand is visible when and where patients are looking for practices like yours.
Below, we’ve put together a list of 7 of the best healthcare marketing strategy ideas that you can start using today for your facility:
7 Best Healthcare Marketing Strategy Ideas
1. Start your PPC medical marketing with paid search ads.
People look for more than just consumer products online.
Often, if they need to find a new healthcare provider or medical facility, they’ll take to the search engines to find a practice near their location.
If you want to bring those potential patients to your facility, you’ll need to increase visibility on the search engines.
One way to get more immediate results on search engines like Google is by including…
…pay-per-click or PPC ads as part of your healthcare marketing strategy.
These ads appear at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) when people type in search terms relevant to your practice.
Unlike SEO, which can take some time to work its magic, PPC medical ads generate instant results.
With many patients looking for healthcare providers close to home, it’s vital that facilities use PPC ads to attract some of this traffic.
One of the benefits of PPC medical marketing is that it allows you to target your ideal patients.
Using sophisticated targeting capabilities, you can reach those who are most likely to be a good fit for your practice.
This helps ensure that the leads you are generating are quality leads, which in turn helps you maximize your return on investment.
Many patients search for medical facilities near their home, work, or current location, and PPC ads can be great to generate more local traffic.
By targeting keywords and phrases that include the city or region that your practice is located in, you can help bring more local patients to your website.
2. Improve your healthcare SEO strategy to increase search rankings.
We mentioned earlier that reaching patients on search engines like Google is vital to any healthcare practice.
But PPC ads aren’t the only way to boost your visibility online.
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps you rank higher on the search engine results page so that…
…our facility is more visible to the patients who need you most.
More and more patients are starting their search for healthcare facilities and medical practices online, making SEO all the more important.
Healthcare SEO involves making changes to your site layout and content to make it more attractive to the search engines.
By optimizing your site for searches that potential patients are performing for healthcare services.
You improve your chances of ranking higher on the search engines.
If you want to rank on the first page of Google, you’ll need to work consistently to improve your SEO.
This requires an in-depth knowledge of both your industry and SEO best practices.
Not only is optimizing your site a time-intensive process.
But it should also be done on an ongoing basis as keywords and best practices will change over time.
Think social media marketing is just for brands that sell consumer products? Think again!
Healthcare providers across the nation are using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach potential customers and…
…engage their current patient population.
Healthcare social media marketing can help healthcare providers improve brand recognition and drive more leads.
By marketing your facility across multiple social media channels.
You can work to get your practice’s name out there in the local community and connect with new potential patients.
Through your profile, the content you post, and the reviews that your patients leave.
New customers can learn a great deal about your facility and the value you provide.
Patients are not only looking for providers on social media channels but also…
…searching for other health-related information and sharing their experiences.
Including social media content in your healthcare marketing strategy can help drive more people back to your website.
Many patients look for healthcare providers on social media channels like Facebook.
When they find your facility on a social platform, they are given an easy path back to your website.
That’s where they will be able to learn more about your services and even make an appointment.
Social media marketing is not only an effective way to acquire new patients but also increases patient retention.
Your patients have many different options when it comes to healthcare providers.
If you want them to return to your facility, you’ve got to find ways to engage them on a regular basis.
Informative and helpful social media content is a great way to keep these patients engaged.
Not to mention, social media channels can be a great customer service channel too.
4. Develop engaging healthcare email marketing to keep your patients up-to-date.
Speaking of engaging patients…email marketing is one of the best ways that you can keep your patients engaged and stay at the top of their minds.
Email is an excellent digital marketing channel for sending informative newsletters, industry news, appointment reminders, and more.
With marketing emails, you can work to build trust with potential patients as well as current customers.
By providing your email subscribers with valuable information about their health and your facility.
You can work to create and foster positive and long-lasting patient relationships.
Newsletters with information that helps patients better understand their health.
Or, stay up-to-date with changes at your facility are a great way to stay top of mind.
Email marketing offers the highest ROI of any digital marketing tactic, making it a great option for practices that want to optimize their budget.
One of the greatest benefits of healthcare email marketing is the ability to send targeted messages that resonate best with different audiences.
By segmenting your email list, you can create separate lists of patients with similar interests or concerns.
This allows you to send more targeted and relevant content to your email subscribers.
The more relevance and value you can provide, the more likely readers will be to come to your facility when they need help.
Emails can also make a positive impact on patient retention and customer service.
You can use emails to remind patients of appointments or send important documents that they need to fill out before their appointment.
This simple convenience can go a long way in keeping your patients happy and thus getting them to come back.
