With a new year upon us, healthcare marketers need to reflect on how 2023 marketing trends performed to plan their 2024 strategies. In addition to regular marketing audits, staying current on the latest trends is vital for a successful healthcare marketing strategy.
Today, the digital marketing experts at Forge Apollo in Philadelphia share the healthcare marketing trends we’re considering for strategies this year.
1. The Importance of Local SEO
With 89% of potential patients searching for healthcare providers online, it’s clear that search engine optimization (SEO) is essential. But what practices need to take more seriously in 2024 is local SEO.
Healthcare is a local business; even national or regional brands direct patients to their local practice. Local SEO helps people in your service area find your practice when seeking care online.
Maintaining a consistent presence on local listings (like a Google Business Profile), featuring an accurate address on your website, and using local keywords have always been important to local SEO.
Local landing pages for brands with multiple practice locations have always been important. However, we’re also seeing landing pages for doctors who provide service in certain areas appear.
For example, if your dental brand has a doctor who practices in multiple offices in the Philadelphia region, you could make a landing page targeting the greater area in which they practice.
2. Video Marketing
Video marketing is one of the most impactful healthcare marketing trends on the list in 2024. 91% of consumers want more video content from brands. Why?
Videos resonate with audiences and tell a story to inform and entertain. They make an impact and provide credibility by sharing content straight from your brand.
How can healthcare brands use video marketing in 2024? Here are some types of videos you can share across social media, email marketing, your website, and more.
- A video tour of your practice
- Introduction to your providers
- Commemoration videos of significant events
- Mini documentaries sharing moving cases
- Explainer videos sharing appointment or procedure prep or recovery instructions
- Explainer videos about standard procedures
For example, Forge Apollo created this mini-documentary for Main Line Health, highlighting an impactful trauma care case and program.
3. Using AI to Empower Marketers – And Debates Around Its Use
AI is here to stay, but figuring out its ethical role in marketing is a challenge facing the whole industry. Especially in categories Google refers to as “Your Money, Your Life (YMYL),” such as health-related topics, the use of AI is controversial.
For YMYL topics, credibility is critical because inaccurate information can be dangerous for readers. Qualified professionals should write marketing content for healthcare brands.
However, that doesn’t mean AI is useless in the healthcare industry. One of the 2023 marketing trends we’re taking into 2024 is using AI to empower marketers, not replace them.
Here are a few examples of ways AI can help your team while maintaining your credibility:
- Suggesting ideas for blogs or videos
- Suggestions questions readers may have related to a topic
- Offering subject lines for email content you’ve written
- Offering social media captions for a blog you’ve written
- Helping with SEO research
4. Building Credibility Online
While building credibility isn’t necessarily a new “trend,” it’s something medical marketers should keep their focus on this year as the use of AI makes more people skeptical online.
How can you build and maintain credibility with skeptical modern audiences?
- If you use AI in your marketing efforts, disclose how your practice uses it so patients can understand who generates the content they view.
- Include clear authors and biographies highlighting credentials on blog posts and articles.
- If appropriate, include a secondary bio of the person reviewing your content to ensure its accuracy and label the content as “reviewed by” that professional.
- Clearly display your practice’s and providers’ credentials on your website and, when appropriate, in marketing materials.
- Feature real patient testimonials in marketing materials.
- Outdated or low-quality designs make you look sketchy–Make sure you have a professionally designed healthcare website and high-quality marketing materials to convey your credibility.
We Follow the Marketing Trends You Need to Know
The landscape of digital marketing constantly evolves as new technologies and trends emerge, especially in healthcare. Luckily, the Philadelphia-based digital marketing experts at Forge Apollo follow these trends to keep our strategies current and effective. Contact us today to discuss your current healthcare marketing strategy and if you could do anything better.
