Healthcare content marketing: dos and don’ts

What is healthcare content marketing?

Content marketing focuses on creating, sharing, and distributing information in many forms that is not necessarily branded content. The content can take many forms: a video, social post, blog post (like the one you are reading right now), email, infographic, and more as long as it informs and provides value to your target audience. Your audience will be attracted to your company as a result of the relevant, quality content you provide. If your healthcare company isn’t using content marketing, you are missing out; it is absolutely central to the inbound marketing strategy.

So how do you create successful content marketing?

Do 1. Provide useful content for your audience.

Content marketing is about giving, not taking. People care about things that will benefit them. You will attract more people to your company by providing value to others rather than focusing on how they can provide value to you. First, find out what interests your audience and what problems they may have. Next, put out content that answers their questions and provides information that inspires them to take action. Think about it: In your busy schedule, would you spend the time engaging with content that isn’t useful to you? Probably not. Neither will your audience. Be thoughtful about how you can help your audience, and they will respond favorably to your content.

Do 2. Be entertaining or informative.

Nobody wants to spend time reading something long and dry. Talk about boring. With so much content out there, your audience will find a way to find similar information in a format that won’t put them to sleep. Entertainment is a form of value. Information is also a form of value. You can be both informative and entertaining. Healthcare topics can be dry, but they don’t have to be. Create content that your audience actually wants to engage with. Not only will you receive the most clicks, but you will also delight your audience while they reap the benefits of your content. Try an easy-to-read format. Be human and speak in the second person. Be lighthearted and likable. Maybe throw in a joke or two (but not too many!)

Do 3. Be relevant.

Make sure the content you are putting out is relevant to your audience and your company. No matter how useful or entertaining, your content must be connected to your purpose as a company and your audience’s interest. This is how your audience will come to your company for services beyond the content you are putting out. Yes, your audience may be interested in ice cream recipes, but what does that have to do with your company or the problems they are seeking to solve as a professional? Instead, demonstrate how you are a thought leader in your industry through the content that you put out.

What do you want to avoid when creating content marketing?

Don’t 1. Make it salesy.

The absolute cardinal mistake new content marketers make is trying to veil a sales pitch within their content. People are savvy and can spot it a mile away. Instead of appreciating your content, they will walk away with a negative impression of your brand. Nobody wants to hear another sales pitch; they want to learn something. Remember, content marketing is about giving, not receiving.

Don’t 2. Ask for too much info.

Some content is valuable enough to make it gated, meaning someone will have to give up some of their personal information to access it. Most people are used to giving their email addresses in exchange for a piece of content they would find useful. Once you start asking for additional info like name, company, job title, and more, the “price” becomes too steep. People do not want to give out so much information, and they certainly do not want to take the time to tab through multiple fields.

Don’t 3. Require too many clicks.

Each time a person has to click to get to your content, you will see attrition. Make your content accessible in no more than two clicks. You want to provide value in a convenient way, otherwise, you are wasting your audience’s time.

Content marketing can be a valuable tool for your healthcare marketing firm. Keep these Dos and Don’ts in mind when creating content and your audience will love your content marketing strategy.