Immediate Release

CDC offers guidance on using social media to share health care data

 

CDC officials recently released the Health Communicator's Social Media Toolkit, which offers guidance for sharing health information through social media.

The toolkit includes a chart of social media tools and what organizations need to use the tools. For example, podcasts and widgets require little staff time and can be done with relatively small budgets, while online video production and podcast creation require moderate amounts of staff time and funding.
Read more here.

Reaching the Wireless Patient

Mobile-specific sites and geotargeting are among the methods hospital marketers are using to reach potential patients. Learn more here.

Commentary: Why Social Spending Makes Sense for Healthcare

Some health care organizations are experimenting with using deal-of-the-day social spending websites such as Groupon to offer discounted elective care to local patients. Learn more here.

Good marketing begins with one word

If you're planning on revamping your company's marketing efforts, writes Steve McKee, start by asking yourself a simple question: "Why?" Understanding your goals is key to developing a strong, effective campaign, he writes. "Beginning with the 'why' can be challenging, but starting here is critical to ensuring that your subsequent efforts are on target."

Read more from BusinessWeek here.

Building on Your Success

Health care marketers don’t need a newsletter article to know that we work in an industry that is constantly changing. Part of that has been the evolving nature of health care – innovative surgical procedures to explain, better machines to tout, modernization of buildings and rooms to promote.

Part of that has been shifting patient demographics and changes in how consumers shop for health care. Part of that has been the explosion of new channels to deliver messages – not just a web site, but online marketing to make sure health seekers find that site, plus a host of social media outlets to master.

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Commentary: Lexington Medical Center Puts a New Spin on Video Testimonials

The video patient testimonial is nothing new to healthcare advertising, but today multimedia campaigns are enabling testimonials to be richer, more informative, and more engaging.

Read more here.