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Optimizing for Patient Engagement

148% increase in direct traffic to blog 93% increase in stories submitted to blog 189% increase in search engine referrals

ABOUT THE CLIENT

  • Industry: Academic medical center
  • Number of employees: 35,000+
  • In business since: 1955
  • Headquarters: Los Angeles

Summary

The digital team at UCLA Health System (UCLA) wanted to increase engagement through newsjacking, creating original content to piggyback on current healthcare topics. They also wanted to repurpose existing content and establish a secure online forum for patients to share stories without compromising their privacy.

So, the UCLA Connect website was born: Aha Media Group supplements the patient stories with original blog content pulled from the news. Aha Media’s writers also use content from UCLA’s publications and press releases to create short, consumer-friendly blog posts.

The results are astounding, demonstrating that UCLA’s audience is growing, engaged, and excited about the content. UCLA Connect has also won awards from eHealthcare Leadership Awards and Ragan’s PR Daily.

The challenge

The UCLA team is busy. Press releases and other publications are on the web and not optimized for search. Though patients share stories through Facebook Groups and blogs, UCLA can’t use the testimonials. Those forums are not sufficiently secure, and there is no way to vet the stories for accuracy.

Our approach

Aha Media rounds out the news content, while patients use a secure online form to submit their stories to the UCLA team, who vets them for accuracy. The content process includes:


Newsjacking

During a monthly meeting, UCLA and Aha Media discuss timely health issues. Aha Media uses those topics to create 4 original blog posts each month.


Physician participation

Our writers interview UCLA providers, enabling them to contribute to the web content while respecting their busy schedules.


Repurposing content

The team also turns existing UCLA content into blog posts. This method allows UCLA to extend the life of their published work and turn it into accessible content for their blog and social media.

It’s great working with a strategic and tactical partner who helps us evolve and experiment with different ways to grow and connect with our audience. The project management and ideation are a huge plus for our team!
Ashley Anderson, Social Media Manager
UCLA Health

Results

The outcomes include significant increases in patient engagement, search engine optimization, compelling social media content, and physician engagement. These improvements are driven by patient stories, timely blogs, and SEO expertise provided by Aha Media.

  • Patient engagement: Patient stories and community interaction increased, with the number of stories more than doubling in the first year and returning visitors tripling over 3 years.
  • SEO: The site received a significant boost in search engine referrals, increasing from 6,559 in the first year to 18,970 by year 3. Page views and direct traffic also saw substantial growth.
  • Compelling content for social media: Social media visits tripled, and return traffic increased by 401%, indicating high audience engagement.
  • Physician engagement: UCLA physicians contributed to the project by encouraging patient stories and participating in interviews, enhancing the content’s authenticity and impact.
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Increase in social media visits
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Increase in social media unique visitors
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Increase in social media returning visitors

Key takeaways

  • SEO optimization

    Using a professional content firm empowers UCLA to publish new content optimized for search. This has resulted in a significant increase in search engine referrals and overall site traffic.

  • Patient community

    Creating a safe online community allows patients to share their stories and spread the message of the excellent care they received. This engagement boosts patient satisfaction and attracts potential patients.

  • Engaging blogs

    Relevant blogs give consumers a reason to stay on the site and share the content. This approach has tripled social media visits and significantly increased return traffic.

  • Niche content

    Niche content tends to perform better than general health and wellness. Targeted, specific content resonates more with the audience, driving higher engagement and return visits.

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