It may seem like the only meaningful opportunity hospitals and other healthcare organizations have is the expected appointment reminder and other associated communications. But whether you’re sharing via email marketing or social media, whether you’re reaching out to patients, personnel, or community members, there are many different types of content that are appropriate, engaging, and educational for healthcare audiences.
The Benefits of Sharing
Because so many healthcare providers are utilized on an as-needed basis, it might seem like proactive, regular outreach is not as important as communicating appointment reminders or procedure updates. But regular outreach through channels like email, social media, and even SMS text messaging can provide many business benefits with your various target audiences.
- Patients are a primary audience for healthcare organizations. But by providing education, tips, and even casual, engaging content, healthcare organizations can help build rapport, combat medical anxiety, and encourage preventative behaviors outside of regular appointments.
- Personnel require regular, thorough education and communication from their healthcare employers. But additional outreach, like sharing positive patient feedback, recognizing employee achievements, and encouraging a healthy workplace can help enhance employee satisfaction and performance.
- Community members like referring providers, partner organizations, or even media contacts, can share information and tips from your organization to their own audiences, building your credibility and strengthening those relationships.
Examples of Engaging Healthcare Marketing Content
Everyone gets writers’ block sometimes, and if you’re struggling with what to say, start by thinking about your audience and where you’re planning to communicate. For instance, certain types of in-depth information and content are perfect for an email newsletter. Photos, video tips, and other attention-grabbing, quickly consumed content are solid social media fodder. And urgent, timely information like health alerts, closures, or event reminders might work best in a text message.
Here are some examples of how hospitals and other healthcare providers are using content in these channels:
While the expected topics are still flowing through email from healthcare providers– like community health updates, facility procedures, and appointment and procedure information, the healthcare content landscape has broadened. When considering your email marketing calendar, include content like:
- Insider expertise – Break medical news down into understandable tips for your audiences. For example, topics like “Exciting advances in tech make your recovery even easier!” and “Busting the top myths about antibiotics” are important, but accessible.
- Seasonal updates – Keep your audience informed before seasonal health hazards hit. Help them think ahead with content like “Top ways to stay healthy during big gatherings this holiday season” or “Halt hay fever before it starts this spring” can prepare your audience ahead of time and answer their questions proactively.
- Employee spotlights – Spotlighting your employees is good for your patients, your staff, and your community. Recognition like “Day in the life” profiles, or personnel Q&A are a fun, easy, and heartfelt way to highlight your staff.
Social media
Meeting your patients and community where they are is a critical component of healthcare communication, and today, that means being present on social media. But social media is also a channel for engaging, highly visual content that attracts attention. Consider things like:
- Video clips – Your organization is full of experts. A quick video recorded on a smartphone can be easy and effective. Consider videos like a daily or weekly healthcare factoid or a 1-minute wellness check-in to encourage engagement and discussion.
- Interactive content – Test your audiences’ healthcare knowledge with short quizzes or infographics, or find out what’s on their mind by providing surveys or polls. (This can also be a fun way to extend “mythbusting” content that appears in emails or on your site.)
- Patient and employee photos – Everyone loves a good visual, and what better way than by celebrating your patients and employees? A quick snapshot from patients or employees who have consented to be featured can be a good way to celebrate recoveries, anniversaries, or other special occasions with your audience.
SMS text messaging
When it comes to reaching your audience on their smartphones, keep it short, sweet, and time-sensitive. The majority of text messages are read much more quickly than other communications, so combining “in the moment” messaging with engaging content can be a challenge. Think about texts like:
- Daily wellness activities – Consider sharing regular, easy, fun wellness activities for your text subscribers, like a morning stretch, a healthy recipe, or a breathing exercise.
- Event previews – If you have an upcoming event like a health fair, or an appearance at a community event, a reminder text with a “sneak peek” at what’s coming can boost attendance and support.
- Review requests – Text messages are the perfect way to ask your audience for feedback. Keep it light, fun, and open – you want their honest opinion!
How to Get Started
The most important thing to remember before you start working to engage your audience using content is to be consistent, appropriate to your audience, and considerate of your chosen channel.