People often refer to the current times as “the digital age.” It seems like every facet of our lives involves technology in some way or another, whether that be receiving automated customer service online or earning an education without ever needing to commute to a classroom. When it comes to healthcare marketing, it’s important to use digital capabilities to your advantage.
When you think about healthcare in the digital age, you’re probably thinking of telehealth, online scheduling and automated paperwork. But it can also be used to help you with patient acquisition as well as retention. Digital healthcare marketing can bring leads to your door while improving loyalty for your existing patients.
We’ll talk about how digital healthcare marketing is different from other types. Then we’ll discuss the benefits that it can bring to your practice and how to strategize for the best results.
Is digital marketing the same as social media or email marketing? (Spoiler: No, it’s not)
Let’s start off with a definition. Digital marketing refers to using digital channels and technology to promote your brand and services to current and potential patients.
When you think of the word “digital,” you probably think of everything that has to do with being online. But when it comes to marketing, it’s all about the specifics. It’s important to note the difference between digital marketing and other types of marketing that also utilize the power of the internet, such as social media marketing and email marketing
While social media and email marketing both use online avenues for personalized content, digital marketing takes that a step further. Digital marketing stands out from similar options because it encompasses them all, and more.
Digital marketing doesn’t focus on one avenue of marketing, but every potential digital avenue that your patients use on a daily basis:
- Search engines.
- Mobile applications.
- Email.
- Social media.
Why you should utilize digital healthcare marketing
The most effective way to grow your patient acquisition and retention is to make sure that you’re keeping up with the times. If you’ve been in the healthcare industry for a while, you may be partial to word-of-mouth or print marketing. Plus, technology can be confusing and intimidating at times.
But by taking the time and effort to effectively utilize digital healthcare marketing strategies, you can gain benefits including:
- Increased brand awareness and visibility.
- Cost-effectiveness.
- Targeted advertising for your patient demographics.
- Increased website traffic.
- Boosted conversion rates.
Digital healthcare marketing that can boost your patient growth and retention
There are many different ways that you can approach digital healthcare marketing, but they all can bring a positive impact to your metrics if done correctly. Your digital marketing should boost the number of patients who come to your door and increase revenue, both through acquisition and retention.
Here are a few digital healthcare marketing strategies that are worth putting into practice:
- Local search engine optimization — We’re all guilty of putting our ailments into Google, like “Why does my back hurt?” It’s questions like these that make search engine optimization, or SEO, such an effective digital healthcare marketing strategy. Local SEO increases the number of visitors to your site by boosting your visibility for people in your community who are seeking help.
- Improve website interface — If a website isn’t easy to navigate, the person will quickly click off and find a site that’s more user friendly. Your healthcare website should be optimized to be a patient-first experience. This means ensuring that your site is quick and mobile friendly. It also means providing content and resources that help build trust in your expertise.
- Video content — It’s no secret that video content is one of the most essential parts of social media. When it comes to marketing, you can use videos for both social media and informative content on your website. It also allows you to be creative and engaging with your audience. By putting a face to the name of your brand, you build trust and credibility.
Want to attract new visitors to your website using a digital healthcare marketing agency? BURG+CO. can help
Increasing traffic to your website plays a role in increasing conversions and leading to new clients. However, it’s difficult to attract visitors to your site when you don’t know what to do. Fortunately, this is what we specialize in at BURG+CO.
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.