Healthcare PR: What Works and What Doesn’t in 2019

Healthcare Public Relations (PR) is just as much about creating demand as establishing a strong message for the company brand. However, with so many audiences within the healthcare industry, it’s important to adjust this message in order to connect with people in each and every audience.

But that’s just part of the story…

The truth is, the healthcare industry is growing extremely fast and public relations is the only way to manage communications both inside and outside a healthcare company. Depending on the size of the department, public relations can also help a healthcare company stand out from the crowd.

Let’s take a look at the role of public relations and what actually works for healthcare PR in 2019.

Knowing the Role and Importance of Healthcare PR

Exhibitions and networking events are great for public relations efforts but online presence is just as important to the company brand. That is to say, it’s likely that far more people will encounter a healthcare company online which makes this a primary focus for professionals in healthcare PR. What’s more, certain laws and rules apply to this industry which further emphasizes the importance of healthcare PR. As if that’s not enough, a PR representative is also tasked with monitoring and maintaining communications between a healthcare company and the general public.

Now, that’s not to say public relations is all about appearance but rather to highlight some of the main priorities for this industry. In fact, healthcare PR is also an opportunity to generate business. In fact, effective PR can even lead to media coverage which inevitably results in further demand.

But what exactly does and does not work for healthcare PR?

What Actually Works for Healthcare PR in 2019?

It’s true, the healthcare industry continues to evolve at a lightning pace and these changes have greatly impacted the role of public relations. For instance, public relations is no longer just about contacting the media and there are now many more strings that PR professionals need to consider.

Here are some methods that can benefit healthcare companies in the year ahead:

Influencer Marketing for Reaching the Wider Market

Let’s face it, influencers are not going away and many top influencers continue to gather a following that even the biggest organizations cannot achieve. With this in mind, it’s best to appreciate these influencers as a viable option for spreading awareness or creating demand for a healthcare company. On the other hand, the success of influencer marketing will always come down to the extent of research that goes into choosing the right people to broadcast a particular message.

Combining Modern and Traditional Strategies

Building relationships inside and outside of a company is at the very core of successful healthcare PR according to Digital Authority Partners. More specifically, an effective plan for healthcare PR will combine modern strategies with several traditional methods for marketing. Needless to say, this means that digital marketing is crucial for connecting and communicating the right message throughout the industry.

Focusing on Press Releases with Large Publications

Believe it or not, press releases continue to work and most journalists will specifically search for interesting press releases online. That being said, it’s important to know that a press release in one large newspaper or publication is more beneficial than multiple press releases in different publications. Just so you know, Neil Patel wrote this excellent article about press releases last year.

What No Longer Works for Healthcare PR in 2019?

While many traditional marketing strategies can hold their own in the digital world, there are certain methods that no longer work. Here are some things to avoid for healthcare PR strategies in 2019:

Media Packs are Largely Ignored When Time is Short

As the world becomes increasingly busy, more and more journalists have less and less time. For this reason, media packs are often looked upon as being an unnecessary evil. What’s more, these individuals have no time to sift through various formats of the same information.

Got it? Media packs can seem like too much work!

Instead, stick with the press release and even better – keep things short!

Quality over Quality for Email Campaigns

Now, this one goes against the advice given by affiliate marketers in particular, but it makes sense.

In other words, forget about copy and pasting emails to the masses and get down with personalization. The truth is, most people will never even read these emails…so why bother?

You see, most humans are long desensitized to spam in their inbox. For this reason, they can spot unwanted emails with a mere glance at the subject line. On the other hand, most people are likely to open an email that says something specific that talks to that individual on a personal level.

Think about it:

Would you open an email if the subject line pertained to a recent review you wrote? Maybe it was something you mentioned in a blog or something you asked in an online forum…you get the idea.

Mass emails with copy and paste information is not the way to build relations.

Stop Ignoring the Power of Influencers

Studies show that more than 90% of consumers will trust an influencer before any advert or business representative. What’s more, millennials are mostly influenced by social media platforms and blogs or articles as opposed to any other method of public relations.

It’s true, influencer marketing is powerful…in spite of what you might think of the rise of influencers.

At the same time, inexperienced marketers are sometimes too quick to link up with influencers. That is to say, not every influencer is good for branding and not every type of promotion is good for influencer marketing. In this sense, marketers should be taking advantage of influencer marketing but also taking time to research and interact with these influencers before working together.

About Measuring and Improving Healthcare PR

Measuring the success of a healthcare PR strategy enables marketers to not only improve future campaigns but also save money in the process. After all, time is often wasted on methods that do too little for the brand and identifying these areas or mistakes can help save a lot of money.

One last thing…

Healthcare PR relies on attention to detail and this micro-focus is needed for maintaining relations inside the company and communicating a strong yet admirable brand message to everyone else.