Healthcare advertising techniques have evolved and have been reinvented along with information-driven culture shifts. It started with the creation of basic websites that only the larger, household named health organizations could afford. To have an operating website was a huge investment just a few short years ago.
Fortunately, our technology today has advanced to such lengths that every business and healthcare practice can now afford a highly sophisticated and engaging website. This is critical, because it means that smaller, local, private practices can be seen more easily, get their message out there and attract customers in the same way that the more well-established facilities do. An organization’s website has become the hub that drives all advertising practices; it lays the groundwork for creating an overall online and offline healthcare advertising media plan.
So, to make digital marketing work for your health care practice and help you compete for the win, you’ll want to employ the following techniques:
- Organic Search Engine Optimization – Understand the importance of the organic search. Most often, potential customers will find your practice and particular services through their own organic, online search. To ensure that your practice and services appear at the top of these searches, you’ll want to place specific keywords and keyword phrases throughout your website with formulaic density. We don’t recommend trying to do this on your own, however. A lot goes into SEO, and it’s constantly evolving. You’ll want to hire an expert in SEO keywords and Google Analytics reporting.
- Paid Search – Pay-Per-Click ads (PPC) are also a way to ensure that your practice and services are seen at the top of a search page. PPCs are the ads that appear as short, three-line ads that you see at the top and on the right side of most web search pages. They usually have a green “Ad” logo. These paid ads are both flexible and highly effective. They can even target specific demographics and age groups which can be especially handy in the healthcare industry. So, consider working these ads into your digital marketing campaign budget, but again, as with organic search, PPC is best left to your hired expert.
- Landing Pages – If your practice is looking to promote a specific service or product, you may want to have your marketing expert create a landing page for that item specifically. Landing pages have minimal copy and are strictly focused on a single offer for quick and easy customer response. It is, just as the name suggests, a page where potential customers “land.” From this page, they can read about your offer and respond without all of the distractions of a full website (e.g. links, videos, scrolls, etc.). Your landing page is where visitors can fill in a few blank fields with their personal information and submit it to find out more. The overall goal of this page is conversion.
- Social Media – With billions of users and potential customers using the various social media platforms, you can’t afford to ignore this vast resource. From Facebook to Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+, Yelp and so many more, you have to have a strategic media marketing plan to engage with your users. Social media is a quick, easy and direct way to reach existing and potential customers.
- Reputation Management – Finally, reputation management is a big part of navigating the digital healthcare marketing game, so choose your social media platforms wisely. Negative reviews can drive away potential customers, and some online outlets, like Yelp, won’t let you delete a post.
If you stick to using these common techniques, your practice can thrive in the digital marketing era. The future of healthcare advertising is still in motion, but one thing’s for sure – you can’t beat them if you don’t join them.
The team here at Realnets is ready to help you achieve your business goals. Contact us today at 773.631.6851.
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