Matter Health Survey Reveals Brands are Prioritizing Multichannel Marketing Programs to Grow Awareness and Customer Base
May 01 2024 - 8:41AM
Business Wire
Research highlights growing trends in
healthcare marketing investments, agency partner preferences and AI
usage.
Matter Communications – a Brand Elevation Agency that integrates
PR, marketing, and creative services – today released findings from
its 2024 Matter Health Marketing Outlook Survey. The survey of
healthcare marketing decision-makers revealed insights into top
priorities in 2024 including product/service awareness, agency
partnerships and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Survey
findings uncovered the top two priorities for healthcare marketers
in 2024 are increasing awareness for their product or service
(26.3%) and reaching a specific audience (22.4%).
Agency Partners Remain a Valuable Investment for
Marketers
When asked about their current agency relationship and budget
plans, 94.4% of respondents said they are currently working with a
PR/marketing agency, with 63.5% planning to either increase or
maintain their current investment this year.
Most healthcare marketers (77%) that don’t work with an agency
plan to hire one this year, stating that offering PR, integrated
marketing and creative services is the most important factor for
selecting an agency partner (38.5%). The other top factors
include:
- Industry-specific knowledge: 30.8%
- Budget/cost/financial model: 15.4%
- Media relationships/results: 7.7%
- Big idea generation/creativity: 7.7%
“We’re witnessing a dramatic shift among our healthcare partners
toward using a multichannel approach,” said Paul Berthiaume, Senior
Vice President of Matter Health. “As healthcare complexities
evolve, marketing leaders are leaning on agency partners with
specific industry expertise to drive strategic marketing and
communications programs across diverse channels – all under one
roof. The results of this survey underpin the value that an
experienced agency brings to the activation of multichannel
programs.”
Product/Service Awareness and Customer Targeting Top
Healthcare Communications Goals
Healthcare marketers noted that their top communications goals
this year are:
- Growing product and/or service awareness: 26.3%
- Targeting specific customer audiences: 22.4%
- Becoming a category thought leader: 17.7%
- Supporting sales: 17.2%
- Building brand awareness: 16.4%
When asked the top area where they plan to prioritize
marketing/communications budgets in 2024, respondents’ number one
answer was SEO and SEM (13.4%), followed by:
- Marketing Operations: 10.4%
- Content Marketing: 9.9%
- Media Buying: 9.9%
- Creative + Design: 8.6%
- Social Media: 8.6%
Matter’s analysis: Given the complexities and nuances
healthcare brands face in growing awareness with their specific
audiences, marketing leaders are exploring a diverse mix of tactics
to cut through the noise. Supporting program pillars of PR and
corporate comms with SEO/SEM and content strategies seems to be a
winning formula for many as they look to activate their messages
across multiple channels to effectively drive market interest.
Nearly All Healthcare Marketers are Using AI
The application of AI is on the rise across healthcare, and
healthcare marketing is no outlier with 98.4% of respondents
currently using AI tools to some extent:
- 46.6% of respondents often use AI tools for their
marketing/communications programs
- 38.4% sometimes use AI tools for their marketing/communication
programs
- 13.4% rarely use AI tools but plan to increase their use in
2024
- 1.3% never use AI tools but are planning to explore the value
in 2024
For those respondents using AI tools, the marketing areas where
they are seeing the greatest benefits are:
- Content development: 28.5%
- Identifying trends: 25%
- Predictive analytics/customer insights: 23.3%
- Programmatic advertising and media buying: 15.4%
- Competitor analysis: 6.1%
- Research: 1.8%
Matter’s analysis: PR and marketing agencies should
embrace the use of AI in ways that support – not replace – the deep
knowledge, experience, and always-on approach that humans offer.
Marketers should not rely on AI to make decisions or take on tasks
that demand a human touch, like building strong media
relationships, but should consider utilizing the technology to
gather critical insights, support creative and strategic
problem-solving, and streamline administrative processes.
Members from the Matter Health team are attending upcoming
industry events including Swaay.Health from May 6 – 9 and NESHCo’s
Annual Meeting taking place May 29 – 31 in Newport, RI. If you plan
to attend either or both of those shows, we welcome the opportunity
to connect live! Please reach out to us at
matterhealth@matternow.com.
Research Methodology
The 2024 Matter Health Marketing Outlook Survey was fielded by a
third-party provider between March 3rd – 8th, 2024. The online
survey research collected responses from 232 healthcare CMOs and
marketing decision-makers across several sectors including health
tech/health IT, medical device, payer, provider, pharma, biotech,
consumer health, home care and women’s health.
About Matter Communications
Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency that integrates PR, marketing
and creative services into campaigns that inspire action and build
value. Founded in 2003, with offices spanning North America, Matter
works with the world’s most innovative companies across healthcare,
high-technology, consumer technology and consumer markets. For more
information, visit https://www.matternow.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240501569939/en/
Matter Communications Paul Berthiaume Senior Vice President,
Matter Health pberthiaume@matternow.com