Measuring Social Media Marketing Performance in Hospitals (Preprint)

BACKGROUND In today’s digital marketing environment, social media plays an important role in the healthcare industry. It provides a two-way communication channel between health professionals and patients. Even though social media marketing is becoming an important part of a hospital’s integrated marketing communications strategy; however, there has not been any study to measure the performance of social media marketing in hospitals. OBJECTIVE This paper uses Network Data Envelopment Analysis in assessing social media marketing performance relative to other marketing communication channels in determining intangible marketing assets (brand mind share) and overall satisfaction and referral. METHODS Our research proposes an approach in measuring social media marketing performance relative to other marketing communication channels based on a Network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model that identifies and measures social media marketing efficiencies in an integrated fashion in the healthcare industry – specifically, in the hospital industry. RESULTS The results show that social media marketing is a critical part of a hospital’s marketing communications strategy in affecting brand mind share and ultimately customer satisfaction and referral. However, consumers have a moderately low level of trust from online information received. CONCLUSIONS This study adds both theoretical and strategic insights to leverage social media marketing in delivery patient value.