Proven Strategies for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Centers
Marketing for substance abuse and differentiating your facility from competitors can be a challenge, as the primary avenues have remained the same since the inception of rehab treatment. However, the simplicity of marketing and advertising is also where the problem lies.
Present-day substance abuse treatment is no longer considered simple, and the days of the umbrella or one-size-fits-all approach are dwindling faster with each passing day. The human mind and substance abuse is a complex dynamic, and professionals are now discovering that the approach to healing is equally as complex – but in a good way.
These new discoveries also mean that those in charge of behavioral health marketing must be equally as complex – or, in other words, creative. Advertising just plain black-and-white rehab creatives to the same target audience is no longer feasible with how the competition has grown in size and creativity.
Keep reading to get strategies to propel your behavioral health marketing strategies to the next level with the help of Ads Up Marketing!
The Complexities of Mental Health Marketing
Twenty years – or even just ten years ago, those with mental health issues combined with substance abuse disorder had very limited options for behavioral health services. The black-and-white markets of mental health services and drug rehabilitation facilities largely operated independently, leaving those who obtained mental health services deprived of drug rehab and those in drug rehab lacking the appropriate mental illness treatment.
We were just on the heels of the opioid prescription epidemic, and up until this point, it was either addressing your mental health or addressing your substance abuse challenges. Behavioral health marketing wasn’t nearly the fierce market it is today, and obtaining clients didn’t take much effort on the part of any mental health or drug rehab in general.
On the rare occasion, you did see any large media campaigns from the behavioral health space; it was the overly-dramatized Passages Malibu commercials – hardly an affordable option for the average sufferer of mental illness and addiction.
A Changing Landscape of Mental Health Services
Fast forward to our current situation, and behavioral health marketing is an entirely different animal. Facilities war with one another to even the smallest shares of a market – with some of the more unsavory players stooping to underhanded tactics to sell their mental health services. So, what changed? How did mental health topics become everyday news?
Well, first of all – the fentanyl epidemic, in combination with poor economic conditions – then throw a global pandemic into the mix – and the veil is lifted on just how grave the mental health crisis has become. With higher awareness and more cases comes an additional study, and thankfully, one of the byproducts of these bleak conditions is incredible advancements in the field of behavioral and mental health.
Finally, add the fact that the average American is more informed now than at any other time in history – and people are aware of the fact that they have options. Why settle for an unsatisfactory behavioral health center when now there are dozens, even in the smallest municipalities? And this is how we landed here – stiff competition requires a solid behavioral health marketing strategy.
Staying Relevant in the Space
It’s mandatory that you work with a behavioral health marketing agency that’s versatile, knowledgeable, and willing to adapt at a lightning-fast pace. Because let’s be honest – there are no two industries that change as quickly as technology and the medical field – these are just facts.
If you operate an establishment in the mental health industry, the most important thing you can do right now is start taking your marketing strategy seriously. And this means being willing to put forth what it takes to acquire the services of a leader in mental health marketing even amid a constantly evolving landscape.
In the section below, we’ve listed some of the most pertinent steps in the mental health marketing process. This isn’t a concrete list by any means – but it gives you a general idea of what to look for in the organization running your mental health marketing campaigns.
What Goes Into Impactful Behavioral Health Marketing?
Your mental health marketing strategy will consist of multiple moving arms and components. It takes a significant amount of tracking and adjusting to reach the desired results, but these are good benchmarks/starting points to look out for after you’ve deployed your latest campaign on your target audience.
That said, your mental health professionals in digital marketing should:
Understand Who Your Audience Is
It is crucial to have a deep understanding of the target audience, their demographics, preferences, and the challenges they face when they’re looking for mental health treatment. This knowledge helps in tailoring your marketing strategy and deciding which channels are most impactful.
Beyond garnering positive reviews, an understanding of your audience can help increase brand reputation and loyalty and even contribute to better performance in PPC and Google Ads campaigns.
Create Educational Campaigns
One of the primary objectives of an effective behavioral health marketing strategy is to combat the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction issues. Marketing campaigns should aim to educate the public, challenge misconceptions, and promote empathy and understanding.
By humanizing the experiences and sharing stories of recovery, marketing efforts can help break down barriers and encourage individuals to seek help. Using this tactic in digital marketing for rehab allows you to target a swath of the market that typically would be unreachable.
Don’t Skimp On Content Marketing
Providing valuable and informative content is a powerful tool in behavioral health marketing – and any digital marketing, in general. Developing blog posts, articles, videos, and infographics that address common mental health concerns, and mental health treatment or share success stories can position the organization as a trusted resource.
Sharing this content through websites, social media users and platforms, and email newsletters helps establish credibility and attracts individuals who may be in need of behavioral health services.
Your social media marketing and social media accounts should be an active part of your content strategy, and the more attention you give to things like your blog and social signals, the higher you’ll rank in search engines. Starting a podcast is another excellent idea for building a presence and boosting SEO, all while providing immense value and a way to connect with your target audience.
Leveraging the Power of Referrals
Collaborating with other healthcare providers, community organizations, and professionals in related fields can be an effective way to generate referrals. Building strong relationships with primary care physicians, therapists, social workers, and community leaders can result in a network of trusted professionals who can refer individuals to behavioral health services.
Stay in close contact with alternative mental health facilities, local hospitals, local primary care physicians, and anywhere else that someone with a behavioral health or substance abuse disorder may be encountered.
Careful Evaluation and Adjustment
It is essential to track the effectiveness of digital marketing efforts to ensure they are yielding desired outcomes. Collecting data on website traffic, conversion rates, engagement on social media platforms, and client feedback can provide insights into what strategies are working and areas that may need improvement.
Regular monitoring and evaluation allow for adjustments to be made to optimize marketing campaigns and maximize their impact. Results regarding local SEO should be constantly monitored and analyzed, and paid advertisements must constantly be tested, cut, and scaled.
One thing that any business must understand about any marketing strategies or advertisement efforts – it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it job. It needs constant attention, which takes constant time at the drawing board and requires a massive amount of time.
Continuous Development of Your Online Presence
In today’s digital marketing age, having a strong online presence is crucial for reaching the target audience. Building a user-friendly and informative website that showcases the organization’s services, treatment approaches, and testimonials can help establish trust and credibility.
Active participation on social media platforms allows for direct engagement with the community, sharing valuable content, and addressing questions or concerns in real time.
Your Google Business Profile can make a huge difference in your presence and rehab’s SEO performance. Ensuring your Google Business Profile is thoroughly complete with photos and other pertinent information also shows your target audience that you’re professional and up-to-date. When people look for and read reviews, they’re naturally drawn to organizations that have the most recent updates and information.
Ads Up Marketing Can Optimize Your Marketing Strategies
Ads Up Marketing specializes in marketing strategies for behavioral health and substance abuse facilities. Your behavioral health practice requires more than just a Google business profile listing and the minimum search engine optimization. A few blog posts with some targeted keywords don’t do it any longer.
We can help you enhance your content marketing, optimize your paid ad strategies, and ensure every dollar spent on marketing for goes toward boosting your business and building revenue.
Contact us today, and let’s set up a quick call to discuss how we can help you get your organization where it deserves to be!