To really understand the importance of healthcare marketing, one only needs to take a closer look at the words of the Hippocratic oath: “I will remember that there is an art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drugs.”

Good content, whatever your industry, is similar to good medicine then — in that it comes down to results and trust. However, the increase in our use of digital technology has meant that these days the way we think about healthcare has become a bit complicated.

In the past, our first port of call when we felt ill was probably our family doctor — nowadays it is more likely to be Google. In fact, an estimated 7% of Google searches on a daily basis are healthcare-related — which translates to around 1 billion health questions a day, or 70,000 a minute!

But are the answers available based on fact or not? Unfortunately, not all responses are fact — with some even being contradictory, incorrect or just promotional. We are currently in the middle of a global pandemic, COVID-19, meaning that more people are going to be looking online for answers to the health-related questions they have — but how do they know who to trust for the answers?

Here’s what you need to know to ensure your healthcare marketing campaign is a success:

One: Timely stories are best — as long as they are done right

As we have mentioned above, the world is currently experiencing a pandemic — which is impacting everyone and everything.  The graph below shows the sudden increase in searches relating to COVID-19 since it was announced back in March:

It should come as no surprise then, that as the number of searches started to spike, the number of articles, social posts and videos also spiked as well! For companies in the healthcare industry, it was vital that they mentioned this outbreak — they had an obligation to share their knowledge with the public after all. However, some other companies saw it as an opportunity to jump on the trending topic — and did not always give the best advice.

Those companies who handled it most successfully were those healthcare companies that put their own unique spin on everything that was happening — and based it on actual scientific evidence. Reporting on the research and innovations which are happening within your own healthcare company is an excellent example of this.

Key takeaway: Use trending topics, such as COVID-19, as a conversation starter to provide the public with data and insights that they cannot get anywhere else.

Two: There is no need to reinvent the wheel

The majority of healthcare marketing tends to be about twenty years behind other industries, as there are a lot of rules and regulations around how healthcare companies can speak to their customers. However, content is a great way for companies to reach new customers and patients, and to build trust.

Many healthcare companies have invested heavily in TV advertising in the past, as it was seen to be the most visible way to connect with customers — but actually TV viewing figures are dropping rapidly these days. Digital content is the way forward if you want to educate your customers about your products and services — while staying well within the relevant rules and regulations.

Take a look at the financial industry, for example, they are bound by as many rules and regulations as healthcare providers, yet they still manage to produce sophisticated content marketing programmes that not only boost their bottom line but also build trust. There is no reason why healthcare companies can not do the same.  The content experts here at Zool, for example, can help you to craft high-impact stories that are not only engaging but effective too — and we will work closely with you to ensure you are fact-checking what we say every step of the way.

Key Takeaway: Content marketers and healthcare professionals should work closely together to produce content which Google trusts and which customers find valuable.

Three: Healthtech Companies are leading the way

Science is complex. We understand that. Which is why many healthcare companies have struggled in the past to communicate their products and services to their customers. There is a lot of research out there which shows that many adults find health information difficult to understand.

However, our new digital-focused world has led to an increase in digital-first healthcare brands, mainly in the fields of health tech and telemedicine — and they use content to help them to create a competitive advantage.

These new companies are thinking more like technology companies, than healthcare companies. This is helping them to educate the public and increase their brand credibility.

One of the key ways they are doing this is through their website design and structure, with the introduction of content hubs and visual content, such as videos and infographics — which also help to improve site dwell time and reduce bounce rates.

Key Takeaway: Explain a complex topic using simple execution.

Four: A focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) can help

Many people have a negative impression of healthcare companies, seeing them as cashing in on patient’s misfortune, but focusing your content on corporate social responsibility can be a great tactic to win customers. Many healthcare companies are doing amazing research and development on products that are having a positive impact on communities — so why not shout about it?

If your content is too promotional, people will be turned off. They want to read and see something of value or you will lose them. There is so much negativity in the news at the moment, people crave a bit of good news — so why not tell them an uplifting healthcare-related story?

Our client, BBI, is a great example of this. On their website, there is a dedicated section devoted to Real World Evidence — which not only details the work they are doing in the community but also how they are helping to tackle pressure ulcer prevention in the acute care sector as well.

Key Takeaway: If your company is saving lives — shout about it — in a positive way!

Here at Zool, we are specialists in healthcare marketing — and can help you with every aspect of your marketing strategy — from branding to website design and even social media promotion. Get in touch with us today, on 01625 238 770 or email us at [email protected] — we would love to hear from you.

