Health-related brands create content for many reasons including to raise awareness, to differentiate from competitors, to drive sales, to establish trust and leadership and to increase engagement with customers and stakeholders so they can help lead to better health outcomes. And yet a lot of this content, focusing on reflection or aspiration-oriented themes, misses an opportunity to resonate with the real-life experiences of their audiences and thus maximize engagement. At FIXING US, we focus on engagement as the primary goal for content. We have learned that this type of health-related content is more likely to lead to better outcomes for patients, healthcare professionals, and healthcare brands for several reasons:
It Resonates More: By providing patients and consumers with clear, relatable, and inspiring information which takes them on an emotive journey that mimics real-life experiences, will give them more confidence. It will inspire action and serve as a more effective driver for behavioural change.
Increased Trust & Empowerment: Engaging content that features stories with real life patients - and their loved ones or caregivers - helps to build trust and empowerment between patients and healthcare providers. This approach demonstrates an appreciation for the struggles and contributions relating to dependencies and support networks, encouraging more open and honest communication.
Greater Longevity: Health content focusing on engagement tends to have greater longevity. Patients and support networks are not always effective - they can have bad habits, they may fail to use their solutions properly, and often face unrelated challenges that disrupt their routines. Content that focuses on engagement provides opportunities to inspire adoption, re-adoption, improved application, acknowledging changing circumstances and a range of experiences that outlast conventional content-creation approaches (that might focus on a solution-centric narrative which is more about them than the users themselves!).
More Shareable: Authentically engaging content is more likely to be shared and spread organically. It is more likely to generate free/earned media and PR coverage, leading to increased awareness and collective endorsement of important health issues and information. This can help to break stigmas and educate patients, healthcare professionals, policymakers and the wider public.
Better Brand Perception: Brands that produce engaging, informative and trustworthy health content are more likely to be viewed favourably by their target audience.
Embolden Deployment: Many organisations need to engage with their own people as well as their customers. Content that demonstrates the real-life benefits of their products and services - using techniques that do not rely on actors or staged retrospective accounts – can engage and embolden the workforce. Building greater adoption and momentum across all parts of the supply chain, authentic content helps embolden people who see communications that demonstrate an understanding that is real as opposed to one that is claimed or storyboarded.
Independent research from FIXING US’ broadcast content on NBC in 2022 backed this up, reporting that:
89% of viewers of viewers reported a positive effect on their personal health and wellness decisions, with 69% reporting a “strong positive effect” on their decisions.
94% of viewers were likely to research and seek out more information about a featured condition/health arena, with 72% “very likely” to research and seek out more information.
Sponsored content increased brand awareness by 37%, nearly 3 times higher than the average increase for the non-engagement-oriented marketing and omnichannel activity.
The number of people who would recommend a sponsor’s brand to a friend or family member was 77% higher than other branded marketing content.
We’re passionate about patient-engagement. If you want to learn about how engagement-oriented content can work for you and what it would look like with some great examples of our work in action, or if you just want to discuss your perspectives and experiences with us, please get in touch with us.