Justifying the digital health content investment

The subject of return-on-investment (ROI) has been a major focus of marketers and communicators using digital technologies for some time. For example, according to a new study released by Social Media Examiner this month, just 40 percent of marketers say their social media marketing efforts have benefited them by improving sales.

What's more, many marketers are unsure of what ROI actually means. In March, the Center on Global Brand Leadership and the New York American Marketing Association released its first Marketing ROI in the Era of Big Data study. The study showed 22 percent of respondents are using brand awareness measurements such as Web traffic, clicks and other metrics as their sole measurement of success, as opposed to financial metrics. Surprisingly, 37 percent of respondents did not mention financial outcomes when asked to define what "marketing ROI" meant to their organization.

Is ROI an appropriate digital content effectiveness metric for the health industry?

What does the broader ROI discussion have to do with the health industry? Well, clearly ROI is an important metric-especially if health organizations are producing digital content designed drive sales and revenue. However, health marketing and communications initiatives are not just about driving revenues and profits. At the heart of almost every digital marketing campaign is a focus on getting people to sustain or begin healthy behaviors such as taking medication, eating healthier, quitting smoking or getting vaccinated.

Yet, if ROI is purely a financial metric, where does that leave health behavior change? Can the economic benefits of behavior change be quantified for both health organizations and the general public? If so, why and how?

These are the questions addressed in a new ebook published by my firm Enspektos, LLC titled Justifying The Digital Health Content Investment. In the ebook, we introduce a new metric that is:

• Specially designed to meet the needs of the health industry
• Recognizes the financial reality that for-profit health organizations need to make money
• Can be embraced by health non-profit and public sector organizations that are not focused on driving sales and revenues

Enthusiasm about the latest social and digital technologies is wonderful. However, if we are going to succeed at accelerating adoption of these tools by the health industry, we must focus on the big picture. Health leaders want to understand value of digital content investments in dollars and cents. We must not be afraid to demonstrate the economic value of these technologies for the organizations we serve and the broader public. We hope this ebook helps to move the industry forward in new and exciting ways.

Fard Johnmar is founder and president of Enspektos, LLC, a health marketing and communications innovation consultancy.