The healthcare industry has experienced the most dramatic, immediate, and long-term pandemic impacts. Current healthcare marketing statistics form a complex roadmap out of the chaos, and leaders need to understand the data to steer public health in the right direction.
Whether you’re a healthcare marketer, medical provider, or pharmaceutical researcher, the information in this article is crucial for your plans. Keep reading to learn the top healthcare marketing statistics shaping today’s healthcare industry.
Every medical marketer needs to know these 15 healthcare marketing statistics
Think of the upcoming data points as traffic signals. These healthcare marketing statistics underscore successful strategies, but they won’t tell you what to do.
Ultimately, a generic medical marketing approach will not produce the marketing results a customized approach can deliver.
Look over the following 2022 healthcare marketing statistics with your marketing team to formulate an effective, customized, patient-winning plan.
Patient acquisition happens online
67% of patients prefer online booking, and businesses that use online booking systems can see their revenues increase by 120%. Integrate online appointment scheduling software into your website if you want to see new appointments go up.
Marketing can improve public health
A targeted marketing effort driving mammogram appointments resulted in 1,395 breast cancer diagnoses that would have been missed if it weren’t for the campaign. A 2021 Evaluation and Program Planning study found that social marketing helped improve children’s sedentary behavior and eating habits.
With these examples in mind, think of your healthcare marketing strategy as a business and public health solution in 2022.
Big data in healthcare is on the rise
Data-related healthcare marketing statistics are increasingly noteworthy as patients become more aware of the growing data privacy movement. Emergen Research predicts that Big Data in healthcare will be worth $78 billion in five years.
Your healthcare organization’s patient data is an appreciating asset. Still, it’s essential to be transparent about how you plan to use patient data (and make it simple for patients to opt out).
Personalization is the rule
A McKinsey 2021 report found that 71% of consumers expect a personalized experience, and 76% find a lack of personalization frustrating. Additionally, the medical community has been exploring the use of Big Data to create personalized medicine for almost a decade.
Experts predict the market for personalized medicine will grow to $796.8 billion by 2028. Personalized healthcare marketing and personalized medicine are not the same, but their respective growth indicates the importance of investing in a customized patient experience.
SEO plays a vital role in your healthcare marketing
77% of health-related queries begin online. SEO healthcare marketing statistics tell the same old but vitally relevant story: content is king regardless of the industry. That’s why 82% of marketers use content marketing.
But SEO involves more than high-quality healthcare content – you also need to optimize your site for mobile. 64% of SEO marketers say that’s where your marketing budget is best spent.
Average email marketing rates
A Mailchimp study found the following email marketing averages for medical, dental, and healthcare businesses:
- 21.72% email open rate
- 2.49% click rate
- 0.28% unsubscribe rate
If you’re open and click rates are much lower or your unsubscribe rate much higher, work with a healthcare marketing agency to improve your email marketing.
The power of patient testimonials
If you aren’t collecting patient reviews, your marketing strategy is missing a powerful tool. A Software Advice survey found that 90% of patients use reviews to choose their next healthcare provider.
Since only 1% of patients leave very negative reviews (and only 10% leave mildly negative reviews), the odds are good that your patients have positive things to say about you. Ask them and use that material to build your online reputation.
Social media marketing
Twitter users shared over 155 million healthcare-related tweets in 2021, but only 10% of physicians regularly post on social media. In other words, there is a massive audience waiting to hear from experts (and very few experts are answering the call).
Are there physicians in your practice who are willing to create content (or be the face of content) for your next healthcare social media marketing campaign?
Local convenience is trending
Since 2015, “near me” searches for health-related services have nearly doubled, and 77% of people have used smartphones to find local healthcare. Let these healthcare marketing statistics guide your efforts to improve your local SEO ranking.
Younger generations do not trust doctors
A Monigle survey of over 30,000 healthcare consumers found that 37% of millennials don’t trust their doctors. Medical practices should look for new ways to develop trust with patients between 25 and 34, and digital healthcare marketing is an efficient solution.
Given that 69% of millennials prefer the internet to their doctors for medical advice, healthcare marketers should include high-quality content as a core tactic in their overall strategy.
