Healthcare facilities saw revenues going down during the pandemic after patients opted to delay or cancel surgical procedures to avoid getting infected by the virus. And after the situation improved, it became necessary for these facilities to connect with their clients online to increase their revenue.
While many facilities already have an online presence, they have yet to benefit from it to create revenue-generating opportunities. In this situation, working with and consulting healthcare marketing experts allows healthcare facilities to benefit from their experience in the marketing aspect of the industry. These professionals can help develop the marketing and promotion strategy of the institution. They can also coach decision-makers in implementing the marketing strategy. They can also provide recommendations on how to build the brand in the market.
Aside from working with these professionals, healthcare facilities should take the following tips into account to increase their online presence.
Ensure the Website Focuses on Patient Needs
Building a website does not mean that healthcare facilities already have a suitable online presence. They should ensure that the website focuses on the needs of their patients. To accomplish this, healthcare facilities should create a design that provides users with the resources they need to take care of their health.
The website should be user-friendly and should allow users to find the services that they need. Patients looking for a specialist do not appreciate it if they have to spend a long time exploring the website to find the doctor they need. Making the website accessible makes it easy for users to see what they need.
If patients need to pay, the website should provide an easy-to-find portal that they can use to settle their bills. The website should also offer a directory of doctors affiliated with the healthcare facility. The directory should show their specializations, clinic locations, and contact details. The website should also allow users to filter the results according to their needs.
A Frequently Asked Questions page is also helpful for visitors who are looking for answers to simple questions about the healthcare facility. So, the healthcare facility should ensure that the page is available for users.
Let the Website Design Stand Out
Aside from being user-friendly, the website should also be appealing to the eye. A visually-appealing website encourages users to explore it. In this situation, users will spend more time on the website and look for services that they can benefit from.
A visually-appealing website also promotes user engagement, which is beneficial for healthcare facilities. Engaging users allows facilities to promote their services. It also enables healthcare facilities to convince users to use their services.
To increase the website’s visual appeal, healthcare facilities should use images of their equipment and amenities. They should also avoid using stock images on the website. They should use actual pictures of the equipment and amenities of the facility. And if they can get the permission of their patients, they should also use photos of real patients who used the services of the facility. Aside from increasing the website’s visual appeal, these images also increase the trust level of the facility.
Create Content for the User
One of the ways to drive traffic to the website is by creating engaging content. Healthcare facilities should create engaging content that is relevant to their clients. So, they should make sure the content should focus on information that their patients need.
While healthcare facilities should post medical-related articles, they should avoid using jargon whenever necessary. They should make sure the content is easy to understand to encourage users to stay on the website. They should also be informative and educate users about the services they offer.
Aside from making content engaging, healthcare facilities should also consider search engine optimization (SEO) for their content. Due to this, they should use relevant keywords on the article to increase their rank on the search engine results page (SERP) of Google. This will help healthcare facilities to improve their online presence.
Have an Active Social Media Presence
Healthcare facilities should also be active on social media networks to connect with around 72 percent of US adults. Using social media platforms is a good way for healthcare facilities to increase their online presence.
But they should also be careful with what they post on their accounts. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prohibits healthcare facilities from posting content about their patients without permission.
So, they should limit their posts to the services that they offer. They can also use social media platforms to provide science-based information to their patients to fight misinformation that has spread through different social media networks.
After the improvement in the health situation, healthcare facilities should work on improving their online presence to connect with potential clients online.
