The world moves at the speed of light in today’s day and age. Many companies are innovating to spread their message and brand to communities and customers all over the world, but even more are struggling to keep up with the pace of new trends and technologies. Professionals in the healthcare industry are especially vulnerable to this rapid advancement, as it can be difficult to entice firms and other paying customers to use the technology at their disposal. Recently, the trend of healthcare video marketing has caught fire within the community.
There are many benefits to using a healthcare video marketing strategy, but also a fair share of pitfalls and principles to keep in mind. Once you develop a strategy that works for you, however, you can share your video with mass audiences through multiple platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo, LinkedIn, and other networks. With all the benefits clear to see, and the ease of healthcare video marketing growing daily, why are healthcare companies failing to utilize this new marketing technique?
Common problems with healthcare video marketing
There are a number of challenges healthcare organizations face when preparing a new video marketing strategy. Without a prior plan in place, video marketing can be ineffective and difficult to conceptualize and produce. Once these common issues are solved, however, the process becomes substantially simpler and customers begin to take notice.
There are a number of a problems your company will need to address before getting off the ground: videos take time to produce so there needs to be a dedicated team for video creation and editing. Videos are also expensive, though this issue is solved with creativity – don’t let your eyes get bigger than your budget. Finally, proper video creation requires expertise at the scripting and optimization stages. You don’t need a master craftsman who’s been on the job for decades, but you will need people who specialize in advertising and content strategy if you want your healthcare video marketing approach to make an immediate, effective impact.
Benefits of video marketing
Print is dead and has been for awhile. This can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for fields which heavily rely on print and printed media for their own communications. It’s a necessary principle to understand, however, because your customers would much rather watch videos than read print about your field.
Videos are far more engaging and visualized than a pamphlet or brochure, meaning your customers will understand the services you provide and can make a more educated choice in their selection. Healthcare video marketing will also help your company be found through search optimizations, a tool you wouldn’t be able to utilize through printed sources. Traffic on the internet is high volume, no matter the topic; this means there will be customers who can find your company and health strategy even it’s unglamorous or not as flashy as other technological breakthroughs.
Your marketing strategy
To start and maintain a successful healthcare video marketing strategy, you’ll need to firmly establish the process and goals of your campaign. Why are you starting a healthcare video marketing campaign – or any campaign in general – and what do you hope to accomplish? Are you trying to promote branding and enhance the image of your company, or are you simply trying to reach more customers and explain the process of telehealth and the recent wave in technological advancements the field is going through?
The goals and desires you have for you company throughout the process will determine what your strategy should be. Another important factor in starting your video marketing campaign is understanding the audiences you’ll be reaching. Many of those who consume videos as their primary entertainment option are young, so you’ll want to tailor your videos in a way that will connect with them and sustain their short attention spans.
Your video style
There are many different forms your video can take. Searching around YouTube and other video platforms can inspire you and show off the vast array of styles and tones available for consumption by the average customer. Again, the goals and desired outcomes of your strategy should to a large extent dictate the style you use. Your style will help improve the results of your healthcare video marketing results.
If you want something more straightforward and informative, consider live action with a small set and cast. You can also use an “explainer” style video, which are among the simplest videos available on YouTube. There are many styles to choose from, so get searching and collaborate with your creatives on what will work best for your company.
Scripting your video
The temptation exists to film a video without first writing a script and rehearsing to a proper degree. This temptation should be largely avoided, as an unscripted video is far more difficult than imagined and will often result in a product that looks amateurish or simply unfished. Your script can also be used to easily determine the length of your video (one page equals one minute as a rule of thumb) and other creative considerations you need to iron out before you begin to actually shoot the video.
A script is a great tool to place calls to action and any crucial information you want to convey to your audience. In short, a script helps provide structure and coherence to your videos and is always a must when starting a new video from scratch. Make sure that you take that into consideration for your healthcare video marketing strategy.
Video production
Once you’ve come up with a plan for you overall campaign and have scripted some individual videos, you’ll want to focus on the production quality. Depending on the topic, you may not need the most formal and “professional” looking productions possible, though this is always an option as it will catch the eye of the viewer and present your company as competent and in charge no matter the topic of the video. A company that we found who can help with this is Vidtiva.com.
That being said, your production will be determined largely by the script and content of the video. More informational videos, and those which are exclusively live action, will need to be professionally filmed by someone who has at least a few videos’ experience under their belt. A more entertaining or persuasive video can be looser and less formal.
Video editing
Coming up with a great script and great video production are the hardest parts of putting your video together, but there’s still one essential component left to consider – the editing. Editing is a highly impactful process that can make your break your video. It’s always important to edit for flow and clarity; don’t try to get flashy with your video’s editing or wow your customers as a first timer.
Hire a professional who knows the principles and best practices to make the best-looking videos you can every time you make a video. Great video editors are artists in their own right; they’ll require some time and patience on your part, but the result should be well worth the effort and money spent.
Optimizing video
The journey is almost complete. You’ve got a great video at your disposal and the process and creative team to crank out more weekly or monthly. This is a great spot to be in but there’s still one more question you have to answer. How are you going to use your video to reach the widest audience possible and meet all the goals you want to meet?
Your videos should speak to the audiences they’re being directed toward while driving sales and views to your company. Optimizing techniques will also be different depending on where your videos are featured, YouTube vs. your own website for example. It’s always smart to have someone on your team who understands the optimization process and is willing to help your company optimize your marketing videos to ensure the video’s maximum potential is met in a quick and efficient manner.
Video marketing as grown into a monstrous force over the last several years. People are much more likely to watch videos for information and persuasion purposes than they are to read printed material such as a pamphlet or brochure. Your telehealth company would be wise to devise a video marketing strategy and advertise to younger demographics on platforms such as YouTube and your company’s own website.
We hope you learned something from this healthcare video marketing article, read more at telehealthist.com.