2020 was a monumental year — from the pandemic and economic strife to the fight for racial justice and a contentious election cycle. Today we all view the world through a completely different lens than we did in January.
As part of that change, consumers — both individuals and businesses — are hyper focused on the issues and causes brands stand for and often choose those that align with their values. While this has been trending for some time, it has rapidly accelerated this year. In fact, according to one study, 70% of people say trusting a brand is more important than ever before.
Beyond an increased focus on trust is a change in how trust is built. Earned media has grown to be one of the leading indicators of brand trust due to the proliferation of digital channels adding more paid and sponsored content to consume. To capitalize on this shift, earned media should remain a purposeful part of a brand's communication strategy. Across the healthcare media landscape, there has been a decrease in the number of journalists and relevant outlets. As a result, it becomes critical to identify unique stories that speak authentically and create meaning around timely and relevant topics in order to gain media attention.
For healthcare organizations seeking to balance topics that are interesting while also speaking authentically to topics that align with their brand, we’ve shared several use cases that illustrate ways to inject meaning into your media strategy.
Tap the right voice to communicate meaning at the right time. A large managed healthcare provider in the U.S. has a legacy of providing behavioral health expertise and services.
Case in Point: Prior to the pandemic, they worked closely with their provider network to spotlight the mental health issues challenging the nation, building a stable of sources able to share a unique clinical point of view and first-hand knowledge about the topic. When the mental health of the nation began to suffer in response to the pandemic effects, MERGE was able to tap those resources to quickly respond to media inquiries about America’s changing mental health. Through this effort, the organization was quoted in major consumer media publications and a part of the broader national conversation. Collectively, this stable of experts built trust in the organization's ability to address mental health at a time of critical need.
Identify meaning from a customer point of view. Organizations need to consider what is meaningful to their audience. By surveying consumers, you can find out their biggest concerns and how to address them.
Case in Point: A large medical supply manufacturer conducted a study to learn what mattered most to its customers. Even before the pandemic, supply chain stability and location were major issues that kept target markets up at night. To alleviate this issue and build trust with their base, the company initiated a major investment in U.S. supply chains. Not only did the announcement of this result in significant media coverage, but as the organization fulfilled the promise of what was meaningful to their stakeholders, current and potential customers established greater trust in the company on its ability to deliver.
Capitalize on inherent public trust. At the onset of the pandemic, some professions had the advantage of elevated baseline trust. Medical professionals are often seen as trustworthy because they strive to do good for the population at large. For hospitals and health systems, the pandemic offered an opportunity to serve as a trusted source of information for local communities on the virus, steps to take as precautions and the vaccine.
Case in Point: For one large regional health system that was part of the vaccine trials, it also meant an opportunity to showcase at a national level what it meant to support such an effort. This insight from the provider perspective was meaningful because it was unparalleled transparency that others could not offer. Collectively, it created a level of trust that others cannot match.
Meaningful media is different for every industry, but it is all bred out of the need to build trust for customers. As we learned from the examples above, meaning and purpose must be connected to your brand and the services offered. As your organization considers how to engage media in a meaningful way, MERGE is here to assist. For more information, contact us at mergecomms@mergworld.com.