Marketing through Social Media: Is it an effective promotional tool … › images › Cronicle2015 › Prof.Mrs... · 2017-12-19 · It is learnt that social media is used as a powerful

Marketing Management

Marketing through Social Media: Is it an effective promotional tool in Hospital ?

*Prof.Mrs. Neelam Raut

Assistant Professor-MIT School of Management

Pune, Maharashtra, India

**Prof. Dr. Balkrishna Sangvikar Professor& Head of Department (MBA) –

Pune University Department of Management Sciences

Pune, Maharashtra, India

ABSTRACT

Internet has revolutionized the digital world in the present era. New avenues are created by marketers to promote their product to the target market .Innovative ways of marketing through use of internet is adopted by many products and services. Social media as a tool of promotion mix is gaining rapid accolades by customers in the present competitive global markets. The use of social media by hospitals in India is still in its infancy stage and in some parts of India is still not fully explored by hospitals. The present study emphasizes on use of social medial as a tool for marketing hospitals. The purpose of the study is to understand use and effectiveness of social media in comparison to other tools used in promoting health care services. The primary objective is to find and explore if social media is used as a tool for promotion and if customers prefer social media or other promotional tools while availing or preferring services of hospitals. The study involves a random sampling method, with a sample size of 57 respondents in Pune city. Statistical tools – ANOVA, Chi square and Simple Percentage methods was used to analyze the data and compute the results of the study. The interpretations of the results are given as per the findings and outcome of analysis. Keywords: Social media, promotion tool, health care services, effectiveness. Introduction:

Hospital Industry is facing a myriad of challenges to promote their services. In the present competitive era social media is contributing to the growth of health care organizations in developed countries and developing countries is trying to catch up with the pace and space for using social media as a tool for promoting Health care services. It is learnt that social media is used as a powerful promotion tool for monitoring one’s brand, reaching out to patients and consumers in the community, supporting patient education, and recruiting new talent. The next phase in health care industry for hospitals and health systems will be to use social media more strategically to their advantage. Hospitals and social media are a great mix, offering a wealth of opportunities for connecting with the community, patients, and even collaborating across health systems and between different hospitals. Some medical groups are wary of the liability and privacy issues that social media may open up, but others have found ways to manage these concerns and enjoy the benefits of using social media. Healthcare professionals have not done much to take advantage of social media for healthcare purposes however; few empirical studies have investigated use of such practices. While hospitals are increasing their use of social media platform to promote their services one needs to understand how this tool is used by hospitals to accomplish their objective as a service sector to their advantage.

Long (2006)[1] in his study indicated how public relations health campaign programs can successfully incorporate branding strategies to improve program effectiveness. The case study of the Heart Truth campaign, the excellence theory of public relations and social marketing theory provided a framework for integrating concepts from the literature on branding, marketing, and public health campaigns into current knowledge of public relations perspectives. The research questions were examined through a content analysis of internal materials and interviews with the campaign managers. The findings of this study contribute to current understanding of how public relations theory, social marketing theory, and branding principles impact the effectiveness of health campaigns. The practical

ISSN : 2230-9667 Chronicle of the Neville Wadia Institute of Management Studies & Research 160


implications of this study suggest that brands should be viewed as an asset and key tool in health campaigns; brands help achieve campaign goals when they are strategically planned and consistently implemented through a process that involves formative research in creating and managing brand identity, positioning, and awareness. Literature Review:

Olujide, Gbadeyan, & Aremu (2010) [2] in their study indicated that there are Social and Public Health problems that need to be addressed for a better and improved quality of life to be achieved in the society. This takes the form of HIV/ AIDS, Measles and Polio, Human trafficking, Child abuse, Domestic violence, Environmental Protection, Women Empowerment, Drug abuse and Anti Tobacco Campaign. The task of bringing about the desire change is achieved through the combined efforts of Government, foreign partners, most especially, World Bank, UNICEF, and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The study therefore examines how Marketing is being employed to bring about the effectiveness of these Social and Public Health Campaigns. Result indicates that the various Public Health Campaigns have brought about improved health condition to the People and Community as a whole. The authors recommended that local community organizations and leaders should be involved in order to enjoy their cooperation. In other words Government and its partner should adopt community based approach for successful execution and implementation of Public Health Campaign to be achieved.

