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Engage Your Health Care Audience with New Platforms and Technologies

By The SHSMD Team posted 02-27-2020 12:42 PM

  
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As new technologies and platforms are introduced, health care marketing teams have an opportunity to develop them into viable communications channels. Yet, you can’t send your marketing manager out into the field with just a smartphone and expect to get the kind of quality product your audience expects.

Rebecca Stewart, senior director of content marketing at Hartford HealthCare, and Nick Dethlefsen, video production manager at Hartford HealthCare, presented at SHSMD Connections 2019 on how marketing teams can capitalize on using Facebook Live and podcasting as marketing tools — but only if it’s done the right way.

Audio First, Video Second

Health care organizations are increasingly following the digital trend, moving from more traditional marketing channels to social media, podcasting and video. According to Dethlefsen, audio is one of the critical components that can make or break your efforts. “Audio is something that's frequently taken for granted on Facebook Live. Ironically enough, I think that for a successful Facebook Live, the picture comes second. People will flip and watch just about anything, but they won't listen unless the audio is spot-on to what they're expecting to hear,” he noted.

Enlist the Right Personalities

Another key element for Facebook Live success is featuring speakers who are comfortable on camera. While both Stewart and Dethlefsen have a background in live production and news media, anyone who can bring life to the video is a candidate to participate.

“I think you do need the right personalities to make sure they can engage the [audience],” shared Stewart. “It doesn't necessarily have to be a television personality, but it has to be somebody, perhaps someone with radio background, who understands that give-and-take in the volley of discussion.” One of the benefits of doing Facebook Lives as opposed to pre-recorded videos is you can gauge engagement in real time. “It's a really good live test in the moment to say ‘this is where it hit the plateau so we can back off for right now.’ It's really good instant feedback,” explained Dethlefsen. “You don't necessarily have that info if you don't do it live.”

Don’t Be Hesitant to Partner Up

Stewart and Dethlefsen have realized great success in both their video and podcasting endeavors, in part from understanding the value of partnerships. Per Stewart, the secret to success is approaching these digital strategies with one clear mindset: “If content is king, distribution is queen.”

“You could make the best videos or the best podcast in the world, but if you haven't nailed down your distribution platform, if you're not delivering them to your audience, they're just sort of living in a black hole and nobody will see them,” she cautioned.

But with the right partners on board, any sized marketing team can effectively use these channels to their advantage. “You're not too small. Anyone can create amazing content. You can engage people in real time with very simple tools that are out there right now. You can build a studio on a dime. You can engage your audiences and bring in patients in very real ways,” added Stewart.

Want the full podcast? It’s available from SHSMD.

To access more helpful information like this on health care marketing and patient engagement, please check out our podcast episodes and virtual conferences.
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