Top 15 Healthcare Marketing Trends for 2019

The only constant is change, and that’s never been truer in the world of healthcare marketing. This year brought major acquisitions, new consumer priorities, and competitive trends that will only heighten in the New Year.

Hospitals, practices, and corporations will have to stay one step ahead to keep up with both competitors and patient needs. This means investing in best-in-class technology and resources for a marketing strategy that puts your brand at top of mind for patients and keeps them engaged and invested.

Here are our top predictions for healthcare organizations and healthcare marketing in 2019:

1. Millennials will cause more shockwaves, and demand complete convenience

Millennials don’t just want convenience; they’re insisting on it. They cannot imagine being subservient to the old way of doing things. It was once the norm to wait weeks or months for a doctor’s appointment and then hours in the waiting room. But forward-thinking organizations are departing from this model, and millennials are switching to providers that offer a much higher level of convenience.

If hospitals and practices want to evolve to the changing needs of the millennial patient, they will need to update their processes in 2019. Small changes certainly help: like allowing patients to schedule appointments online or offering text updates and appointment reminders. But today’s millennials want more than the basics, including quick access to health records and easy access to a doctor via text message.

2. Online reviews will become more important than ever

Whether you like it or not, patients are going to leave reviews of your office online. And whether you like it or not, it’s in your best interest to encourage patients to leave these reviews.

Online reviews are already heavily prioritized by the search engines. It’s often the first thing people look for when searching for a new doctor, and if they can’t find any reviews, they may simply look somewhere else. Even worse—they may only be able to find a negative review of your brand.

Studies show that people trust online reviews nearly as much as a recommendation from a friend. And while you cannot eliminate every negative review that’s already out there, you can offset them with several positive reviews. With an increased emphasis on online reviews in 2019, your best form of protection is to implement a reputation management program and to encourage happy patients to speak out for your brand.

3. Private equity acquisitions will continue to grow, with healthcare treated more like business

If you’re paying any attention, you know that private equity acquisitions of healthcare organizations have been rampant in the past few years. Healthcare is a business like any other, and these investors are willing to treat it as such, so get ready for some tough competition in the New Year.

In fact, investors and business types will continue to rush into the market in 2019, disrupting the way we think of healthcare. They simply don’t think like doctors and have fewer fears and “sacred cows.” We’re also likely to see more surprise acquisitions, like CVS acquiring Aetna, for market share and distribution. 

4. Patients will continue their rapid evolution as healthcare consumers

It’s not just millennials who are changing the game when it comes to healthcare marketing. Today’s patients are more empowered to make decisions about their healthcare than ever before. No longer are they beholden to the nearest local practice or hospital. Even referrals can be thoroughly researched online before a patient ever agrees to an appointment.

Patients have always cared about quality and cost. Now in the age of healthcare consumerism, it’s easier for them to prove it. They thoroughly vet your organization online before coming through the door. They leave honest reviews and avoid organizations with negative ones.

Healthcare providers can respond by cleaning up their organizations (sometimes physically, often internally), becoming more transparent about services and pricing, and training staff members to meet the needs of the modern consumer.

5. Google’s E-A-T algorithm will grow stronger

Of course, Google is still the number one search engine for those looking for health information or local providers—so you want to be at the top of the search results. In August 2018, Google confirmed that its algorithms now puts a much higher emphasis on EAT:

• Expertise
• Authority
• Trustworthiness

This week we released a broad core algorithm update, as we do several times per year. Our guidance about such updates remains the same as in March, as we covered here:  https://t.co/uPlEdSLHoX

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison)  August 1, 2018

Millions of websites saw their search engine rankings drop when this update launched—particularly healthcare websites. In fact, the update was nicknamed the “Medic” update because so many healthcare websites seemed to fall in the search engine rankings at once. And this algorithm is only likely to get stronger.

If Google has no way to verify the legitimacy and trustworthiness of your content, prospective patients may not be able to find your brand online. Healthcare websites will need to step up their content and provide a better overall user experience.

Read the rest of the 2019 trends on HealthcareSuccess.com