In today’s digital age, millennials, also known as Gen Y are the largest generation of consumers and their purchasing power continues to grow. This is why it is important for you as a healthcare provider to understand their preferences and behaviours when it comes to online research and booking.
In this post, we would be discussing millennials’ unique preferences and behaviours when it comes to purchasing products and services and how providing high-quality content and a seamless booking experience is crucial for engaging millennial consumers and building brand loyalty.
The Rise of Millennials
Millennials have a significant influence on the consumer market, with their spending projected to reach $1.4 trillion annually by 2020. As consumers, they prefer to conduct online research and bookings, with 85% of millennials using their smartphones to research products before making a purchase. They value personalised experiences and are more likely to purchase from brands that advocate for issues they care about.
Asides from this, millennials take on decision-making roles for their ageing parents and children, and their purchasing decisions can have a wider impact on the healthcare industry. They prioritize accessibility, affordability, and quality of care, as well as the use of technology, preventive healthcare, and holistic approaches to health and wellness. Their influence on the healthcare market is expected to continue to grow in the future.
Millennial Consumer Behavior
Millennials’ consumer behaviour differs significantly from previous generations in several ways. They have grown up in an era of rapid technological change and have a unique set of values and preferences that shape their purchasing decisions
They tend to rely on the internet to research products and services before making a purchase. This behaviour is in contrast to previous generations, who relied on in-store experiences or traditional advertising, another interesting thing about millennials is that they are heavily influenced by social media when it comes to making purchasing decisions. They trust recommendations from peers and influencers more than traditional advertising. According to a survey conducted by Collective Bias, 70% of millennials are influenced by the recommendations of their peers when making purchasing decisions. This trend has led to the rise of influencer marketing, where healthcare providers partner with popular social media personalities to promote their products or services.
Gen Y heavily rely on mobile devices for their daily activities, including shopping. They expect healthcare providers to have a mobile-friendly website and an easy-to-use booking experience. According to a survey conducted by Google, 79% of millennials use their smartphones to make purchases. This behaviour has led to a growing demand for mobile-optimised websites and apps that make it easier for millennials to shop on the go.
Gen Ys’ consumer behaviour is shaped by their reliance on digital channels, their preference for personalised experiences, and their desire to support healthcare providers that align with their values. Healthcare providers that want to attract and retain millennial customers should prioritise their online presence, social media presence, mobile optimisation, personalisation, and corporate social responsibility.
Great Content is important to this tech-savvy generation
Currently millennials are the most educated generation in history and they are consumers of high-quality content that is authentic, informative, and transparent. Millennials are a generation that values authenticity, creativity, and personalisation, and they are more likely to respond to content that speaks to their interests and needs. Creating content of this nature can help build trust and establish a genuine connection with millennials. Having effective content marketing strategies can help healthcare providers build brand awareness, establish trust with their target audience, and drive conversions.
Here are some examples of effective content marketing strategies:
Social media content: Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are popular among this generation, and healthcare providers can use these platforms to create engaging content that resonates with their target audience. For example, you can share behind-the-scenes content as you prep for a surgery, you can engage your audience in user-generated content, and shareable graphics that showcase your brand personality and values
Blog posts: Blogging is a popular content marketing strategy that can help healthcare providers establish themselves as experts in their industry and provide value to their target audience. Gen Ys are more likely to search for read blogs that provide actionable tips, insights, and information that is relevant to their health conditions, concerns or needs. Blog posts can also be optimised for search engines, making it easier for potential patients to discover your website.
Influencer partnerships: As mentioned earlier, millennials are heavily influenced by social media personalities and influencers. Healthcare providers can partner with influencers who have a strong following among their target audience and create content that showcases their products or services. Partnering with influencers (especially in the nutrition and fitness industry) can help you reach new audiences, build trust with their target audience, and drive conversions.
