The Case for Social Media in Healthcare Marketing

When you’re in healthcare, you might not think of social media as a large component in your digital marketing strategy. You may be tempted to assume that social media doesn’t exactly fit into your industry. However, it’s quite the contrary.

According to a National Center for Biotechnology Information study, more than 40% of all healthcare consumers use social media for healthcare information and “90% of the healthcare consumers in the 18-24 year age group utilize and believe healthcare information presented in social media.”

Knowing that consumers are searching beyond your website for healthcare information, here are some additional benefits to prioritizing social media within your healthcare marketing strategy.

Humanize  

Healthcare can easily come across as unapproachable. From deductibles, to complicated medical terms, consumers can find it difficult to relate. Social media creates the opportunity to humanize your organization. You have the ability to highlight your best qualities and showcase personalities that exemplify your values. Harris Interactive recently stated that friendly employees are what cause 73% of consumers to stick with a brand. Social media can help construct a friendly view of your organization.

Reviews

85% of consumers trust online reviews of businesses as much as a personal recommendation. Online reviews continue to grow and show no sign of slowing. Google reviews alone have shown a 278% growth in recent years and right behind Google is Facebook. These online platforms require your attention to not only address potential problems, but also as a place to celebrate accolades, as many websites allow you to feature a review and list accomplishments and awards. Dimensional Research states that 90% of customers are influenced by positive reviews, so it’s imperative your organization cultivates a positive online reputation.

Communication

While reviews create an opportunity to respond to those reaching out to you, social media also provides the platform for your voice to be heard. Many aspects of communication can be used, such as the most up-to-date healthcare information or new and improved changes to your organization. 68% of consumers say when a brand proactively distributes notifications that it positively increases their perception of the brand. Outward communication helps to characterize you as an industry thought leader and also as an organization that cares about circulating relevant information.

Social media is one of the biggest disruptions in digital marketing and when done correctly, and intentionally, can be one of the most valuable marketing tactics within your healthcare marketing campaign. And while social media is an important and valuable tool, it’s just one of many aspects to pursue.

For more information on healthcare marketing, download the fourth chapter of our e-book, Inbound Marketing for Healthcare, today!

Updated: Nov 15, 2024