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Written By: Erin Killion, Director of Client Strategy, Healthcare and Jennifer Dixon, Senior Director, Client Experience, Healthcare at GRADIANT, a Goodway Group Division

In today’s health care landscape, data-driven insights are not only a competitive edge but a necessity for organizations aiming to meet patient expectations and improve health outcomes.

By leveraging data strategically, health care providers can enhance patient experiences, foster loyalty, and optimize operations.

Here’s how data can drive patient engagement and transform health care marketing strategies to align with evolving digital preferences.

The Importance of a Data-Driven Approach in Health care Marketing

Modern health care consumers expect a digital experience that mirrors their interactions with brands in other sectors like retail and banking. This shift has forced health care organizations to rethink their approaches and focus on digital platforms, search as an entry point, and the growing influence of social media in shaping health decisions.

Understanding consumer behavior through data can empower health care providers to deliver tailored experiences that meet these high expectations. Data offers insights into patient preferences, enabling personalized communication and support from appointment reminders to targeted lifestyle advice.

When health care organizations leverage data to deeply understand consumer behavior and expectations, they can focus on impactful business outcomes instead of mere activities, driving more effective strategies, and impacting the bottom line. If you improve the patient experience, you can build customer loyalty, create operational efficiency, and increase your ROI.  

Digital Search and Social Media as the New Entry Points for Health care Consumers

Another significant trend impacting health care is the shift toward digital search as the starting point for health care journeys. Research has shown that adults — particularly those under 30 — often trust search engines more than physicians when it comes to health information. For health care providers, this shift creates both challenges and opportunities. Instead of fighting the trend, health care organizations can embrace it by positioning themselves as trusted sources of medical information. For lower-funnel searches, the emphasis should be on facilitating conversions by providing detailed information about services and treatments, guiding consumers toward health care decisions.

Generative AI is increasingly impacting search behavior. Health care-related care queries are now beginning on AI-driven platforms rather than traditional search engines. This shift has reduced website traffic for many health care organizations, especially for informational searches. Health care providers must now adapt by creating content that appeals to both traditional search engines and emerging AI platforms to capture and retain consumer attention.[MP1] 

Beyond these shifts, consumers are also increasingly turning to social media to start their health searches — Gen Z especially. Gen Z has a strong propensity to use social media for health-related information, including platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, for advice and insights from influencers, peers, and medical professionals. This trend reflects their preference for digital, easily accessible, and visually engaging content over traditional sources of health information.

Influencers across the health care landscape continue to rise in popularity. This is driven by the desire for accessible, relatable, and trustworthy health information.​​ We’ve seen doctors, nurses, and wellness coaches use social media platforms to share advice, debunk myths, and provide wellness tips. This is crucial for building trust in a field where consumers are demanding authenticity and transparency.​

Traditional influencers an often make complex medical information more understandable and less intimating, which helps bridge the gap between medical professionals and patients.​​

Case Study: Boosting Women’s Health Engagement With Influencer Marketing

To promote women’s health services, we partnered with a regional health care provider on an influencer campaign. Twelve content creators developed engaging posts on topics like mammograms, the promotion of a new women’s health pavilion and preventative care. The campaign generated over 20,000 new website visits and 500,000 social media engagements, significantly increasing awareness and appointments for women’s health services.

This case study underscores the value of influencer marketing in health care, particularly for reaching digital-first consumers who prefer relatable, accessible health content.

Key Takeaways for a Data-Driven Health care Strategy

So, as a summary, here are some essential practices for health care organizations:

1. Personalized Communication Improves Outcomes: Leveraging patient data for tailored communication can enhance patient outcomes and loyalty.
2. Digital and AI-Driven Search Are Reshaping Patient Journeys: As consumers increasingly turn to digital platforms for health care information, health care brands must optimize their presence across traditional search engines, social media platforms, and newer AI-driven search platforms to remain relevant.
3. Influencer Marketing Drives Engagement and Trust: Partnering with social media influencers for targeted campaigns can bridge the gap between health care providers and consumers, creating an approachable pathway for health care information.

By embracing these strategies, health care providers can better navigate the complex digital landscape, fostering stronger relationships with patients and achieving both health and business objectives. Incorporating data into every aspect of the health care journey — from personalized email reminders to engaging influencer content — helps health care organizations deliver on their promise of patient-centered care, fostering loyalty and driving impactful business results.