The trend toward an increasingly consumer-controlled healthcare environment doesn’t seem to be slowing down. More and more, patients value authenticity from their healthcare providers and expect marketing content that reflects legitimacy. This has major implications for how healthcare organizations behave and approach marketing campaigns and strategies. Here, AMNY Health Marketing offers insights into the importance of authentic healthcare marketing content and the ways your organization can achieve it.

Authenticity is important in any industry but matters a little more in healthcare. That’s because healthcare involves a system of services and professionals that work to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Patients can’t simply return a medical treatment if it’s not what they were promised or sold on. Furthermore, authenticity helps to build trust and credibility with patients, which can lead to stronger patient-physician relationships and improve the overall patient experience.

For consumers, simply talking about authenticity won’t suffice. Instead, today’s patients, who can see through empty marketing messages, expect their medical providers to practice what they preach. Healthcare organizations must find tangible ways to demonstrate their commitment to this undertaking.

One way is producing quality, authentic content. Patients often rely on healthcare content to make informed decisions regarding their health or the health of a loved one. Therefore, the content must be thoroughly researched and verified. Inaccurate information can have serious consequences and directly impact a person’s health.

The expectations placed on healthcare organizations by consumers have changed. Although still a critical component of healthcare and the most important, quality patient care is no longer enough and is viewed as the bare minimum. Instead, patients also value trust, transparency, and meaningful human interaction provided by their preferred medical provider.

Healthcare organizations wishing to produce authentic content can do this with the following tactics:

Incorporating multiple first-person sources, such as patient or doctor accounts, is an effective approach to producing legitimate marketing content. This tactic works to create a more personal connection with the intended audience, builds trust by sharing relatable experiences, and enhances credibility by allowing patients or healthcare providers to directly voice their opinions and perspectives, making the information feel more authentic and impactful.

Content featuring expert healthcare providers sharing their insights in the first person can establish their authority and knowledge on a subject that a patient is inquiring about. Furthermore, using stories from a first-person perspective can create a more compelling narrative that captures the audience’s attention more effectively.

Examples of first-person sources in healthcare marketing include:

• Patient testimonials: Video or written testimonials from those who have benefitted from a particular treatment or service offer incredible insight for prospective patients.
• Doctor insights: Blog posts, news articles, or interviews with healthcare professionals explaining their approach to treatment for specific conditions establish them as authoritative and credible figures in the industry.

Any type of marketing content should feature accurate data from credible sources, especially content focused on healthcare. Healthcare content sourced from well-established sources with credible backgrounds helps patients feel confident that they are receiving accurate information from experts in the field that they can trust. Additionally, credible content can help patients take control of their health and well-being. 

Tips for generating credible healthcare marketing content include:

• Use only credible sources, videos, and blog entries to spread up-to-date knowledge. 
• Double-check to ensure your content is accurate and compliant. 
• Use clear and simple language so that your audience can understand. 
• Consider what patients are looking for and address their needs. 
• Use real-world data to create empathetic messaging that resonates with patients.

Healthcare consists of several highly sensitive topics that must be approached delicately in marketing content due to the personal and often vulnerable nature of health information. This necessitates content that features a high degree of empathy to avoid causing distress, misunderstanding, or stigma among patients while ensuring accurate and responsible communication. This should be accomplished while adhering to ethical and privacy regulations within the healthcare industry.

Healthcare marketing content is useful for both healthcare providers and the patients they intend to care for. To serve its intended purpose of educating the audience and increasing awareness of various medical topics, content must be authentic and accurate.

At AMNY Health Marketing, we possess the skills and capabilities to create engaging content that focuses on authenticity for healthcare providers throughout the United States. Our team takes a patient-centered approach to deliver meaningful content that adds value to your healthcare brand. Contact us today to see how AMNY Health Marketing can help you generate effective content and achieve marketing success.