Navigating Crisis with Digital Marketing for Medical Practices

During a recession, natural disaster, epidemic, or any other crisis, people turn to the internet for reliable information, especially when it comes to their health. In fact, 75% of individuals prioritize online search results over other resources for healthcare-related concerns.¹ However, with over 70% exposed to medical misinformation online², finding trustworthy sources is more important than ever. This is where your medical practice can step in.

By using healthcare digital marketing, you can position your practice as a reliable provider of knowledge and services so your patients can have the reassurance they need during challenging times.

This article will show you how to build patient trust and navigate crises using effective digital marketing strategies.

Why Invest In Digital Marketing During A Crisis

A crisis often amplifies the need for healthcare. Strategic digital marketing can ensure your practice remains visible and accessible to those seeking care through targeted ads, blog posts, and social media updates. It can also give you an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to patient well-being by offering support and resources through your online platforms. In turn, people can view you as:

1. The go-to service provider for health and wellness issues.
2. An authority for reliable healthcare guidance.

Investing in healthcare digital marketing services lets you connect with more patients and create an impact that can last long after the crisis has gone.

Tip #1: Practice Empathetic Content Marketing

Only 28% of healthcare marketers have a documented content strategy.³ This is despite the fact that people need reliable content more than ever during a crisis.

Take this opportunity to connect with your patients by creating empathetic, solution-oriented content. You can do this by including an FAQs page on your website or social media that addresses all their most common concerns and dispels misinformation. 

You may also publish blog posts, articles, or videos that offer valuable insights on relevant topics, such as preventive care, managing anxiety, or navigating healthcare options during the crisis.

When it comes to messaging, craft messages that acknowledge the situation and provide clear information about how your practice is responding to the crisis.

At Wisevu, we know that empathetic content marketing is vital for healthcare practices and medical spas. By employing a careful, client-focused strategy and a thoughtful, data-driven approach, we successfully boosted our GYN client to the top of search engine rankings, with a 13000% increase in organic sessions within the first year, all while adhering to Google’s strict guidelines and high standards for healthcare marketing. 

These remarkable results demonstrate the power of a well-executed content strategy in driving patient engagement and growth, even in challenging times. If you’re interested in learning more about how to develop an effective content strategy for your practice, reach out to experts in healthcare digital marketing for guidance.

Tip #2: Use Social Media to Listen and Respond to Patient Concerns

When anxiety is high, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram become virtual town squares where people seek entertainment and information. This presents a unique opportunity to offer your services using digital marketing for medical practices. Consider these strategies:

• Monitor conversations and trends. Respond to questions/concerns promptly and empathetically.
• Use paid social media ads to reach specific demographics with relevant messages that offer your services.
• Share stories of your staff’s dedication, patient testimonials, or community initiatives to build emotional connections.

Remember: People openly share their concerns on social media. Take advantage of that. However, if this feels overwhelming, entrusting the task to an expert might be the best solution. Wisevu’s extensive experience in managing social media for medical practices ensures that you can effectively maintain a positive presence across platforms while you focus on providing medical care.

Tip #3: Enhance Personalized Care with Targeted Email Campaigns

While social media offers a platform for broad communication, email marketing provides a direct line to your patients. During a crisis, this personalized connection becomes even more valuable. There are several ways you can use email marketing to support your patients and practice:

• Offer Telehealth Appointments: Promote the availability of virtual consultations to ensure patients can access care safely and conveniently.
• Offer Exclusive Discounts: Provide special offers or discounts on specific services to email subscribers. The exclusivity encourages recipients to stay engaged and continue receiving your updates.
• Deliver Educational Content: Send personalized newsletters regularly (weekly or biweekly). Use these updates to subtly highlight your services, such as mentioning how your offerings align with the latest information and developments shared in the newsletter.

By staying connected and providing valuable information through email marketing, you can foster trust and loyalty even in difficult times.

Tip #4: Optimize Conversion Rates

Strengthening your relationship with existing patients is crucial, especially during a crisis when attracting new patients can be challenging due to people’s shifting priorities. With this, it’s essential to maximize the value of your current website visitors. This is where Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) can help.

