“Yes, about your project..umm we need more time. O, and more money would help too.”
Trying to determine if he was joking, the practice manager was taken aback.
They’d already given the marketing agency plenty of time. With a long sigh, she determined today was the last day of their contract.
But where to go from here?
Another route is available to the medical practice you manage…interested?
Role of Digital Marketing in Healthcare Industry
Our main topic today will be comparing freelance writers and agencies. But first, what role does digital marketing play in your industry?
Healthcare digital marketing has historically experienced slow adoption, in favor of “what we’ve always done.” This is until the pandemic hit our shores.
Consider this:
- Healthcare companies allotted 55.6% of digital spending toward search in 2020
This involves paying for written content which ranks on Google and other search engines. From blogs to case studies, more healthcare providers are buying into its potential.
How has it affected the freelance industry?
- 58% of newly remote workers are open to freelancing in the future
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 82,656 writers were self-employed in 2020
These two numbers forecast a higher number of writers to meet your needs. A larger pool to choose from benefits you as the client.
Understanding the above, you’ll want to at least be open to digital marketing. If for no other reason but to remain competitive in your market.
Still unconvinced?
Pain Points for Digital Marketing Healthcare
What are the digital marketing pain points for healthcare providers?
In lieu of your busy schedule, I’ll briefly touch on a few likely scenarios.
- We keep losing prospective patients to the bigger healthcare system in town. I don’t see a blog putting much dent into their market share!
Over time, a dedicated strategy will give you the best chance to rank ahead of competitors with larger budgets.
- Our industry is heavily regulated with things like HIPAA. The last thing we want is another breach!
Many healthcare writers have a medical background and understand HIPAA. Bonus, sharing patient stories puts a more human face to your private practice.
Moving on, it’s time to finally settle the argument. Should I work with an agency or a freelancer?
Freelance or Agency Healthcare Digital Marketing?
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First off, the answer will ultimately depend on the scope of services you’re looking for.
If you’re simply looking for healthcare content writing, a freelancer will probably be a better option. However, say you’re looking for a new website, an SEO review, and content. Then an agency will be best suited for helping you reach your goals.
Let’s compare, shall we?
Healthcare Digital Marketing Agencies
Pros:
- Offers wider range of services
- Greater access to marketing specialists
- Multiple content writers = handle more content projects at once
Cons:
- More expensive due to overhead costs
- Don’t do ad-hoc projects
- Prefer a monthly fee over “per project” basis
- Inability to choose or communicate directly with the writer
There’s a reason agencies have been able to scale and hire staff. Processes and good management (hopefully) equate to filling the needs of bigger clients.
Perhaps the practice you oversee has 10 or more providers. In that case, going the agency route may help you meet your larger marketing goals.
But before you finalize your decision, let’s take a look at option 2. Because it’s important you have all the facts to make the right selection.
Freelance Healthcare Writer
Pros:
- Experience writing for many industries
- Less expensive and can take on ad-hoc projects
- FLEXIBILITY (will talk more about this later)
- Higher quality work, direct communication for changes, new topics, etc.
Cons:
- Unable to handle higher quantity of content requests
- Specialize in one area, so may need to hire multiple freelancers for other marketing
- Hard to match the combined expertise of an agency
The main selling point for freelancers, as mentioned above, is flexibility.
More agile, they can quickly respond to last-minute requests. Setting their own schedules provides a better all around level of customer service. And although they offer less services, there is a work around.
Say you also need a graphic artist but don’t want to spend your time seeking him/her out. More than likely, they have a vetted network you can hire from.
Okay, I touched on pain points healthcare digital marketing can solve. I also compared agencies to freelance writers. And the final verdict?
Elijah Wordsmith and Healthcare Digital Marketing
Drumroll please. Well since I can’t actually hear you, I’ll assume you did it.
Freelancers are the better choice for the private medical practice you manage. Beyond cost, having a small business owner brings with it many additional benefits.
Elijah Wordsmith content writing “verbalizes” the more individualized care current and prospective patients receive from your practice.
Offering customer service sharpened while working in busy medical offices, I bring a personable approach to growing your online presence.
Bring the human side back by sharing stories online that impacted you or your staff. And enjoy a boost in patient retention and new referrals for a “practice that truly cares.”
Take the first step towards standing out online and schedule a discovery call today!