- Pramod Goel
- Dec 08, 2023
In the medical tourism industry, it is no longer a question of whether to adopt technology or not. The question is what technology should be adopted and how it should be accessed and implemented fast and affordably. Using technology innovatively is the key to stay alive and competitive in the industry. Patients have comfortably moved online to search healthcare solutions abroad, whether it is for finding clinics, doctors or getting online consultation. That is why the concept of marketing content distribution has become more important than ever. To make the process of content distribution effective, you need to select correct marketing channels. So, let us discuss the top 8 channels that can boost your prospects in the medical tourism industry.
Top Channels to Distribute Content
Website and SEO
Having a proper website may be the basic thing for any clinic, hospital or healthcare service, but it is still one of the most important ones. Poor designing of a website can turn away prospective customers. Your website must be designed with a simple user interface, which means the patients must be able to easily navigate through the information related to treatments, clinic facilities, services, pricing and other essential details. Websites must have fresh content weekly to ensure visibility.
Only designing your website attractively will not ensure enough traffic. Search Engine Optimization or SEO of your website will improve your visibility online. So, you have to build your website with a responsive design, add links, relevant images and videos and implement other best practices to reduce bounce rate and increase conversions.
Global Distribution System (GDS)
Just like GDS is used in Airlines and hotel industry, healthcare providers can also use a global medical tourism marketplace to distribute content and reach potential prospects. For example, you can promote treatment packages with essential details, create a center profile, doctor profiles, videos and infographics among others. This will increase your global exposure and help more prospective international patients reach your medical center.
Social Media
Likes, Shares, Tweets and Hashtags are redefining marketing strategies. So, it goes without saying that social media is one of the biggest channels for marketing content distribution in medical tourism. Sharing contents related to your clinic like treatment articles, packages, videos, reviews, interviews, etc. on social media can bolster your online reputation. You can also use social media to drive international patient traffic to your business. This helps you to engage with more potential prospects and build a strong relationship with them.
Email Marketing & CRM
CRM and email marketing are inexpensive channels that can boost your online visibility. They help to grow your brand, increase revenue and encourage loyalty of patients. Healthcare CRM and email marketing campaign not just engage the international patients, but also builds awareness, educates them and inspires them to take action.
Reputation Management
The reputation of a healthcare provider abroad lives online. In the hotel industry, 93% people check reviews online before deciding which hotel they want to check-in. The scenario is quite similar in the medical tourism sector. The patients prefer to check online reviews about the clinic/hospital abroad before they book an appointment, pack bags and board on the flight. So, you have to create a checklist for the medical center’s reputation management. On various online channels, you can distribute reviews and testimonials of the patients who have successfully completed treatment at your clinic. You can also create a section in your website or social media pages where your patients can share their experiences or leave reviews. This will also help you to fix any issue and improve the patient experience.
Content Aggregators
Content aggregator sites can gather important news, promotion or announcement by your clinic and distribute it to potential customers. Many international patients access such sites to search for useful information or news on the treatment procedure they are searching abroad. When you use such sites to share information it helps your audience connect better with your content.
All-Inclusive Packages
Promoting all-inclusive packages in various online mediums such as websites, social media or a medical tourism marketplace can boost customers’ interest. The patients know exactly how much they have to pay as the cost will include everything such as diagnostics, treatment/surgery, insurance, accommodation and hospital fees. This adds transparency in the entire process leading to patient’s peace of mind and comfort, as he/she doesn’t have to worry about incurring any hidden cost.
Direct Chat
Establishing direct communication between patients and the provider is the key to medical tourism. Patients don’t want to get access to a clinic abroad via third-party interaction. So, it is important to use innovative digital tools like a direct chat application, AI, chatbots, etc. to positively influence content distribution. Direct online communication with the healthcare provider abroad makes the whole journey easier for international patients. Thus, it increases conversion chances.
Constant regulatory changes, competition from unexpected players, changing consumer behavior and increasing focus on growth and profitability are pushing healthcare providers in the medical tourism industry to review their content distribution models more and more. As a leading global medical tourism marketplace, let PlacidWay guide you to successfully distribute content. In the digital age, your decisions about how to engage customers and what kind of customer experience you will provide will determine your success in the industry.
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