The Local Health Care Advertising Spending Preview

Health Care Will Increase Local Ad Spend

According to the BIA Advisory Services and SalesFuel projections, local health care advertising will reach $12 billion in 2024. The top spenders noted in the report will be:

• Hospitals
• Physician offices
• Dentists
• Chiropractors

The channels they’ll spend the most on include digital, broadcast TV, OTT/CTV and direct mail. The research also revealed how these local businesses will buy advertising. The survey of hospital marketers found that they were more likely to purchase OTT/CTV spots through local media sellers. Doctors’ offices were less likely to do so. Across the health care landscape, you have opportunities to get your share of these billions.

To do this, you’ll rely on key strategies like:

• Your local market knowledge: You have a unique perspective in understanding the audience and the opportunities for health care advertisers.
• The ability to sell linear radio ads and digital as one proposal: You can create campaigns that capitalize on the strengths of both.
• Bringing fresh ideas to the table to meet their advertising goals: You can recommend tactics and angles for advertisers.

Next, let’s look at some things to pitch to local health care advertisers.

Local Health Care Advertising Ideas

Your focus for health care should align with the business types described above and the most promising tactics.

OTT/CTV Is Ideal for Hospitals and Practices

According to the 12th annual benchmarking report on radio digital sales, OTT/CTV is the fastest-growing local digital ad tactic. The report notes that it can potentially boost revenue and is in demand for local advertisers.

It can complement traditional TV, radio or other digital channels. It provides the opportunity to target specific audiences and tell a story. If local dentists seek to reach families to increase their pediatric patients, they can do that with OTT/CTV. They can also target based on other demographics, geography or interests.

OTT/CTV can be a great way for hospitals to connect with potential employees as the industry continues to struggle with staffing. Health systems with specialized treatment centers for cancers or other diseases could also highlight them with these videos.

Geofencing Creates Opportunities to Catch Consumers in Specific Places

Geofencing is another must-have tactic for health care. You can do several things with this option, including fencing:

• Competitor locations to include special deals or promotions that could make people switch
• Community colleges and universities to find job candidates as they complete their education
• Public spaces that are spots for health and fitness activities, which could be an excellent target for chiropractors

Learn what the advertiser’s goals are to determine how geofencing can drive results.

The Right Social Media Spots

Depending on the advertiser and what they want to accomplish, social media ads could be a great fit. Talk through the audience they want to find and why to inform your recommendations. For example, many health care organizations target seniors because they tend to have more health concerns. Facebook is the best place to create those campaigns.

Beyond demographics, their ideal patient may be a fitness buff or have a specific chronic disease. For those attributes, Pinterest or Instagram may be a better fit. They may have tried social media ads in the past without much thought or strategy. You can show them how your approach is different.

Email Marketing Can Build Awareness for Local Health Care

Email marketing is always a winner on ROI. The inbox also gets more attention than other ads. With an email marketing campaign, health care businesses can create awareness, which would be especially valuable for new practices. The email could also offer an incentive to new patients. For example, dentists often promote free teeth whitening.

Don’t Forget Radio for Reach

Along with digital tactics, suggest radio spots for maximum reach in the market. These ads should repeat the organization’s name several times and include a brief description of specialties and services. Language like “accepting new patients” should also be in the script. Drive people to their website to learn more. When you add radio to digital, the entire campaign will perform better.