Main Article Content
Abstract
Purpose: This study examines how digital marketing strategies—mobile apps, social media, and e-mail marketing—enhance consumer engagement, retention, and trust within the health insurance sector.
Research Design and Methodology: Using purposive sampling, a case study approach was employed to analyze two health insurance schemes (Scheme A and B). Data collection focuses on mobile app usage, social media engagement, and e-mail campaigns.
Findings and Discussion: Scheme A saw an 85% increase in daily app logins and a 14% rise in social media followers. Meanwhile, Scheme B experienced a 39% growth in app downloads but lower social media engagement. Both schemes demonstrated a shift from e-mail marketing to mobile and social media platforms.
Implications: Health insurers should prioritize mobile and social media marketing to enhance customer engagement and loyalty through personalized digital interactions. The study contributes to understanding digital marketing's role in the industry and provides insights for future research.
Keywords
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
- Adeoye, O. B., Okoye, C. C., Ofodile, O. C., & Ajayi-Nifise, A. (2024). Integrating artificial intelligence in personalised insurance products: A pathway to enhanced customer engagement. International Journal of Management & Entrepreneurship Research, 6(3), 502–511. https://doi.org/10.51594/ijmer.v6i3.840
- Agustian, K., Mubarok, E. S., Zen, A., Malik, A. J., & others. (2023). The impact of digital transformation on business models and competitive advantage. Technology and Society Perspectives (TACIT, 1(2), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.61100/tacit.v1i2.55
- Ataguba, J. E. (2021). The impact of financing health services on income inequality in an unequal society: The case of South Africa. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 19(5), 721-733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-021-00643-7
- Bednarz, Z. (2022). The effects of extrinsic data collection on consumer behavior: Challenges facing Australian data protection law. UNSW UNSWorks. Retrieved from https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/download
- Chaffey, D., & Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2019). Digital marketing: Strategy and implementation. Pearson Education.
- Chakraborty, A., & Jain, V. (2022). Leveraging digital marketing and integrated marketing communications for brand building in emerging markets. Marketing Communications and Brand Development in Emerging Economies: Volume I. Palgrave Studies of Marketing in Emerging Economies, 281–305. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88678-
- Council for Medical Schemes. (2024). The CMS 2023 industry report. Retrieved from https://www.medicalschemes.co.za/the-cms-2023-indu
- Council for Medical Schemes. (2023). Circular 50 of 2023: Industry report - Utilisation of health services by medical scheme members. Retrieved from https://www.medicalschemes.co.za/latest-publication
- Craig, S. (2023). Leveraging the power of digital marketing in health care. Medical Economics, 100(11). Retrieved from https://www.medicaleconomics.com
- Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Dessart, L., Veloutsou, C., & Morgan-Thomas, A. (2015). Consumer engagement in online brand communities: A social media perspective. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 24(1), 28-42.
- Eckert, C., Neunsinger, C., & Osterrieder, K. (2022). Managing customer satisfaction: Digital applications for insurance companies. Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, 47(7), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41288-021-00257-z
- Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550.
