Just a few short years ago, social media was a novelty for most home health care firms. Now it’s an essential communication tool.

But with all the new platforms, changes to social media algorithms and advertising opportunities, what should you be doing? Today, we’re starting a series of posts that will walk you through the biggest trends in social…and show you what you need to be doing to maximize your time and investment in social marketing and social recruiting.

What Will be New in Social Media in 2017?

Is social media headed in a new direction? Sort of. In 2016, we saw some major shifts in platform adoption and usage. The types of content people engage with also saw a shift, and that became more pronounced as the year went on. So to truly understand where things are heading in 2017, we have to take a quick look at recent history…

Big Trends from 2016

Last year, more home health care companies:

  • increased spending on content marketing;
  • reallocated traditional marketing budgets;
  • tried new forms of content;
  • tested the waters of paid reach.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these trends that will undoubtedly gain momentum in 2017.

Investing more in content marketing & reallocating marketing spend.

These two trends really go hand-in-hand. Savvy marketers have found that combining content marketing with the pinpoint-targeting of social media allows them to dramatically improve marketing ROI.

Leading home health care firms have invested in creating unique content that helps to evoke an emotional response from their target audience. This content helps position them as true in home care partners and aids their candidate recruitment efforts. By shifting some traditional recruitment marketing spend into content and social marketing, these firms have expanded their candidate pools and reached an audience that isn’t constantly being bombarded by other home care companies.

Home Health Care companies tried new forms of content in 2016.

For the last several years, home health care firms have embraced written content (articles, blogs, etc.). However, written content is just one branch on the content-marketing tree. In 2016, home care marketers started to spread their branches a bit more and began investing in more engaging ways to attract employers and job seekers.

We saw that pairing engaging images with strong written copy made engagement soar. Infographics were used to convey great data in a more engaging way. And last but not least, video really gained traction.

So, where are we headed in 2017?

Find out in our next installment.

Need help with your social media and content marketing initiatives this year?

Stay ahead of social media and content marketing trends with Home Care Marketing Pros. We offer everything you need to have an amazing online presence.