Healthcare: 6 Marketing Trends & Steps | How to Market Your Practice

Originally Published Jan 14, 2022

Healthcare & Medial Marketing Guide 2022

The marketing industry is one of the fastest moving industries in the world.

And in 2021, the true speed of the marketing industry was put on show.

Businesses across the globe had to adapt to a constantly evolving business environment, with many transitioning into a virtual age.

But one industry has been at the forefront of digital adaptation – both from a business and a consumer perspective… and that industry is healthcare.

In fact, healthcare digital marketing has skyrocketed in 2021 due to nations continued need to access healthcare systems and information. It’s just one reason why Healthcare is set to become one of Australia’s fastest growing industries.

As a marketer or small business owner of a healthcare practice, keeping up with these changes is tricky. But to succeed in business, you need to at the top of your game and in front of your competition.

That’s why, Physio Inq has put together our free guide to the Top 6 Marketing Trends For 2022 | Your Complete Guide on How To Successfully Marketing Your Healthcare Practice

Our free guide was written by business and marketing professionals who have been working within the Healthcare industry for the past 15 years.

In our free guide, you will learn:

• The importance of Digital Advertising for healthcare and medical practices
• How to stay competitive on social media and get involved
• Breakdown (with examples) of the best content to put out on social media
• How to use video to leverage your brand and your services
• Reputation, Reputation, Reputation! How to use your goodwill to get more patients
• How a solid customer experience will make you stand out from your competitors

Get a head start on your competition in 2022 with Physio Inq’s complete guide the top 6 Marketing Trends you’re sure to see in 2022.

Healthcare is a highly regulated industry. With plenty of jargon and complicated protocols, it can make your job as a marketer in the healthcare sector quite difficult.

With that being said, it’s not an impossible task. There are plenty of marketing tools you can still use in the healthcare industry.

In fact, these challenges might actually boost your creativity to come up with unique ways to boost brand awareness.

So, which marketing trends can healthcare marketers take advantage of in 2022? A good place to start is always brand awareness. Plus, driving patient growth, establishing authority, and remarketing to current clients are all essential goals.

To do so, that means using strategies such as:

• Prioritising high-impact content, most notably video content
• Investing in your social media presence
• Paying attention to your online reputation as an authority in your niche

Not only are these marketing strategies important to reaching your goals, but the actual message you’re trying to get across is equally, if not more, important.

Patient-centred marketing and authentic storytelling are extremely effective. By connecting to your audience’s emotions and creating unique, memorable marketing moments, you’re likely to succeed in 2022.

Put it all together and you’ll be well on your way to establishing strong connections with your patients and positioning your healthcare brand at the top of the market.

So, if you’re looking for an all-in-one guide to the best marketing trends you can’t ignore in 2022, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got you covered.

How To Market Your Practice | Top Trends for 2022

• Digital Advertising is Where It’s At in Healthcare
• Healthcare Social Media Continues to Explode
• Strong Content Goes Beyond What’s Expected
• Video Still Reigns Supreme in 2022
• Reputation is Everything!
• A Solid Digital Experience Makes All the Difference

Trend 1 - Digital Advertising is Where It’s At in Healthcare

It’s understandable that you might be hesitant about advertising your healthcare brand. There’s a lot of restrictions to do with advertising anything involving patient data, doctor features, referrals, the list goes on.

Still, there are ways to get creative about digital advertising in the healthcare industry. And it’s worth a go! After all, 4 out of 5 people search the internet for information on their healthcare providers before booking appointment . Make sure you reach them in 2022.

Trend 2 - Healthcare Social Media Continues to Explode

If you’re not yet on social media, what are you waiting for? Social media marketing has been surging for years and it shows no signs of stopping. And it’s not only the young generations that use social media anymore.

Sure, 89% of Gen Z and 88% of Millennials are on social media. But so are 81% of Gen X and 86% of Baby Boomers. It’s a market too hot to miss.

Not to mention, a survey found that 40% of people make healthcare decisions influenced by social media. Long story short, some of your target audience is on social media and you should be too.

Most healthcare marketers are already using social media in their strategy but to be a leader in the field, doubling down on your social media efforts is necessary in 2021. That means focusing on organic social media activity - not just using paid ads.

Stay Competitive on Social Media

Social media is all about engaging with your audience. These powerful tools allow healthcare marketers to speak directly to their patients in a two-way flow of communication.

By sharing information, building deeper relationships, and gaining insights into customer behaviour, there a few key ways to use social media for healthcare marketing in 2021.

Get Involved

It’s so easy to get caught up in only posting on social media. We tend to forget that it’s a two-way street.

Joining in on the conversation happening on social media is a huge part of the process. Make sure you’re responding to comments, engaging with your patients’ posts, and sharing your take on current events and topics.

In healthcare, there’s always something buzzing around the internet. With 30% of people saying they trust healthcare information they see on social media, it’s a prime opportunity to add your input. This also helps build your brand as an authority in the space.

Trend 3 - Strong Content Goes Beyond What’s Expected

Solid content is the key to any successful marketing strategy. It’s no different in the healthcare sector. With competition continuing to grow and search results pages filling up more and more, now more than ever, high-quality, SEO-driven content is a given.

Smart, effective content now qualifies as the bare minimum in 2021. Without it, you won’t even make a dent in your digital presence. To stay ahead of the curve, healthcare marketing requires you to take your content beyond what’s expected.

Even a robust blog could become less important to your overall content strategy. In short, expanding your content strategy in more directions than ever before is a must in your marketing game.

Play Around With New Forms Of Content

Stay Ahead of the Competition

Using tactics that expand your content strategy into new areas is key for staying ahead of your competition in 2021. Here are a few specific tactics you should consider moving into.

