How the Web and new social media have influenced the home care decisionmaking process. A study conducted by Walker Marketing, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction... 2 II. The Methodology... 3 III. Research Findings: Section I... 4 IV. Research Findings: Section II... 6 V. Recommendations... 8 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC.
INTRODUCTION Spheres of personal influence (friends, family, co-workers, etc.) have been around since consumerism began. But before the advent of Web 2.0 and social media, the size or reach of those spheres have been finite. What the Web, and more specifically social media, has done is dramatically enlarged the sphere through the abundance, access and democratization of information across every topic and business category. No longer are we bound by the limitations of our personal networks. Our access to information and peer insights is nearly limitless. Consumers have more knowledge in their decision-making processes than ever before, and now consumers have more influence in how products and services are shaped and delivered. Consumer-to-consumer conversation as part of the decision-making cycle has become an expectation and is the driving force behind business model shifts and corporate transparency. While many healthcare organizations have been early adopters of social media, the home care sector as a whole has been behind the curve. This wait-and-see approach is likely rooted in the fact that the center of influence in long-term care decision-making has traditionally been the professional referral source, rather than the consumer or patient caregiver. In our work with several regional and national long-term care providers, we have noticed subtle changes in the last 12 to 18 months in lead sourcing data that led us to the premise that the balance of power and influence in the decision-making cycle had shifted. Online peers (or individuals engaged in social media platforms such as social networking sites and blogs) and content without perceived bias seemingly had gained a measure of influence over professional referral sources, often with intended or unintended bias. While it s our belief that the professional referral source still plays an important role in long-term care decision making, we theorized that the role has been diminished by the increased prevalence of digital communications and the newly empowered caregiver. To support or disprove this theory, Walker Marketing set out to identify Web usage trends among unpaid caregivers and to determine specifically if the emergence of new Web and social media platforms were influencing long-term care decision making. 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 2
T h e m e t h o d o l o g y This quantitative online study consisted of unpaid caregivers who have cared for an ill or ailing family member or spouse within the last 12 months. The data was compiled from 210 completed surveys. The margin of error, based on a 95 percent confidence level, was +/- 6 percent. The purpose of the study was to better understand general Web usage trends among caregivers and the role of the digital channel in the home care decision-making process. Respondents were geographically and financially dispersed, with the majority of incomes falling between $ 30,000 and $ 50,000 per year. Additionally, 43 percent of respondents (or 91 total) indicated they utilized home care services in the past. We used cross tabulation to analyze this subset in further detail. 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 3
Findings: Increase in depth of Web usage Several studies have been conducted over the past few years substantiating the fact that older consumers have become more comfortable with the Web. Adults age 50+ have become more proficient not only in their use of one-way digital platforms such as search engines, but have also emerged as one of the fastest growing segments in the two-way digital world, as active participants in online conversations. According to a Pew Research report *, social networking use among Internet users ages 50 and older has nearly doubled from 22 percent in April 2009 to 42 percent in May 2010. In fact, many users in the 50 to 64 age cohort now rely on social networking platforms to help manage their daily communications. Our findings, in the context of healthcare, were consistent with the Pew report. We found 92 percent of caregivers consider the Web either a very valuable or somewhat valuable source for healthcare information (Figure I) and 65 percent actively read news sites or blogs. 37% 1% 7% 55% Figure I *Source: Pew Research Center s Internet & American Life Project Surveys, September 2005 May 2010. 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 4
Of greater relevance to the home care sector, 61 percent of the survey respondents who utilized home care services in the past indicated they were either somewhat likely or very likely to dialogue with other caregivers in an online caregiver forum or on a social media site (Figure II). Furthermore, 53 percent of the respondents who have utilized home care services in the past indicated they use the Web on either a weekly or monthly basis to find information directly related to caregiving. Figure II 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 5
Findings: change in decision-making landscape The intent of this study was to take a macro viewpoint of the decision-making cycle in long-term care. We focused on the process and influencers in broad terms, instead of delving deeply into utilization of any specific digital outlets. We concluded that healthcare websites in general are considered highly credible by caregivers, and we plan to conduct a future study to better understand the types of healthcare websites preferred and content utilized. We believe that this credibility is a key component in caregivers feeling empowered to make long-term care decisions independent from professional referral sources. In our study, 91 percent of respondents indicated they were either somewhat likely or very likely to conduct their own individual research after receiving a provider referral by a professional referral source (Figure III). Furthermore, 78 percent of respondents indicated that while they would rely on a physician for recommendations on the need for care, they would ultimately make their own decision as to which provider best suited their needs. 72% 3% 25% Figure III 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 6
