Americans are flocking to online video as a source of information and entertainment like never before.

According to comScore, a technology company that measures how people are using the Internet, in June 2013, 85% of all Internet users viewed online video, totaling 44 billion video content views.

Hospital executives that need to start thinking about how to engage patients, physicians and clinicians through video. Here are four reasons you should get started.

1. It improves patient education

According to Marketsmith Inc., YouTube’s Vice President of Global Content, Robert Kyncl, has publicly claimed that video will soon account for 90% of all Internet traffic.

Using a video to explain a treatment plan or condition gives patients a visual way of absorbing the information. Video bridges the gap by providing simple and succinct information relevant to the patient’s treatment. Providing video access both before and after treatment streamlines clinic flow and gives patients a straightforward path to health, therefore improving patient adherence to treatment recommendations.

2. It leads to higher engagement

Social media marketing isn’t anything new. We’ve all probably interacted with brands on social media to some extent. This also means that your patients and your future patients will all be using social media. Consumer engagement through social media is a real phenomenon to which hospitals need to pay attention. Creating engaging content is one of the best ways to build relationships with patients. According to a study by SEOmoz, posts with videos attract three times more attention than posts with only text. According to a study by Forbes, overall 65% have visited a vendor’s website after watching a video.

3. It streamlines physician education

As hospitals acquire new technology and participate in new reimbursement models, physician education plays a critical role in determining whether health systems successfully adapt and thrive. But it can be difficult to find an education program that accommodates the demanding schedules of physicians. Providing video education for physicians almost seems like a no-brainer, yet there’s a huge lack of quality content. Your health system should start slowly filling its online education system with video based physician education.

According to Forrester Research’s Dr. James McQuivey, a minute of video is worth 1.8 million words.

4. It builds brand loyalty

A study by Newscred stated that 3 out of 5 people felt that online content drives their brand loyalty. Engaging customers with video is an amazing way to build brand loyalty. The trick is providing value in the content you generate. Something that hospitals are starting to pick up on is providing basic wellness information on their social media pages. This brings value to the consumer and a reason to follow your social media accounts. In combination with providing public health information, online and broadcast video marketing can enhance your campaign’s reach, general recall, brand recall, and overall likeability at a low cost.

Source: www.thewca.com