Even healthcare providers need to revamp their digital marketing strategy for the holidays, as patients scramble to slip in final treatments and appointments before the end of the deductible year.
The holidays aren’t just an important time of year for e-commerce companies and brick-and-mortar retailers; healthcare providers also have compelling reasons to up their digital marketing efforts at the end of the year. That’s because many patients who have put off non-urgent or elective procedures may start scrambling to see healthcare providers before their deductibles reset in the new year.
Because these patients are typically seeking non-urgent care, they have the luxury of “shopping” for healthcare. However, the year-end time crunch means that, when searching for a provider, patients are likely to favor those that appear near the top of the search results or even in their social media feeds. A small uptick in your digital marketing efforts can go a long way in reaching these patients before the end of the year.
Research the keywords that your potential patients are searching this holiday season. Consider specific issues patients may have close to the holidays; these may include non-urgent procedures as well as health concerns related to cold weather or travel. Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Moz, and Wordstream are all powerful tools to help you identify popular keywords.
Once you’ve established a list of keywords that you want to target, you’ll want to plan, create, and release blog, social, and site content related to those keywords. Consider looking into where your competitors rank for certain keywords; try to fill in holes that they haven’t addressed – like hyper-local or procedure-specific keywords – to beat other practices out for rankings.
Also, it’s always a good time to ensure that your location and address information is up to date across all relevant platforms, including Facebook, Google My Business, and Yelp. Convenience always plays a big role in patients’ choice of healthcare provider, and if a potential patient finds conflicting addresses or can’t find an address at all, you’ll never be the top of their list. Not to mention, Google dings businesses with inconsistent location data, hurting their search ranking.
It’s important to remember that the holidays are a busy and stressful time for many. Some patients will have the wherewithal to seek out end-of-year healthcare on their own, but many others may be too preoccupied to follow through with finding a provider, making an appointment, visiting for a consultation, and scheduling a procedural follow-up.
To reach these patients, social media advertising is invaluable. Use eye-catching designs and compelling copy to prompt patients to make an appointment; remind them that the deductible year will start over soon, and include a relevant CTA. Be respectful and cognizant of patients’ time by ensuring that any forms are short and sweet.
If you make it easy for potential patients to find your healthcare practice, make an appointment, and address their medical concerns this holiday season, you’re sure to be in high demand. Streamline the process from awareness to conversion to help patients squeeze you in to their busy schedules before their deductibles reset.