Building Trust through Vaccine Communication
With the abundance of COVID-19 messages saturating the market, taking control of your role in the vaccine story is critical for hospitals and health systems alike. Consumers look to doctors, nurses and even their local hospitals as their most trusted authority for COVID-19 information—despite messages coming from nearly every industry trying to win consumer confidence. Now as the need for vaccinations becomes dire, your position at the center of consumer trust has the potential to create lasting value and engagement with your brand. In addition to strong communications and PR strategy, here are three of the biggest opportunities for influence.
Drive Consumers to Your Social Channels
Media outlets are the leading voice for consumers for vaccine-related updates. However, only 18% of Americans have a great deal of trust in news media. Driving consumers to your social media pages for vaccine updates can open a door for continued engagement beyond the rollout. It also encourages consumers to keep you top-of-mind—and ahead of your competitors for health-related information. Consider shareable ways to promote your brand alongside vaccine messages, such as digital filters, frames and hashtags to maximize your reach.
Let Patients Speak for You
A key barrier, especially among vulnerable communities and even some healthcare workers, is hesitancy to get vaccinated. Despite high confidence from the healthcare community, distrust of modern medicine and government, and the fear of side effects, are crucial factors that are limiting individuals’ willingness to get a vaccine. However, there is one source that consumers do trust: each other. In fact, 70% of people will trust a recommendation from someone they don’t even know.
Incorporating testimonials into your messaging strategy not only boosts confidence in vaccine engagement, but also creates a halo effect for your brand. The easiest way to acquire valuable testimonial content is by building the ask into your vaccine workflow, such as registration and vaccination sites. The value of these messages can endure for months and even years to come, especially as COVID-19 is expected to become an ongoing concern in population health management.
Lead with Clarity to Cut Through Clutter
The flurry of vaccine-related media coverage continues to provide inconsistent and often conflicting messaging to consumers. Brands can become the preferred resource by communicating a clear and consistent story with real-time content that addresses core concerns. By covering a range of worries such as who can now register and how, vaccination site locations and available supply, brands can keep consumers coming back to you to guide their vaccine journey.
Build Trust and See the Results
Championing your story with your staff amplifies your voice and keeps your brand message clear. Confusion is everywhere, so a unified message, no matter where they hear from you is key. Doing it right means doing your due diligence.
In healthcare, omnichannel marketing is more than just advertising and your website. It’s your social media presence, your waiting room, even your parking lot. All of those experiences need to be consistent. That can be difficult to roll out at scale, but at &well that’s what we do best. Reach out today to get started on your next campaign.