A look back at hospital marketing trends: Raising the bar on content quality

2016 hospital marketing trends wrap-report

Note: This is part of a series of blog posts related to our 2016 Hospital Marketing Trends White Paper. We will review and discuss one trend a week, providing feedback about what happened in 2016 and what’s to expect in 2017. If you’re interested in finding out more, then download our 2017 Hospital Marketing Trends white paper today. 

Due to significant changes in government and our current political climate, the future of healthcare is more uncertain than ever before. Although we can’t predict what’s in store for next year, when you’re informed about the past, planning for the future is easier.

We recently challenged our agency to review our 2016 Hospital Marketing Trends white paper and report about what stayed the same and what changed for the future. 

Here’s what we came up with:

What we said:

In 2016, it’s no longer enough to publish good, relevant content. Content marketers publish so many articles, blogs, and white papers on a daily basis that to stand out; your organization must post content that is consistently better, i.e. higher quality, more relevant, than all other online medical content.

Another guideline to keep in mind is that context is more important than the content itself. Tailor your content to the context and psychology of each social channel.

What happened:

Content got better in 2016, but it also got smarter. Sponsored content started to dominate platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and publications such as BuzzFeed, The New York Times and even local newspapers. Sponsored content (AKA native advertising) is dominating the advertising scene because newsfeeds are dominating our attention. If the headlines are catchy and the articles are engaging, consumers aren’t bothered by reading an ad. Hospitals can capitalize on this movement in 2017 and contribute to publications such as WebMD. Check out this article to learn more about native advertising.

Additionally, in 2016 content such as videos exploded. Consumers are choosing to engage with video more and more — even brand videos. According to a recent AdWeek report, a whopping 84% of all marketing communications is predicted to be visual by 2018. If video isn’t a part of your hospital’s content marketing strategy next year, then you might just fall behind. Stay engaged with consumers in 2017; it’s as easy as grabbing your smartphone and pressing “record.”

— Caroline Murray