With CRO, you can employ strategies like A/B testing (comparing two web page versions to see which performs better), simplifying the booking process, using clear calls to action, and optimizing website speed and mobile responsiveness. All these make it easier for your visitors to navigate through your website, which increases the chances of them booking a schedule, filling out a form, sharing your posts, or any other action you want them to take.

If you’re unsure where to start with CRO, partnering with an agency that specializes in digital marketing for doctors and the medical field is your best option.

Tip #5: Boost Visibility with Effective SEO

During COVID, it became necessary for the world to go online to stay connected with one another. This became instrumental to the shift into digital healthcare, with patients doing telehealth consultations with medical professionals.⁴ This heightened reliance on online resources made search engine optimization (SEO) a critical tool for medical practices’ visibility. Here are some effective SEO strategies you can try:

• Prioritize Site Speed and Crawlability: A fast, easily navigable website enhances user experience and boosts SEO. Search engines prioritize sites that load quickly and are easily crawled and indexed, leading to improved visibility and higher rankings.
• Target Relevant Keywords: Strategic keyword integration connects you with potential patients actively searching for your services. Optimize your content for relevant health concerns and telehealth-related queries to attract and engage your target audience effectively.

Alinea Medical’s journey also exemplifies the transformative power of SEO. They started as a relatively small practice, but within three months of Wisevu launching their SEO campaigns, they secured the #1 position on Google and Bing for thousands of high-converting keywords.

This shows how a robust SEO strategy can propel any practice to prominence, especially when it’s crafted by an agency specializing in digital marketing for medical practices.

Tip #6: Maintain Visibility with Targeted Google Ads

While SEO focuses on organic search results, Google Ads (formerly Google Adwords) provides immediate visibility at the top of search engine results pages. During a crisis, paid advertising can be particularly effective in reaching those seeking healthcare information and services.

Consider these strategies for utilizing Google Ads during a crisis:

• Craft sensitive ad copy: Being “in your face” with ads can be perceived as insensitive or exploitative, especially when people are facing challenges or anxieties.  Medical practices must approach their advertising with a sense of social responsibility and prioritize building trust and providing support over solely pushing sales.
• Target locally: Focus your ads on your practice’s geographic area to reach the most specific and relevant audience.
• Stay compliant: Adhere to ad platform guidelines, as violations can lead to account suspension.

By utilizing Google Ads strategically and ethically, you can maintain a strong online presence and connect with patients who need your services most.

Tip #7: Adapt Strategies Quickly Using Tracking and Analytics

In times of crisis, patient needs, public sentiment, and even government regulations can shift unexpectedly. This is why your practice needs to be agile in adapting to the changes. You can do this by using another healthcare digital marketing service called “real-time tracking and analysis.”

With tracking and analytics, you can monitor closely how your audience responds to your strategy and identify what’s working and what’s not. This information can then be used to tailor and adjust your content and service offerings accordingly.

Remember, data is your compass when navigating the complexities of a crisis. Without accurate data, you can’t know for sure whether your efforts are helping your practice or just wasting your digital marketing budget.

How We Can Help

While crises may be inevitable, their impact on your medical practice doesn’t have to be. By implementing the tips outlined in this blog and partnering with an experienced digital marketing agency like Wisevu, you can emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.

Wisevu is a team of experts specializing in digital marketing for healthcare professionals since 2008. We offer comprehensive solutions to elevate your online presence and drive patient engagement through SEO, CRO, content marketing, and so much more.

Contact us today and discover how we can transform your digital presence and propel your practice forward, even in the most challenging times.

References

1. Rutten, Lila J. Finney, et al. “Online Health Information Seeking Among US Adults: Measuring Progress Toward a Healthy People 2020 Objective.” Public Health Reports, vol. 134, no. 6, Sept. 2019, pp. 617–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354919874074.
2. Mids, Swetha Pola. “Many Americans Can’t Tell Real Health Information From Misinformation.” GoodRx, 14 Mar. 2022, www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/research/medical-misinformation-survey.
3. Nation, Persuasion. “33 Powerful Healthcare Marketing Statistics in 2024.” Persuasion Nation, 4 June 2024, persuasion-nation.com/healthcare-marketing-statistics.
4. Shaver, Julia. “The State of Telehealth Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Primary Care Clinics in Office Practice, vol. 49, no. 4, Dec. 2022, pp. 517–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pop.2022.04.002.