The best advertisement in the world would have little impact on a billboard in the middle of nowhere. The same is true for your digital marketing strategy. Curating powerful messaging is half the battle, but making sure it reaches the right audience is how you drive results.
Determining the right channel for your messaging is a multi-faceted process that influences both conversion and public perception. Consider these five tips for selecting the right digital marketing channels for your organization.
1. Consider your budget and team bandwidth.
First, take inventory of your resources.
Choosing a communication channel, whether it’s email, LinkedIn, or another social channel, and being intentional about adding relevant content and engaging with followers’ comments, can be expensive and timely. This is especially true for healthcare marketing teams that are already overstretched.
This is a common misstep for many organizations. They may start posting on LinkedIn, only to abandon their efforts months later. Inconsistent messaging can build mistrust with the audience and be a big waste of an organization’s resources.
Be realistic while considering your channel options and pick a medium your team has the resources to see through.
2. Lean on your patient/buyer personas.
Leveraging an ideal buyer or patient persona is the key to choosing the right channel.
In healthcare marketing especially, demonstrating a deep understanding of your audience is critical. It allows you to not only reach those whose lives are impacted by the value you can offer, but also builds trust.
Once you’ve built your patient personas, think about them as real people. Where do they get their news, what social platforms do they use, and how might they perceive your message through a given channel?
For example, a younger persona may be better reached through social media channels, like TikTok. However, you also must consider how reliable they consider TikTok as a trusted information source for their healthcare questions.
3. Complete a competitive analysis
Knowing what channels your competitors use will offer insight into where your organization should be.
Investigate where your top five competitors drive marketing messages. Consider how effective those identified channels are for them, how they utilize those channels, and whether they also fit your organization’s identity.
For example, Medtronic uses Instagram to communicate by division via separate accounts, while Baxter operates on the platform as a single corporation. Considering why these companies choose to message this way may have an impact on your organization’s channel strategy.
4. Rely on audience feedback.
Your audience knows themselves best, so be sure to tune in to their thoughts and feelings.
Utilize online surveys and customer reviews to pinpoint how and where your audience needs you. For the most impact, keep surveys short and interesting, clearly conveying how valuable their time and feedback is.
As seen in the example below, Medtronic utilizes specific audience surveys to gain insight into their Instagram channel experience. On the other hand, Mayo Clinic can assess general channel effectiveness based on engagement and feedback.
Feedback isn’t limited to social media. Surveys and reviews can and should be used on all points of contact, including emails and websites.
5. Test and optimize for channel success.
Tap into your data to see what is and isn’t working.
Many marketers are quick to adjust content or messaging if audience engagement is lackluster. That said, the channel could just as easily be the reason. Take advantage of tools like Facebook Analytics, Instagram Analytics, Google Analytics and email data.
Test different marketing channels based on your research and see how they perform. Track these metrics against your key performance indicators (KPIs) monthly or quarterly. This paves the path toward a data-driven strategy while optimizing your channel approach.
Interested in leveling up your healthcare organization’s messaging strategy?
Contact us to drive better patient activation and a successful patient journey.