The digital channel s increased influence and credibility in the healthcare sector can be attributed to the growth in social media channels and the value individuals place on recommendations from personal social spheres, as well as the increase in content sites or non-branded websites which have become a valued source of information. When asked to rank from 1 to 10, with 10 being most credible, the credibility of various types of healthcare websites, 78 percent of respondents ranked non-branded content sites in the top tier (from 7 to 10). These findings reinforce the rationale behind the growing trend of content websites, with limited brand identity, being created by healthcarerelated organizations and the overall value placed on educating the consumer. 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 7
G e t t i n g e n g a g e d i n W e b 2. 0 Given the dynamic nature of the Web, engaging caregivers and generating brand momentum in the Web 2.0 world can take on many forms. For the purposes of this paper we will focus on two core elements to building an effective digital strategy: search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing. Since these two elements have significant overlap, they should be implemented concurrently to maximize the effectiveness and marketing value. Search engine optimization Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the practice of optimizing a website by improving internal (website architecture) and external (links/community/popularity) aspects in order to increase the traffic to a website from search engines. While the two aspects must work in tandem to succeed, this paper will focus solely on the external aspects. Search engines have spiders, robots, or bots backed by complex algorithms that go through websites and capture the content and examine keywords, the freshness of the content, and the number of external reputable links. These algorithms essentially score sites, based on a weighted value of these variables and the relevance of a Web page or site to a given search query. While the algorithms that search engines such as Google use to define a site s authority and relevance are well-locked secrets and constantly evolving (e.g. the Search value of social media sites has increased significantly recently), there is sufficient evidence to state with confidence that the number of high quality backlinks (sites that link back to your site), and the popularity of your site (in terms of backlinks, not direct traffic) are important factors in search engine rankings. Given the number of moving parts in a successful search engine optimization campaign, a complete guide to SEO would be book-length. So we will focus on one of the increasingly valued SEO aspects: social media marketing. Social media marketing In addition to being a key component in effective search engine optimization, social media has become an extremely powerful brand builder due to the growth and impact of an individual s social sphere. Facebook has become one of the most popular sites on the entire Web, boasting more than 500 million users. It s been proven that members of social networks can truly shape brands (for good or bad). In an industry such as home care, where many brands have become fragmented and equity is often lacking, building a community of brand advocates and loyalists can have a dramatic impact on the perceived value of a home care agency. continued 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 8
Due to the ubiquitous nature of social networks, social media marketing can seem overwhelming. But as with many marketing initiatives, it is important to focus your efforts on the networks that are most appropriate for your audience and offer the greatest value. The prism below represents the depth of social networks on the Web. Within the social media space, there are a multitude of sub-communities of individuals who are specifically relevant to home care agencies. Source: theconversationprism.com 2 0 1 0 W A L K E R M A R K ET I N G, I NC. 9
To execute a successful social media marketing campaign, building a community through the appropriate social networks should be the source to which all other efforts are driven. Building a community is important for publicizing new content, establishing credibility for content and links, engaging and communicating with caregivers, creating brand advocates and ultimately creating business. But before engaging in the social arena, we recommend establishing a game plan to ensure your campaign has purpose and value. Following are four steps we recommend taking before launching a social media program. Understand your audience. Understand which social networks your audience is involved in, their preferences, and penchant for sharing information and content. Define your objectives. Objectives are often quantifiable, and SEO has long been directly accountable to substantial improvements in web traffic and ultimately revenue. Since social media is often more of a content distribution portal and brand builder, different objectives and measurements apply. Create a tactical mix. The tactical mix for a social media marketing effort is based on identifying where your desired audience spends its time interacting with and sharing content. Content can be created for specific niche audiences but should also be optimized for Search. Measure your goals. Goals measurement should align with the specific objectives, both directly and indirectly. Leveraging both social media monitoring services and web analytics can provide insight to improve results. These specific measurement tools will not only help monitor the effect of social media participation, but also search engine optimization performance. While Web initiatives have rarely been considered mission critical in the home care industry, the pervasive nature of new Web platforms and growth in consumer empowerment has created the need to reconsider old ways of doing business. Having a detailed digital/social media strategy has now become essential to almost any business, regardless of product or service. For more information on how Web 2.0 and Public Relations can help build preference for your home care agency contact Walker Marketing at 704-782-3244. 2010 WALKER MARKETING, INC. 10