Running a business in the healthcare industry?

If you do, how effectively do you market yourself? Do you reach out to folks on smartphones and how optimised do you think your site is?

Keep in mind patients are always on the go with the use of smartphones. A forecast on users worldwide points out the increase amounting to 2.87 billion by 2020.

With this data, healthcare marketing should also make use of ongoing marketing trends. This is to reach more clients where word-of-mouth referrals may fall short.

Here are five digital marketing trends in 2019 to keep you going.

1. Voice Search and Voice-Driven SEO

One of the upcoming digital marketing trends is the increased use of voice-driven SEO. Think of services such as Siri for iOS, Alexa for Amazon, and Cortana for Microsoft.

The reason behind this is in the ease of use it provides, especially for the visually impaired. Due to this, businesses focussing on healthcare should set their content and SEO with this in mind.

A normal search would provide a list of options that the user could pick from. While voice searches may end up providing the first result off the list. You need to target that top spot.

Voice searches are more likely to use question phrases. Thus, go with more long-tail, conversational keywords.

2. Social Media in Marketing Healthcare

In addition, social media plays a crucial role in marketing businesses. However, it is a tricky medium for healthcare providers. Healthcare institutions can’t provide customer stories due to DPA laws (Data Protection Act).

That said, social media is still a necessity. You can still use the platform in building trust and relationships with patients. This way, social media provides a way to take the word-of-mouth healthcare marketing and amplify it.

You can use social media to showcase new healthcare programmes, schedules, and free vaccinations or weekend events.

3. Prevalent Use of Content

Another consideration to put in healthcare digital marketing is in the use of content. Doctors are amongst the busiest people as they care for patients. Their services put in constant demand.

Hire someone to work on healthcare marketing. This way, your business can reap the benefits.

With the use of blogs, you can bring in clients as they look for information. They may be potential patients looking for a doctor’s help.

Content can range between blog posts to videos. The latter not only helps educate but it can boost SEO efforts too. Make use of them to market your page or website.

4. Priority on User Experience

One of the marketing tips to keep in mind is to put user experience as a priority. Make sure customers have an easier time viewing and navigating your website.

Take note of the loading time of the website.

Does it load within 4 seconds? What about web design? Does it load and run on smartphones and mobile devices?

If these factors aren’t considered, visitors will leave your site. They will press Back and venture to the next best result.

Potential patients would conduct an online search through their smartphone first. After that, they will set a doctor’s appointment. Having both in one place should bring them to you.

5. Location-Based SEO

When a patient needs to see a doctor, they are going to search for which one is within the closest vicinity. They would not go as far as taking a four-hour drive for a healthcare specialist, although there are exceptions.

Even today, local SEO is necessary for healthcare marketing as more “near me” searches are appearing in voice searches (which we mentioned earlier). On top of long-tail keywords, also set up for location-based keywords to help you in coming out on top of the search results.

Use These Digital Marketing Trends Today!

As with every business, you need to have an online presence. Take note of these digital marketing trends and use them to show potential clients that your expertise is always available to help them.

When it comes to your digital marketing needs, we are happy to help you. Contact us to get started. We’d love to hear from you.