Global healthcare is an enormous market
2022 may see global healthcare spending exceed $10 trillion, and the U.S. is leading the way, spending more than the rest of the world on healthcare.
Considering this growth, it’s the perfect time for healthcare organizations to advertise new services, secure strategic partnerships, and build an infrastructure ready to scale.
Telehealth is essential
What started as an uncomfortable alternative has become a preferred convenience. The following healthcare marketing statistics say a lot about the future of telehealth in the healthcare industry:
- One in four patients has used a telehealth service in the past month.
- Younger generations plan to continue using telehealth services as a convenience (83% of Millennials and 73% of Gen Z)
- 70% of physicians are motivated to provide telehealth more often
In other words, patients and physicians expect your healthcare organization to offer virtual solutions.
Mobile permeates healthcare from all sides
Experts predict that mobile advertising will surpass desktop this year, a savvy response to physician and patient smartphone use:
- Roughly 40% of patients use their smartphones or computers to access their healthcare apps.
- 16% of patients exclusively use their smartphones.
- According to a 2021 Scientific Reports study, 90% of attending physicians use a mobile device to make phone calls, access their emails, browse the web, and send messages.
The bottom line? If you want your healthcare practice to appeal to patients and medical professionals, begin with a mobile-friendly website and apps where they can access their medical records.
Burnout is heavily impacting the healthcare industry
According to Medscape’s Physician Burnout and Depression Report 2022, 47% of physicians are experiencing burnout. Emergency medicine, critical care, and OB/GYN doctors are the most likely to suffer from work-related overwhelm. Pandemic and social pressures have led 34% of nurses to report their plans to quit by 2022.
These aren’t the most exciting healthcare marketing statistics, but they’re crucial for healthcare organizations to understand as they work on recruitment, hiring, and retention. The future of the healthcare industry depends on creating more sustainable work environments for medical professionals.
The average cost-per-click and cost-per-lead in the healthcare industry
The average cost-per-click is $4.78, and the average cost-per-lead is $47.69 in healthcare. These healthcare ad benchmarks are reminders that medical marketing is an investment.
The marketing costs are a small fraction of your practice’s revenue from acquiring new patients. Even if those healthcare marketing statistics seem high, remember that creating and updating a robust healthcare marketing strategy is essential for medical practices that want to grow in 2022.
FAQs about healthcare marketing statistics
The volume of data you’ve just explored may be overwhelming, but how much of it matters for your medical practice? Read on to get more insight into the role these healthcare marketing statistics should play as you develop a customized marketing strategy for your business.
What are marketing statistics?
Marketing statistics are numerical reflections of how a market is performing. It’s important to understand that marketing statistics are not prescriptive, and they don’t always tell a complete story.
Healthcare marketing statistics shed light on where the healthcare industry is headed. Healthcare marketers use that information to create communications and systems that meet their patients’ needs.
How much do healthcare organizations typically spend on marketing?
Some brands based their marketing budgets on revenue. For example, many healthcare organizations spend between 2% and 12% of their revenue on marketing. Other businesses take a top-down approach, choosing a certain amount that fits within the context of the total budget.
This is one of the most elusive healthcare marketing statistics because it depends on your business’s size, revenue, and goals. Remember that marketing is essential for your healthcare organization’s longevity, no matter the number you land on. That’s why the Small Business Administration calls marketing an investment, not an expense.
Is Statista a valuable source for benchmarking data?
You can find reliable healthcare marketing statistics on Statista, a 13-year-old global market data provider. Over 2,000 universities partner with Statista, and almost 200,000 corporate media-published articles have cited Statista research.
It’s always wise to keep a skeptical eye on sources, but we think Statista is a valid reference for marketing statistics.
Never fall behind on healthcare marketing research again
Are you ready to apply the healthcare marketing statistics you’ve read about here? Then take the “work smart, not hard” approach and select healthcare marketers who understand the data’s nuances.
Turn these healthcare marketing statistics into profits
The digital marketing professionals at TBH Creative are well versed in healthcare marketing statistics for 2022. Our full-service agency has over 15 years of experience working in the healthcare industry, and we’re ready to take your practice to the next level.
Connect with us to learn how we can help your medical practice exceed its business goals for 2022 and beyond.