- Eling, M., & Lehmann, M. (2018). The impact of digitalisation on the insurance value chain and the insurability of risks. Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, 43(3), 359–396. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41288-017-0073-0
- Eslami, S. P. (2022). Understanding consumer engagement in social media. Journal of Business Research, 148 (162), 410–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.05.109
- Filkins, B. L., Kim, J. Y., Roberts, B., Armstrong, W., Miller, M. A., Hultner, M. L., Castillo, A. P., Ducom, J. C., Topol, E. J., & Steinhubl, S. R. (2016). Privacy and security in the era of digital health: What should translational researchers know and do about it? American Journal of Translational Research, 8(3), 1560–1580. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27186282
- Goic, M., Rojas, A., & Saavedra, I. (2021). The effectiveness of triggered e-mail marketing in addressing browse abandonments. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 55 (C), 118–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2021.02.002
- Harmeling, C., Moffett, J., Arnold, M., & Carlson, B. D. (2016). Toward a theory of customer engagement marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 45(3), 312–335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-016-0509-2
- Hollebeek, L. D. (2011). Demystifying customer brand engagement: Exploring the loyalty nexus. Journal of Marketing Management, 27(7–8), 785–807. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2011.596505
- Jamil, K., Dunnan, L., Gul, R. F., Shehzad, M. U., Gillani, S. H. M., & Awan, F. H. (2022). Role of social media marketing activities in influencing customer intentions: A perspective of a new emerging era. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 808525. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.808525
- Kajwang, B. (2022). Effects of digital marketing practices on performance of the insurance sector: A critical approach with a review. International Journal of Business Ecosystem and Strategy, 4(4), 89–95. https://doi.org/10.36096/ijbes.v4i4.357
- Krames. (2022, February 16). Importance of digital marketing in healthcare. WebMD Ignite. https://www.webmdignite.com/importance-of-digital-marketing-in-healthcare
- Lim, W. M. (2022). Customer engagement and social media: Revisiting the past to inform the future. Journal of Business Research, 148 (C), 325–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.068
- Loureiro, S. M. C., Kaufmann, H. R., & Vrontis, D. (2012). Brand emotional connection and loyalty. Journal of Brand Management, 20(1), 13–27. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2012.3
- Mpinganjira, M. (2016). Influencing consumer engagement in online customer communities: The role of interactivity. Acta Commer, 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v16i1.381
- Nobile, T., & Cantoni, L. (2023). Personalisation (in)effectiveness in e-mail marketing. Digital Business, 3(1), 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.digbus.2023.100058
- Nuseir, M. T., El-Refae, G. A., Aljumah, A. I., Al Kurdi, B., & others. (2023). Digital marketing strategies and the impact on customer experience: A systematic review. In The Effect of Information Technology on Business and Marketing Intelligence Systems (pp. 25–47). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12382-5_2
- Patton, M. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
- Paul, J., Ueno, A., Dennis, C., Alamanos, E., Curtis, L., Foroudi, P., Kacprzak, A., Kunz, W. H., Liu, J., & Marvi, R. (2024). Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary perspective and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.13015
- Paul, M., Maglaras, L., Ferrag, M. A., & Almomani, I. (2023). Digitisation of healthcare sector: A study on privacy and security concerns. ICT Express, 9(4), 571–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icte.2023.02.007
- Qurtubi, Q., Febrianti, M. A., Sugarindra, M., Suyanto, M., & others. (2022). The impact of digital marketing: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM, 16(13), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v16i13.30609
- Rodrigues, J., & Martinez, S. (2019). Personalisation in mobile marketing: Implications for health insurance. International Journal of Mobile Marketing, 14(3), 43-55.
- Sabbagh, F. (2021). E-mail marketing: The most important advantages and disadvantages. Journal of Economics and Technology Research, 2(3), 14. https://doi.org/10.22158/jetr.v2n3p14
- Şenyapar, H. N. D. (2024). Healthcare marketing evolution: A comprehensive exploration of new-age strategies and patient-centric paradigms. Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi, 25(3), 440 – 455.https://doi.org/10.37880/cumuiibf.1429844
- Shojaei, P., Vlahu-Gjorgievska, E., & Chow, Y.-W. (2024). Security and privacy of technologies in health information systems: A systematic literature review. Computers, 13(2), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13020041
- Shotarova, Z. (2023). Leveraging technology to enhance healthcare access: Lessons from European leaders and challenges in Bulgaria. Journal of Management Sciences and Applications, 2(1), 169–174. Retrieved from https://jomsa.science/index.php/jomsa/article/view/32
- Stake, R. (1995). Case researcher roles: The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
- Statista. (2023). Social media adoption rates worldwide: Global Digital Report 2023.
- Stoumpos, A. I., Kitsios, F., & Talias, M. A. (2023). Digital transformation in healthcare: Technology acceptance and its applications. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043407
- Thomas, J. S., Chen, C., & Iacobucci, D. (2022). E-mail marketing as a tool for strategic persuasion. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 57(3), 377–392. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968221095552
- Tiago, M. T. P. M. B., & Veríssimo, J. M. C. (2014). Digital marketing and social media: Why bother? Business Horizons, 57(6), 703–708.
