Competing in this ever-changing healthcare marketplace has become more and more challenging. Patients have higher expectations of their medical providers and are taking a more active role in their healthcare planning and delivery. To effectively market and grow any business there are a few foundational elements that must be in place to ensure proper execution and results. Here are five things your healthcare marketing must have to grow.

1. Marketing Strategy – Without a strategy, your marketing is without purpose. If you market without a true purpose or end goal, you will never truly know the efficacy of your marketing efforts. You also risk wasting valuable marketing dollars on efforts that don’t produce results. A healthcare marketing strategy not only outlines the businesses goals, it is created from detailed research into its’ marketplace in order to achieve maximum growth.
2. A responsive website – Today’s business has a mere 15 seconds to grasp the attention of their web visitors and approximately 60% of web searches occur on mobile devices. If your visitors have to pinch to enlarge what they see on screen, your likely to have a high bounce rate, which means they drop off your site and visit the next one that shows up in their search results. Responsive websites are built for optimal viewing on any device. They also have features such as click-to-call and other pertinent information easily accessible, which is important in today’s fast paced world.
3. Social Media Presence – Having an active social media presence has become an important part of any successful marketing strategy. Consumers are looking online for their healthcare providers. They are asking friends, family and even community groups for suggestions. Plus 61% of people who use social media trust posts made by doctors and 41% of patients said that social media influenced their decision when choosing a healthcare provider. Social media marketing provides multiple platforms for educating, connecting and conversing with both prospective and existing patients. The key is to determine what information fans most respond to and give them lots of what they want! Social media should not be about exclusively promoting your business. It should be about sharing information that your fans and followers care about.
4. Content Marketing Strategy – Content marketing is one of the best healthcare marketing strategies a business can add. Healthcare companies that blog have 55% more website traffic than those who don’t. This is because each well-written blog is another opportunity to be found online. Therefore, blog about topics relevant to your business. Be sure to use keywords in your blog that are commonly searched by patients online.
5. An Exceptional Team – Each person that touches your patients, from those who answer the phone and check patients in, to the medical care team, play a vital role in building your practice. If your team does not deliver exceptional care, you run the risk of losing patients. Exceptional healthcare employees are respectful and responsive to the individual needs of the patient. They are also excellent communicators, adapt well to changing situations and have a high attention to detail.