Gallant, Linda et. al (2011)[3] in their research states the use of e-health tools like social media by hospitals using an inductive content analysis on websites of top ranked US hospitals from January 5th 2011 to February 28th 2011. They identified the type of online communication technologies utilized by hospitals to provide e-patients with health information. The study showed that how hospitals provide web-based health information to patients. Online health tools such as body mass index (BMI) calculators and health dictionaries were also a common website feature. Less frequently employed were mobile applications, hospital-patient interaction tools and health blogs. Online health tools such as body mass index (BMI) calculators and health dictionaries were also a common website feature. The study highlighted the implications of use of e-health tools by hospitals pointing out the convergence of interactive media formats with web-based communication tools will likely enhance e-patient education and promote patient involvement in ways that alter traditional health care interactions, and may lead to enhanced levels of participatory medicine.

Hackworth, & Kunz (2011) [4] examined the use of social media networking in the health care industry, and provides suggestions for successful implementation of social media applications in health care marketing strategy. Current applications on popular social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, along with other platforms specific to the health industry were examined, and examples of current usage were provided. Two social networks dedicated to health care were also examined. Finally the study examined possibilities for future innovations and applications of social media in the marketing mix by health care industry members.

Potential value that direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertisements can provide to social marketers as examples of effective persuasive health communication. Modern medicine increasingly incorporates media sources such as DTC prescription drug advertising. While DTC advertising presents concerns, it also offers opportunities for studying effective message design to promote health behavior change. The DTC advertising debate were vigorous, with some critics maintaining advertisements cannot be educational - but the field of social marketing utilizes similar tactics and a consumer-driven marketing perspective to promote preventive health behavior and health behavior change. One of the most prominent criticisms of DTC advertising was use of emotional appeals, but a variety of national public health campaigns engage in parallel tactics - employing emotional appeals over "pure" health education. While DTC advertising engenders valid criticism, it was crucial to not let the profit motive behind these campaigns preclude social marketers from learning important lessons from DTC advertisements. The paper highlights the fact that DTC drug advertising could provide useful lessons to social marketers which some academics may be slow to embrace - the profit motive driving these campaigns may obscure the benefits to be gained from



studying DTC drug advertising as a model of effective persuasive health communication. It serves as a reminder that even those who might object to the policy and practice of DTC drug advertising may still learn beneficial lessons from these campaigns. (Mackert, & Love, 2011) [5]

Rhoads (2012) [6] highlighted the use of social media by hospitals was growing for basic, non-clinical purposes such as marketing, communications and brand management. In most hospitals that use social media, the function was handled by the marketing and/or public relations departments, not clinicians. Hospitals rate their experience with social media as overwhelmingly positive. Organizations are comfortable using social media in a basic unidirectional way; time was to consider using these technologies more strategically. The next step in maximizing value would be to become more interactive by engaging patients and enhancing patient satisfaction. The next phase could also include connecting consumers and providers and providing insights to inform product development. For this to occur, clinical departments need to become more involved. For instance, special teams could be formed with clinical representation to respond to certain types of event triggers using clearly-written procedures and guidelines.

Boyer (2011) [7] Before social media became popular, hospitals approached communicating and marketing traditionally: through broadcast, one-way messages. And the patients and community were forced to accept the messages being fed to them. This approach was not natural. No wonder the approach was not working -- traditional marketing does not fit in healthcare. Social media has leveled the playing field. Now patients can communicate about health at any time. They can share fears about diagnoses with distant friends and families. Social media is natural for patients. If healthcare communicators are going to succeed as social media communicators, they need to keep some principles in mind: 1. Be helpful. 2. Give patients the opportunity to weigh in on care experiences. 3. Refrain from broadcasting and traditional marketing. 4. Go with your instincts.

Seivers,Christine (2012)[8] in his article highlights 20 inspiring ways of using social medial by hospitals from crisis communication to social service. Hospitals and social media are a great mix, offering a wealth of opportunities for connecting with the community, patients, and even collaborating across health systems and between different hospitals. Some medical groups are wary of the liability and privacy issues that social media may open up, but others have found ways to manage these concerns and enjoy the benefits of using social media.

