Over the past couple of years, the digital landscape of the healthcare industry has changed dramatically. From the move to more tele-health to the war on "fake news", the digital landscape is primed for more providers to standout and add value to the patients they treat.
Sure, I can help you become the next TikTok doctor, but I really specialize in helping businesses like yours create a digital marketing strategy that fits your goals - while of course adhering to HIPAA and FDA regulations.
In this article, I'll outline three ways you can use digital marketing to help your practice.
Attract new patients by building trust before they call you
According to Edelman's special report on trust and healthcare, the more trust someone has in the healthcare ecosystem the more likely they are to seek preventative care. Build trust by:
Using search engine marketing to ensure that your website appears in relevant search queries. This will showcase your expertise and make it easier for them to find your practice.
Connecting with your patients on social media. When someone new looks at your social media profile, they'll see who else in their network also follows you. This shared connection acts like a vote of confidence.
Highlighting your team, and the value they bring, with online profiles and social media posts.
Be a trusted source of information
Edelman's study also shows that a lack of information and the cost of care are leading barriers to care. Digital marketing can't change the cost to the patient, but it can help overcome the information barrier.
For example, the Mayo Clinic is known as a trusted source of healthcare information. If you Google a symptom or disease, the chances are high that a Mayo Clinic article will be among the top of the search results. This helps build trust in Mayo and leads to more people seeking care.
You can do something similar by posting your own articles and sharing trusted content on your social media profiles.
Control the conversation for greater efficiency
I'm sure that your team gets asked questions all the time. Some need that personal touch, while other questions have more standard answers that could be addressed elsewhere.
For example, let's say that your receptionists get ten calls a day with questions about what insurance carriers your practice accepts. Yes, your team is fully capable of answering these questions, but what else could they accomplish if they only received three calls a day on this topic? Help your team by adding this information in other parts of the customer journey (e.g. add a list near your phone number so they can see the information before making a call).
Next steps
These tactics may seem straight forward, but to implement them properly takes time and attention.
If you're interested, let's schedule a meeting to discuss your practice and how I can help. Call me at 515-490-3509 or email me at kellie@violetcloverconsulting.com and we'll get some time scheduled.