The Growing Social Influence in the Healthcare Space

Despite being late entrants to the social space, healthcare brands are fast catching up. People’s growing use of networking sites like Twitter, Facebook etc., to make informed healthcare choices, has made it imperative for healthcare professionals to establish a strong social presence.

Thismoment explored how social media is changing the face of healthcare and why brands in this space should go “social”:

• Over 1,200 hospitals today have a social media presence (Ed Bennett, University of Maryland Medical Center).
• According to a PwC study, social media is driving consumer health decisions to such an extent that patients depend on social sites to select healthcare providers, insurance plans etc.
• While 40% consumers use social media to find health-related reviews, one-third use social sites and online forums for tracking and sharing symptoms and discussing how they feel about drugs, treatments, health plans etc. (PwC 2012 Survey).
• A recent survey indicates that 94% healthcare professionals think social media is necessary to increase consumer engagement.

Reaching the Social Consumer

From the above studies, it’s clear that people’s dependency on social media for matters pertaining to healthcare is only going to grow. While the likes of GE Healthcare and Acuvue have already established a strong social footprint, there are others who are testing the waters. Here are three best practices that will help these brands reach social consumers and establish strong-trust based relationships with them.

1. Keep it Informative & Creative: While content that sounds too melancholic may put off consumers, marketing messages that appear too flippant may not be well received either. This means healthcare brands need to design quality content that’s:
   • Informative enough to be shared
   • Creative enough to keep them engaged
   

   The YouTube channel for eHealth insurance (built on Thismoment’s DEC platform) is a great example of how brands can get their message across, while keeping creativity intact. The content is informative, fun and allows users to research and apply for suitable insurance packages.

2. Go Mobile: As a healthcare brand, if you aren’t already mobile, then you should be. From finding healthcare providers to looking up various diseases, consumers expect to find all the information they need at their fingertips. According to recent studies:
   • 30% smartphone users are expected to use wellness apps by 2015 (Telenor Group and the Boston Consulting Group)
   • The global wireless health market is projected to be worth over $38 billion by 2016 (Rock Health)

   How can healthcare brands strengthen their mobile footprint?

   • Optimize brand sites/social channels for mobile viewing. Healthcare brands can do this by using Thismoment’s Distributed Engagement Channel (DEC) CMS which uses mobile as one of the key platforms. DEC is the only platform where mobile deployment comes as standard with every campaign.
   • The mobile platform provides limited space for brands to work with. Therefore, brands need to carefully plan their content and feature the most important information such as emergency contact and insurance details, diagnostic techniques etc.
3. Include Customer Testimonials and Stories: One of the great things about the Accu-Check YouTube channel (created on DEC) is the section featuring patient stories. For healthcare brands, featuring testimonials and stories on their social pages is important because:
   • Consumers like to be well informed and feel reassured when they hear stories about people who have emerged disease-free.
   • One of the biggest reasons people turn to social media when unwell is for emotional support. According a recent studies (Marketingprofs), people want to see what other patients like them say about a medication or treatment, and nearly two-thirds of them say they believe what they read.

And Finally…

While keeping promotional messages subtle, healthcare brands are using social media to feature useful information and provide users with a platform to engage with other patients and manage their conditions better. However, healthcare professionals, before creating online marketing content, need to ensure that they stay clear of legal and regulatory landmines. This includes awareness of HIPAA (Health Insurance and Portability Act) and its patient privacy regulations.

With people increasingly depending on networking sites to research information and healthcare brands active on Facebook, YouTube etc., as far as establishing a solid social presence is concerned, it would be safe to say that the healthcare industry has finally arrived.

- Shama Ahmed
Thismoment

Andrew Sielen

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