The Changing Landscape of Health Insurance
Since the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, the health insurance landscape has changed considerably. These changes have necessitated adjustments in companies’ plans of action to attract and maintain customers and to gain market share.
With the third installment of the ACA, more and more Americans are seeking health insurance every year. Sylvia M. Burwell, secretary of the United States Health and Human Services Department (HHS) estimates that 10.5 million Americans eligible for ACA coverage are still uninsured and approximately one-fourth of those people will sign up for insurance this enrollment season.
The influx of new and inexperienced customers has led to an increased need for education about the ACA and about insurance. In addition, it has become increasingly important for insurance companies to identify and target their audience in order to tailor effective communications in the competitive landscape. The need for education has led companies to put a focus on direct consumer marketing, such as social media and content marketing.
Social Media and Content Marketing with Health Insurance
In the past decade, social media has offered a direct and informal Business-to-Consumer approach to marketing and advertising. The rise in importance of social media, however, has led to mixed results.
Although businesses are becoming easier to find and communicate with, it is simultaneously becoming more and more difficult for businesses to acquire customers and keep their attention due to the excess of companies and low-quality content that bloat the internet. Because of this, companies are searching for options to supplement their social media tactics.
The Importance of Content in the Digital Age
Many insurance companies have turned toward content marketing as a way of combating the rise of “digital noise” on social media. Content marketing increases online presence and attracts customers by sparking emotion and action.
This content is often less product-focused and more educational and conversational. This has been extremely helpful to insurance companies because it allows them to simultaneously educate customers and indirectly attract them to their product(s).
Content marketing in the insurance industry is extremely helpful because it allows the customer to self-educate and control the process at their own pace. Providing concise and engaging information helps drive consumer action through education.
The Generation of Content
The content marketing strategy, although beneficial, can be quite resource-intensive. Companies that attempt to create self-generated content often struggle to produce consistent and high-quality content that keeps the attention of their customers. Content that is unhelpful and inconsistent can result in confused customers that are driven away.
Because of this, many insurers choose to employ third parties to generate content. Employing third parties is often beneficial because it ensures high-quality and consistent content that keeps up with the demand of consumers.
There has never been a bigger need for educational content in the insurance industry. Social media can no longer be solely relied upon to reach out to customers. Customers are expecting useful and concise information to answer their questions and content marketing is the solution.
Bill Brinkley has assisted insurance agents with promoting their products and reaching their goals for over fifteen years. He specializes in using cutting-edge techniques in online marketing to get agents more leads and grow their business. Bill likes helping and watching businesses grow.