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8 Things to Look for in a Healthcare Digital Marketing Agency

Susie Kelley
By Susie Kelley on October 10, 2022
healthcare marketing agency
healthcare marketing agency

8 Things to Look for in a Healthcare Digital Marketing Agency

Susie Kelley
By Susie Kelley on October 10, 2022

There’s no doubt that choosing the right healthcare digital marketing agency for your business is tricky. In fact, finding the perfect marketing partner to support your growth has never been more important.

The IT healthcare industry had been steadily evolving over the past decade. Today’s accelerated demand for the kinds of remote healthcare and telemedicine services facilitated by healthcare software companies means that building a strong digital presence is a necessity, not an option. This rapid pace of technological change requires a solid marketing strategy to meet market demands and compete in this growing market.

Here are our 8 top tips for working with a healthcare software digital marketing agency that can support your healthcare business:


1. They must have expert knowledge of the healthcare industry.

As a healthcare software business or IT provider, you already know that needs of this market are uniquely complex. Building and implementing an end-to-end marketing strategy requires a digital marketing agency with a deep knowledge of the healthcare sector. Testimonials and case studies from the healthcare industry would be worth looking out for, as would healthcare-focused blog content or articles proving market-specific thought leadership.

You need an agency that is familiar with the industry-wide digital transition taking place. They should be aware of technology developments that may well be impacting your business or your target market, such as the great leaps forward in AI-led healthcare tools and wearable health devices that have been made this year.

 

2. They should be a business partner, not just a service provider.

Healthcare is a notoriously tough industry for marketers, and not just because of its complexity. Trust is at a premium, purchase cycles can be slow, and massive brands tend to dominate. When you’re choosing a healthcare digital marketing agency, look for a business partner who can work closely with you at both a strategic and a tactical level. Ideally, you should team up with an agency that is large enough to deliver a depth of industry knowledge but not so large that they can’t offer you a personalized service.

What’s more, with the rapid changes coming at the healthcare industry from all sides, you need a partner who will be able to make necessary pivots to adapt. Look for an agency that can serve as an extension of your in-house marketing team, with a clear understanding for your unique product or service and an appreciation for your unique selling proposition (USP), buyer personas, existing brand position, and market opportunities.

 

3. They must be able to build a strong digital reach.

In today’s digital age, medical service providers and individuals are choosing healthcare software and IT products online. Yet, the healthcare industry tends to lag behind others when it comes to marketing. According to Hubspot, challenges like HIPAA compliance and FDA restrictions often deter healthcare IT companies from digital marketing. This means that the companies that can navigate the digital landscape with a trusted partner are at a distinct advantage.

While some agencies specialize in a particular marketing area or technique - like SEO or social media - a healthcare digital marketing agency should be able to help you build a global marketing strategy that pulls all your disparate marketing activities into a cohesive plan. Building online strategies can complement sales rep visits, industry conferences, and in-person events, and in many cases, is simply more effective when buyers spend the majority of their research time online.

 

4. They should be able to create and implement a strategy across the full marketing mix.

Consumers expect a consistent experience across multiple marketing channels. In fact, 90% of customers expect a cohesive brand experience, regardless of the channel. Delivering polished, well-branded content across everything from social media platforms to your website, from guest posts on industry publications to paid ads, is vital to building a healthcare brand that will perform in today’s climate as well the future.

As a result, it’s crucial to find a healthcare digital marketing agency that can implement your digital marketing strategy across multiple channels, both outbound and inbound. They should offer expertise and hands-on delivery on everything from SEO and keyword research to web design, advertising and PPC, inbound content strategy, social media, user experience, and video marketing. That way, you’ll know that your marketing offers the same high-quality of experience as your healthcare products or services.

 

5. They should help you build trust and authority.

In addition to building a brand that stands out, offering a positive, high-quality user experience across all marketing channels helps to build consumer trust. Trust is vital in the healthcare industry, where one misstep can hold dire consequences. Research shows that trust is more important than ever in 2020 – in fact, it’s “second only to price” for consumers choosing a new brand.

Creating trust comes from a combination of providing a reliable, consistent experience (both pre-and post-sale) coupled with proving authority through content marketing, case studies, and client testimonials to develop a great online brand reputation. The right digital marketing agency will be able to help advise you on winning – and keeping – your customers’ trust.

 

6. They should stay ahead of the trends.

If your digital marketing agency isn’t up to speed with the latest evolutions of the healthcare industry, you risk falling behind the competition. On the other hand, if you work with a digital marketing agency that is in the know about the latest healthcare developments and how they’ll impact your target market, you can become the go-to source of information. In healthcare marketing, where success depends on authority, content marketing can play a key role in building your brand reputation as a thought leader on the latest news, trends, or technologies – but only if your marketing partner knows the lay of the land.

Do they understand the impact of big data on the healthcare industry? Are they familiar with the challenges of telemedicine? Can they provide insight into how your business could be using AI tools to provide a better experience for your end-users? Digital marketing moves fast, so you’ll want an agency with its finger on the pulse of the market.

 

7. They should be in it for the long haul.

A digital marketing agency should be able to help set up your strategy for current challenges but also give you the training, skillset, and marketing technologies to deliver exceptional results for years.

They may be able to suggest the best marketing automation solutions for your business, create evergreen content that will keep bringing in leads over time, or create an SEO strategy that keeps you permanently in Google’s top three. You should feel that you’re building a positive working relationship with a team of people who are in your corner and who understand your business and unique value offering on a deeper level, not simply a service provider working on a one-off project.

 

8. They must deliver a return on your investment.

It’s more important than ever to find a digital marketing agency that can deliver real-world results, not just vanity metrics. While some marketing efforts can take some time to translate into sales, you should feel confident that your financial investment is directly tied to major improvements in your online presence. Within a few months of partnership, you should be able to see measurable results on key marketing metrics, such as web visitors, marketing-qualified leads, lead quality, sales calls, or lead conversions.

Learn more about how Spot On helped one healthcare software company acquire lead conversions that turned into customers. Or to read more about creating a digital marketing strategy in the healthcare industry, please have a look at our guide. If you’d like to discuss how Spot On helps healthcare companies with their digital marketing goals, please click here to schedule a time to chat with us and find out how we can help.

 

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Susie Kelley
Published by Susie Kelley

Spot On co-founder and partner Susie Kelley is dedicated to leveraging technology to advance innovative solutions in highly regulated industries. Driven by the opportunity to elevate brands, she co-founded Spot On in 2012 after having spent 15 years honing her marketing skills in an agency. Susie leads business development with a personal touch, focusing on building lasting relationships with clients to meet — and exceed — their goals for business growth.

To learn more about Susie, visit our Company Page.

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