While you finished reading this post, Google would have processed about 350,000 or more health-related search queries worldwide. Google Health Vice President David Feinberg, MD, confirmed in 2019 that 7 percent of daily searches on Google were health-related. One can only expect the numbers to increase post-pandemic.
Right now, your potential customers are out there typing questions into search engines. You could only wish there was a way to connect with them and drive conversions.
That’s precisely what inbound marketing is all about.
Inbound marketing involves strategic planning from businesses to connect with their target audience at different stages of the buying cycle. Usually, inbound marketing strategies revolve around creative content in the form of blog posts, educational videos, e-books, use of social media, etc.
Marketing in Healthcare Industry
Inbound marketing strategies are revolutionizing the healthcare industry by cutting digital marketing expenditures on costly paid ads and driving more organic traffic. Plus, it eliminates the need to invest in building design-heavy websites.
Inbound marketing is bringing online patients closer to doctors through the planned implementation of –
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on various website content
- Conversational marketing through 24/7 live chat support
- Capturing leads through free assessment forms or surveys and
- Building personal connections with the audience on social media
The latest addition to the list is using Artificial Intelligence (AI) with traditional marketing in the healthcare industry.
Healthcare Marketing Strategy
Producing and marketing honest content wins in the healthcare industry. While any type of content under inbound marketing increases brand awareness, only honest content that clearly addresses users’ problems, lists approximate treatment costs, manages reviews, and compares various healthcare services can keep the audience engaged.
For example, you cannot expect a blog post to perform well if all your CTAs are pointing out to fill out a form or promote a service. In this information age, prospects are attracted to meaningful information and will come to you automatically if the marked path is straightforward.
Healthcare marketers devise inbound marketing strategies in a way that informs people about their products/services and offers relevant answers to their questions. If you fail to do this, visitors will simply bounce off your site, signaling poor credibility for your brand.
Popular Inbound Marketing Strategies
Inbound marketing is not about promoting your brand but being there for prospects looking for niche solutions.
Let’s explore some of the popular healthcare marketing strategies in detail.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on various website content
SEO is the primary tool for implementing a successful inbound marketing strategy. Healthcare marketers can use targeted phrases or keywords to rank their content high on search engine results pages (SERPs).
In addition to text-based content, video marketing is a huge success. You can create SEO-ready videos such that search engines display a particular section of a video relevant to one’s search query.
Further, marketers can target audiences in specific geography using local SEO and focused keywords based on search volumes. Optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) page is crucial for local SEO. Adding booking functionality to your GMB profile can be a great addition.
- Conversational marketing through 24/7 live chat support
Prospects in the healthcare industry are unique. In this sector, brands cannot market their products/services for conspicuous consumption but only as a necessity. Driving real-time conversions can help prospects attract to your brand online.
Websites can integrate live chat solutions that allow prospects to interact with chat agents or even talk to doctors in real time. AI-based chatbots can automate appointment bookings and clarify the most commonly asked queries.
You can increase conversions by prompting users to review and rate your products/services. According to this study, 48% of consumers are willing to spend on top-rated services outside their insurance cover.
- Building personal connections with the audience on social media
An active social media presence serves the same purpose as a well-written blog post on your website. You can create a trusted audience base and post regular content serving their needs.
Brands need to humanize on social media for wider reach. Fear-based content does not work anymore. Today, people are spoiled with choices of quality healthcare options. So, instead of “5 reasons that sleep deprivation may be harmful!” offer a checklist to help people know when they should seek expert advice.
Frankly, an inbound marketing strategy does not yield good results when it is the only marketing strategy you employ. Common outbound strategies like paid search ads and email marketing can promote your content, build connections, and prompt users to connect with your brand better.
For instance, paid ads on social media can be an instant success if users are prompted to connect with the business in real time through live chat integrations.
Healthcare Marketing Agencies
Embracing inbound marketing demands additional budget and personnel while maintaining your traditional healthcare marketing strategy.
Plan on developing an in-house team of content experts for shaping and organizing a 360-degree inbound marketing strategy, including data collection from subject matter experts, content creation, video production, email marketing campaigns, etc. You will need a b2b inbound marketing specialist to execute the plans.
The best way to execute result-oriented inbound strategies is to partner with a reliable marketing agency. But first, you must ask the following questions:
- Do you face difficulty reaching the right audience at the right time and place?
- Do you struggle to keep pace with the evolving industry, customer behavior, and expectations?
- Are you looking for a partner experienced with complex healthcare challenges like HIPAA, MRM, and more?
If all your answers are a ‘YES,’ you need to partner with a reliable marketing agency.
You can opt for healthcare marketing agencies like The Smarketers, who can teach you and execute inbound marketing strategies to boost your online presence.
