8 Unique Ideas for Hospital Content

Do these messages ring a bell?

Name the hospital that’s said a variation of these lines in their content over the past year:

• “We care about you.”
• “Our physicians are the best.”
• “We’re the top hospital in your city.”

Did you say, “Just about all of them”? You’d be right.

Every health system needs to convey empathy and credibility in their marketing. But these general statements aren’t the way to do it. They’re so overused they no longer mean anything. They become white noise.

According to a 2023 study by Semrush, 99% of healthcare marketers have found success through content marketing. It’s clear: Content marketing is the norm. It won’t make your hospital stand out.

To differentiate your hospital, you need to get creative. Draw from our list of unique hospital marketing ideas to keep things fresh.

8 innovative ideas for hospital marketing

Need to stand out in crowded search pages, inboxes, and social feeds? Want to boost your hospital’s rep as a thought leader? Here are some ideas to get your wheels turning.

1. Create different types of videos

91% of businesses are using video to connect with consumers. But, according to Vidyard’s State of Video Report, about half of all marketing videos are testimonials. There’s plenty of opportunity to stand out in the video marketing landscape.

What types of videos should hospitals use (aside from patient testimonials)?

• Provider profiles: Introduce your physicians and build trust with patients before they walk through your doors.
• Patient education videos: Teach patients about their condition or treatment options with a medical explainer.
• Facility tours: Let patients and their caregivers take a virtual tour of your hospital.
• Hospital video campaigns: Inspire your community and keep your health system top of mind.
• Medical animations: Show patients how their condition manifests in the body or what will happen during a procedure. View a medical animation about retinopathy of prematurity, published by Children’s Health Colorado.

Learn more about video marketing for hospitals.

2. Tell interesting stories

Have you noticed that many patient stories are told the same way? Diagnosis à treatment à resolution. Often, they skip over the details that resonate with patients:

• How did the patient realize something was wrong?
• What were they feeling at the time of diagnosis?
• What did they try before receiving this treatment?
• How did they tap into their internal strength?

A patient story should be told like a story — not like a piece of marketing content. Focus on the emotions and events unique to that patient’s experience. You might be surprised by how many readers connect with and remember those ultra-specific details.

3. Keep up with the news

There’s almost always something happening in the world that directly relates to your service lines. The catch is having the agility in your hospital marketing strategy (and bandwidth within your team) to capitalize on current events.

Read a tip from our Marketing Director, Lacey, about using the news to spark audience engagement:

4. Appeal to the locals

Don’t stop at national or global events. Stay informed about what’s happening in your community.

Every city has its own unique traditions. New Orleans has Mardi Gras, Chicago has Lollapalooza, Austin has South by Southwest (SXSW). Smaller communities also have special celebrations and philanthropic events, like Long Island’s Swim Across the Sound.

Create content that relates to local news, events, festivals, marathons, and new business openings to solidify your hospital’s position as a cornerstone of your community.

5. Create strong community partnerships

Similarly, partner with local figures to draw your community’s attention and bring joy to patients. Nonprofits, athletes, local talent, and small business owners are often looking to get involved in their communities to bolster their brand image — so it’s a win-win.

For example, Red Sox players participated in a Christmas in July event at Boston Children’s.

Get more innovative marketing ideas from hospitals that are standing out on social media.

6. Show your physicians’ personalities

Having fun with your hospital marketing content might feel risky. How will it impact your audience’s perception of your brand? How will personable content fit in with your overall voice? We’ve found that personality-packed content can build stronger connections with patients without compromising your brand’s credibility.

What kinds of personable details resonate with readers? The stranger, the better. We work with a nuclear medicine specialist who has a joke about ducks. When the joke took off with patients, they started buying stuffed ducks for him, and now his office is full of them. Imagine the content that could come out of this!

7. Preview the patient experience

Looking for care for a condition can feel scary. Patients have questions, and their families have concerns. It’s helpful to let prospective patients and their caregivers know what they can expect throughout their experience with your hospital:

• When they check in
• During their first appointment
• During a procedure
• After a treatment

“What to Expect” guides ease patient anxieties and show what makes your hospital different. Make sure to highlight the unique level of care and the above-and-beyond amenities that people can expect to receive from your health system. And don’t forget to address the basics that worry us all: Where can I park? And where can I find food?

8. Create messaging around your unique value propositions

You know what makes your hospital stand out. But patients and caregivers might not. When they have so many options for their care, it’s difficult to know why they should choose your clinic over others.

Make the decision easy for them by creating content that highlights your brand’s unique value. Here are some examples:

• “We’re a community hospital offering excellent, personalized care in a warm, friendly environment.”
• “We see a wide variety of cases with complicating factors and have experience treating patients with those challenges.”
• “Our rooms are beautiful and comfortable, with reliable access to wireless internet.”
• “We’re the best for this specific condition because we pioneered this treatment/we’re one of the few health systems that use this approach/we have the most innovative technology.”

For more inspiration and innovative healthcare content ideas, check out the top hospital campaigns of the last several years.