Health marketers, until recently, have been relying on business derived from print ads, brochures, billboards, spots on TV and even day-time soap operas to reach their target audience. The target group comprise of hospital management, physicians, and patients. Email as a powerful means of marketing communication has enabled health marketers to evolve and expand into one of the largest industries in the nation.
Most seniors use Internet for healthcare access
The growth of healthcare industry through email marketing has been steady over the past two years. However, seniors were the top most healthcare information seekers over the online platforms. That amounts to more than 90% of the total national population. The healthcare industry is also witnessing an increase in online response and interaction from those over 60 years. The male to female ratio of healthcare seekers tips in favor of women.
Women top the gender-specific ratio
A recently conducted online survey in March by OneUp Inc, a Florida-based Internet service provider, revealed that women took particular interest in Internet searches on healthcare and were actively looking for online parenting-related activities. Besides these, they are involved in other online activities such as using search-engines, entertainment and shopping.
Among male respondents, it was found that there was a direct correlation between age and the percentage of people using the Internet for health information. More than three quarters of female respondents in all age groups said that they used Internet for health information. Among them 30 % of them are women who are mothers, have changing Internet habits and are influencers in household spending.
Again, the vast majority of health information seekers and purchasers are those over 60 who incidentally make up large and growing segment for healthcare marketers.
The bottom line is that seniors are increasingly using the Internet for their healthcare needs and it would be fruitful for healthcare marketers to cater to this high volume of online consumers.
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