Curating a new channel
Content design | UX writing | Email strategy | A/B testing and analytics | Brand, voice and style
Summary
OhioHealth is the largest health system in central Ohio, serving more than 2 million people. I created the subscription and editorial strategies for their biweekly newsletter. By writing nearly every issue, I helped establish and cultivate a conversational voice for our brand. Our subscriber base grew to more than 450,000 recipients, through a healthy dose of experimentation, A/B testing and data.
The challenge
OhioHealth needed a routine touchpoint to provide timely wellness advice, relevant news and valuable service connections. It would distinguish our brand from other health systems in central Ohio, conveying our values and building trust.
The solution
I believed we could produce engaging content that kept our brand top of mind, when it mattered most. An email newsletter was my channel of choice. Carrying on a conversation is easier from the intimacy of an inbox that can link readers straight into your app, website or a conversion funnel.
The newsletter needed new content to solidify our position us as a leading health authority. I produced content along with our blog and social media team. But I could also strategically repurpose content. I curated content from various sources, like our blog, newsroom and website, and used inline links to tie relevant external events to our own perspectives.
The content of every newsletter represented three key principles:
Access
Expertise
Compassion
Most newsletters featured five stories with an artfully crafted descriptive paragraph. We covered trending wellness topics, seasonal themes, system updates, condition expertise, fitness and nutrition. Navigational elements provided quick access to often-used tools, like our website and patient portal.
System updates
Seasonal themes
Trending wellness topics
Condition expertise
VOICE AND STYLE
Healthcare is inherently relatable — we all need and use it. But because health systems serve such a diverse audience, a conservative, or even clinical, tone is pervasive. OhioHealth wanted to be different, leaving cold communications in the past. My team had already started our revolution, and the newsletter was just one more opportunity to reinforce our new voice. It would be conversational, confident and clever.
The newsletter would make our brand feel like an expert friend you could tell about your silly or serious health problems, knowing you’ll get good advice and maybe a good laugh.
FROM ONE TO MANY
I crafted a welcome email to prime our existing subscriber base, then our first newsletter was in the hands of many. Over the next few years, we delivered a newsletter to our readers every other week, switching to weekly through the COVID-19 pandemic.
I developed a new subscription flow, mapping out the double opt-in process, drafting content and designing each page and email with a design partner. I built and tested the flow with our email client and an internal team to ensure its successful launch.
I later adapted the subscription process for more newsletters, like a neurology patient update.
TESTING AND EVOLUTION
We routinely experimented with subject lines, content, navigation and design. I used A/B testing for every issue, rolling to the version with the highest open rates.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I introduced a narrative introduction, so we could speak louder when we our voice was needed more than ever. Open rates soared, as people looked to us for the latest information about safety, our care and vaccines.
I also developed special editions we tested a couple of times each year. These were opportunities to inform readers about critical topics close to home, like the Opioid epidemic. An end-of-year look-back covering our most popular topics was always a hit as well.
The outcome
The newsletter became one of our most valuable channels, consistently achieving open rates of 50%+ and funneling thousands of patients into our care services.
I left OhioHealth with a plan for the newsletter's next phase: a strategy evolution shaped by marketing objectives, user feedback and analytics. The plan also included marketing tactics for newsletter promotion to continue growing the subscription base. To keep our data clean, I proposed a new approach for managing our list health.
The OhioHealth newsletter showcased our commitment to wellness and compassionate care. It is a testament to the power of strategic communication, and the impact it can have on an organization’s reach and engagement.
