US healthcare companies on the average increased their spending by $4.6 million in 2016. The effects of this spending could be seen in 2017. The healthcare marketing trends that could be seen in 2017 was characterized by patient awareness and engagement and also an increase in focus on content marketing that specifically targeted audiences. Other trends included increased content on Instagram, live streaming as well as new Google algorithm changes. Here are the top healthcare marketing trends of 2018:
US healthcare companies on the average increased their spending by $4.6 million in 2016. The effects of this spending could be seen in 2017. The healthcare marketing trends that could be seen in 2017 was characterized by patient awareness and engagement and also an increase in focus on content marketing that specifically targeted audiences. Other trends included increased content on Instagram, live streaming as well as new Google algorithm changes. Here are the top healthcare marketing trends of 2018
- Patients who are always on the go
With smartphones on the rise, people are always on the go in 2018. At the end of 2016, 77% of Americans had a smartphone. 58% of the smartphone users have used their smartphones to contact doctors and medical professionals. These patients start by first looking up medical information and 62% of them do this. Based on a study by Google, 77% of users who have smartphones have used their phones to look for local practitioners within the past 6 months.
- The rise of Big Data and the surging demand for people who can interpret them
The age of electronic medical record has reached full heights today and its implementation leaves just a little for it to be desired. Tons of patient data are now waiting to be anonymized and analyzed so that patterns and trends can be found for healthcare providers and healthcare marketing experts to utilize. In order to do this, a certain skill set is needed and the demand for the skills just keeps on rising. Amazon is joining the pack and selling EMR analysis software. Building data analysis on marketing plans can make Amazon stronger as well as more responsive to the needs of consumers.
- Changes in healthcare policy
A lot of people in the healthcare industry have called 2016 the “Year of the Patient”. Policy changes have made healthcare more patient-centric and the focus of the industry has shifted from disease as well as symptom management to holistic health management. Healthcare based on outcome has turned out to become a more active part of industry economics than has been ever observed. The change in mindset is changing how the entire patient is considered and not just the disease the patient has. Testing, patient experience, point-of-care treatment, telemedicine and affordability are now becoming foci in a major way.
- A boom in video marketing
Video is starting to explode as a medium of marketing. The statistics and the numbers support the usefulness of video. Making a video and posting it on the landing page could increase the conversions by more than 80%. More than 50% are planning to leverage with social media videos that are still growing and this is happening in the coming years. We should expect to see more healthcare marketing in the direction of using videos to reach out to consumers wherever they may be.
- Voice searches
Voice search has finally come and is taking up a huge chunk of searches online. It is really impacting healthcare marketing in a major way. Over 43 million people in the US have a smart speaker and according to Alpine, one billion voice searches are made every month. You can adapt to this trend by adding natural language to your SEO strategy. Try to consider questions that patients could be asking using Siri, Alexa or Cortana as well as how they ask them. Voice searches are usually longer than text searches and use word such as how, where, why and when more than other searches.
- Telemedicine
Patients want to be as convenient as possible and telehealth is giving them healthcare faster and in a more convenient way than anything else. A lot of organizations and systems are starting in telehealth by testing the waters first with a departmental approach. Others are also using a system-wide approach. This increases efficiency which is a very important factor for patients. Women have also been found to use telehealth more than men.
- Patients who are always on the go
With smartphones on the rise, people are always on the go in 2018. At the end of 2016, 77% of Americans had a smartphone. 58% of the smartphone users have used their smartphones to contact doctors and medical professionals. These patients start by first looking up medical information and 62% of them do this. Based on a study by Google, 77% of users who have smartphones have used their phones to look for local practitioners within the past 6 months.
- The rise of Big Data and the surging demand for people who can interpret them
The age of electronic medical record has reached full heights today and its implementation leaves just a little for it to be desired. Tons of patient data are now waiting to be anonymized and analyzed so that patterns and trends can be found for healthcare providers and healthcare marketing experts to utilize. In order to do this, a certain skill set is needed and the demand for the skills just keeps on rising. Amazon is joining the pack and selling EMR analysis software. Building data analysis on marketing plans can make Amazon stronger as well as more responsive to the needs of consumers.
- Changes in healthcare policy
A lot of people in the healthcare industry have called 2016 the “Year of the Patient”. Policy changes have made healthcare more patient-centric and the focus of the industry has shifted from disease as well as symptom management to holistic health management. Healthcare based on outcome has turned out to become a more active part of industry economics than has been ever observed. The change in mindset is changing how the entire patient is considered and not just the disease the patient has. Testing, patient experience, point-of-care treatment, telemedicine and affordability are now becoming foci in a major way.
- A boom in video marketing
Video is starting to explode as a medium of marketing. The statistics and the numbers support the usefulness of video. Making a video and posting it on the landing page could increase the conversions by more than 80%. More than 50% are planning to leverage with social media videos that are still growing and this is happening in the coming years. We should expect to see more healthcare marketing in the direction of using videos to reach out to consumers wherever they may be.
- Voice searches
Voice search has finally come and is taking up a huge chunk of searches online. It is really impacting healthcare marketing in a major way. Over 43 million people in the US have a smart speaker and according to Alpine, one billion voice searches are made every month. You can adapt to this trend by adding natural language to your SEO strategy. Try to consider questions that patients could be asking using Siri, Alexa or Cortana as well as how they ask them. Voice searches are usually longer than text searches and use word such as how, where, why and when more than other searches.
- Telemedicine
Patients want to be as convenient as possible and telehealth is giving them healthcare faster and in a more convenient way than anything else. A lot of organizations and systems are starting in telehealth by testing the waters first with a departmental approach. Others are also using a system-wide approach. This increases efficiency which is a very important factor for patients. Women have also been found to use telehealth more than men.