Trust is often hard to gain and easily lost. In a world where healthcare consumers are becoming less trusting, marketers have to determine how they can effectively reach this audience while also cultivating genuine, lasting connections.
While people today have a wealth of information at their fingertips, it’s increasingly difficult for patients to differentiate between fact and fiction. Taking concrete steps to address misinformation and reassure patients can go a long way in boosting patient satisfaction and achieving better patient outcomes.
Below, 16 Forbes Business Council members discuss the role trust plays in healthcare marketing. Read on to learn more about how marketers can build credibility and trust with skeptical patients seeking health services.
1. Prioritize Understanding Your Target Audience
Healthcare is complex and difficult to navigate. Measures of quality are specific to procedures or treatments, making broad messages overcomplicated or unclear for healthcare consumers. Patients who rely on healthcare for acute or annual appointments make decisions much differently than patients who require chronic, multi-visit care. Knowing your audience is necessary to deliver your message. – Nicole Faucher, Clearway Health
2. Offer Clear, Transparent Communication
In healthcare marketing, trust is paramount. Patients seek transparency and authenticity when it comes to their health. Companies can build credibility by offering clear, honest communication about treatments, outcomes and pricing. One approach is to leverage patient testimonials and real-life success stories, as showing tangible results can resonate with skeptical patients and reinforce trust. – Nilesh Parmar, NP Collective
3. Comply With Data Protection Regulations
Healthcare marketing often manages personal data, including patients’ medical history. Due to recent cyberattacks and data leaks, patients have become very sensitive to companies that preserve personal data. I recommend that companies not only comply with regulations like GDPR but also store data through decentralized management technology like blockchain, which restricts non-purpose viewing. – Karita Takahisa, UNIFY PLATFORM AG
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4. Provide Patient Education
Trust is crucial in healthcare marketing, as patients rely on accurate, transparent information for their well-being. One way to build credibility is through patient education. Companies should provide clear, evidence-based content and real testimonials. Prioritizing transparency, ethical messaging and expert-backed information will foster long-term trust with skeptical patients. – Vladyslav Drapii, Legarithm OU
5. Highlight Real Patient Testimonials And Experiences
Trust is everything in healthcare marketing. Patients are skeptical, so transparency is key. Social media bridges the trust gap by showcasing real patient success, behind-the-scenes insights and authentic doctor interactions. Companies that educate, provide value and share unfiltered testimonials build credibility. Show, don’t just tell—that’s how you turn skepticism into loyalty. – Dustin Mangas, PURE Executive Health & Wellness
6. Share Patient Outcomes And Third-Party Validation
A key way to build credibility is through transparent sharing of patient outcomes data and third-party validation. When healthcare providers publish their success rates, complication rates and patient satisfaction metrics alongside industry benchmarks, it gives skeptical consumers concrete evidence to evaluate care quality rather than relying on marketing claims alone. – Joel Li, EV.com
7. Focus On Customer Needs
Healthcare professionals should shift their mindset from trying to sell and focusing on what’s in it for the company to thinking about what’s in it for the customer. Build relationships with patients by adding value rather than interrupting questions. This means publishing content, educating patients and being present where they are online. It’s about being a trusted solution that’s ready and available when they decide to engage. – Noa Eshed, Bold Digital Architects
8. Use An Appropriate Tone And Empathy
In the social care sector, there is no relationship without trust. An appropriate tone and a demonstration of empathy are important marketing considerations. Also, when introducing a new provider or service, providing background that clarifies the relationship between the new offering and the patient’s current providers or services will enable quick credibility. – Valerie Cerra, GroundGame.Health
9. Create Space For Patient-To-Patient Support
Healthcare companies that facilitate genuine community dialogue, including tough conversations about treatment challenges, build trust organically. When patients can freely share experiences with peers, credibility grows naturally. When healthcare professionals are honest about what patients can truly expect, it builds more trust than polished marketing ever could. – Henry McIntosh, Twenty One Twelve Marketing
10. Leverage Trusted Experts
One of the most effective ways healthcare companies can build credibility is by leveraging real, trusted voices. This can include medical professionals, patient advocates or highly vetted influencers in the space. Marketing in healthcare isn’t about virality—it’s about credibility. The brands that prioritize honesty, transparency and real human connection will be the ones that earn (and keep) patient trust. – Paula Bruno, Intuition Media Group
11. Offer Free, Expert-Led Webinars
In healthcare marketing, trust is earned rather than given. With skepticism rising, brands must prioritize education over persuasion. One way to build credibility is by offering free, expert-led webinars on common health concerns. When patients gain value with no strings attached, they see the brand as a trusted guide, not just a business. This fosters long-term confidence and loyalty. – Michael Shribman, APS Global Partners Inc.
12. Engage With Communities
Trust in healthcare is the cornerstone for effective healthcare and vital for better health outcomes and patient satisfaction. It encourages patients to seek care and follow medical advice. Companies can build trust by engaging with communities, as this can foster genuine connections and a deep understanding of diverse health needs. This approach enhances care quality and strengthens patient relationships. – Nachiketa Popat, EY
13. Gather Endorsements From Trusted Professionals
Endorsements from trusted healthcare professionals can significantly boost credibility in marketing. When reputable doctors or specialists recommend your services, it reassures skeptical patients about the quality and reliability of your care. These endorsements serve as powerful social proof, showing that experts trust and support your healthcare offerings. – Sabeer Nelliparamban, Tyler Petroleum Inc.
14. Be Radically Transparent
Trust is the currency of healthcare marketing. Patients are skeptical due to misinformation and hidden agendas. One way to build credibility is radical transparency that showcases real patient journeys. Publish third-party-verified clinical results and engage in open dialogue about treatment limitations. Trust isn’t about perfection; it’s about honesty. – Khurram Akhtar, Programmers Force
15. Use Clear Language And Straightforward Messaging
Trust is highly important in all industries, but especially in healthcare. Using clear language and straightforward messaging in marketing materials can help build trust because audiences will feel confident they’re getting the full picture with no smoke and mirrors. – Emily Reynolds Bergh, R Public Relations Firm
16. Make Patients Feel Heard
In healthcare, trust isn’t given—it’s earned. Patients don’t just want credentials; they want proof you see them. Ditch the stock photos and polished sales pitches. Share real patient success stories, be transparent about treatments and educate without the hard sell. When people feel heard, not sold to, trust follows. – Dr. Christina Carter, Her Practice®
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