User-generated content: This is content created by customers or fans of a brand, and it can be a powerful way to build brand awareness and engagement among millennials. Healthcare providers can encourage their clients to share photos, videos, or reviews of their experience with your services on social media, and then share that content on their own channels. User-generated content can help you establish social proof, showcase your brand personality, and create a sense of community among your patients. Ensure that you are complying with your governing bodies advertising requirements when posting content of this nature.
A Seamless Booking Experience Matters
Asides great content, providing a seamless and hassle-free booking experience is crucial for healthcare providers looking to attract and retain Gen Y consumers. This generation has high standards; they value convenience, speed, and efficiency, and expect healthcare providers to provide a smooth booking process that meets their needs and preferences. A subpar booking experience can lead to frustration, negative reviews, and lost business.
Here are some tips for optimising booking systems to meet the expectations of millennial consumers:
Mobile optimisation: As mentioned earlier, millennials rely heavily on mobile devices for their daily activities, including bookings. You have to ensure that your booking systems are optimised for mobile devices, with a mobile-friendly website and a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes. Asides having an optimised website, you can create a profile on Medical Mecca to easily showcase your specialty and reach your audience. Medical Mecca is already optimised for mobile, so it is easy for patients in need of your skills to search for, and reach out to you.
Simplify the booking process: Millennials value efficiency and speed, and they are more likely to abandon a booking process if it is too complicated or time-consuming. You should aim to simplify the booking process by reducing the number of steps required to complete a booking, minimising the amount of information required from the client, and providing clear and concise instructions. If you work in an industry where online bookings aren’t practical, ensure that you communicate the booking process on your website clearly and concisely so the client is aware of what is expected of them when they book. Millennials LOVE transparency.
Provide real-time availability and pricing: Millennials expect healthcare providers to provide real-time availability and pricing information, so they can make informed decisions about their booking. You should ensure that your booking systems are up-to-date and provide accurate information about availability and pricing.
Personalisation: As mentioned earlier, millennials value personalised experiences, and healthcare providers can leverage this by offering personalised recommendations, promotions, and discounts based on the customer’s past bookings and preferences. Personalisation can help you build long-term relationships with their customers and increase loyalty. If you are offering promotions or discounts ensure that they meet your governing bodies advertising requirements.
Integration with social media: Millennials are heavily influenced by social media, and healthcare providers can leverage this by integrating their booking systems with social media platforms. For example, you can allow customers to book directly from their Facebook or Instagram pages.
Optimising your booking systems for mobile devices, simplifying the booking process, providing transparency with real-time availability and pricing, personalising experiences, and integrating with social media can make a huge difference in meeting the expectations of this tech-savvy generation. And the good news is that you can easily achieve all these by creating a profile on Medical Mecca. It’s your all-in-one place to showcase your speciality, reach your audience, and offer a hassle-free booking experience.
Conclusion
One of the key characteristics of millennial consumers is their preference for online research and bookings. They are educated, hungry for information, value personalised experiences and are more likely to support healthcare providers that align with their values and beliefs, including social and environmental issues.
To attract and engage millennial consumers, healthcare providers must provide high-quality content that is authentic, informative, and transparent. High-quality content can provide value, establish trust, and lead to increased engagement and brand loyalty.
Providing a seamless and hassle-free booking experience is also critical for engaging millennial consumers. Healthcare providers must optimise their booking systems to meet the expectations of millennial consumers, including offering mobile-friendly options, personalised experiences, and easy-to-use interfaces.
If you’re a healthcare professional looking to attract and engage millennial consumers, Medical Mecca is the perfect platform for you. With Medical Meca, you can easily showcase your expertise and align with millennial values and beliefs, such as social and environmental issues by communicating this on your profile. You can direct them to your website and social media channels or provide them with a seamless booking experience. With Medical Mecca you can ensure that your booking systems are optimised for millennial preferences, providing a hassle-free experience that meets their needs and expectations. So, why wait? Join Medical Mecca today and start connecting with millennial consumers in a way that resonates with them!