Why every practice needs a promotional video
More and more, patients are going online to research physicians before they make a choice. While the average patient may have a primary care provider that they turn to for day-to-day medical needs, the treatment an ophthalmologist offers isn’t quite as frequent, so patients are likely to do a bit more research.
But aside from physician referrals or the recommendations of friends, patients are increasingly turning to the Internet to do their research. There are a variety of factors that go in to being discovered online, but one of the major boons that serves to get more patients in the door is to have a engaging video content on your website.
This video content could range from the unapologetic promotional video to “explainer” videos highlighting the various treatments and procedures offered by your practice.
Both are effective, and both should be utilized by physicians everywhere. Here’s why:
Promotional videos are authentic
One of the most important elements of running a successful medical practice is trust. Patients must trust that their physicians are providing the best, most comprehensive care possible, and doctors must trust that their patients are providing them with an accurate medical history, valid information about their current medical needs, and the like.
Promotional videos help foster this sense of trust by telling the unique story of the practice, as it helps patients connect and engage with the physician. By telling thestory of the doctor and showing the unique care that patients receive at the practice, authenticity and trust is fostered and deeper connections are built.
It’s common knowledge that people need several touchpoints with a brand before they begin to feel comfortable with it (psychological studies suggest that the exact number is seven). But there is a difference between weak touchpoints (someone bringing up the name of your practice in conversation) and strong touchpoint (such as a potential patient watching a 3 minute video about your practice online).
When patients are trusting you to provide exceptional care for medical conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, keratoconus, and more, they need to know that you are authentic and genuinely interested in giving them the best care possible.
Promotional videos may be used for many applications
Another advantage of online video content is that it may be used for a variety of applications. While promotional videos are intended for primary use on your practice’s website, they may be used in many ways, including at trade shows and industry events, introductions for speaking engagements, and personal resumes.
Again, the more touchpoints you are able to create for your practice, the better.
Patient testimonials are powerful
Physicians frequently include patient testimonials on their website, examples of the outstanding care and medical attention they received, the professionalism and friendliness of their staff, and how the care they received and the restored vision they are experiencing has changed their lives for the better.
But what’s better than testimonials on a website? Testimonials on video. Take the example of Sybil, a 71-year-old active triathlete who received cataract surgery from Dr. Tal Raviv, Medical Director of the Eye Center of New York.
To hear a story of a 71-year-old who still actively trains for triathlons having cataract surgery and being able to resume her training only two days later is amazing; to witness her training post-operation is absolutely incredible. Take a look at the promotional video we made for the Eye Center of New York :
Often times there is much more going on in the life of a patient that makes their ophthalmic care extraordinarily life-changing, and more often than not, it is difficult (if not impossible) to express those sentiments through textual testimonials alone.
Video is powerful: the statistics
If nothing else serves to convince the average ophthalmologist that video is effective, perhaps some of these statistics will:
According to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research, the average value of one minute of online video is worth 1.8 million words. That’s the equivalent of 3,600 typical web pages. If you were to write an average of one web page an hour, it would take you 150 days of writing to achieve the impact of one minute of video.
100 million users watch online video content each day, and the average user is exposed to an average of 32.2 videos in a month.
According to the Online Publishers Association, 80% of Internet users can recall watching a video ad on a website they visited in the past 30 days.
Website visitors are 64% more likely to buy a product on an online retail site after watching a video.
92% of mobile video viewers share videos with others.
The average Internet user spends 88% more time on a website with video.
Online video now accounts for 50% of all mobile traffic and up to 69% of traffic.
Globally, online video traffic will be 55% of all consumer Internet traffic in 2016.
By now, it’s pretty clear that video might be one of the most effective marketing tools in your arsenal. But are you taking advantage of it?
