How SEO Helps Boost the Healthcare Industry

The healthcare industry is one of the most important sectors in any country. This is primarily because it is in charge of providing the public’s medical and well-being needs. With the services and facilities, the sector offers, healthcare is essential not only because it is taking care of the people’s health but also due to its participation in improving the quality of life of residents.

Aside from the service and facilities it offers, it is known as a huge contributor to the economy because of its significant spending. It also creates jobs, which stimulates the economy further. With these contributions to the country, the healthcare industry there is no wonder that it remains to be one of the most essential sectors during trying times.

The Rising Need for Healthcare Services

Deloitte Insights 2020 Global Health Care Outlook reported that there is an increased need for healthcare services because of global population growth. According to the study, there are 7.7 billion people in the world, and it is expected to increase to 8.5 billion by 2030. This makes meeting medical needs difficult.

Moreover, the geriatric population is also rising, which further adds to the need for accessible health systems. Combined with Deloitte’s projection that life expectancy will increase from 73.7 years in 2018 to 74.7 years by 2023, it is expected that the world’s senior citizens will increase in number.

Apart from senior citizens’ geriatric medical needs, the increased number of people getting mental health help also boosted the demand for healthcare services. Mental disorders are considered one of the leading causes of ill health and disability.

Other reasons for the increased need for the medical industry include public health emergencies, natural disasters, and other similar events.

The report projected that population growth will be one of three factors that will influence the healthcare industry’s spender. Along with increased economic power and the expansion of healthcare systems, the population is expected to increase the industry’s spending.

The Health Industry’s Need for Marketing

When talking about the sector’s spending, it is important to look into the amount it funnels into marketing. The increase in demand for healthcare services and facilities makes such the medical industry sought after even without marketing. However, individual companies require marketing to gain clients, which in turn results in sales and revenues. In short, this practice contributes to keeping services and facilities afloat, and by extension, its employees and patients.

It is also important to note that marketing is also instrumental in disseminating important medical information. While companies are sought after for their service, they are also seen as a reliable source of health-related information. This includes tips in taking care of people’s health, advisories regarding public health issues and other related matters.

While marketing is basically geared toward the promotion of the company’s products and services, it can also help in providing public services such as information dissemination.  This, in turn, leads to the achievement of other goals set by the organization.

Healthcare Marketing Spending

As mentioned, the industry is bound to spend more due to the rising demands and a large chunk of their budget allocation is directed toward marketing. According to Zenith Media’s report on the sector’s adspend, the United States’ healthcare industry is the top advertising spenders in 2018, with $15.9 billion funneled toward marketing. This shows a spending growth of 6% a year from 2013 to 2018.

This increase is due to the use of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines through television and internet ads through targeted and personalized social and digital avenues. In the next few years, the country’s spending on marketing is expected to grow by 5% in 2020 and 2021.

The same trend can be observed in the country’s home healthcare services industry, which spent $129.88 million on advertising, according to Statista. This year, this sector’s expenditure is expected to increase by up to $136.22 million.

Healthcare Industry and SEO – An Overview

In the age of digital media, marketing has developed a whole new arena called digital marketing. Compared to traditional practices, this modern method makes use of various digital avenues such as audio, audio-visuals, the internet, websites and social media. One of the key tools in any relevant and effective digital marketing campaign is search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO is the practice of optimizing websites’ content to make it more searchable for search engines’ algorithms, particularly Google’s. The main goal of this tool is to put webpages on the first page of search engine results, preferably at the first two spots. This can be achieved by creating relevant and keyword-rich content that complies with Google’s SEO rules.

Using SEO, healthcare companies can increase their activity. If you operate such an organization, here’s what you need to know about the industry and SEO:

• SEO Helps Reach Your Target Market

As a company, you should have a website that will help introduce your brand and your services to potential clients. Inside your site, you have webpages that explain your offerings. Now, imagine the number of organizations in the country that are similar to yours. At the minimum, there would be thousands of such companies. Without proper marketing, your website and company will drown under the sheer number of competitors.

The best way to put your name on the map is through SEO. This tool will help you reach your target marketing with the use of optimized keywords. Say, a potential customer searches for a service you offer. A search engine optimized website and webpages have higher chances of appearing on the first page of the results.

• Authority on the Subject Matter

Any medical services facility is expected to have expertise in their area of focus. For example, those who run pediatrics clinics should be able to provide the right and services related to children’s health. Being able to live up to such expectations plays a role in upholding the name of your company.

When it comes to your online presence and reputation, you want to make sure that your organization can fulfill such expectations even while you persuade prospective clients to avail of your services. How, you may ask? The simplest answer is through SEO.

Your website may contain a landing page for the services you offer but keep in mind that you can also publish informative content through blogs. You can dedicate a section of your site for relevant, helpful and keyword-rich materials, which can come in the form of texts, images, audio or audio-visual content. With the right description and tags, users looking for information about your area of expertise are bound to find your blogs.

• Revenue and Sales

As users find your webpages, you are also increasing your leads. Leads are visitors that have shown interest in the service you offer and can potentially turn into sales. When users visit your landing pages or blogs, you have the chance to persuade them to become clients through your content. With the right SEO strategy, you can successfully turn your leads into customers.

Research by research firm Forrester group shows that an optimized user experience, which is amplified by SEO, can lead to a conversion rate of 400%. This means that with the right strategy, you can increase your organization’s sales and revenues by a huge margin.

• SEO Leads to the Creation of an Online Resource

It is important to remember that one of the primary reasons why the healthcare industry and the companies under it are deemed essential is because of the service it renders to the public. It is charged with the responsibility of taking care of the people, which encompasses information sharing.

As you create high-quality content for your blog, you are creating a valuable online resource that users can refer to. This not only contributes to your company’s authority on the subject matter but also helps cement your brand as a service-focused one, thus improving your reputation and putting your name in the minds of potential clients.

Other Digital Marketing Strategies to Use with SEO

SEO definitely has the potential to improve your healthcare company’s reputation and performance but only if you use it with other digital marketing strategies. Your campaign will be able to thrive with the help of the following:

• Websites – One of the most fundamental tools in digital marketing is a website and web design. It helps improve user experience, as well as establish your company’s brand.
• Paid Advertisements – Before you can reach organic results from your SEO activities, you might want to use paid ads to help get your company on the results page. However, you will have to pay a fee to Google.
• Social Media – Aside from your website, your online presence is also supported by your social media account. This helps you reach your target audience while also introducing you to a wider market. Such platforms also offer an accessible avenue to reach your target market.
• Reputation Management – Any company might encounter unfavorable reviews from unsatisfied clients. You can use this service to prove that your organization can offer more.

The Bottom Line

SEO plays a huge role in boosting the healthcare industry. With the use of this tool combined with other digital marketing strategies, you can launch a marketing campaign that not only helps boost your revenue but also makes your brand more serviceable to clients.