The only constant is change, and that's never been truer in the world of Healthcare Marketing. This year brought major acquisitions, new consumer priorities, and competitive trends that will only heighten in the New Year. Hospitals, medical practices, and healthcare organizations will have to stay one step ahead to keep up with both competitors and […]
For today’s podcast, I sat down with a marketing colleague, Aaron Gaeir, CEO and owner of Grandesign. He’s doing some impressive things in the world of experiential marketing—a subspecialty of marketing that really only a few agencies can do (and do well). We talk about Gaeir's definition of experiential marketing, look at some of Grandesign’s […]
Ed Bennett has long been a thought leader in healthcare social media and marketing. The founder of MarTech.Health, a new kind of vendor directory built for healthcare marketing professionals, he’s always been on the cutting-edge of healthcare technologies, so I was excited to talk to him about the recent session he facilitated at the 2018 […]
The patient is going away and the consumer is here to stay. We’ve seen and discussed this trend for years, and today, we have the chance to see how this shift to consumerism affects various demographics—and women in particular. This week on our podcast, I’m talking with Rob Klein, founder and CEO of Klein & […]
The right mix of medical search engine optimization and digital advertising can bring more prospective patients to your site. But if your medical website is missing these key elements, your efforts may be wasted. Win more patients with our top 5 medical website design must-haves. Photos of People Feeling Their Best We find that a […]
Penn Medicine Princeton Health considers community wellness an important part of its mission. And one of the most successful ways it has engaged with its audience is streaming video. In fact, over the past two years, after a shift in their video strategy, the health system has seen a 37% increase in video views. Healthcare […]
If your healthcare organization is not already involved in mergers and acquisitions in some form, it probably will be within the next few years. Today's podcast guests want to help organizations like yours navigate through mergers and acquisitions while keeping your marketing and communications teams aligned. CEO Stewart Gandolf spoke with Tammy Graves, Healthcare Principal […]
Eventually, every digital marketing specialist hears this phrase from a current or would-be client: “We can do this ourselves.” Usually, we hear this in regards to organic digital marketing. While paid digital advertising is a short-term strategy to get patients now, organic marketing is a long-term investment. Paid advertising (placing ads on Google, Facebook, etc.) […]
Every company should have a social media policy—and most healthcare organizations already do. Too often, however, that policy is a document handed to new employees that gets lost in the shuffle. It may only be a few forgotten lines in an employee handbook. Today’s podcast guest knew there had to be a better way. Diane […]
“Location, location, location.” It used to be one of the most important factors when starting up a new practice location (or any other healthcare business). But the way people find healthcare is changing rapidly. Today, it’s easy for your competitors to win patients near you—whether or not they’re closer to those patients’ homes. Patients are […]
One of the things I love most about my job is the opportunity to meet with some really great people doing amazing work in healthcare. Recently, I spoke with Johnny Smith, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Ascension Health, the nation’s largest non-profit health system. I reached out to him after hearing about his […]
Hispanics are known as mobile “Super Consumers”: the most active smartphone users of any demographic in the U.S. In fact, according to Nielsen, Hispanics spend about 14 hours a week using smartphone apps and searching online on their phones. As the fastest-growing demographic in the country, it’s so important to find ways to reach this […]
Each year, the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development (SHSMD) puts on a very successful event in association with the American Hospital Association—and it’s not just for hospitals. Take James Robberson’s topic from SHSMD 2018: “Optimizing Your Primary Care Footprint.” Robberson is the Director of Business Development at Littleton Adventist Hospital, and while his […]
As a healthcare marketer, I strongly believe in the importance of listening to and understanding the patient voice. And today’s podcast helps guide hospitals and healthcare organizations of all sizes on how to do just that. I had the opportunity to speak with Dennis Jolley, Chief Strategy and Communications Officer & Vice President for Institutional […]
In marketing, the Pareto principle—or the 80/20 principle—applies to a lot of what we do. For example, more often than not, 20% of the healthcare organizations in any given demographic are responsible for 80% of the ad space. The rest are missing out on a digital advertising opportunity—and that’s one of the most powerful tools […]
Running any healthcare organization comes with a number of challenges and obstacles. But CityMD, a large chain of urgent care centers in New York, has found a way to expand to 100+ locations without sacrificing care and compassion. In fact, as Richard Park, MD, CEO and Founder of CityMD tells me in today’s podcast, care […]
