Many people don’t view medicine as a business. It’s often seen more as a profession, and a noble one at that; medical professionals put many hours of training and education into their career, all with the ultimate goal of helping people during some of the worst times of their life. This is still very much the case, but the developing landscape of the healthcare industry is forcing many companies to think like a business. The advent of digital technologies and the absolute domination of the internet has given patients (and potential patients) a chance to scope out the lay of the land for themselves; studies suggest that as many as 72% of U.S. internet users turned to the internet for healthcare advice in 2013 – given the dramatic increase in smartphone usage, this figure is bound to have increased over the last six years.
These figures demonstrate a need for medical companies to embrace digital technology, and start connecting with their customers via websites and blogs. This is especially important in the healthcare industry, and here’s why. In the vast, faceless sea of the internet, people crave a personal touch. Blogs allow the opportunity for companies to appear as actual people, rather than formal, cold websites. When it comes to healthcare in particular, this cannot be understated. People are obviously extremely preoccupied with their health, and crave advice from someone who knows what they’re talking about. If you present a friendly, warm, informed front to your business, it can do wonders for your customer acquisition and indeed retention.
But a poor blog is almost worse than no blog at all. As well as lacking the personal touch that comes from a competent content writer, lazy blogs can contain misinformation, inaccurate statistics or generally poor information. This is a major problem for medical companies, who need to appear totally competent in their specific field; when it comes to their health, people are unlikely to give you a second chance. A top-quality blog requires a heavy investment of time and resources as well as continuous input, which is why many forward-thinking companies choose to outsource their blog and online promotion to a third-party company who already has the infrastructure in place. This process is known as ‘white-labelling’, and it can significantly enhance your business’ footprint and outreach in the digital sphere.
Blogs are a fantastic way to keep your customers informed about the latest products and trends in your industry. In the medical field, where treatments and meds are constantly improving and progressing, they can be indispensable. This is 2019 – so much business is conducted on the internet, across every industry. Whether your medical company is big or small, a high-quality blog is a tool you should not go without.