5. Create a healthcare content marketing strategy to inform and engage patients.
It’s no secret that the medical industry can be downright confusing sometimes.
Whether it’s looking for the right type of healthcare facility or getting more information on a complex medical condition.
Many patients need help making the right choices.
That’s where content marketing comes in.
Healthcare content marketing is an essential tactic to include in your healthcare marketing strategy.
It allows your practice to educate potential patients through engaging, relevant, and informational content.
This content can come in the form of a blog on “how to choose the right healthcare provider” or a longer.
More in-depth eBook on a certain condition that your practice specializes in.
No matter what type of content you’re creating, the goal is to provide relevance and value for your leads.
The top 3 content marketing goals for healthcare organizations are brand awareness, engagement, and patient loyalty.
Content marketing is a great tactic to use in combination with search engine optimization.
Your facility can create content that is focused on certain keywords and phrases that your patients are using to find facilities like yours online.
The more great content you have on your website, the more likely your site will be to rank higher on the search engine results page.
Content marketing is also an effective way to establish your practice as a leader in your industry.
By creating content about the latest advances in your field or the most up-to-date information helps…
…demonstrate your practice’s knowledge, training, and expertise.
Not to mention, your content can also help reflect your professionalism and desire to help patients.
Publishing blog posts and other content about topics that are important to your target audience helps guide the lead nurturing process.
If your ultimate goal is to have the person book an appointment online, an informative piece of content that…
…helps them better understand their challenges may be just what they need to finally take action and make an appointment.
6. Use a professional medical website design to make the right first impression.
Almost every aspect of your healthcare marketing strategy leads back to your website. Your website serves as your first impression for new patients.
If you want to make the right first impression, it’s vital that you make sure your site design is easy to navigate.
And, gives visitors the information they need to make a decision about whether or not your facility is right for them.
The goal of your website is to give new and potential patients the information they need and to address their questions before they even enter your office.
You can do this through the well-written and engaging website content that helps the visitor understand the value your facility provides and…
…how they can get started and become a patient.
Make it clear which types of services you provide and who they might be right for.
Website content isn’t the only important element of an effective healthcare website.
The design of your site also plays a vital role in how patients perceive your practice. Your site should be attractive without being too busy.
Everything from the colors and images you use right down to the style of font should give visitors a positive impression about your facility.
Another vital element of healthcare web design is your navigation. If your site is hard to navigate, people will click away very quickly.
Use a simple navigation menu that makes it easy for visitors to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible.
It’s also important for your website to be responsive to all devices.
Individuals will use the most convenient device to search for a medical provider of facility.
That often means that they may be using their smartphone or tablet, especially if they are on-the-go.
If your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices, you may turn potential patients away from your site.
People searching for healthcare providers online will often use a smartphone.
Many medical providers will use professional healthcare web design services to ensure that…
…their site is functional, attractive, and enticing to potential patients.
If you do not have an in-house marketing team, hiring a professional web design team that specializes in healthcare site design can help you…
…save time, money, and hassle.
7. Use a unique branding
All your efforts will go to waste if patients or prospect clients will not remember you.
Your services might be the best in your area or you know for sure that you are better than your competitors, but there’s more to that.
In reality, one white coat looks like the other white coat in a patient’s perspective. You and your competitors look the same to them.
Unless you can come up with unique branding.
What is that one thing that makes you different from your competitors? Is it how you treat your patients? Your office’s ambiance?
How your medical staff interacts with the patients? You need to determine what your brand is all about.
And when you find out what’s unique about your brand, include that in your future marketing materials.
Start Developing a Healthcare Marketing Strategy
Now that you know which tactics will help you reach and engage potential patients, it’s time to develop your healthcare marketing strategy.
Remember, just as the healthcare industry changes over time, so do the best practices and strategies for finding and attracting new patients.
That’s why if you want to grow and maintain a thriving healthcare practice, you’ve got to stay up-to-date with the latest in healthcare marketing.
Don’t have the time to brush up on your marketing knowledge or skills? You’re not alone.
Most healthcare facilities just don’t have the resources or bandwidth to develop and implement a comprehensive healthcare marketing strategy.
That’s why many facilities and offices get help from healthcare marketing experts like LYFE Marketing.
A healthcare marketing agency can help you establish digital marketing goals, design a healthcare marketing strategy.
And, implement the right tactics to help your facility reach more potential patients online while staying within your budget.
For more information about our services, visit our healthcare marketing services page.
Or you can contact us to speak with a team member about our digital marketing options for your facility.