Digital marketing has burst into the scene in recent years. The internet allows people to spread information at rates unprecedented in all of history. Various industries have recognized this, and capitalized with smart and forward thinking online marketing practices. Healthcare is no exception, and the most successful facilities invest heavily in their digital promotion teams and tactics. Successful online marketing campaigns build leads, and increase interest in your facility with unmatched speed and efficiency.
For facilities looking to get started or are in dire need of a change of plans, VitaWerks has listed out several popular online marketing strategies in recent years.
Figure out your vision and identity
Before you come up with a digital marketing plan, you want to know the message you intend to send across. Your promotional content should highlight the strengths, values, and distinguishing features of your facility, over your market contemporaries. This should reflect on the visuals of your marketing material, which should be clear, easily graspable yet distinct. You need to convey a message that falls in line with your Mission, Vision and Core Values. Finally, that message has to be conveyed in a tone that resonates with your core audience. Hiring the right marketing team can go a long way, when it comes to figuring your vision and identity out. Ultimately, looking inwards is the best way to accomplish this.
Create a newsletter
Newsletters are the perfect way to provide regular updates and content to your customer base, while keeping your facility fresh in their minds. Since you curate your own newsletter, you can highlight new services offered, outstanding employee contributions, all the accolades your facilities have received over time and more. You cannot just spam newsletter updates to unwilling patients, however. Gather a list of email addresses from satisfied patients or potential customers that could be interested. Figure out the content you will share, the format of your newsletter, and how frequently it updates, before pushing through with it. You can even promote your newsletter on your website or on pamphlets, which allows customers to opt in organically.
Make a referral program
Referrals are a powerful way to promote your healthcare facility. Customers are more likely to spread awareness about your brand, if they have something to tangibly gain from it. For referring new patients, they can be offered discounts, perks, prizes and more. Be sure that your referral rewards are both tantalizing and within reason, given the resources available to you. For example: VitaWerks provides VCoin prizes for every successful HCP or facility referral. This convinces our excellent HCPs to invite their friends and colleagues to pick shifts up with us. We offer 50 VCoins every time 3 shifts are completed by a referred HCP or at a referred facility.
Promote yourself on social media
Nowadays, everyone has social media accounts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and more. Proper social media campaigns are simultaneously effective and cost efficient, since joining most of these sites is a cost-free process. For extra efficiency, identify where your core audience primarily resides, and tailor your strategy accordingly. LinkedIn is the perfect platform if you are promoting yourself within the industry, for example. The proper content strategy can engage your user base, increase brand awareness, and build your reputation amongst your target audience.
Tweak your website
Your website is a powerful touchpoint with your customer base. It lets future patients learn about your facility, encourages them to join your services with strategic Calls to Action (CTA), and lets them know about your future activities. A good website is a powerful digital marketing tool, without a doubt. Simply optimizing your pages for SEO will boost their visibility on search engines, which increases your website traffic over time. A sleek but distinct design will convey your brand image at a first glance. Be sure the website also has a practical navigable design that is easy to read, and even easier to use.
