Buyers Aware

When was the last time you made a big decision without reading reviews or asking for recommendations. Whether it’s a new gadget, choosing a vacation rental, or trusting a mechanic with your car, most of us rely on social proof to help validate our choices. In fact, 97% of consumers look at reviews before buying a product. Seniors turning 65 are no different. As they compare Medicare Advantage plans, they’re reading reviews, talking to friends and family, and looking for recommendations as they navigate through their Medicare journey.

For these new-to-Medicare seniors (NTM), joining their first Medicare plan is a monumental decision. Yes, they want the benefits and savings they’ve been reading all about, but they mostly want a plan they can trust for both routine check-ups and unexpected health challenges.

So how do you position your plan as the “best choice out there?” The answer lies in the power of social proof.

Why use Social Proof in Medicare Marketing

With the average Medicare beneficiary in 2024 having access to 43 Medicare Advantage plans, more than double the number of plans offered in 2018 - seniors face an overwhelming number of choices. In such a crowded marketplace, social proof is the megaphone your brand should have glued to its hand. Testimonials and endorsements tell real, relatable stories that hit home with your audience. Essentially, they’re saying, “You can trust this plan because I trust this plan.”

Sure, it’s hard to beat word-of-mouth from family and friends, but let’s be honest: how often do you actually know the people behind the online reviews you read? Chances are, not often, but you still trust them. Why? Because you’re looking for patterns, and seniors are doing the same. They’re asking: Do others like the plan? Is it easy to use the benefits? What are people saying about customer service? How well are claims handled?

These patterns of trust make all the difference.

Consider these compelling stats:

By leveraging your own members to be brand advocates, you can position your plan to be the trusted choice those NTMs are searching for.

Let your member’s stories speak for themselves

Medicare Advantage plans often appear similar on the surface. So how do you prove your plan is the right choice? You let your members do the talking. Their stories are the ultimate social proof, showing exactly how your plan delivers on what it promises.

At CCG, we’ve seen it firsthand. We’ll set up a camera and backdrop for interviews, and invite any member who would like to share their story to come chat with us. These are real people who’ve leaned on their plan when life threw them a curveball. We’ve heard stories about members navigating cancer treatments, covering knee surgeries, and we’ve even spoken to a woman whose plan helped her get a prosthetic leg when it wasn’t initially covered! Talk about going above and beyond the call of duty.

Sure, many of them talk about which benefits they like. Anything from the dental benefit to the $0 gym membership, but when you can uncover why a Medicare member loves their plan, it’s gold. Take a look at these testimonials we did for our partner Viva Medicare.

VIVA LOVE
VIVA BENEFITS

These people are talking about their Medicare plan, right? When was the last time you “loved” the health insurance you’re on? We’re talking to real fans of the plan who want to shout their stories from the rooftops so that others can share in their experience.

Real members. Real stories. Real results.

With the help of our testimonial campaign, visitors to the Viva Medicare website skyrocketed and enrollments increased.

  • Impressions:  777,299
  • Click-through-rate (CTR): 1.41% in our conversion campaign, theaverage CTR for Facebook video ads across all industries is around 0.90%
  • Engagement: Average engagement time from programmatic video on the site increased 40% year-over-year

Our testimonial campaign helped those turning 65 find the social proof that they were looking for - a reliable Medicare Advantage plan they can trust will take good care of them.

Start winning over seniors with a social proof strategy.

Prioritising social proof is a key strategy for any Medicare campaign. And honestly, the best part of the job is hearing directly from the people who rely on these plans every day. As marketers, there’s nothing more rewarding than knowing the plan we’re promoting is truly supporting its members.

Ready to see how social proof can enhance your Medicare Advantage marketing strategy? Connect with us to build a custom solution that tells real stories from your members and boosts enrollments.