For the first time, Healthline has beat WebMD in monthly visitors making it the largest and fastest growing online health community.

This June, the health information website boasted 81.3 million unique visitors compared to its rival’s 75.9 million.

Comscore, the media and analytics company, also broke the news that in addition to more monthly visitors, Healthline is also showing more growth with a 35% increase in site visitors year-over-year while WebMD’s visitors only grew by 2%. An outdated business model is partly to blame in WebMD’s case with most of their revenue being driven by banner ads as recently as 2017—but according to research, less and less people are clicking on them. Marketing Insider Group was on the money when they said, “banner ads have 99 problems and a click ain’t one.”

Comscore also ranked Healthline as No. 1 among mobile health information websites and in the health category overall for the past six months.

Healthline is the fastest growing health information website with over 200 million monthly active users. With information about diseases, disorders, conditions, medications, and patient support communities, Healthline offers content that is easy to understand and informative. With a medical network of over 100 medical professionals covering more than 50 specialties and a strict editorial review process to ensure accuracy, Healthline’s content is available through the Healthline website and three mobile apps: MS Buddy, Breast Cancer Healthline and IBD Healthline.

IMPACT

Like most sectors, healthcare is facing disruption. Today, more than ever, people are able to take their health into their own hands and find the resources they need—whether it’s finding a physician or a specialist, learning about new medical products or procedures, or finding a support community.

The rise of technology has altered the patient’s path to treatment with information available instantly. What this means for medtech marketers is that we must make sure our digital strategies reflect these shifts, and that we’re focusing on education, relevance, and value for our target audiences rather than sheer visibility.

GMM'S RECOMMENDATIONS

• Make sure that your digital strategies are up-to-date and create robust thought leadership content programs to reach your target audience, gain visibility, and build trust
• Take advantage of social networks and regularly post digital content as more and more patient audiences are seeking and trusting the health-related information they find there
• Incorporate mobile into your digital strategies. Millennials, who are the largest single consumer group, prefer mobile and video and mobile is the one platform where banner ads aren’t totally DOA

Grey Matter Marketing is a full-service, award-winning marketing performance agency working exclusively with medtech companies. We leverage brain science to ignite action, change behavior, and create brand loyalty. We deliver the expertise and experience that helps clients make better business decisions and see better business results. 

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