The Role of Digital Marketing in Healthcare Industry

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When it comes to marketing, healthcare industry tends to take it slower than the rest of the world. However, while it's tagging behind about 2 to 3 years, the industry is taking advantage of the marketing strategies in full swing. Since digital marketing is conquering the world, leaving all the other approaches behind, the healthcare industry is getting on the bandwagon.

The healthcare industry can't view the digital marketing as optional anymore. It's becoming an integral part of its existence. Hospitals, insurance providers, pharmaceutical companies, and practices need to take advantage of this tool.

It's not surprising that the majority of medical industry workers own smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. They take advantage of browsers to help make diagnoses and identify the right treatment. Meanwhile, patients use the Internet to find and interact with healthcare organizations. That's why digital marketing is vital to the survival of many practices.

According to Think With Google, 84% of patients use both online and offline sources to search for a hospital. At the same time, Google search brings about three times as many visitors to hospital sites as non-search visitors. A whopping 44% of the patients who research hospitals on their mobile devices end up making an appointment. When you look at these figures, the importance of digital marketing in the healthcare industry seems obvious.

1. Outreach

In the modern world, the majority of healthcare service consumers are looking for the medical information online. That's where they become easy targets for healthcare service providers. While several years before these providers were trying to raise brand awareness through TV, radio, and mail, today their job has become much easier.

Search engines, social media, and mobile marketing are taking a stand. They are much more cost-effective than old methods. At the same time, the digital approach is making it easier to find the target audience. In fact, ideal patients are helping the healthcare organization find themselves by searching the web

Since these days before contacting the doctor the vast majority of people turn to the Internet to google the symptoms; SEO marketing solutions for healthcare industry achieve substantial results.

The majority of consumers spend their time using social media. That's why many hospitals and practices are creating social media profiles to reach their target audience and engage them. Some social media platforms, such as Facebook, allow patients to review doctors and hospitals. Such reviews help market the medical services.

2. Personalized Approach

Unlike TV or radio ads, digital marketing allows creating a personalized approach to each patient. Personalization is one of the latest and most effective digital marketing tools which help engage the target audience.

When it comes to medical service providers, they try to reach each patient with the right message. To do it, they take advantage of the consumer information they collected online. The personalized marketing message makes it easier for the patient to find the right services. A patient is more likely to respond to a personalized approach than to a general brand awareness video.

3. Marketing Analysis

By using digital marketing, healthcare organizations have an opportunity to measure the effects of their campaign. They don't have to wonder which approach works and which doesn't. Having sufficient data to make an analysis allows the marketing specialists to make changes in the campaign to improve its efficiency.

The opportunity to analyze the results dramatically reduces the cost of the campaign itself. By improving the marketing efforts, the healthcare organizations are also improving the patient experience.

Final Thoughts

The role of digital marketing in the healthcare industry is huge. It simplifies the marketing efforts, saves money on the campaigns, attracts long term patients, and boosts profits. Even though some healthcare organizations are taking things slow, eventually, digital marketing will make its way to each medical service provider.