Making Brand Equity a KPI in Healthcare Marketing: A Strategic Approach

In the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, performance marketing often emphasizes immediate demand conversions, but neglecting brand equity can be harmful. For healthcare marketers, it’s essential to monitor brand equity alongside conversion rates to maintain a balanced and sustainable growth strategy. 

Brand equity — the additional value a brand contributes to a product or service beyond its functional advantages, derived from consumer perceptions, recognition and loyalty — is especially critical in healthcare since it directly impacts credibility, patient preference and the financial health of hospitals and healthcare systems. 

A strong brand differentiates a hospital or healthcare system in a competitive market, encouraging patient choice. Positive brand equity enhances reputation, making it easier to attract top medical talent, secure partnerships and command premium pricing. In an industry where trust and perceived quality are paramount, a well-regarded brand also fosters patient retention and advocacy, which are crucial for long-term success.  

Here’s how to make brand equity a KPI.  

Identify Goals 

First, clearly define the business outcomes your organization aims to achieve. For instance, if the goal is to increase patient volumes, understand what specific actions the media must drive to achieve this by targeting higher-value audiences and aligning media investments to maximize impact. 

Research Category Drivers 

Understanding the market and competitive landscape is vital. Tools like Pathmatics, Vivvix and Winmo offer valuable insights into competitors’ strategies, while market analysis platforms such as IBISWorld, Statista and EMARKETER provide comprehensive data on trends and consumer behaviors, helping identify growth opportunities. Additionally, leverage the wealth of healthcare information available through industry publications and aggregators, which deliver a wide array of resources directly to your inbox. 

Brand Segmentation and Market Share

Analyze brand sentiment and market share to understand your current position in the market. This includes identifying key audience segments and understanding their perceptions and behaviors. 

Audience Insights 

Engaging the right audience is critical for driving desired outcomes. Tools like GWI can help identify media channel affinities, while CDC and U.S. Census data provide demographic insights. SimilarWeb offers data on website visitor demographics, competitive analysis and user journey insights. 

Identify Behaviors & Trends 

Analyze patient demographics, consumer trends and operational intelligence. Metrics such as utilization rates, volume rates, referrals and payer mix provide a detailed understanding of patient behaviors and trends. 

Technical & Data Asset Alignment 

Ensure the alignment of your technical and data assets to effectively collect and analyze data. This includes data collection on patient demographics, market analysis, and assessing operational readiness. 

Address Brand Blur 

Brand blur occurs when patients perceive little differentiation between healthcare providers. This can be due to overlapping messaging, commoditization of services and a saturated market. To combat this, you must: 

1. Clarify Your Unique Value Proposition: Clearly communicate what sets your organization apart. 
2. Use Targeted Marketing: Use data-driven insights to tailor messaging to specific patient segments. 
3. Ensure Consistent Branding: Maintain a consistent brand identity across all touchpoints. 
4. Deliver Exceptional Patient Experiences: Invest in creating outstanding patient experiences to foster loyalty. 

Leverage the Right Partner for Your Healthcare Marketing Strategy  

Navigating the complexities of the healthcare market requires expertise and strategic insights. Working with a partner like GRADIANT can help your organization harness data-driven strategies to enhance brand equity, improve patient experiences and drive growth in this ever-changing industry. Want to learn more? Contact us to start the conversation.  

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About the Author: 

Erin Killion is the director of client strategy for healthcare at GRADIANT, Goodway Group’s modern funnel digital agency. With more than 15 years of healthcare experience, Erin develops purposeful strategies backed by data-driven insights, helping clients navigate the complexities of the healthcare space. She serves as part of the Goodway Private Health Information + Consumer Privacy in Healthcare team, is a member of the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development Education Advisory Board and is a thought leader in the evolution of the healthcare consumer and the “retailization” of healthcare. Erin has worked with clients across the healthcare vertical including providers and delivery systems, payers, pharma, MedTech and retail healthcare, leveraging her extensive experience, insights and knowledge to shift the way HCOs engage, educate and elevate today’s healthcare consumer. She is a powerhouse in client strategy and digital marketing, significantly impacting the industry. ‍