Content Marketing
Content marketing has been a common practice for the last few years, and it definitely won’t be slowing down in 2019. In fact, it’s expected to make the biggest impact for most marketing departments this year. That applies to healthcare marketing, too. After all, when you have an audience that is interested in your products or services, you have readers who will visit your website to learn more about what you offer.
More specifically, a recent study found that 65 percent of Internet users claim they had checked online for health-related information within the past year. So if you own a clinic, consider writing articles that feature highly searched terms—like “what are the symptoms…” of various conditions. Make sure you fill those articles with good information and popular keywords so they show up on the search engine results pages. And don’t stick to just posting content on your own website. Look for websites you can post to as a guest, and then share all of your content on various social media networks for more visibility.
For more tips on content marketing, check out: 6 Key Insights to Make Your Content Marketing More Effective (from Research)
Voice Search
If you use any of the hot voice-controlled gadgets—like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or Apple Siri—you’re already familiar with voice search. And that’s helpful, because you’ll be seeing it more in healthcare marketing in 2019. Now that people have discovered that they can search for items without even typing, they’re not going to go back to just using Google on their phone or computer.
Keep in mind that voice search tends to be more conversational and natural in tone. Also note that it’s been predicted that voice search will make up 50 percent of all search by 2020, so this is definitely a growing opportunity you don’t want to miss when it comes to healthcare marketing.
Take a look at more info on voice search for marketing and SEO here: Voice & Visual Search Is Changing How We Approach SEO
Big Data
Big data is, well, big these days. And it definitely has its place in healthcare marketing. Luckily, big data is pretty easy to collect, as you can pull important information from the applications, websites, customer surveys, and social media networks your audience uses. You can then use these stats to figure out how to better reach the members of that audience.
When you track the right analytics, you have a chance to increase customer engagement, retention, and overall marketing performance. So start paying attention to the numbers as you come up with your healthcare marketing strategy for 2019.
AI & Machine Learning
In 2018, 84 percent of marketers were using AI and machine learning, and that trend will continue this year. That’s because now that AI and machines can do so much, it makes sense to rely on them more than ever to improve the customer experience and increase your productivity.
Some examples of using AI and machine learning in the healthcare marketing include the use of chatbots, more personalized marketing, and predictive analysis for better content creation. A few AI tools that marketers already use include Alexa, Salesforce Einstein, AgileOne, and Adobe audience manager.
Chatbots
One type of AI tool in particular that healthcare marketing tends to rely on is the chatbot. When you implement this technology on your website, you save your own staff time because you have a machine interacting with people by providing answers to common questions.
Not only do you benefit from chatbots, but customers do, too. They get instant answers to their questions without having to make an appointment or call during office hours. And as chatbots improve over time, people get increasingly personalized and specific information rather than top level advice.
Social Engagement
If you’re not interacting with customers on social media yet, this is the year to get started. That means getting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube and making regular posts that your audience would be interested in. Share articles that relate to the healthcare field, and offer tips that your audience will appreciate.
In particular, make sure you’re sharing videos as part of your healthcare marketing strategy on social media. Whether you show behind the scenes in the office or have a few experts answering common questions about medical conditions, your audience will enjoy watching and sharing your videos—as long as they’re high quality.
As you create this year’s healthcare marketing strategy, make sure it includes most or all of these trends. And feel free to let me know if you’ve heard about any other healthcare marketing trends that will be big this year!
The original version of this article was first published on The Marketing Scope.