“Congrats Mr. Reynolds, you’ve won a brand new…colonoscopy!”
Silence hung in the air, until a low chuckle turned into full blown laughter through the receiver.
“I’m calling to schedule your colonoscopy, is now a good time to do that?” In a medical setting, we typically remember those who make us laugh.
Why?
Because it stands out in the sometimes melancholy atmosphere of healthcare. Does this principle apply to the online messaging a clinic sends out?
Humor in Healthcare Content Marketing
If you’ve ever been hospitalized, memorable staff probably shared one thing in common. Their joy and sense of humor.
This is something I prided myself on during the fun years working with patients. I sought to encourage people in multiple specialties:
- Gastroenterology
- Urgent care
- Radiation therapy
- Medical records
Looking at this list, you’re probably not seeing many opportunities for comic material. Take radiation therapy. Surely no cancer patient wants to deal with a non-serious front office member right?
Wrong!
Having at one point been that patient, I know how much better the treatment was when I could feel human again. And what’s more human a feeling than a good belly laugh?
Now let’s transition into what this has to do with healthcare content marketing.
But first, a question. Do you remember the last social media post from your doctor’s office that really had you going? Probably not.
The medical world is acknowledged as a rather dry setting. After all, patients just want to feel better and doctors want to accelerate this outcome.
Putting this reality aside for a moment, content marketing for healthcare is a place to “loosen the tie” a bit. This doesn’t mean professionalism shouldn’t be the main priority.
Your high standard keeps patients coming back, and creates open doors with prospective ones. So of course you want to maintain this aspect.
Keep reading as I’ll next offer some content marketing healthcare ideas you can use.
Content Marketing Ideas for Healthcare
Ideation for the creative content you put out will be specific to your niche within the medical industry. But there’s still some general ideas to use for the most popular type.
The use of blogs in healthcare content marketing has risen year over year for quite some time. How popular is it?
A survey by SEMrush found 92% of professional marketers took advantage of its effectiveness in 2020. The second most used was email (66%).
What topics are hot right now in your industry?
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Augmented reality (AR)
- Medical device advances
- Concierge care
*For how to structure a blog dealing with one of these areas, see my medical content writing samples.
AI and AR are separate but complementary. Accenture found that the health market will spend $6.6 billion on these technologies this year alone.
Medical devices are becoming more sophisticated, and are being coupled with AI to make them more effective. Another interesting topic.
According to Kona Medical Consulting, concierge, or “on-call” care saw a 20% increase in volume last year. A typical practice handles 300 patients, while traditional practices see 800 to 2,300.
So how can you sprinkle in humor and stand out for the RIGHT reasons? Talk about what people fear could come to pass.
And yes I mean Terminator, IRobot, and other fine examples from cinema. By relaying a more realistic perspective and asserting your expertise, you can move them further down the sales funnel.
Healthcare Content Marketing Channels You Should Use
Once you’ve written a blog on one of these topics, how should you send it out?
Going back to the survey from SEMrush, the 3 most popular distribution channels for content were:
- Organic search
- Social media
Publish posts directly from the blog on your website for search engines. Link back to these posts using social media, and do the same for your email list.
One word of advice with social media. This is a great chance to really let your fun side show and endear yourself to followers.
Turning followers into fans is a benefit of being different in the language you use. Do it!
Now for some final thoughts.
Healthcare Content Marketing and Elijah Wordsmith
Content marketing for doctors may seem confusing or difficult when viewed from the outside. But it’s actually pretty straightforward once you hear it explained by an industry insider, trust me.
Handing off healthcare content writing to a professional freelance writer like myself can amplify the impact your messaging has. And compared to an internal hire, the lower cost will help with your balance sheet.
Just saying.
Elijah Wordsmith content writing “verbalizes” the more individualized care current and prospective patients receive from your practice.
With access to modern technology and 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!