SHSMD 2018 produced a stellar lineup this year. One of the presentations I was most excited about came from the communications team at VCU Health, a health system that’s doing amazing things with its social media—particularly with Facebook Live. In case you missed the presentation, here’s some good news: I spoke with Anne Dreyfuss, Public […]
Chances are, the majority of your staff has at least one social media page they check fairly often. Members of your staff have written posts and uploaded photos plenty of times before—they know the social media essentials, and they’re happy to post on the company Facebook page. It’s great to have someone on staff willing […]
If a patient on medication for depression started to feel better, should she go off her meds? Should someone experiencing relief from strep throat throw out the remaining antibiotics? Of course not. From time to time, we hear from clients that their current patient volume is just fine. They're ready to stop the marketing and […]
You’ve heard the acronyms floating around: SEO, PPC, CPC, SEM. You might even have a good handle on what some of these things entail. But how do you peace it all together into one cohesive strategy? What tried-and-true facts do the top digital marketing agencies use to help their clients succeed? Related: 3 Simple Ways to […]
You and your team carefully screen all job candidates to make sure they’re a good fit. After a few weeks of medical staff training, your front office staff knows all about your specialty or your primary service lines, and they’re a big advocate for your practice or hospital. But if you think this is the […]
Today, most patients in need of a healthcare provider will begin their search online. Even if your organization is primarily physician referred, people are searching for your website before following through with an appointment. A poor web presence could be a deal breaker. Recently, we’ve written a lot about what kind of websites deliver patients. […]
Doctor websites can often be insightful and educational. But is that really all you need for your hospital or practice website to be complete? 6 things all doctor websites need Of course, all doctor websites are going to be different. Some are suited for before-and-after photos, while some are primarily focused on showing their compassionate […]
Let’s face it: doctors aren’t web designers. You certainly have a say on what goes into your website—but designers spend years learning about user experience, and cultivating an eye for design. Although you have access to medical stock photos and an advanced camera phone (we're assuming), it can be tough to choose the photography for […]
Private equity deal activity has dropped by about 19% in the last 4 years—but healthcare-specific deals continue to grow at a steady rate year after year. That's because healthcare organizations are a strong investment, with high margins and a product that will always be in demand, whether in biotechnology, medical devices, or private practice. However, […]
Planning a smart marketing strategy means basing your decisions on data. And today, the data shows that 70% of people use social media. It may not be where prospective patients are actively searching for a doctor, but a solid social media strategy can still build trust with your demographic. And, as you'll see in this […]
Wanted: Customer Service SUPERSTAR. It's the first phrase that should come to mind when you're crafting a Medical Scheduler job description. The person who answers the phone for new patients can make or break your organization. This is someone with the power to convert every new patient who calls—or to drive many of them away. […]
You’ve got a decent website. Now, you just need people to find it. Search engine optimization (SEO) is all about changing the content, performance, and user experience of your website in order for it to appear higher in the search engines (such as Google and Bing). This is more important for hospitals and medical practices […]
Many private practices have embraced the rise of healthcare consumerism trends, providing ways to create an experience that puts the patient's needs first. In hospitals, though, changes have been slow-going. This is due in part to longstanding structuring, pricing, and patient care protocols that are tough (and costly) to get around. But these changes are […]
A lot can go wrong in marketing. You might spend too much money advertising in the wrong places to people who have no interest in your organization. Ad copy and imagery may not align with your branding. You could be left completely in the dark as to what's working and what's not. This can happen […]
“Big Tech”—companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple—is taking over healthcare. At least, that’s what the news headlines would have us believe. These companies and more have made huge announcements just within the past 6 months about their plans for transforming the healthcare industry. Some announcements about Big Tech in healthcare, like Amazon’s pursuit of a […]
Once upon a time, a good website could set you apart from your competitors. But today, digital marketing is about a whole lot more than simply having a website. People have to be able to find you online. That requires both an organic marketing plan (like search engine optimization and social media posts) and a […]
Sometimes, a marketing campaign doesn’t work out. It happens, and it stinks. But just because one marketing effort doesn’t work, that doesn’t mean marketing doesn’t work in healthcare. When you begin trying new marketing campaigns, you might be dismayed to find the results aren’t quite what you hoped for or expected. However, that doesn’t mean […]
