In the digital age, how patients consume information has drastically changed. Patients have increasingly used search engines to look up health-related information, including their symptoms, treatments, and alternatives. That’s right; more people prefer to go online before seeking a professional healthcare provider.
Thanks to mobile devices and the internet, finding health information is just a few taps away. As such, for those in healthcare marketing, it’s important to use online tools and platforms well to connect with your target audience. In today’s healthcare market, where patients come first, it’s crucial to make content that’s interesting and easy for everyone to understand.
This post dives into the importance of engaging healthcare content and highlights various strategies for engaging the tech-savvy patient.
The Need to Engage Digitally-Inclined Healthcare Consumers
The post-pandemic era has accelerated the emergence of the ‘digital health consumer.’ These individuals want to take an active role in their healthcare journey. Thus, they’re proactive, researching symptoms, treatments, and healthcare providers online before stepping into a doctor’s office.
A study found that over 80% of patients use search engines to gather information about their health concerns. This pivotal change highlights the need for healthcare professionals and organizations to create value-driven content that is accurate, engaging, and easy to understand.
The Importance of Engaging Healthcare Content
Below are some of the most important reasons why healthcare marketers should invest in high-quality content to promote higher patient engagement:
Building Trust and Credibility
High-quality content helps build trust between doctors and patients. When patients find clear and trustworthy information from your organization, they are more likely to trust you as a medical professional and healthcare resource. Sharing helpful and high-quality content will make your practice an authority on the topic.
For instance, a medical center that consistently publishes well-researched articles on various topics will likely establish itself as a trusted healthcare resource – thanks to accurate and up-to-date content.
Empowering Informed Decisions
Knowledge is power. Providing accurate and valuable content empowers patients to take charge of their health and decide based on their personal needs and values.
Think about it like this: A medicine company makes a website page that tells you all about a new medicine – the good parts, the side effects, and what other patients think. With all this info, patients can decide if that medicine is right for them.
Enhancing Visibility
Content is king; it’s an old cliché but still highly relevant with regard to online visibility. Good content helps websites appear higher in online search results, making it easier for people to find the information they need. Google even has a recent update that gives better rankings to websites with helpful and engaging content.
For example, a therapy clinic writes several articles on their website about managing back pain since they know many people look for back pain solutions online. So, they developed detailed articles with titles like “Simple Exercises for Lower Back Pain” and “How Physical Therapy Helps with Sciatica.” These articles are easy to read and don’t use too many complicated medical terms.
Because the articles are interesting and helpful, people spend more time reading them. When people spend more time on a website, search engines like Google see that as engagement signals typical of high-value content. This can help the website show up higher in the SERPs.
Examples of Engaging Healthcare Content
Below are some examples that highlight the significance of compelling and relevant content in the healthcare sector:
- Patient education videos: A hospital makes short-form videos that explain medical tests and surgeries, like MRIs or getting a knee replaced. They upload these videos on their website and share them on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. By watching these videos, patients can better understand what goes with these procedures, helping them feel less anxious.
- AI chatbots for immediate queries: A healthcare website has a chat feature that quickly answers questions about things like services, treatments, and booking times. Because chatbots help people right away, they’re more likely to stick around on the site and maybe even schedule a visit.
- Infographics on preventive care: Picture-based charts, called infographics, show information about why it’s essential to get regular check-ups, vaccines, and other preventive care. These charts are simple to understand and highly shareable with others. More people can learn and be motivated to care for their health with engaging infographics.
- Healthcare blogs: These are some of the most accessible content you can make for covering specific health topics. Informative and relatable blog posts attract a loyal readership and establish your organization as an industry authority.
- Video content: Like it or not, videos are some of the most engaging content types. They let doctors and other healthcare professionals show who they really are, from their personalities to how they treat patients. When a doctor comes across as kind and friendly in a video, patients may feel at ease before coming in for an appointment.
Fostering Patient Engagement Through High-Value Content
Thanks to technology, the way we get health information has changed a lot. Now, it’s not just doctors giving advice; patients also share their experiences. Thus, health experts and medical groups need to provide content that’s interesting, easy to understand, and trustworthy.
By understanding the needs and preferences of modern patients and creating content that resonates with them, healthcare providers can foster trust, empower patients, and enhance their online presence.
As your digital marketing partner, Cardinal Healthcare Marketing Agency can help elevate your content strategy for better patient engagement.
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