Nobody understands the importance of “staying up to date” more than healthcare professionals. Without modern technology, procedures and drugs, patients wouldn’t be cared for effectively.
And just as medical treatments are continuously evolving, so is healthcare marketing. Patients are changing how they do business with healthcare providers, and having your thumb on the pulse of trends can provide you with a real competitive edge in a crowded market.
Here’s a quick look at some of the healthcare marketing trends you can expect to see in 2019:
1.) Responsive Web Design
A mobile-responsive website is no longer a “nice-to-have” feature. It’s crucial to a practice’s bottom line. Imagine being invited to a coworker’s apartment to watch the Super Bowl only to find he or she has a black and white television. Sounds pretty awful, right? On top of affecting the user experience, a non-responsive site hurts your website’s SEO due to a shift in Google’s algorithm. If you don’t want to lose out on important web traffic and potential leads, investing in a mobile-responsive web design needs to be your number one marketing priority of 2019.
2.) Online Reviews
Positive patient feedback is good for more than just an ego boost! The influence of online reviews has never been clearer. Research shows that 84 percent of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Consider adding messaging to your website, social media, and email marketing content that informs patients how and where to review your practice online. Reputation management software can also be used to monitor online reviews and promote positive experiences through online review platforms.
3.) Blogging
Experts believe there will be a bigger emphasis on blogging in the healthcare industry in 2019. Blogging is an easy way to improve SEO and increase traffic to your website. According to a study by HubSpot, companies that blog receive 55 percent more traffic than companies that don’t, and they have 434 percent more indexed pages compared to those that don’t.
4.) Video Content
Healthcare-related information can be challenging to read. Many practices find that communicating through video helps patients better understand educational and marketing content. And with one billion hours of YouTube being watched every day, uploading informative videos about your doctors and services can be a very effective tool to draw patients to your clinic.
5.) Voice-Activated Searches
By 2021, the number of people using voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, etc.) is estimated to hit almost 2 billion, with voice searches already accounting for 20 percent of searches on Google’s mobile app.
As this number continues to rise, SEO tactics must be updated to stay ahead of the curve. When developing your SEO strategy for 2019, it’s important to consider:
- Keywords and Content
People use different keywords and phrases when they are speaking versus typing. Voice searches are typically more conversational and will incorporate more words. For example, someone browsing on a laptop may type “vascular surgeon Wausau.” However, the same query conducted through Alexa would likely be communicated through a phrase similar to, “Who is the highest-rated vascular surgeon in Wausau?”
And because the popularity of these devices is on the rise, Google is integrating more “natural language” into its algorithm. A great way to address this within a website and/or blog is by developing a list of common questions prospective patients have when calling the office. If possible, document the exact phrases they’re using to gain a better understanding of what to include in content.
- Online Business Listings
Patients often search for clinics, hospitals, dental offices, etc. based on their location. It can be easy to forget to update or claim online business listings, but doing so will increase the likelihood of showing up within a voice search.
If you are looking to get ahead of 2019’s healthcare marketing trends but aren’t sure where to start, Baer Performance Marketing can help! Contact us today.
