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What is a Healthcare Marketer?

If you’re considering a new career, one option that is expected to become increasingly in demand is a healthcare marketer or marketing manager. 

Below, we talk more about what this position encompasses and go over details like healthcare marketing manager salary data. With 2023 potentially leading to layoffs in some fields more so than others, it might be an optimal time to start looking at other career options. 

What Does a Healthcare Marketer Do?

You’ll sometimes also see this role referred to as a medical marketer. The idea of this position is that any medical business needs to promote itself to compete with other practices and to be successful. 

Medical or healthcare marketers will provide marketing support to varying types of medical practices, such as private practices and clinics, and hospitals. 

A marketer, broadly speaking, creates awareness and builds a connection with customers. Marketers work to inform the public about how they can receive services—in this case, healthcare services—and they let them know where. 

They’re a critical part of the healthcare system, despite not involving the delivery of care.  

Overall, the role is similar to what any other marketing manager or marketing professional might do. 

Since most communication is digitally driven, the company website and managing social media platforms are critical. Marketing managers oversee printed communications as well. 

The key difference between a traditional marketing manager and one working in healthcare is that first, they work in different settings. Along with private practices and hospitals, marketing managers in healthcare can work for nursing homes, different outpatient centers, or hospice facilities. The marketing efforts of someone in healthcare are more awareness and education-driven rather than sales-based or conversion-based, as is true in traditional marketing. 

Typical responsibilities for someone working in healthcare marketing can include the following:

  • Maintaining social media platforms and the website

  • Creating strategies for marketing that are in line with the goals and the specific initiatives of the provider

  • Marketing material creation, including newsletters and brochures

  • Meeting with leadership to create marketing plans

  • Creating communication plans segmented based on current and prospective patients

  • Facilitating partnerships with other healthcare organizations

  • Taking on a public relations role, such as writing press releases and talking to the local media

  • Maintaining relationships within the community

When you’re a marketer, you’ll have to understand search engine optimization (SEO) because when people are typing in relevant questions or phrases during their online search, you want your company to be positioned as the authority, providing relevant answers. As part of this, content marketing is something that you’ll be responsible for. 

Content marketing is especially important in healthcare marketing because that’s how you’re going to build awareness and an audience—by providing them with well-sourced, well-written content about topics related to the healthcare services your employer provides. 

Community events can be something that’s unique to medical marketing that’s outside the realm of digital marketing. Community events are a great way to create awareness and build relationships with the local community. 

Video content is also rising quickly in its popularity, so you could find that you’re responsible for creating and curating health-related content to disseminate to your targeted audience. 

How To Become a Healthcare Marketer

A healthcare marketer is going to need to have a broad set of skills because you have to understand the medical field and also regulatory restrictions and limitations, but you also have to be current on best practices for traditional and digital marketing. 

Many people who work in healthcare marketing will specifically participate in an education program that will prepare them with health-related background knowledge. One option is to get your master’s in health administration. You get the full knowledge of healthcare within the context of marketing, as well as coursework on analytics and marketing. 

There are also certifications available that can help with professional development and career advancement. 

For example, the American Marketing Association (AMA) offers a Professional Certified Marketer certificate with a specialization in marketing management. 

At a minimum, to become a healthcare marketer, you’ll probably need a bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, or a related field. 

Salary

According to data, for someone who’s in healthcare sales or is a healthcare marketing manager, the average salary as of November 23, 2022, is $99,910. The range is between $87,780 and $110,311

The range is because your education, additional skills, and certifications are a big part of what your salary is, and your years of experience too. 

Healthcare marketing and marketing roles, in general, are expected to see continued demand and growth in the coming years, especially with the aging population of the U.S.

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