Healthcare marketing strategies to generate more qualified leads

Healthcare companies face an uphill battle when it comes to lead generation. Patients have more choice than ever before, meaning one bad experience or a considerable barrier to scheduling an appointment can result in a lost lead. To thrive and scale lead generation, healthcare businesses must adapt and embrace a multifaceted digital marketing approach and find unique ways to connect with their prospective patients. Based on years of experience and very successful healthcare engagements, we’re sharing some of the things we think can help any healthcare company attract and convert more leads. 

1. Embrace non-traditional marketing campaigns

Innovation can set you apart in a crowded healthcare market, but so too can using non-traditional marketing strategies that your competitors aren’t utilizing. Non-traditional campaigns such as online webinars, community wellness challenges, healthcare forums, and creative physical mailers can generate buzz and attract attention. These campaigns offer the added benefit of showcasing your expertise and commitment to health and wellness. Brands should be thinking of places they can show up where their audience is and their competition isn’t, this can win you more market share. 

2. Build an online empire (or a robust presence at the very least)

Moral of the marketing story; you still need a robust online presence to succeed as a healthcare organization. At the very least, this means having a professional, user-friendly website that serves as a central hub for information, services, engagement, and scheduling. Your website should be easy to navigate, informative, and reflective of your brand’s values and expertise. Additionally, ensure your online presence spans relevant directories and platforms where potential leads may seek healthcare information or services. 

With over half of global traffic coming from mobile devices, a mobile-friendly website is non-negotiable. Your mobile-friendly website needs to have a responsive design, seamless user experience, and fast loading times. This will ensure a great user experience which can help your site rank higher in search engine results. Ultimately, the easier it is for people to find your organization and book an appointment, the stronger your lead generation funnel will be.

Another very important component of a robust online presence is online reviews or testimonials. Reviews are incredibly influential in the healthcare sector! Actively managing your online reputation, encouraging satisfied patients to share their experiences, and responding professionally to feedback can enhance your credibility and attract more leads. Transparency and trust are paramount in healthcare, and a stellar online reputation supports both.

3. Cement your SEO rankings

SEO is another vital aspect of any digital strategy, allowing you to increase brand visibility and attract organic traffic. A very basic SEO strategy consists of optimizing content with relevant keywords, maintaining a healthy website structure, and producing quality content that addresses your audience’s health concerns and questions. More nuanced campaigns for multi-location clinics and organizations should focus on local SEO, such as optimizing for “near me” searches to attract patients to local clinics and services. Once you get your site ranking for a list of your top keywords, you’ll start bringing in more organic leads and can focus on ranking for even more keywords that might be more difficult or dominated by your competitors. However, keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process and should be part of a comprehensive digital strategy for building up your online presence.

4. Invest in paid advertising 

Paid advertising, including Google Ads, programmatic, and social media advertising, translates to targeted campaigns that reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. For healthcare, this precision can help in promoting specific treatments, services, or events. If you are not advertising, it is best to start working with a partner that can help you outline an appropriate strategy and make adjustments when needed so you are maximizing your return. 

5. Referral programs are crucial for healthcare lead generation

Word-of-mouth remains one of the most powerful marketing tools, especially in healthcare. Creating referral programs that reward patients for referring friends and family can be an effective way to generate new leads. Ensure your referral program is easy to understand and participate in, with clear benefits for both the referrer and the referred. You can build out a referral program on social media to make it easy for most people to participate with visible, easy-to-find links and messaging automations. 

Additionally, do not miss out on referral programs with partners and providers. It’s a good idea to explore the offerings and providers of other healthcare organizations to see where your providers can fill in the gaps. You can refer patients back and forth in a mutually beneficial partnership. Alternatively, you can work with individual providers to ensure they always send their patients to your organization when appropriate. 

6. Be the trusted source patients go to for information

Establishing your company or key team members as thought leaders in the healthcare industry can significantly enhance your brand’s authority and appeal. This can be achieved through publishing white papers, participating in industry panels, partnering with influencers, building out a viral social media channel, and contributing to reputable health and wellness publications. Being a source of reliable, valuable information can attract leads looking for trusted healthcare providers. 

Make sure you are getting in front of the right audience with your content! If the majority of your patients are not going to be reading white papers, cite the white paper in a social video or sponsored blog post. You could even send the white paper to a medical influencer and have them quote from it in their review. There are so many ways to create and distribute content these days, however, far too much of that content is invaluable or misleading. If you can stand out as a trusted provider and thought leader, your organization will start to see a jump in leads. 

7. Give Gen Z the time of day!

Gen Z is quickly becoming a significant demographic for healthcare marketers. In fact, we wrote a whole article about how to engage Gen Z. This generation values authenticity, social responsibility, and digital convenience. Tailoring your marketing strategies to meet their preferences, such as offering telehealth services, engaging through social media, and supporting causes they care about can help you tap into this emerging market and build your Gen Z lead generation funnel. 

Generating better leads in the healthcare industry requires a holistic approach to digital marketing. Innovative marketing tactics, referral programs, and targeting emerging demographics like Gen Z are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dominating the market! These and other creative strategies can be achieved with help from an experienced partner, like MDG. We’re ready to help you, not only improve lead generation, but also enhance patient care and satisfaction.