Marketing trends come and go in any industry, but it’s still important to stay on top of them so you don’t fall behind the competition. Many of the hospital marketing trends we expect to see throughout 2018 aren’t necessarily groundbreaking, but they will likely become more significant. The best media agencies can help you adapt your marketing strategies accordingly, but here is a glimpse at what’s trending.

Local Marketing

There are two main reasons why local marketing is important. One is because people constantly have some sort of device with them at all times that pinpoints their location. The other is because people travel more today than ever before. If someone needs to visit a hospital and they aren’t in their own city, then local online marketing can lead them to yours. Your hospital needs to be discovered, so advertising to the local audience will yield better results than marketing to a large area.

Emergence of Outreach Programs

We’re seeing an increase in marketing outreach programs these days. Whether it’s with the opioid crisis or any other cause, hospitals can have a voice with various outreach programs. Many of these programs also can join forces with other health systems, community leaders and similar community organizations to have a stronger and more unified voice.

Streaming Live Content

Any marketing agency will tell you the importance of streaming live content today. This is becoming increasingly true in the healthcare industry, as people would rather learn about medical information via video rather than read through a long piece of text. Utilizing social media is one of the most effective ways to stream live content today, and hospitals should take advantage of the opportunity as much as possible.

Marketing Geared Toward Patient Experience

The patient experience and overall satisfaction is still alive, well and important in 2018. Just like the importance of a great customer experience in a retail store, people have come to expect the same great service in a hospital. Many marketing firm services will highlight a great patient experience as being an important factor of any marketing campaign, since it’s an attractive component for patients today.

Telemedicine and Telehealth

Virtual doctor visits, telehealth and telemedicine are increasing significantly. The demand for these practices has always been high, but certain complications have prevented them from evolving. With the immediacy that’s available in many aspects of life with technology, medicine and health advice in general will see an increase in demand as well.

Morgan & Co. has more than 20 years of experience providing hospitals and healthcare facilities with innovative marketing strategies. We see ourselves as more than just another marketing media agency, and we work every day to prove it to our clients. To learn more about our services and how we can help you stay on top of the latest marketing trends this year and beyond, contact us today.