As we head into the second month of 2022, there are lots of thoughts about marketing trends headed into the new year. Here are some of the top trends to consider as you work on your marketing plans for this year. 

• COVID fatigue, burnout and uncertainty. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are pretty much over it. Just when things start to look up, another virus variant seems to come along. Frontline healthcare workers are especially prone to burnout and fatigue. After all the upheaval of the past two years, consumers are looking for simple, practical solutions and marketers should take this into consideration. Provider organizations must find ways to improve working conditions for their patient care providers and address their burnout concerns.
• Building on the advances in telemedicine/virtual care. While telemedicine has been around for a while, the global pandemic brought it to the forefront of healthcare treatment. Providers need to continue the momentum by ensuring all their patients are aware of their telemedicine options and improving access to those services. In addition, functions such as online appointment scheduling, lab results and medical records should be made available.
• First-party data creation. With privacy regulations and the sunsetting of cookies, collecting data on consumers is becoming more difficult. Data will need to be self-collected from sources like website registration, special programs like rewards or loyalty programs and lead generation forms.
• New players in the field and healthcare consumerism. Retail continues to encroach on the healthcare environment, with players such as Amazon, Walmart, CVS and others making big moves. Traditional providers are having to adjust to accommodate increasing consumer demand for convenience and digital care options.
• Building and maintaining trust. The global pandemic brought providers into the spotlight, which was mostly favorable, due to the extreme conditions of the pandemic. 2022 provides an opportunity to continue to build on consumers’ favorable views. Providing timely, accurate information, creating empathy and supporting the community are ways to engender trust with patients.
• Connecting with seniors. Each year, 3.5 million people turn 65 in the US. With each year that passes, these seniors are more tech savvy. Medicare continues to look for digital solutions to improve care and reduce costs. Technology can improve the way seniors get healthcare.
• Rethink SEO. Search algorithms have changed over the years to a point where marketers should begin to think more about the experience of their users rather than the tricks and hacks of SEO.

What are some trends that your organization is noticing and planning for?