Although healthcare professionals have done much to take advantage of social media for healthcare purposes, few empirical studies have investigated such practices. It is not known whether hospitals were using social media mainly as marketing tool or as a way to friend, listen to, and interact with their visitors. Through a content analysis of 23,300 posts/tweets on 172 US hospitals’ Facebook and Twitter pages in a systematic probability sample, Huang & Dunbar (2013) [9] found that the flow of information on hospital Facebook pages, and especially Twitter pages, is dominantly one-way; nevertheless, hospitals, especially larger hospitals, have made great effort to interact with their Facebook visitors while marketing themselves, though such interaction is minimal. The study also found that it is very important for hospitals to encourage a large visitor base on Facebook because the more visitors a hospital attracts to its Facebook page, the more ‘Likes’ and posts the hospital will attract, the more people will comment on the hospital posts, and the more the hospital will get recommended. The comparison between the traffic on Facebook and on Twitter demonstrates that using social media as a two-way communication channel seems to be much more effective for hospitals to connect to their visitors than using them as a one-way marketing tool.

Landen (2013) [10] studied the methods about hospitals were choosing to tell their stories were shifting. Between 2008 and 2009, spending on Internet marketing by hospitals, clinics and medical centers rose about 20% from $47.5 million to $57.2 million, while television marketing fell 7% from $395.3 million to $369.3 million, according to data from Kantar Media, a media consulting firm based in New York. In 2010, while TV advertising rose 10% to $407.9 million, Internet ad spending more than tripled to $202.1 million. At Boston Children's Hospital, fans of the hospital 's heart center's Facebook page post photos and stories that help inspire other families who were about to go through similar treatments or procedures. The feedback and ratings given by patients were far more important



in convincing others where to go for medical care than the numerous official hospital rankings by US News and World Report or Health grades.

Huang, & Dunbar (2013) [11] in their study states that, it is not known whether hospitals are using social media mainly as a marketing tool or as a way to friend, listen to, and interact with their visitors. Through a content analysis of 23,300 posts/tweets on 172 US hospitals’ Face book and Twitter pages in a systematic probability sample, this study found that the flow of information on hospital Face book pages, and especially Twitter pages, is dominantly one-way; nevertheless, hospitals, especially larger hospitals, have made great effort to interact with their Face book visitors while marketing themselves, though such interaction is minimal. The study also focuses that it is very important for hospitals to encourage a large visitor base on Face book because the more visitors a hospital attracts to its Face book page, the more ‘Likes’ and posts the hospital will attract, the more people will comment on the hospital posts, and the more the hospital will get recommended. The comparison between the traffic on Face book and on Twitter demonstrates that using social media as a two-way communication channel seems to be much more effective for hospitals to connect to their visitors than using them as a one-way marketing tool.

Anushia Inthiran (2015) [12] Current research topics in relation to health information searching focus on challenges faced by health consumers and domains used to perform the health search. Health consumers may not be capable of successfully searching for a health task due to limited medical knowledge. As such search assisting features provided on health domains are important in assisting health consumers during a search session. In this paper, we perform a preliminary exploratory research study to understand if i) search assisting features are visible to searchers and ii) the usage of search assisting features when searching on a personal health task. A convenience sampling method in a university setting and an observational type study was used. MedlinePlus is used as the search domain for this research study. While participants of this research study were first time users of MedlinePlus, they were not first time medical searchers. Results of this research study indicate health consumers do not utilize search assisting features when searching for a personal health task. This is because health consumers are comfortable with their search skills. In other cases health consumers found the search assisting features irrelevant or had no confidence in the search assisting features presented. Key contributions of this research study indicate health consumers do not utilize search assisting features when searching for a personal health task. This is because health consumers are comfortable with their search skills. In other cases health consumers found the search assisting features irrelevant or had no confidence in the search assisting features presented. Results of this research study has implications for health domain and human computer designers in relation to the development of specialized search assisting features and the placement of these features. Theoretical contributions indicate health searchers use search assisting features minimally when searching on a personal health task. Results of this research study indicate health consumers do not utilize search assisting features when searching for a personal health task. This is because health consumers are comfortable with their search skills. In other cases health consumers found the search assisting features irrelevant or had no confidence in the search assisting features presented. Objectives of the Study:

1. To explore the use of social media by various Hospitals. 2. To understand whether social media is an important tool for promoting Health care services. 3. To understand customer preference for health care apps if provided by hospitals.

Hypotheses:

H1 Hospitals use social media for advertising. H2 Customer has moved to digital media. However, till date reference of health care through

social media is not yet popular. Therefore, it is hypothesized that Conventional Promotion Tools are effective tools for promotion of health care services.



Limitation of the Study: The study was carried out with the following limitation:

1. Pune region is a vast region.. To cover whole area was beyond the scope of study. Hence, this study was carried out in Pune city area

2. Study was carried out in a particular time period (Dec14-Jan15). Consumer action changes based on time and knowledge they acquire.

