Leveraging Video for Optimal Healthcare Marketing

Written content has traditionally been king of the Internet. While video is another form of content, it’s just not “another” type of content per se. Here are a couple of reasons why:

Written content has traditionally been king of the Internet. While video is another form of content, it’s just not “another” type of content per se. Here are a couple of reasons why:

• Including video content on landing pages improves conversion rates by 86 percent, according to Business2Community.com.
• Current estimates indicate that two thirds of mobile viewing will be videos by 2016.

Strong YouTube channels and patient testimonials are an excellent beginning if you’re serious about video marketing for your healthcare practice. For optimal medical marketing, though, incorporate as many of the following video strategies into your efforts as possible.

Maximize Mileage of Physician and Practice Profiles

It’s one thing to have a small snapshot of yourself and the staff who make your practice run efficiently on the About Us section of your website. It’s quite another thing, though, to have video, which personalizes you and your practice in a way static photos can’t.

It allows prospective patients to get to know you:

your voice,

your mannerisms,

your sense of philosophy of care,

and why you do what you do.

Drive Home Importance of Health and Preventative Medicine Tips

These videos can explain seasonal health concerns, best practices to promote good health, and preventative health tips as it relates to your medical specialty. After all, sixty-five percent of people learn visually, says Business2Community.com, and video paints a picture and makes the message clear.

Action Tip: A dentistry practice can embed a video on “The Importance of Daily Brushing and Flossing”, while a chiropractic firm can showcase a video on “Safe Snow Shoveling to Avoid Back Injuries”.

Proudly Display Patient Testimonials

There’s no better way to get the word out about the good work that you do than with video testimonials from actual patients you’ve helped. (One caveat here: be aware of HIPPA regulations and comply with them.)

At a time when a patient is anxious about her health care — as this patient of Alamance Regional Medical Center was — reassuring words through a video from a patient who experienced a positive outcome is one of the most effective marketing strategies.

Provide Vivid Examples of Procedures, Surgeries, and Medical Conditions

Include video explanations of medical conditions and procedures that treat the medical conditions under your medical specialty. It is also possible to use surgery videos as an online marketing technique on your website, blog, newsletter, press release, etc. Johns Hopkins has done just that with thisvideo of a spinal synovial cyst resection.

Action Tip: If you’re not ready to provide videos of actual surgeries, consider offering videos of pre-op surgery planning and post-op surgery care to help patients become more comfortable with their impending surgery.

Develop an Informative YouTube Channel for Your Practice

YouTube videos are free advertisement for your practice in many ways. More than one billion unique viewers visit YouTube monthly, and many of them are health care consumers. If your medical practice or hospital can reach even a fraction of that audience, the time and effort investing in your own YouTube channel stands to have a big payoff.

Explain New Techniques, Medical Devices, and Technology

You are practicing in an age where individuals are more informed than ever before about their health, medical conditions, and healthcare options. Your patients want to know about the options that are available to them at your medical practice and the latest technology you have to offer, so utilize videos on your website and email newsletters to let them know about the latest technology you have available in your practice now — and the medical devices and techniques you plan to incorporate in the future.

Action Tip: A dermatology clinic with a new anti-aging device or laser hair removal technology can showcase this new device or technology via a video.

Whether you’re looking to corner the market in your local community, engage your patients, or provide relevant information to help your patients help themselves, video provides an excellent avenue for accomplishing those goals and more.