The web is flooded with so much information today that many people feel they don’t even need consultancy. They can just Google whatever they want to know. Endless articles, blog posts, e-books, videos and podcasts are available for free, discussing all kinds of issues. But with the overflow of information, its quality needs to be questioned. This is especially true about issues concerning healthcare.
Healthcare is very serious and sensitive, not like buying some disposable product. However the public tends to treat it as such lately. As a health professional in private practice, how do you cut through this online noise and bad advice to reach those who truly need you? How do you stand out and build trust?
Trust is really hard to do, especially online. Internet has no borders and competition can appear overnight. Creating a website and adding content doesn’t require much investment, regulation or paperwork: just a computer with internet connection is enough. If you run a responsible practice, you know that getting more patients isn’t just about growing your business: it’s also about delivering high quality service and protecting your community from misinformation and self-diagnosis.
What people really need are qualified professionals with a unique standpoint who can create valuable and educational content that is easy to understand. They don’t need more useless, irrelevant information. What they need is somebody who will truly listen and understand their pains, share his/her experience and put them on the right track. People have to see that it’s not just about health business marketing or getting more patients: it’s about improving quality of life by setting higher standards.
This is why it’s important to carry out planned online marketing, especially in healthcare. People need somebody they can trust online and who will help them distinguish right from wrong, good form bad.
Creating high quality content is hard to do and takes time, planning and skill. However, every piece of such content will be treasured by the public and shared within their networks. This will make sure its longevity and be of value to your community.
A well thought online marketing strategy is the key to achieving this goal. Listening and understanding your community, creating valuable and educational content for them should be at the core of your online presence. Health business marketing will increase awareness and lead to getting more patients than before. It will also make sure that the public gets high quality content and knows what to do next.
Content comes in different formats. Some professionals prefer to write articles, others are more convenient to speak in front of a camera for a few minutes and deliver the right message (hit the right chords). Same goes for the public: some like to read, others prefer videos. In any case, quality and caring comes first.
It’s important to make your content available on as many channels as possible:
- Use social media to engage with people real time and earn their trust by solving issues and suggesting solutions
- Weekly newsletters and emails can help keep your community updated about the latest healthcare news
- Your website blog is a great tool to constantly share experience and valuable information with the public
- Online customer support allows to be reachable when patients need you most.
Health business marketing must be approached with as much responsibility as face-to-face interactions with patients. After all, your website represents your reputation online and you need to build a solid one. A long term online strategy will help get more patients, while also prove that you are among the best out there.