Analysis of the finding: 1. Use of Social Media for Hospitals advertising.

Advertisement Feedback by Customer

Hospital Social Media Adv. Other Media Adv.

Noble 5 10 Jahangir 2 8 Sayadri 4 12 Ruby 6 10 Total 17 40

Table 1: Observations on the customer feedback

Computing through ANOVA Source df SS MS F

Treatment 1 66.1252 66.1252 23.6864 Error 6 16.75 2.7917

Total 7 82.8752 Table 2: Computation through Anova

Tabulated value of F for 5% significance level and 1 numerator df and 6 denominator

df=(F1,6,0.5)=5.99. Since the computed value is greater than the tabulated value, H1 is rejected and alternate hypotheses is accepted, that is at present hospitals do not make significant use of social media for their promotion.

2. Conventional tool for influence customer.

Sr. No. O E

O-E (O-E)2/E

1 12 14.91 -2.91 0.57 2 13 10.09 2.91 0.84 3 22 19.09 2.91 0.44 4 10 12.91 -2.91 0.66

Total 2.51 Table 3 : Calculated value of X2

.



The calculated value of X2 is less than critical value (3.841 for 1DF @5% level), therefore H2 is accepted, which indicates that conventional promotion tool play an important role in influencing customers.

3. Customer Preference for hospital apps.

Customer Preference Yes 42 No 10 Neutral 5

TABLE 4: Consumer Preference for Hospital Apps.

With the above reference data, it is observed that 74% of customer would prefer to use social media, if the app. are provided by the hospitals, were as 17% do not agree with the above statement and 9% of consumers has no comments. Discussion:

Even though social media advertising is quite popular in India, it has not evoked the confidence in the customers in health care industry. Customers still look forward for the same conventional promotion tool for preference of services. However, these customer will react positively if the specialized hospital apps. are provided to them. These apps. can be designed to promote various schemes, facilities, awareness and services provided by the hospital. This indicates that health care service providers should use social media and their apps. to promote their services to their potential customers. The health care services providers should also consider the issue of convenience, security and authenticity of the data while providing these services in future. Thus, indicating that the social media can be an effective tool for marketing in health care industry. It is concluded that social media can also be used as an integrated tool along with other promotion tool by hospitals to promote their health care services. References:

• Long,K.,H. (2006) Public relations and branding in health communication programs: A case study of a successful campaign (Order No. 1433961). Available from ABI/INFORM Global. (305309532).

• Olujide, J.,O., Gbadeyan R.,A., & Aremu,M.,A. (2010) Social Marketing And Public Health Campaigns In Nigeria, Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 2(5), 512-531.

• Gallant,Linda, Irizarry,Cynthia, Boone,Gloria, & Kreps,G., L. (2011) Promoting Participatory Medicine with Social Media: New Media Applications on Hospital Websites that Enhance Health Education and e-Patients, Voices Research, 3(2).



• Hackworth,B.,A., & Kunz,M.,B. (2011) Health Care And Social Media: Building Relationships Via Social Networks, Academy of Health Care Management Journal, 7(2), 1-14.

• Mackert, M., & Love, B. (2011) Profits and perspectives: Advertising, social marketing, and public health, Journal of Social Marketing, 1(3), 240-246.

• Rhoads,J. (2012), Ready To Interact: Social Media Use By U.S Hospital And Health Systems, CSC Business Solutions Technology, Outsourcing, 1-9.

• Boyer,C. (2011) Social media for healthcare makes sense, Frontiers of Health Services Management, 28(2), 35-40.

• Seivers,Christine Article on 20 hospitals with inspiring social media strategies By | Posted: January 30, 2012

• Huang,E., & Dunbar,C.,L. (2013) Connecting to patients via social media: A hype or a reality?, Journal of Medical Marketing, 13(1), 14-23.

• Landen, R. (2013). Telling their stories, Modern Healthcare, 43(31), 30-31. • Huang, & Dunbar,Christina (2013) Connecting to Patients via Social Media: A Hype or a

Reality?, Journal of Medical Marketing, 13(1), 14-23. • Inthiran,Anushia (2015) A Preliminary Study on the Usage of Search Assisting Features

When Searching For a Personal Health Task, Aslib Journal of Information Management, 67(2).

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Marketing through Social Media: Is it an effective promotional tool … › images › Cronicle2015 › Prof.Mrs... · 2017-12-19 · It is learnt that social media is used as a powerful