Keep Marketing Focused on the Patient for High Conversions

People use the web to find solutions for their health issues. They turn to search engines such as Google and Bing for expert answers. Healthcare providers and professionals can attract them by using patient-focused marketing campaigns.

Let us focus on how to create patient-centered marketing to drive conversions:

• Understand how patients look for information.
• Produce valuable, easy-to-understand content.
• Consider mobile friendliness.
• Protect patient information.
• Include social proof.

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Understand How Patients Look for Information

Most patients depend on search engines such as Google and Bing for answers. They use keywords or search terms to get answers and select the first few results. Some of the most popular sites are WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, and Healthline. Note that people consider the first organic result in a search engine to be the most reliable source of information.

Healthcare providers and professionals need to understand what type of content their audience prefers. Some patients choose short video presentations over long research papers. They might want to hear from experts through podcasts or want a concise newsletter delivered to their email inboxes. To understand how patients search for information and what they want, apply the following: 

• Conduct keyword research to find out the keywords or key phrases that patients use.
• Investigate what keywords that competitors are using to rank on search engines.
• Consider local search terms such as the name of the city or the words “near me.”
• Identify the search engines or social media platforms that they prefer to use to find information.
• Note the use of voice search, as searchers use conversation-like terms to find information.

Gather information from patients or visitors by using surveys and questionnaires as well. Use these to produce patient-centered content and optimize healthcare websites, blogs, and social media pages.

Produce Valuable, Easy-to-Understand Content

People looking for health or medical information readily need facts delivered. Someone looking for information about migraines might read a guide with bulleted lists. A person who wants to learn about CPR might appreciate a video rather than an article.

Patients also want valuable content, not a rehashed guide. They want a migraine headache guide with the latest treatments, statistics, and studies. They need a CPR video that shows how to perform CPR on an adult and a child. Additionally, valuable content improves the user experience (UX), which is one of the most important Google ranking factors.

The best content marketing prep guides include the following: 

• Keep the content concise and straightforward. Avoid medical jargon and provide explanations using charts, graphs, and statistics.
• Present visual alternatives. Use infographics to summarize a long guide or post. Offer a video lesson instead of downloading an eBook.
• Create content using lists and bulleted points. Use headings to develop a clear structure.

Once the content is ready, share it on significant platforms such as social media, medical journals, blogs, and the business website.

Consider Mobile Friendliness

Almost everyone has a mobile phone with access to the internet. This allows anyone to look up medical information, no matter where they are. People enjoy instant access to expert information and easy steps to book an appointment or purchase the health products that they need.

Thus, patient-focused healthcare marketing requires websites and the content to be accessible via mobile devices. Patients must be able to read the information that they need on any mobile device. They must also have the ability to opt into studies, sign up for newsletters, and quickly order products.

Mobile friendliness and accessibility enhance the UX, which is a strong ranking factor. These strategies can help:

• Use a responsive site layout so that users can see and use website navigation and content no matter the device.
• Improve website speed by optimizing images, limiting HTTP requests, using browser caching, and removing unnecessary JavaScript.
• Add pop-ups only when necessary.
• Prefer large, easy-to-read fonts such as Adobe Garamond, Open Sans, Roboto, and Georgia.
• Make call to action (CTA) buttons easy to click. These must be within the content's top, middle, and end parts.
• Keep navigation simple. Adopt a billboard pattern to prioritize important tasks that patients must complete on the page. As much as possible, underline or highlight links.

A mobile-friendly website reaches more patients and helps them make better health choices at any time from anywhere.

Protect Patient Information

Healthcare companies and providers gather and use their patients' protected health information (PHI), so compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is vital. HIPAA regulates and protects PHI, ensuring that all healthcare-related businesses have data security strategies. They establish HIPAA compliance through the following:

• Apply encryption for data at rest and in transit.
• Set up and configure patient or user settings. Allow the user access to the information needed for their care.
• Create security policies regarding data gathering and use. Ensure that the patient and all members of the health team understand this policy.
• Update all marketing systems that handle patient health information. This includes healthcare email marketing, social media, patient care systems, etc.

HIPAA is part of an effective healthcare marketing strategy. Apply patient information security and confidentiality to content, website pages, and all aspects of patient care.

Include Social Proof

Patients want expert answers to their health or medical-related issues. They want validation—proof that a specialist is as good as they claim to be. They look for patient reviews about a new treatment or testimonials regarding a new drug.

Including social proof in content marketing is essential to creating a patient-focused campaign. Here are ways to do it:

• Use customer testimonials to promote authenticity, social validation, and objection handling. Gather feedback from various customer segments and utilize different channels for feedback. Do not forget to ask permission first.
• Consider influencer endorsements. Research influencers relevant to the industry or niche. Define goals and expectations, deliverables, and possible compensation.
• Showcase case studies to highlight results of studies, research, product testing, etc. Use visuals such as graphs, charts, tables, and before-and-after photos to present case studies.
• Include social media mentions. Use tools to monitor mentions of the brand. Address issues or inquiries immediately and encourage customers to leave a review.
• Reveal followers and engagement on social media to show trust and popularity. Display follower count, reach, engagement, and other relevant metrics.
• Display trust seals and industry certifications.
• Include statistics and sources using the data. Research from quality sources, including industry reports, government-issued reports, publications, etc.

A website that displays social proof appears professional and trustworthy. Patients are more likely to entrust their care to a provider they trust.

Summing Up

By understanding how patients look for information and producing valuable content, healthcare providers and professionals can adopt a patient-focused marketing strategy. Considering mobile-friendliness, protecting patient data, and including social proof also helps create a patient-centered plan.

With all of these strategies in mind, healthcare businesses can make more effective marketing strategies while preserving patient information in all aspects of patient contact and care. Learn how the best strategies enhance healthcare content. Contact Digital Authority Partners (DAP), the experts in healthcare marketing, to schedule a consultation.