Finding the Video Sweet Spots that Engage Healthcare Viewers
Incorporating some sort of video content in your mix of healthcare marketing material seems like a no-brainer for doctors and hospitals. Producing and posting online video is relatively inexpensive and potentially highly effective—if it’s done properly. The enormous audience and the compelling impact of video storytelling is a powerful one-two punch for marketing planners.
Recognizing this, providers and institutions use video in multiple ways, posted on their website, blog and/or branded YouTube Channel. YouTube—Google’s powerhouse platform for just about anything visual—integrates easily with online health care information, content presentation strategies and social media.
Google stats say that YouTube traffic to hospital sites has increased 119 percent year-over-year. So, with video being drop-dead easy, inexpensive, and with a wide open running field and a full house of spectators, what could possibly go wrong?
Video sweet spots are audience why-what-and-when moments…
It turns out that highly effective video content has the greatest reach and impact when marketers pinpoint consumer motivators, according to Google/YouTube. Video strategies that spring from one or more key “video micro-moments” will resonate best with viewers.
Google is pretty smart about this sort of analytics, and they explain things this way. “When consumers look for answers, discover new things, or make decisions, they're often turning to a device for help. At Google, we call these micro-moments, and they can happen in search, on your brand's website, in an app, and—increasingly—they're happening on YouTube.
“These moments of intent are redefining the purchase journey; people want the right information right away. Brands' opportunities to connect with consumers through video have exploded into millions of these moments. But to win at video micro-moments, you have to know how to identify them and how to act on them.”
Thus, the starting point isn’t what you want to present, or what branding message you want to push. It is in finding the sweet spot where your objectives play into at least one of the audience’s four trigger categories. Google labels the four (somewhat broad) micro-moments this way:
"I want-to-watch-what-I'm-into" moments—This is when people are seeking videos on their passions or interests. Better that half (53percent) of viewers watch online video to be inspired or entertained.
"I want-to-know" moments—For when people are trying to learn something. Medical and healthcare topics are often unknown, and somewhat uncomfortable, topics. Video can provide understanding, remove mystery, and reduce anxiety. Statistically, nearly 70 percent of millennials say they can find a YouTube video on anything they want to learn.
"I want-to-do" moments—Searches for “how-to” videos are up 70 percent year-over-year on YouTube, and are a fertile ground for patient instruction and education. Specific audiences are hungry for step-by-step instructions on how to make or do something.
“I want-to-buy" moments—Online video is a means for brands to present a taste of “try before buying,” at least visually. According to18-34 year olds, YouTube is the best place to learn about a product or service that interests them.
Each of these “moments” has a connecting point in the patient/customer’s purchase journey. They also relate to other target audiences, such as friends and family, and internal viewers including staff, doctors and institutional support groups.
Plan your video strategy and content production to be relevant and useful to viewers at the what-why-and-when moment that matters to them.
And for additional ideas, see Why Video Content Fails to Engage and What to Do Instead and Why Videos Are Hospital Marketing’s Secret Weapon. Also, check out the Healthcare Success YouTube Channel and give us a call anytime.
