2020 shook the digital marketing space, making it difficult to predict trends for 2021. However, If this past year taught us anything, it’s that making purchasing decisions online is more important than ever before. We all relied on digital information, resulting in a new set of consumer trends and shifts that will be more prevalent into this new year.
Check out the 5 biggest trends you won’t want to miss in 2021:
1) Transparency
Patients want honesty. Being transparent with your patients about pricing, risks, and realistic outcomes will help your brand rise above those who are not as honest. 85% of Americans are likely to stick with a business during a crisis if it has a history of being transparent. As 2020 has shown us, it’s that crises can happen at any time. Being honest with your audience creates long-term relationships and shows that you can relate to them on a personal, human level.
An easy way to show transparency is by offering pricing for your most popular procedures. Not only will this help your staff save time answering phone calls regarding pricing, but it will help weed out the price shoppers, bringing in quality leads for your practice. For plastic surgeons, the quickest way to do this is by implementing a tool on your website such as BuildMyBod to help patients understand the cost of achieving their ideal body and give you a better idea of the level of commitment they are ready to make.
2) Storytelling
Rather than trying to sell your services, patients want to hear stories and see the heart behind your practice. Everywhere we turn, people are being sold something. How is your story being conveyed? Storytelling through video content is a great way to show off your human side and share the story behind your practice.
Social media is the perfect outlet to share video content with patients. Do you have a team member with a great bedside manner? Show them off on your Instagram profile! Social media posts with video have 48% more views. Sharing videos on social media is an easy way to create brand awareness and share the heart behind your practice. Have someone on your team record a welcome message to people who visit the office! Video is a quick and easy way to give patients an idea of what to expect when they walk through your doors and match a face to a name.
3) Growing Competition
2020 has pushed medical practices to rely on digital marketing. Your presence online is crucial to surviving amongst the growing competition. This is the perfect time to increase your marketing efforts! 68% of healthcare marketers increased their spending on social media – did you? Practices that increased their ad spend by 30% experienced an increase of conversions by 60%. Keeping up with your digital marketing efforts is key to increasing momentum.
Your competition is growing so make sure you can keep up!
4) Consider “Near Me” Searches
Optimize your website for searches that say “near me.” There has been 150% growth for phrases like “near me.” For example “oral surgery or plastic surgery near me” Patients searching for these terms are typically high-quality leads and likely to convert faster. It’s also important to mention staff response times. Treat every form submission or phone call as someone who is ready to buy now. If a patient reaches out to everyone “near” them, you need to be the first one to contact them and earn their business!
5) Content Driven Marketing
The content your practice provides patients with is key to your brand awareness, making it a huge part of the buyer’s journey. Having content that your followers can interact with is key to engagement, brand awareness, and ultimately, ROI. Interactive content gains 2x more engagement than static content. This content can be anything from homepage text to videos that can be utilized across multiple platforms such as Instagram Reels, Youtube, etc.! The more content you put out there, the stronger your brand awareness.
Our team at Firm Media knows that marketing is testing. When our marketing strategies for 2020 needed to be adjusted, we jumped at the opportunity, just as our clients did.
Let us work on your digital marketing strategy, so you can focus on what matters, your patients.
Give us a call today to discuss your marketing needs for 2021 and stay ahead of the trends!
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