• by Elizabeth H. Elfenbein , Columnist, February 26, 2018

You know the saying, “Control the things that you can control….” Well, we live in a time where we can truly control what, where, and how we communicate, and even more importantly, as it pertains to your health.

In 2018, this way of communicating will be taken to the next level, with contextual content being increasingly served up at point of need.Customers have needs, and brands need to find ways to fulfill them. The idea of contextualizing content is a way to meld ideas and channels when the customer needs information most. Contextual content is a great way for a brand to meet a customer’s need, as well as demonstrating empathy in action.

Serve it up at point of need

When it comes to health, there are many ways to think about contextual content. One way is to break it down from a basic content perspective—unbranded (disease education) or branded. Another way is to consider it through the stages of the customer journey. From information seeking, looking for communities, and asking your doctor about a specific product, all the way to compliance and adherence content that might be a pill-plus-program approach to treatment.

And there’s multiple ways to think about the journey as well. You think about mindsets, from a proactive preventative one where the customer wants to predict their health future and drive a different experience, to a reactive one where the customer considers their treatment plan. Or the journey can be seen through the lens of a specific customer, like a physician who sees a patient at the diagnosis stage and needs to contemplate a treatment plan and beyond. The customers vary and the journey varies, as does the need for customized contextual content.

Contextual content is relevant content

All of these perspectives on the customer journey provide an opportunity for content to be served up in the right context and when the customer is at the greatest point of need. Artificial intelligence (AI) is driving a new type of customization in this conversation—one that preempts and offers content solutions contextually and in real time. And one day, it will even offer cognitive design experiences that are thinking about the user at every potential contextual connection and serving up solutions and services that answer the customer’s unmet needs. It’s pretty amazing if you think about it.

The healthcare journey and need

All customers have very specific needs that brands can fill. They have the educational need when learning about a disease or condition, which provides an opportunity for a brand to help guide the customers on the health journey from the very beginning. Providing smart educational content contextually as they are information seeking and gathering is critical. Be the ambassador of information, which is a great way to build a relationship that proactively drives customers to your brand.

When their need changes and becomes about the best treatment for their health situation, your brand is ready and with customized answers. Sending contextual content with the use of data offers a seamless stewardship of content from your brand. This is where the sweet spot is and where you win with your customer. Put them in the driver’s seat with content in context, and let them drive the next phase of their health conversation.

Think and create contextual content 

In 2018 and beyond, contextual content will be what drives the health conversation forward. Make your brand the leader and the conduit to it.