With more and more Millennials coming of age and taking responsibility for their own health, medical practices need to adapt their marketing tactics accordingly.
In the marketing world, the Millennial demographic, also known as Generation Y, is getting a lot of attention these days — and for good reason. Pew Research estimates that today, there are more than 75.4 million Millennials, whom Pew defines as individuals between the ages of 18 and 34, living in the United States.
The demographic has also been recognized for its growing spending power — according to Ad Age, Gen Y will soon become the most formidable generation of consumers in history, spending “more than $200 billion annually in 2017, and more than $10 trillion in their lifetimes.”
As both the size and spending power of the Millennial demographic continue to increase, healthcare providers will need to adapt their marketing tactics accordingly. That means providing an online healthcare experience that is personalized, seamless, and highly informative, all at the same time.
When it comes to attracting Millennial patients online, there are three key things to keep in mind: user experience, credibility, and value.
From one-touch ordering on Amazon and Postmates to AI-driven voice search platforms like Siri and Alexa, tech-savvy Millennials have grown accustomed to seamless, proactive digital experiences in every aspect of their day-to-day lives. It’s therefore not exactly surprising that in a recent Makovsky survey, “ease of use” beat out “trust” in driving consumers to health-related resources online.
No matter how reputable your organization or how valuable the information offered on your website, it’s not going to do you any good if your visitors can’t access it easily. Ensuring that your website is easy to navigate and accessible from any device is the key to attracting Millennial visitors online, then holding their attention once they’ve arrived.
Just because user experience trumped patient trust in the Makovsky study doesn’t mean that it’s not still important to Millennial patients — in fact, 84% of patients refer to online reviews when evaluating different providers.
What’s more, 70% of Millennials choose their doctors based on the recommendation of friends and family, compared to 40% of those 65 and older. Also, when Millennials have a bad experience or are unhappy with their care, 60% will share that negative experience with friends and family — more than 50% of baby boomers go straight to their doctor with their concerns.
No matter the size of the purchase, Millennials are avid and incredibly adept comparison shoppers — this is especially true when it comes to choosing a healthcare provider. More than 54% of Millennials turn to the internet as their primary source of healthcare information (before consulting a doctor), compared to a 39% average for all other patient demographics globally.
As such, healthcare organizations should make a point of engaging prospective Millennial patients with genuinely informative resources online. Content marketing tactics like maintaining a patient-facing blog and active social media presence increase brand visibility and provide Millennials with the information they need to make a final purchasing decision.
At the end of the day, your ability to attract Millennial patients will largely depend on their experience with your organization online. In an increasingly competitive digital healthcare market, optimization is the lynchpin of any successful campaign.