With tech and mobile quickly colonizing the healthcare space, patient outreach, communication, and care are being revolutionized. In 2016, several medical practice internet marketing strategies are poised to move to the forefront as essential ways to offer your patients what they want.
81% of health-related searches start with non-branded terms, but almost half end on branded pages — a big deal in medical practice internet marketing. (Google/Compete)
When people get online to look for health information, whether on a computer or a mobile device, most are entering non-branded search terms: symptoms, medical conditions, or treatments. To get on the radar of potential new patients, the best medical web marketing strategy is to focus on giving them the information they want. By including patient education materials on your website and using search optimization, paired with search advertising, you can simultaneously guide traffic to your site and gain credibility. People do this research everywhere: at home (63% of patients), at work (27%), and even in the doctor’s office (16%). It’s essential that your site be responsive, providing a smooth user experience.
76% of patients are more likely to use wearable technology if it’s recommended by their doctor. (iTriage Health)
Wearables — the smartwatches, headbands, fabrics, and other devices that continuously collect biometric data — are on the rise. While many people are already familiar with wearables as workout trackers, the market is rapidly expanding, with many innovative devices that can help to monitor and manage specific health conditions. Patients trust doctors to help them navigate this space and you should be able to meet them there.
While 73% of patients have never used telemedicine, 76% are interested. (Software Advice)
On a daily basis, people send emails, share photos, and chat over video with friends, family, and employers, so why not communicate this way with their doctors? The convenience of telemedicine, or using tech for virtual medical consultations, is a natural solution. Not many patients are on board yet but many are interested — meaning that there’s huge potential for expansion in this area. You can meet patient demand by incorporating this service into your practice with straight-forward technologies and payment procedures. Especially since telemedicine can increasingly be offered to non-local patients, using search advertising to market your medical practice through telemedicine keywords is a good option.
From 2000 to 2013, the number of seniors who go online increased from 14% to 59%. About 1 in 5 own tablets. (Pew Internet)
Seniors, who are the most frequent users of health services, are also the least tech-savvy. This may give you pause as you consider allocating resources to medical practice internet marketing and healthcare technologies. However, more and more seniors are accessing online resources both from computers and mobile devices, which are easier to use for those who have developed problems with hand mobility or hand-eye-coordination. The trend for senior internet use is projected to continue. Especially when you’re creating web content that is relevant to seniors, it’s important to design medical sites that are intuitive for new internet users, responsive for easy access on tablets, and accessible for the vision impaired.
83% of patients want web access to their health records and 72% want to book appointments online. (Accenture)
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The internet has empowered people to take charge of their health and now, they want to see websites and apps that will help them do just that. Think online appointment booking, changes, and cancellations; patient portals where patients can review their histories, check lab test results, and make payments; integrated calendar functions with appointment and prescription refill reminders; and apps that make it possible to do all this on a cell phone. In choosing a health provider, patients will now take into consideration whether they will have an opportunity to manage their own health with these services.
