Video has well and truly killed the radio (and other traditional marketing) stars, a study by Amplomedia suggests. It finds that 70% of marketers today champion video over other methodologies for customer conversion. This stat becomes a bit more understandable when we consider the results of a recent report by digital-marketing giants Wyzowl that found a staggering 92% of marketers backing video in their own marketing strategies. While any skilled business person will tell you that ‘nothing is certain’ in the world of economics, it’s pretty clear that the future of the marketing world is both digital and visual.
It’s actually estimated that, by 2021, people will spend 100 minutes a day watching online videos - so, how do research sites ensure that their content is among the top viewed? Today, we unpack the latest patient-recruitment hack for the digital now; and explore how research sites of any background or budget can take advantage of the current visual demand.
Can't argue with the science
The fact is that people nowadays would rather spend 2 minutes watching a Youtube video than 4 minutes reading a Wix blog (so we understand if you are bored of reading already). Various neurological studies from across the globe confirm that how we process information relies heavily on our sight. In fact, 90% of all information transmitted to the brain is visual, with 40% of the body’s nerve fibers - how we detect and understand sensation - linked directly to the retina. Overall, it seems that appearances do count and knowing this could be the difference been strong and poor patient engagement.
Tell me a story (quickly)
So, you’ve decided to make a video - what’s next?
The main aim for research sites looking to improve trial recruitment is to create a personal, relatable narrative in as short a time as possible. Marketing narratives can, thankfully, be simplified into 3 basic elements: information, visual and time.
All information displayed on screen should be part of your communication strategy (in other words, make sure to highlight only the most important information and keep it consistent with any other content produced), and only ever deliver it in short, manageable chunks. A recent study by Xerox found that the use of colorful, visual material increases engagement by 80%; meaning that we all love a good infographic. With the average Youtube video roughly 4 minutes long but the average attention span at around 10 seconds, it is difficult to estimate the ideal running time for video marketing content. Our advice: the shorter, the better.
[^Our simple breakdown of video editing for clinical trial patient recruitment]
For those needing a wee bit more help getting the creative juices flowing, here are a few more top tips to help craft your story-boarding sessions:
Consider centering promotional material around a case study. For instance, Cancer Research UK’s ‘thanks to your research’ TV ads provide an insight into the lives of former patients who’ve thrived on the company’s research.
Why not partner with other trustworthy brands? People tend to form relationships through mutual friends.
Consider the formatting issues associated with social media. Mastering the art of the meme might be the perfect way of starting a conversation about clinical research in popular spheres.
So, when it comes to choosing from the latest patient recruitment strategies for clinical trials, we can assure you that video marketing isn’t just a gimmick. Research sites with some spare time on their hands should practice video editing (or, at the very least, hire freelancers to create content) before it’s too late. Technology and digital marketing is evolving at such a rapid pace that 90% of the world’s data has been created in the last two years alone; so, it is now practically impossible to return to traditional recruitment methods or, in other words, (we can’t rewind) we’ve gone too far.
Here at Citruslabs, we've created the ideal patient recruitment dashboard to help any researcher improve their current metrics. With over 3 million patients on record, we ensure research sites are connected to a thoroughly educated and engaged pool of participants; so, it is no wonder why we have such high patient confidence! Now, we would say that other models are available - but this would be a lie. In fact, unlike that offered by other patient recruitment companies, our easy-to-use dashboard is the first-of-its-kind for the market; giving researchers a unique insight into their patients’ wants and needs via industry-leading technology. The future of clinical recruitment starts here.
Still a little unsure? Check out what our customers have to say about us here.
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