Insight

TRUENORTHCUSTOM.COM INSIGHT V13N1 11 CONTENT insight into HEALTHCARE MARKETING THE S TATE OF HE ALTHCARE Content Marketing 2017 report is here, featuring the latest tips, trends, and best practices for healthcare marketers. Although content marketing is not a new concept, it is clear that the healthcare industry is continuing to adopt measurable digital content strategies and targeted direct marketing methods. According to eMarketer, 60 percent of healthcare marketers create at least one piece of content each day. This number paints a clear picture of marketers' past, present, and future focus: content. In fact, the average marketer invested more in content in 2016 and will continue to increase their content budget in 2017. However, most organizations are leveraging content in an ad hoc fashion that may not tie into their broader business objectives. This is a huge missed opportunity. Measuring the impact of content continues to be a challenge (it was also the primary challenge in 2016's report), as healthcare marketers continue to focus on upstream efforts, such as brand awareness, but are not yet able to tie these campaigns to downstream revenue. One of the top goals for healthcare marketers this year is to increase website traffic. According to a study from Aberdeen, year-over-year growth in unique site traffic is 7.8 times higher for content marketing leaders compared to followers (19.7 percent versus 2.5 percent). Consumers crave content. However, our industry is still having difficulty proving content's efficacy and calculating ROI. For other B2C industries, 82 percent of marketers see a positive ROI from their inbound marketing (HubSpot). To enjoy the same benefits, healthcare marketers need to choose meaningful goals, select the right metrics, and conduct thorough planning before executing content marketing campaigns. One thing is clear: We've only seen the tip of the iceberg for content marketing in healthcare—and the future is bright. A shining example of this potential is the selection of one of our own for the nation's highest award honoring content marketers. Cleveland Clinic Director of Content Marketing Amanda Todorovich was recognized as the 2016 Content Marketer of the Year by the Content Marketing Institute. She surpassed finalists from technology, finance, and other sectors. Her success reflects the industry's progress in leveraging content marketing as an effective strategy for delivering brand and revenue growth. We expect to see more healthcare content marketers winning awards like this as that progress shows results. See how your hospital or health system compares to industry leaders. Visit truenorthcustom.com/spring17 to download the full State of Healthcare Content Marketing 2017 report. 17.3% We do not track ROI for content marketing 38.5% Not at all successful 40.4% Somewhat successful 3.8% Very successful MARKETING GOES FAR BEYOND BEING JUST ANOTHER BUDGET EXPENSE, AND THE GREATEST POTENTIAL LIES IN CONTENT. HOW SUCCESSFUL IS YOUR ORGANIZATION AT TRACKING THE ROI OF ITS CONTENT MARKETING EFFORTS? successful

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