Why Content Marketing Is A Necessity In Your Healthcare Marketing Strategy

By Geoffrey Cooling

The internet has changed people’s relationship with information. No longer do they need a library, nor in the first instance do they need a person of knowledge. They can access any information they need simply via Google. Whilst gathered data consistently shows that doctors, nurses, and other health professionals continue to be the first choice for most people with health concerns.

It is also the case that online resources, including advice from peers, are a significant source of health information worldwide but particularly in the United States. So first let us look at the figures, then let us think about what it means to us for our healthcare marketing strategy.

The rather busy people at Pew Research undertook a survey which was detailed in 2011. The survey was undertaken in late 2010, so this information is out of date. The figures that we will discuss will be on the low side in comparison to what is occurring now. The survey found that, of the 74% of adults who use the internet:

• 80% of internet users have looked online for information about any of 15 health topics such as a specific disease or treatment. This translates to 59% of all adults.
• 34% of internet users, or 25% of adults, have read someone else’s commentary or experience about health or medical issues on an online news group, website, or blog.
• 25% of internet users, or 19% of adults, have watched an online video about health or medical issues.
• 24% of internet users, or 18% of adults, have consulted online reviews of particular drugs or medical treatments.
• 18% of internet users, or 13% of adults, have gone online to find others who might have health concerns similar to theirs.
• 16% of internet users, or 12% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other providers.
• 15% of internet users, or 11% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of hospitals or other medical facilities.

Of those who use social network sites (62% of adult internet users, or 46% of all adults):

• 23% of social network site users, or 11% of adults, have followed their friends’ personal health experiences or updates on the site.
• 17% of social network site users, or 8% of adults, have used social networking sites to remember or memorialize other people who suffered from a certain health condition.
• 15% of social network site users, or 7% of adults, have gotten any health information on the sites.

As you can see from the results, people are actively searching for health information on the web. They are doing so on a regular basis, not only are they doing so but they are connecting to other people with similar health issues to discuss their problems. This trend will only increase as more and more people become active on the web. The key here is that this people are looking for good information.

If you want some of this business you need to be supplying the types of information they are looking for. That is where a good content marketing strategy comes in to your healthcare marketing plan. I hope that I have made the case for content marketing in healthcare marketing. These figures stand on their own as quite stark evidence. So have you started to plan your content marketing strategy?

Regards

Geoff

P.S. Later in the week I will go through what those people are looking for and what type of sites they trust to give it to them.