Top 5 Healthcare Marketing Trends for 2025

Healthcare marketing has changed significantly in recent years to keep up with changing consumer preferences and buying habits.

We can expect 2025 to be no different. With insights from EMARKETER, here are the top five healthcare trends to watch out for in 2025.

1. Women Will Be More Likely To Use the Internet for Searching Health Information Than Men

According to a December 2023 EMARKETER survey of 1,391 U.S. consumers: 

• 86% of women use online medical research for medical conditions or symptoms.
• 69% of women turn to online medical search for prescription drugs, treatments or services. 
• 51% of women turn to online resources to look for and research healthcare providers.

This will most likely continue in 2025, offering marketers a strategic opportunity when developing campaigns targeting women. 

2. Online Ads Will Inform Consumers About New Products and Services

47.1% of consumers reported that they sought out more information after seeing or hearing an ad about a healthcare product or service. Per this survey, consumers are mainly being exposed to ads on search engines (58.6%), followed by connected TV (41.0%), social media platforms (33.9%) and healthcare websites like WebMD and Healthline (33.6%). We expect this trend to continue throughout 2025. 

That’s why it’s critical to consider using these key channels in your media mix and have a multichannel strategy tied to search.  

3. Consumers Will Turn to Health Influencers for Healthcare Information 

46.6% of respondents who use social media for searching healthcare information follow or engage with influencers on social media platforms. Keep in mind that not all these influencers are healthcare professionals. In fact, only 31.8% of respondents said that they followed and engaged with influencers who were.

Influencer marketing will remain a powerful advertising method in 2025, but marketers should be discerning when deciding who to work with and what information to have them share to stop the spread of disinformation. Prioritize transparency by clearly disclosing sponsored content to maintain trust and authenticity in influencer partnerships.

4. Most Consumers Will Use Search To Start Their Digital Patient Journey, But Social Media Will Remain a Potent Force

Per EMARKETER, 79.5% of consumers turn to search engines to self-diagnose a medical condition, and 70.5% start their medical research online using search engines. Other popular channels to start medical research include health information websites like WebMD and Healthline (50.7%), health system websites (23.4%), a doctor’s practice (19.7%) and a health insurer (18.3%). 

Consumers also use search engines to research provider reviewers, with 48.8% relying on Google reviews and 35.2% relying on WebMD to discern doctor ratings.

Still, among younger generations, social media is a growing starting point for medical searches. The survey revealed that 28.8% of Gen Z consumers and 25.8% of millennial consumers are more likely than the average consumer (15.5%) to use social media to search for medical information. We can anticipate this trend to continue. 

When developing your marketing strategy for 2025, ensure SEM is a major focal point and consider prioritizing paid search within your channel-level investments as the first touch with patients. Also, actively promote positive reviews through paid search ads to help enhance your online reputation. And when targeting Gen Z and millennial consumers, consider social as a powerful channel to leverage.

5. Younger Consumers Will Use Generative AI for Research

EMARKETER found that 5.8% of respondents use generative AI like ChatGPT for medical research, with 12.2% of millennials and 7.9% of Gen Zers using these tools for research. According to a fall 2023 survey from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, 69% found the output to be very or extremely reliable. 

Younger healthcare consumers are turning to generative AI for healthcare information because it offers personalized, instant and accessible answers to their health-related questions. They appreciate the convenience of receiving tailored advice, symptom analysis and medical information through AI-driven platforms and chatbots, which can offer a more engaging and interactive experience when compared to traditional healthcare resources.

Healthcare organizations should explore the integration of AI tools to provide accurate and reliable medical information to users across existing patient engagement platforms. By using AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants, you can offer personalized and immediate support to individuals seeking healthcare information online. Also, when developing your search strategy, don’t neglect AI platforms like Perplexity. 

Wrapping Up

With these trends on the horizon, you should have a good starting point for your 2025 healthcare marketing planning.

Are you looking for additional insights? Get in touch with our expert healthcare team at GRADIANT. 

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About the Author:

Erin Killion is a director of client strategy 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. 

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