The healthcare landscape has shifted dramatically over the past decade, due largely to the changing role of the patient. As consumers at large take a more proactive role in their healthcare, they are becoming more discerning about the validity and relevance of information available and the sources they trust. In turn, it has now become more vital than ever to maintain positive and trustworthy relationships online. Combining this shift with the rise of digital media, the demand for patient-centred video content has dramatically increased.
With this digital rise has come a newfound need to educate, empower patients and consumers with smart, credible content. Video content that is trustworthy and authentic can reassure and inform audiences in a human and engaging way.
People are more than ever relying on trusted information from recognisable healthcare brands/services/organisations to bring greater clarity and simplicity to their own healthcare decisions.
Patients are proactively engaging in the following practices and they are searching online for authentic and trustworthy video content:
- Continuous research and learning: empowering themselves with knowledge of their own health status, as well as scientific terms and procedures relating to their health profile.
- Critiquing the healthcare they are currently receiving: how it aligns with their own goals and preferences. This also includes an assessment of the healthcare professional, in terms of practical scientific knowledge, technical ability and the general patient-to-professional relationship.
- Building knowledge and learning over time: by comparing their own experiences against what is commonly perceived as optimal and non-optimal healthcare, in terms of quality of services and results.
Ensuring your video clearly addresses your audience – their concerns, what they value, and the types of service and outcomes to which they aspire is vital. Don’t chest beat about your brand, think about how you can position your message within a relevant conversation.
Patients do not want to feel like they are being sold a product or service – they want to feel like their needs are constantly being heard and their role as a partner in their own healthcare is validated. In order for a marketing strategy to be successful, online video needs to start an authentic conversation with patients and seek to empower them. The biggest mistake healthcare marketers can make is to talk down to patients.
Today and into the foreseeable future, all areas of the healthcare space – whether it be medical professionals, hospitals, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, developers and practices – will be relying on ever-evolving ways of creatively and innovatively using video to connect with patient audiences, both on their own websites and social platforms.
Depending on your individual brand and business aims, these videos can range from:
Video Case Studies – People love seeing video stories of other people who may have experienced a similar health condition. Video case studies engage potential patients and humanise health treatments and services. People tend to have more trust and confidence when they can identify, learn and gain reassurance from someone in a similar situation. For example a woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and prescribed a certain treatment may seek out a video of another women who has undergone a similar treatment.
Client Testimonials – Rather than promoting your health service or product yourself, it is way more powerful to use video testimonials of people of have had a positive experience with your organisation.
Organisation Profiles – People like to get an overview of your organisation before they commit. If you are a health service, this may be a video of your organisation and what you do and interviews with staff.
Virtual Tours – A patient who is about to attend their first chemotherapy treatment would benefit greatly from being able to do a ‘walk through’ of the clinic to familiarise themselves with where to go and what to expect. These video can put peoples minds at ease.
Video Explainers – Healthcare concepts and treatments can be complicated and hard to understand. Animated video explainer videos can help simplify subject matter and engage viewers in an informative explanation.
When video is utilised successfully, it becomes a powerful device to broaden your audience reach, increase your social footprint and traffic, grow search engine optimisation and help strengthen relationships with both potential and current consumers. Video plays a large role in creating a recognisable face for your brand that is able to adapt to changing business aims and goals – and ultimately allows your brand to positively stand out from competition.
Talk to Laundry Lane about how you can harness the power of online video to aid patients in their healthcare journey.
