With advancements in technology and the rise of social media in nearly every aspect of our lives, clinical studies are going online to find new means of communication with prospective patients. Content marketing (providing value through informational assets such as blog posts, videos, graphics, and more) is one of the most effective ways for a clinical trial to boost its online presence and establish trust with patients. You must earn that trust from patients by proving your knowledge and professionalism. Clinical trials that use content marketing correctly have the potential to provide real value to patients and increase enrollment.
Increasing awareness among new audiences is essential for any clinical trial to continue moving forward and achieving successful patient enrollment rates. Content marketing creates valuable resources that can grab the attention of future patients. Blog posts should be helpful while also being easy to understand. Videos should be well-made and offer viewers some sort of helpful takeaway. Photos and graphics need to be visually appealing while piquing interest and evoking emotion. When possible, use your content to connect with broader issues that are trending in medical circles at the moment. Once you’ve found engaging material that drives conversions, you can keep that content alive by tweaking or modifying it to stay relevant.
Engaging online with a clinical trial’s team allows patients to feel more empowered in their own healthcare journey. They have seen your content, gotten to know you, and now they are actively choosing to participate. Choice is freedom. Likewise, bolstering online engagement and displaying positive interactions makes you more accessible and trustworthy. Thus, increasing your chances of successful patient enrollment. The patient experience relies on not solely engagement but also on communication and collaboration. That is why content marketing is so important. A strong game plan for patient-trial relationship highlights opportunities for engaging, educating and empowering patients with digital content.
Identify your short-term goals and long-term goals, and how both play into your overall content marketing plan. You want your content (and overall strategy) to be cohesive and fluid. Focus on the experience that you are providing for your audience (future and current patients). You want content that resonates with them and opens the opportunity for interaction. Educational materials can help quell fears and put your audience more at ease with whatever situation they are going through. Content with direct but useful messages is also more likely to be shared by viewers within their own networks.
Assessing your content efforts and determining how effective they are in getting you to your goals is very important. Tracking your content marketing efforts and analyzing results is crucial to fine-tune your strategy and see maximum benefits from all your work. Careful analysis will show you what content is working, what isn’t, channels in which you could improve and channels in which you are thriving. Take this information to heart and use it to make better-educated decisions with your patient-focused content.
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