Why Mobile-First Matters: Producing Video Content for HCPs and Patients
With healthcare marketing strategies shifting more and more toward digital, the use of mobile video can be a key driver for generating higher engagement with your healthcare provider (HCP) and patient audiences.
Think Mobile-First
“The beautiful thing about mobile is everybody has a screen on them almost all the time,” says Brella Video Department Director Dave Less, “so you have unlimited access to people, which is fantastic.”
When you consider that video traffic in 2015 accounted for 55% of total mobile data usage and that 46% of all video plays were on smartphones or tablets in the 4th quarter of that year, shifting to a mobile-first approach with your video content aligns with consumer needs and the preferred method of absorbing new information.
According to Doximity, an online physician’s network, 90% of doctors who use Doximity are iPhone users, and 70% of the site’s overall traffic comes from physicians using mobile devices. However, getting to HCPs is no guarantee of getting through to them.
In an increasingly digital world, your video content needs to not only grab HCPs’ attention, but also provide value. A recent survey by IMS found that about 58% of doctors spend between one and five hours per week finding medical information online, while 56% spend between one and five hours on medical training. This means for every mobile video you produce, context is crucial.
So how do you ensure they keep watching?
Keep it Simple
Don’t make things harder than they have to be. Mobile screens are, by definition, small. Fine details—even at the highest resolutions—just don’t come through on a 7″ diagonal. Don’t believe us? Try watching “Lawrence of Arabia” on your phone.
When creating mobile video, clarity is king. Try to cram too much into a small frame and you end up with an undifferentiated, unappealing mess that HCPs will turn off. Text, likewise, needs to be used thoughtfully. The opening Star Wars crawl is epic on a sixty foot screen. On a 10″ tablet…not so much. Besides, you’re working in a visual medium. Keep it simple and uncomplicated. HCPs are looking at your video for information they can use. Aside from listing any important disclaimer information onscreen, make sure your messaging packs a powerful educational punch.
Be Authentic
“Mobile video is driven by user-generated content,” Less reminds us. “Consider the popularity of consumer reviews. Slick production values take a back seat to perceived authenticity.”
What does this mean from a production standpoint? Video production purists may cringe, but you can get a lot of mileage from a direct-to-camera approach. The illusion of eye contact creates a rapport that adds an air of authenticity while defending against external distractions. Think about all the KOL (Key Opinion Leader) and Patient Journey-type videos you’ve produced over the years. A more direct approach could be the new hook that engages your HCPs and, in turn, their patients.
Consumers are more likely to share video they perceive as genuine and not overly-produced; it evokes trust. And when they find video content that resonates with them, they share it; 68% of people share the videos they watch on their smartphones, which does a chunk of the marketing legwork for you.
We also see high sharing patterns with HCPs. When they find compelling, educational video content, those HCPs are turning around and showing images and videos to their patients. A Manhattan Research study uncovered that 47% of physicians with smartphones do so; they, too, understand the power of mobile-first video content in order to educate and support their patients.
The Bottom Line
To get the attention of HCPs and patients alike, mobile-first video should be used as a key element in your digital strategy. That means creating video content for your campaigns and programs that keep your concept clear and your message direct. Doing so will yield better results than traditional commercial styles that immediately get pegged as “advertising.”
Want more insights on producing mobile-first video for the healthcare market? Be sure to check out our next webinar on September 15, 2016 at 1 p.m. EST.
Until then, come visit us at https://www.brella.com. We’d love to chat about making your video messaging mobile.