Marketing your hospital or practice means learning some complex terms and sorting through a lot of jargon. You may have heard that, in healthcare, SEO can help you increase your search engine rankings. But what does that really mean for your bottom line? Will you see new patients? And is it worth the effort? Related: SEO […]
Patient experience is a phrase we’ve all heard countless times—especially over the last few years. But when used in a hospital or practice, the phrase can occasionally elicit eye rolls. Healthcare professionals all wish they could spend more time with patients, and they try their best. But even the little things can make a difference […]
While many other industries are catching on to the needs of the modern Hispanic consumer, healthcare has been slow to catch up. Of all ethnic groups in the United States, Hispanics are the least likely to have a doctor they see regularly or even to have health insurance. About 22% of Hispanic Americans do not […]
A physician liaison role can be vital when doctor referrals are crucial to the success of a hospital or practice. I’ve met some fantastic physician liaisons over the course of my career—especially when they are in the right position, with the right culture fit, and receive the proper compensation, time, and training. Unfortunately, I’ve also […]
Would a doctor prescribe medicine without knowing it works? Of course not. So why continue your marketing campaigns without any data to back up their value? If you're doing any marketing at all, it’s vital that you have a system for measuring marketing effectiveness. Data-driven marketing helps to fine-tune your efforts for the best ROI—so […]
In healthcare, we see this all the time. A patient walks into a medical practice looking perfectly fine. But after some blood work, it turns out the healthy-looking patient has a hidden illness. As marketers, we see the same thing happen with websites. A physician or even an amateur web designer may think a website […]
Today, most healthcare organizations have some sort of social media presence. While a couple of doctors and health gurus have cornered the market on major medical celebrity, hospitals and practices simply aim to appeal to a hometown market with their social media posts. Social media and healthcare can be a powerful thing. You can reach out […]
Hospitals and practices across the U.S. face unique challenges in healthcare today. People's attitudes toward healthcare have changed, making it more difficult to reach new patients at the right stage of the decision-making process. However, the biggest issue is that healthcare organizations struggle to adapt to the changing needs of patients Challenges in healthcare today are […]
Millennials have the power to enact change. According to the US Census Bureau, this group (of people born between 1981 and 1996, myself included) now outnumbers baby boomers by about 8 million. And if we have the power to kill off everything from restaurant chains to paper napkins to the diamond industry, then believe me: millennial […]
It costs your hospital or practice about 5 times more to obtain a new patient than to keep an existing patient within your database. That’s why patient retention matters–the overall loss of a patient’s lifetime value is not something you want to give up. So if you’re losing patients, you might be...well...losing patience. The good […]
Medicare influences most of the healthcare decisions of patients 65 and up. Unfortunately, original Medicare can have gaps in coverage that steer people away from making the right decisions for their health. That’s why millions of people choose a private Medicare Advantage plan as their 65th birthday approaches or during the Annual Election Period (also […]
Good doctors alone, no matter how competent or innovative, do not make a hospital or practice successful. Some level of marketing is always required. It may start with word-of-mouth, but eventually, you'll need to expand your reach—and you might start to consider what medical marketing agencies have to offer. The most successful practices and hospitals […]
Mobile is taking over the world. There’s no way around it. When you have a personal assistant in your pocket every day, why would you perform searches primarily on a desktop computer? As user behavior changes, the future of mobile advertising is changing as well. Hospitals and practices must keep up if they want to […]
When Dr. Tim Gray started Mountain View Medical Center in 1990, he was committed to providing first-rate medical care. Patients trusted Dr. Gray and his team to prioritize their health—but patient waiting times were rarely a topic of discussion. Then, Dr. Gray received a compliment that was a bit of a double-edged sword: “Appointments here […]
A solid digital marketing strategy involves several components, but paid digital advertising is the most direct route to your bottom line. I'll put it this way: you can pray for clicks with healthcare search engine optimization (SEO), using the proper keywords and hoping it gets you to the top of Google's results pages--or you can pay for […]
People can say almost whatever they want about your practice online. It may seem like a difficult task, but working to earn more positive online doctor reviews (and counteract the negative) is worth it--if you hope to grow your practice and keep people coming back time and time again. Having positive reviews to showcase online […]
Google may be the number one search engine in the world, but it also owns the second-largest search engine on the web: YouTube. Despite its ever-growing presence and 30 million daily users, few hospitals and practices include YouTube as part of their healthcare advertising strategies. There are two ways to take advantage of YouTube to reach […]