Embrace Storytelling

We start with storytelling because it’s probably the most important and effective marketing strategy out there. It’s essential for any industry but works perfectly for healthcare.

So, what makes a story compelling? It needs to be memorable, unique, relatable and leave an impact.

Tapping into stories means tapping into your audience’s emotions. Stories are a part of our human nature. It’s the way we’ve been navigating the world since the beginning of time. If you really want to connect with your patients and clients, storytelling is the ultimate communication tool.

In fact, studies have shown that marketing messages told as stories are up to 22 times more memorable than facts and figures alone . At the end of the day, there’s nothing better for your marketing strategy than making sure people remember your message.

Not sure how to employ more storytelling in your marketing strategy? Well, a solid first step is to ask for patient testimonials. These real-life stories are an impactful way to share how your brand makes a difference in a tangible way. Patient stories are often relatable and help potential new clients see themselves in your brand, creating a memorable impression.

Trend 4 - Video Still Reigns Supreme in 2022

It’s nothing new that video is the king of the castle when it comes to any marketing strategy. Up to 87% of online marketers are already using video content to share their messages. However, marketers in the healthcare industry have been slower to adopt this trend, especially if lower budgets make production more difficult.

While you may have gotten away with skipping video content in the past, 2022 is expected to see video have even more appeal. Especially with the pandemic-driven popularity of working from home, video helps us connect with others far better than text or images can. It’s an important piece of the puzzle and is impossible to ignore.

Research shows that homepage videos explaining a certain concept, whether that’s booking an appointment online or the patient experience in your clinic, can increase conversions by up to 80% .

Additionally, video marketing can help you rank higher on search engine results pages and earn more engagement and shares on social media platforms. It’s one of the most effective ways to grow your healthcare practice in 2022 and should not be overlooked.

Build Authority and Trust

When you use video to show your expertise in an authentic way, it instantly connects you with your audience. People want to see who’s behind the brand, what you get up to, and what kinds of things you’ve been thinking about.

Taking more of a behind-the-scenes approach is sure to garner loyalty among your patients and make them take more of interest in both you and your practice.

Trend 5 - Reputation is Everything!

In the past, patients would choose their healthcare providers based on the convenience of your location and your trading hours. However, things have changed. Now, more and more, patients are choosing clinic based on reputation and quality of service in addition to proximity to their home or office and hours of operation.

That means you need to pay attention to how your reputation is handled in your healthcare marketing communications. Research indicates that 71% of potential patients are scouring reviews to help them choose a healthcare provider , so make sure your online reviews and patient referrals are a priority. Focusing on overall clinic reviews and individual practitioner quality are a must in 2022.

Trend 6 - A Solid Digital Experience Makes All the Difference

No one likes a clunky website. We want clear information, links that work, and a simple interface that allows us to do what we came there to do. Not only is a poor digital experience inconvenient, it makes patients lose trust in your brand. In 2022, it’s no longer possible to get away with a website that’s difficult to navigate.

The simplest changes can make a huge difference for potential patients. Especially in the healthcare industry where it can be difficult to differentiate yourself based on services, stand out with a seamless digital experience.

Make it easy to book appointments from anywhere on your website or social media profiles. Make sure the most important information is clear and accessible. Eliminate bugs from your apps and try intuitive designs on your website that’s easy to use both on a desktop and on mobile devices.

It’s not an easy task for marketers, but it’s possible. If patients have to troubleshoot while on your website and across your digital platforms, there’s a high probability that they’ll go elsewhere.

Website User Experience

If it takes forever to find a button to book an appointment or learn more about your services, you’ve got a lot of work to do. But more than clear navigation, slow page loading times and a poor mobile view can do you in just as easily.

To start, have a look at what your peers are doing with their websites. What’s front and centre on their home page? Is there a button to book on every page? Do their videos take ages to load? Do all the links work? What do you find anything irrelevant or cumbersome?

Sometimes, looking at things from a more objective position instead of trying to focus only on your own clinic’s website, it can help you get clear on what you can do better for website experience.

When making sure the user experience is as smooth as possible, think about your marketing goals. What do you want potential patients who visit your website to do? Book an appointment? Call for more information? Buy a product? Allow these goals to direct a clear direction through your digital spaces.

Invest in Advanced Digital Tools

These days, we’re all spending more time online than ever before. We expect highly responsive, high-quality digital tools to help us with our everyday tasks. That includes booking a healthcare appointment and finding information about our healthcare needs.

Healthcare marketers should think about investing in advanced digital tools in 2022 to stay ahead of the curve. Tools that offer more convenience like mobile apps, online billing tools, virtual prescription renewals, virtual waiting rooms, and telehealth services are becoming less of an option and more of expectation.

Especially in our post-pandemic healthcare industry, virtual options should be taken to the next level. Investing in advanced digital tools to create a more streamlined digital experience for your patients from start to finish will set you apart from the crowd in 2022.

Moving Into 2022

It’s understandable that the healthcare industry is usually slow to adopt the latest and greatest digital marketing strategies. There’s a lot at stake when managing and promoting healthcare to our communities and it’s a job not to be taken lightly.

Still, these marketing trends are simply too important to ignore. In order to stay ahead of your competition and create the best healthcare brand possible, all of these strategies should be heavily considered.

Again, every healthcare niche is different, requiring different tactics and strategies. Not to mention, budget and people-power must all be taken into consideration. This guide is not about taking on more than you can handle. It’s about presenting new ideas that hopefully sends a ripple through your clinic, sparking exciting innovation.

As we continue to adjust to the “new normal” in a post-pandemic era, these marketing trends are simply unavoidable in 2022. Now, it’s up to you to make the next move.

Want to become a part of a company that is future proofing their existence? Reach out to us at james.a@physioinq.com.au or make an enquiry here .