Medical professionals recommend an annual wellness screening to check your general health, maintain the provider/patient relationship, and discuss any new or concerning issues. Healthcare marketing experts like Ten Adams recommend doing the same for your brand!
So, if you want a fit and fabulous brand for the new year, make it a priority to run some routine tests, answer tough questions, and face the facts you’ve been ignoring for the past few months.
We’ll help you get started.
Routine tests to check brand strength
You most likely have a dashboard or monthly report that tracks metrics and KPIs (key performance indicators). Now’s the time to dig into those reports and identify what falls in normal range and what needs further examination. In this analogy, analytics and online reputation scores are the equivalent of a full panel blood test and provide a comprehensive assessment of your digital brand health.
Analytics
Web analytics track multiple components of website activity and give you the data needed to better understand your customers. Your team must decide which stats are the most important to follow, but industry best practice recommends measuring:
- Number of visits to your website
- Web traffic (Where did the visits come from? Social media? Ads? Search?)
- Page views
- Length of time spent on a webpage
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Bounce rate
- Downloads
- Form submissions
- Appointments scheduled
Online Reputation Scores
Knowing the value of your hospital’s digital footprint is critical to success. Healthcare happens online now, and your future patients look to the internet for guidance before they ever contact a clinic or provider. To better understand your online reputation, gather and compare the following indicators. Determine if they promote or detract from your brand.
- Google PageRank/local search rank
- Star ratings
- Online reviews (positive, negative, and neutral)
- How quickly you respond to reviews
- Social media engagements
Answer Tough Questions
During your annual wellness visit, the provider will undoubtedly ask about sensitive topics. It’s their job to assess the good and the not-so-good parts of your health. Similarly, marketers need to take a close look at what’s working and not working for the brand. Three key questions that need an honest answer include:
- How well do you understand your audience?
- How do you measure up to your competitors?
- Are you doing a good job marketing to your own employees?
Face the Facts
Once you review the data and answer the tough questions, it’s time to face the facts. Acceptance, after all, is the first step… Maybe your website is outdated, your target audience shifted, and your newly acquired facilities don’t match the brand standard look and feel.
Use those findings to inform your strategic plan and decide if it’s time for a new perception and usage survey, sentiment analysis, competitive analysis, or a more robust social listening platform. Your hard work and diligent reporting can guide operational planning but also serve as a very persuasive tool when budget season arrives.
As we move into a new year, remember that your brand is more than a logo and tagline. It’s living and evolving, deserving of a head-to-toe checkup. Prioritize the unglamorous work of assessing and reporting early so you can enjoy the benefits throughout all of 2023.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
