According to the Center for Disease Control, 74 percent of all US adults use the Internet, and 61 percent have looked for health or medical information online. The most commonly-researched topics include specific diseases or conditions; treatments or procedures; and doctors or other health professionals.
People most often conduct business with people they like and trust, and the same follows for medical companies or brands. These days, most people will not make a visit with a doctor without looking into the clinic or practice first. In fact, 34 percent of internet users, or 25 percent of US adults, have read someone else’s commentary or experience about health or medical issues on an online news group, website, or blog.
So how can you make your health care or medical business stand out among the rest? The answer is to humanize your brand. When your audience is reminded there are real human beings working behind the scenes, and maybe they can even get to know them a bit, trust can begin to form. So if your medical or health care business comes off as cold, corporate, or faceless, you might want to make some essential changes to your website.
Below, are some quick tips on how to help your medical marketing strategy humanize your medical or health care brand:
- Make Your ‘About Us’ Page Awesome. The ‘About Us’ page appears on most every website, and presents a perfect opportunity to humanize your brand. This page is dedicated to telling people exactly who you are and what your business represents. Put a face to your brand, and people will be more willing to trust and connect with you. The best medical websites will avoid jargon that an ordinary person would not understand, and speak to the user directly.
- Introduce your Team to the World. Your company is more than a brand, it is the employees and physicians involved in the clinic, firm, or practice. Take this chance to introduce your team to the world! Explain who they are, what they do for the company, and how they represent your company. Putting a face to the name can help build trust. For example, if you have a team of five physicians, share their photos, qualifications, and interests. Remember that your website is the first step in potentially gaining a new patient.
- Show Your Team Being Real. Let your fans, patients, and followers get to know yourself and your employees a bit better by posting photos of them doing real things, around the office or in their spare time. This is a great way to show users that you are real human beings, not just a brand. For social media, don’t use avatars, but photos of your real employees. After all, one of the best ways to humanize your brand is to put a human face along with it.
- Personalize Your Posts. The world of WebMD has transformed the medical profession. People go online when they want medical information and advice, and that includes social media. Make sure that when using your social networks, messages are personalized. Consider signing your social media updates if you’re one of many posting to a social account, particularly if you’re using it for patient support. This helps remind users that even though they can’t hear your voice, there’s one real, live person that’s dedicated to helping them. The same goes for blog posts and emails, don’t just sign using the company’s name – because the company is not a person, but you and your employees are.
- Be present. Communication goes both ways. When someone comments on any of your internet mediums, whether on a blog post, social media wall, or via email, make sure to respond quickly. Even better, respond using an actual employee or physician account rather than the company one, to provide a real person’s voice to the response.
- Provide value. In addition to increasing revenue and patient flow, the point of your medical internet marketing strategy should be to provide something of value to your users. Tell stories and use humor in content to make it more enjoyable and personal. You want your users to share and engage with your brand. Use your website as the first step in the process of gaining a lifelong patient.
When a person visits your website, you want them to feel as comfortable as they would at your clinic or practice. Creating a bond with your patients is an essential step to building a lasting relationship.