The Healthcare Marketing Trends That Are Disrupting the Industry

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To really understand the importance of healthcare marketing, one only needs to take a closer look at the words of the Hippocratic oath: “I will remember that there is an art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drugs.”

Good content, whatever your industry, is similar to good medicine then — in that it comes down to results and trust. However, the increase in our use of digital technology has meant that these days the way we think about healthcare has become a bit complicated.

In the past, our first port of call when we felt ill was probably our family doctor — nowadays it is more likely to be Google. In fact, an estimated 7% of Google searches on a daily basis are healthcare-related — which translates to around 1 billion health questions a day, or 70,000 a minute!

But are the answers available based on fact or not? Unfortunately, not all responses are fact — with some even being contradictory, incorrect or just promotional. We are currently in the middle of a global pandemic, COVID-19, meaning that more people are going to be looking online for answers to the health-related questions they have — but how do they know who to trust for the answers?

Here’s what you need to know to ensure your healthcare marketing campaign is a success:

One: Timely stories are best — as long as they are done right

As we have mentioned above, the world is currently experiencing a pandemic — which is impacting everyone and everything.  The graph below shows the sudden increase in searches relating to COVID-19 since it was announced back in March:

It should come as no surprise then, that as the number of searches started to spike, the number of articles, social posts and videos also spiked as well! For companies in the healthcare industry, it was vital that they mentioned this outbreak — they had an obligation to share their knowledge with the public after all. However, some other companies saw it as an opportunity to jump on the trending topic — and did not always give the best advice.

Those companies who handled it most successfully were those healthcare companies that put their own unique spin on everything that was happening — and based it on actual scientific evidence. Reporting on the research and innovations which are happening within your own healthcare company is an excellent example of this.

Key takeaway: Use trending topics, such as COVID-19, as a conversation starter to provide the public with data and insights that they cannot get anywhere else.

Two: There is no need to reinvent the wheel

The majority of healthcare marketing tends to be about twenty years behind other industries, as there are a lot of rules and regulations around how healthcare companies can speak to their customers. However, content is a great way for companies to reach new customers and patients, and to build trust.

Many healthcare companies have invested heavily in TV advertising in the past, as it was seen to be the most visible way to connect with customers — but actually TV viewing figures are dropping rapidly these days. Digital content is the way forward if you want to educate your customers about your products and services — while staying well within the relevant rules and regulations.

Take a look at the financial industry, for example, they are bound by as many rules and regulations as healthcare providers, yet they still manage to produce sophisticated content marketing programmes that not only boost their bottom line but also build trust. There is no reason why healthcare companies can not do the same.  The content experts here at Zool, for example, can help you to craft high-impact stories that are not only engaging but effective too — and we will work closely with you to ensure you are fact-checking what we say every step of the way.

Key Takeaway: Content marketers and healthcare professionals should work closely together to produce content which Google trusts and which customers find valuable.

Three: Healthtech Companies are leading the way

Science is complex. We understand that. Which is why many healthcare companies have struggled in the past to communicate their products and services to their customers. There is a lot of research out there which shows that many adults find health information difficult to understand.

However, our new digital-focused world has led to an increase in digital-first healthcare brands, mainly in the fields of health tech and telemedicine — and they use content to help them to create a competitive advantage.

These new companies are thinking more like technology companies, than healthcare companies. This is helping them to educate the public and increase their brand credibility.

One of the key ways they are doing this is through their website design and structure, with the introduction of content hubs and visual content, such as videos and infographics — which also help to improve site dwell time and reduce bounce rates.

Key Takeaway: Explain a complex topic using simple execution.

Four: A focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) can help

Many people have a negative impression of healthcare companies, seeing them as cashing in on patient’s misfortune, but focusing your content on corporate social responsibility can be a great tactic to win customers. Many healthcare companies are doing amazing research and development on products that are having a positive impact on communities — so why not shout about it?

If your content is too promotional, people will be turned off. They want to read and see something of value or you will lose them. There is so much negativity in the news at the moment, people crave a bit of good news — so why not tell them an uplifting healthcare-related story?

Our client, BBI, is a great example of this. On their website, there is a dedicated section devoted to Real World Evidence — which not only details the work they are doing in the community but also how they are helping to tackle pressure ulcer prevention in the acute care sector as well.

Key Takeaway: If your company is saving lives — shout about it — in a positive way!

Here at Zool, we are specialists in healthcare marketing — and can help you with every aspect of your marketing strategy — from branding to website design and even social media promotion. Get in touch with us today, on 01625 238 770 or email us at [email protected] — we would love to hear from you.