According to a recent article in nytLicensing, 70% of health care providers say they have a strong content marketing strategy in place. The same article estimates that health care organizations increased their marketing spend by 4.3% in 2021.
In other words, you definitely need a content marketing strategy because your competitors likely already have one. Marketing is a bit different in the health care industry because you have to comply with HIPAA regulations and other laws, but it’s still a necessary part of running a medical practice.
Below, we’ll share nine health care marketing ideas that can help you generate leads and acquire new patients.
1. Optimize your website for search engines
Assuming you already have a website (which is necessary), you should invest in search engine optimization (SEO) or learn how to do it yourself. SEO can help your site appear in the search results when prospective patients search for a term like “health care services in my area.”
2. Start a blog on your website
No health care marketing strategy is complete without a blog. Blogging is great for SEO because it helps you incorporate search keywords into your website.
Plus, if your readers share your blog posts on social media and link to them in their own blog articles, you can start to establish yourself as a thought leader for health care professionals.
3. Claim your Google My Business profile
Google My Business is the map feature and list of businesses that appears in the Google search results when you search for a local business.
Claiming your Google My Business profile is crucial for local SEO, as it ensures that your business and contact information appears in that map pack when people make local searches.
4. Build a mailing list
Email marketing is an effective health care marketing strategy that helps you connect with prospective patients and retain your current patients.
Building an email list can be tough, but you can encourage people to sign up by offering incentives, like a discount on their first appointment.
5. Utilize social media
Social media is fun for staying in touch with extended family and sharing pictures of your pets, but it can also be a great marketing tool for your health care practice.
With Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, you can promote your blog articles to drive traffic to your website and share helpful information with your followers.
6. Encourage patients to leave reviews
Online reviews can help you establish trust with potential patients. One survey shows that 84% of patients read reviews when choosing a physician, so encourage your patients to leave reviews on Yelp, Google My Business and other review platforms.
7. … and don’t brush off the negative reviews
While negative patient reviews can hurt your ego (and your business if they’re frequent enough), you should address them. Responding to unsatisfied patients shows them that you care about their happiness and health.
As a health care provider, you cannot respond to any review publicly, as this violates HIPAA laws. Don’t even acknowledge that the reviewer is a patient of yours. Instead, reach out privately via email or text, and work with them on rectifying the situation.
8. Create patient testimonial videos
Patient stories are a valuable asset to have on your website. Written testimonials are great for any marketing strategy, but video can be even more powerful. (Just make sure to follow FTC and HIPAA laws when asking for and publishing reviews.)
9. Partner with a digital marketing agency
Many digital marketing agencies specialize in health care marketing. Whether you need help with search engine optimization, video content or any other part of your marketing strategy, there’s an agency out there that provides the services you need.
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Our team has years of experience in helping businesses improve their digital presence to attract new leads and retain existing ones. If you’re looking to perform better in search engine results and attract more visitors to your site, we’re ready to talk to you to see how we can help. Contact our team today for more information about digital marketing or to schedule a complimentary consultation.
