Digital consumers today have innumerable online options through which they can carry out thorough research before booking an appointment. To swim through the ocean of competition, content marketing can be used as an effective tool. Not only does it provide an opportunity for healthcare companies to outpace tough competition, it can be leveraged to create transparent communication with patients/potential patients.
Always remember, the principles of great content marketing are the principles of the great customer experience. In this digital era, digital patient experience now counts prior to the actual patient experience. Just keep in mind these 5 basics:
- Put the digital patient at the center.
- Research and analyze well their needs and what they want.
- Strategize and create content tailored to their needs.
- Chose the correct platform (i.e. Facebook, YouTube, blogs or Twitter) to connect to your patients.
- Track their responses and use feedback to improve your content strategy.
Here are some key characteristics for creating good quality content to effectively engage your patients and build a positive online reputation.
Create High-Quality, Credible Content
Though the internet is full of content about various medical conditions and treatment options but it’s difficult to find good quality scientifically reliable medical information. To separate your content from the online content noise, provide easy to understand accurate medical content to your patients/readers. Be sure to cross check all the facts and statistics before posting content on your websites and social media platforms.
Curate and Expand Access to Important and Relevant Medical Content
Let’s say you want information about any topic of your interest. While surfing heaps of information over the Internet, you came across a blog and after reading through it, you realized that it isn’t offering much value. Will you ever share it with others? The answer will probably be a clear “No.” Same is the case with your content readers. Whether it’s an article, blog, informative post, tweet or video — people will only share it with others if they feel it delivers some substantial value. So make sure you post content after analyzing the latest trends and provide scientifically reliable, accurate and useful information to your readers so that it instigates them to share it with their family, friends and peers on social media.
Time Your Posts to Maximize Reach Among Your Target Audience
When Internet trends are heading toward a particular topic or news, you need to time your posts accordingly so that they can be shared by people. You can create interesting infographics and videos through which information can be transmitted in a simple way to readers and can also engage them in active discussions. These timely scheduled posts will help you in your mission to be a partner in people’s health and in addition, readers will likely share these informative posts with others on social media.
Content marketing can be the most effective and cost-efficient way for physicians and hospitals to market their practice to healthcare consumers. Effective content can help attract more desirable patients into a medical practice. It demonstrates authority, establishes thought leadership, creates online visibility and positive online reputation. So strive hard and create the best possible content to become the “physician of choice” among people in your community.