Effects of online advertising strategy on attitude towards healthcare service

Abstract

Online advertising strategies for health care services remain under-investigated in spite of the current popularity of these services. Due to the industry characteristics and legal regulations towards medical services in many countries, hospitals and clinics ignored advertising planning for decades. Today, not only the environment but also medical products have changed. With the enhanced living standards, more and more people accept the concept of preventive medicine, and the market for various healthcare services is undergoing rapid growth. However, doctors and practitioners are still limiting themselves to the past scope and neglecting the promotion challenges of the healthcare services. The current research draws attention to the interdisciplinary nature of healthcare services, advertising, and Internet technology. Based on sound theories, this study proposes a model exploring how personal attitudes toward a healthcare service may be changed by shaping the nature of the endorser and the information displayed in the online advertising. In particular, this study uncovers how men and women may differ in their perception-forming process. Theoretical contributions are discussed accordingly. © 2014 IEEE.