To market your hearing care practice properly, it’s important to stay up-to-date with all the evolving trends and practices. The hearing aids market, for instance, is set to grow to $11.02 billion by 2028. There are so many factors that have contributed to the changes in this market—one of which is COVID-19. The use of masks, social distancing, and reduced visits to hospitals have shaped the trends seen in the hearing care market.

Here are five trends to watch out for in 2022 and beyond:

Patients Are More Fearful as the Pandemic Still Persists

The pandemic affected all industries. Many people are still hesitant to leave their homes and get much-needed hearing care. As service people struggle to serve these patients from their homes, it might be time to alter the way you market and sell your products.

You may need a new and comprehensive package for your hearing care products or a new web design that showcases information about COVID-19. Patients continue to cancel doctor's appointments, so it is up to you to reach them where they are.

Telehealth Replaces Office Visits

Are you able to help your customers without meeting them? Does your website have enough content for patients to read and decide what they need for their hearing?

It is high time that you make your website as educational as possible. Create written content, videos, and webinars to teach your audience all about hearing. This way, they will trust you and the products that you offer. You also need to understand how each of the devices you sell functions. Include a live chat feature (if you do not have one already) and ensure that you are always available to answer questions.

Need for Personalized Care

If you are not offering personalized care, your customers will move to a different business. You can personalize your care by refining the website portals that serve your clients and creating a mobile app for hearing care.

Your website should be creating and sharing content about the specific issues that your customers deal with. It’s completely possible to do this without going against HIPAA regulations, but make sure to exercise caution regardless. Patients prefer more control, and you should give them that. If you’re not sure how to personalize your services, reach out to the experts at Ear Level Marketing. 

The Era of Self-Diagnosis and Self-Treat Continues

Although it is not recommended, several patients self-diagnose and self-treat. This started way before COVID-19, but the pandemic made the practice evolve. Patients turn to Google for explanations and solutions to what is ailing them. Rather than go out, they use services like Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana, and Alexa for answers.

You need to optimize your website for all common search terms—don’t forget voice search! Create content that your audience finds useful and do it in a way they will understand.

Need for Better Healthcare Experience

Consumers spend so much money on healthcare. If someone is to spend thousands of dollars on hearing care, they will demand the best experience. Convenience has never been such an important factor in healthcare before, and your customers are no different. To beat your competition, you need to bring new solutions that improve healthcare.

Consumers are now willing to take healthcare into their own hands, and you have to tend to a more informed and more engaged audience. Building a new strategy to cater to these trends might take a bit of work, but it’s a worthwhile investment. Get in touch with Ear Level Marketing today to devise the best marketing strategy for you. Don’t forget to ask for your Digital Presence Report—it’s free!