Many hospitals and health systems launched new telehealth platforms and services during the COVID-19 pandemic but must now implement marketing strategies to keep patients engaged with virtual care, according to the American Marketing Association.
Here are seven tactics providers should deploy to build momentum in their telehealth programs, according to the marketing association's Aug. 19 report.
1. Examine other providers' telehealth strategies and figure out how to differentiate yours from theirs and how to sell it to both new and current patients.
2. Publish messages on website, whether it’s the homepage, top-performing blog posts or website banner, to ensure visitors know that telehealth is available.
3. Develop a telehealth webpage that is user friendly and optimized for organic searches. Telehealth content should answer questions that patients are asking, such as privacy practices, and promote content via social media, email newsletters, Google posts and paid ads.
4. Use paid search ads to reach new patients but make sure website messages are up to date.
5. Take advantage of Google My Business to share updates from the practice. The platform also now allows healthcare providers to indicate if they offer online care.
6. Try out organic social media initiatives such as Facebook Live or Instagram Live to engage with followers and answer questions about telehealth. Followers enjoy interacting with clinicians and hearing information from them directly.
7. Update email marketing campaigns to ensure the practice's referral list is aware of new telehealth solutions.