By: John Lavey | Hammock President/COO
Last week’s article, “Why 2019 Will be the Year of Healthcare Content Marketing” outlines the many reasons healthcare providers, in particular, need to think about shifting their budgets toward “a more content-centric strategy.”
“Hospitals and health systems are uniquely positioned to deliver compelling content that drives not only audience insights, but business results,” the writer says. Healthcare providers are naturally strong content marketers because they have access to so many subject matter experts. These experts, when paired with good storytelling marketers, can deliver “reputable answers to some of the most common and pressing questions patients are asking.”
We couldn’t agree more that the value of good content marketing should be laser-focused on addressing the problems and priorities of the provider’s audience. The article points out how the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic, each hosting a library of patient resources, are leading lights in hospital content marketing both for other providers and consumers looking for answers.
Northwell Health, the largest provider in the state of New York, considers content more broadly. Its website features supportive online communities to help patients manage complex or chronic illnesses.
Many providers are looking for ways to support their brand in the community before a patient needs their services. They want to leverage the authentic expertise that exists within their organization to meet the most urgent concerns of their patients.
How will you look to support the case for more content marketing in your organization? Here are some recommendations:
- Develop the value proposition.
- Research your audience.
- Have a documented strategy.
- Measure and report.
- Think about content across departments, not just within marketing.
Takeaway: Will 2019 be the year you focus your marketing on content that helps healthy patients stay healthy and sick patients manage illness? How will your content support the family members and stakeholders that surround these patients?
Photo | Getty images
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