Making the most of video in your healthcare communications

In a post-Covid world, healthcare messaging is a rapidly changing beast. So it’s vital that healthcare providers update important information efficiently and succinctly.

That’s where video comes in.

The beauty of video is that it’s an accessible digital tool that can reach a wide audience. Since the start of the pandemic, the uptake of video consumption and production has been massive. According to a 2022 report by Wistia, overall video plays and uploads skyrocketed – during lockdowns, audience demand actually outpaced creation efforts.

Added to that, patients are more likely to use your services if you have a good online presence. A report by the market research group GWI found that online medicine and healthcare spending increased 107% since 2020.

So without a strong online presence, you’re at a huge disadvantage. And with video being so popular, it makes sense to use it for your healthcare communications.

According to Digital Practice, healthcare organisations can use video to build rapport and educate patients/customers, while also promoting themselves as a trustworthy and authentic organisation. It can help you reach new audiences, provide valuable information and increase conversion rates.

What’s more, video can help improve your SEO as it is generally preferred by search engines. You’re 53 times more likely to show up first on Google if you have video embedded on your website.

What kind of video should you use?

The most common types of marketing video are educational, explainer, product description, company story, frequently asked questions, and commercials.

Depending on your aim, videos have the potential to contribute to lead generation, conversion, engagement, education and return on investment. The Wistia report indicated that driving brand awareness and educating audiences about products and services were the most important functions.

It’s also a good idea to have an overall video strategy that incorporates measurement of audience engagement and participation. This will depend on the channels you use, e.g. paid social, organic social, digital billboards, websites, TV/YouTube ads, EDMs etc.

Where should you put your video?

Your strategy will need to consider where your video is going to appear: should it be single channel or multi-channel (which generally means repurposing content to suit the different channels)?

The easiest and most common channel for disseminating video is via social media (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Tik/Tok).

With a single-channel approach, you may choose to develop a short-form (under 10 minutes) or long-form video (over 10 minutes). A short-form video could be a snappy 15-second product advertisement or a 3–5-minute explainer from a healthcare professional. Long-form videos include webinars, virtual events, tutorials and case studies.

Where these videos appear will depend on the format. For example, a lengthy Zoom panel recording might best be put on YouTube, a quick reel with a Q&A would suit Instagram, and an ad featuring a new product might be more appropriate for Facebook.

An example of a multi-channel approach is website + Facebook + YouTube + a video embed in an EDM campaign. In this instance, you would need to change dimension size and video length for the various channels, so this extra work/cost is something to keep in mind.

Creating your content

Next, of course, you’ll need to make your videos!

Do you have a new product or service to promote? Is there a staff member you want to introduce? Is there a common question your patients would like answered? These are just a few ideas for what you might want to include in your videos.

Having someone talk directly to the audience creates a friendly, personal impression. Depending on your brand, the production quality generally doesn’t have to be super-polished – DIY phone recordings can be fine (and can be spruced up a bit in post-production if necessary).

Aim to capture your audience’s attention in the first 5 seconds. As a rule of thumb, shorter videos tend to be better for getting noticed by unfamiliar audiences, whereas long videos are useful if you already have the audience on board.

It’s also imperative that your content complies with the relevant regulations, such as the AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) guidelines, the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code and the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct.

Tips and tricks for your recording

Here are a few tips to keep in mind with phone and Zoom video recordings.

1. Think about where your video will be used. Most social media channels need video to be filmed in landscape orientation, but Instagram, TikTok and Facebook Stories require portrait dimensions.
2. Consider your setting. Is there a nice background without too much visual distraction? Is it quiet? Is the lighting suitable (not too bright or too dark)? If you’re aiming for a more ‘authentic’ impression, it’s best to not make the production look over-polished – but if you want a more premium-looking video, spend more time making the setting ideal.
3. For higher-end videos, invest in a tripod and a mic. Hand-held cameras can be nauseating for the viewer! A tripod will make sure your camera is still and focused on the subject. For videos of people talking, a lapel or lavalier mic will vastly improve the audio quality, as they pick up dialogue and reduce the amount of background noise.
4. Phone cameras are perfect for social media content! Just make sure the settings are configured correctly.
5. When it comes to post-production, consider using a basic in-app editing tool, or a web-based template-ready editing tool (such as Canva). Alternatively, you could access professional-level editing software (e.g. Premiere Pro, After Effects) through a third-party resource.
6. Consider adding transcripts (which can be utilised as captions/subtitles to meet accessibility standards), logos and a call-to-action.

The more you concentrate on developing videos for your business, the more confident you will become in creating them. You’ll be surprised at how easily you can get high-quality videos, as tech and computer hardware trends are becoming increasingly accommodating to video content.

For further assistance and advice on the role of video in your healthcare communications, feel free to get in touch with us.