- Tuti, M., & Sulistia, V. (2022). The customer engagement effect on customer satisfaction and brand trust and its impact on brand loyalty. Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 13(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.18196/mb.v13i1.12518
- Ventola, C. L. (2014). Mobile devices and apps for health care professionals: Uses and benefits. P&T, 39(5), 356–364. https://doi.org/10.1037/2471-5030
- Vivek, S. D., Beatty, S., & Morgan, R. M. (2012). Customer engagement: Exploring customer relationships beyond purchase. The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 20(2), 127–145. https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679200201
- Willie, M. M., Musungwini, S., & Ocak, A. (2025). Building brand identity through digital marketing platforms and smart apps in medical schemes in South Africa. In Modeling the Relationship and Capabilities of Digital Marketing Inhibitors in Marketing (Chapter). IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1006125
- Willie M.M., Masanganyi M. (2024). Comparative analysis of healthcare coverage trends. World Medical Journal. 2024;70(4):54-6.
- Yin RK. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. 6th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
References
Adeoye, O. B., Okoye, C. C., Ofodile, O. C., & Ajayi-Nifise, A. (2024). Integrating artificial intelligence in personalised insurance products: A pathway to enhanced customer engagement. International Journal of Management & Entrepreneurship Research, 6(3), 502–511. https://doi.org/10.51594/ijmer.v6i3.840
Agustian, K., Mubarok, E. S., Zen, A., Malik, A. J., & others. (2023). The impact of digital transformation on business models and competitive advantage. Technology and Society Perspectives (TACIT, 1(2), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.61100/tacit.v1i2.55
Ataguba, J. E. (2021). The impact of financing health services on income inequality in an unequal society: The case of South Africa. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 19(5), 721-733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-021-00643-7
Bednarz, Z. (2022). The effects of extrinsic data collection on consumer behavior: Challenges facing Australian data protection law. UNSW UNSWorks. Retrieved from https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/download
Chaffey, D., & Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2019). Digital marketing: Strategy and implementation. Pearson Education.
Chakraborty, A., & Jain, V. (2022). Leveraging digital marketing and integrated marketing communications for brand building in emerging markets. Marketing Communications and Brand Development in Emerging Economies: Volume I. Palgrave Studies of Marketing in Emerging Economies, 281–305. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-88678-
Council for Medical Schemes. (2024). The CMS 2023 industry report. Retrieved from https://www.medicalschemes.co.za/the-cms-2023-indu
Council for Medical Schemes. (2023). Circular 50 of 2023: Industry report - Utilisation of health services by medical scheme members. Retrieved from https://www.medicalschemes.co.za/latest-publication
Craig, S. (2023). Leveraging the power of digital marketing in health care. Medical Economics, 100(11). Retrieved from https://www.medicaleconomics.com
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Dessart, L., Veloutsou, C., & Morgan-Thomas, A. (2015). Consumer engagement in online brand communities: A social media perspective. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 24(1), 28-42.
Eckert, C., Neunsinger, C., & Osterrieder, K. (2022). Managing customer satisfaction: Digital applications for insurance companies. Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, 47(7), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41288-021-00257-z
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550.
Eling, M., & Lehmann, M. (2018). The impact of digitalisation on the insurance value chain and the insurability of risks. Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, 43(3), 359–396. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41288-017-0073-0
Eslami, S. P. (2022). Understanding consumer engagement in social media. Journal of Business Research, 148 (162), 410–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.05.109
Filkins, B. L., Kim, J. Y., Roberts, B., Armstrong, W., Miller, M. A., Hultner, M. L., Castillo, A. P., Ducom, J. C., Topol, E. J., & Steinhubl, S. R. (2016). Privacy and security in the era of digital health: What should translational researchers know and do about it? American Journal of Translational Research, 8(3), 1560–1580. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27186282
Goic, M., Rojas, A., & Saavedra, I. (2021). The effectiveness of triggered e-mail marketing in addressing browse abandonments. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 55 (C), 118–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2021.02.002
Harmeling, C., Moffett, J., Arnold, M., & Carlson, B. D. (2016). Toward a theory of customer engagement marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 45(3), 312–335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-016-0509-2
Hollebeek, L. D. (2011). Demystifying customer brand engagement: Exploring the loyalty nexus. Journal of Marketing Management, 27(7–8), 785–807. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2011.596505
Jamil, K., Dunnan, L., Gul, R. F., Shehzad, M. U., Gillani, S. H. M., & Awan, F. H. (2022). Role of social media marketing activities in influencing customer intentions: A perspective of a new emerging era. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 808525. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.808525
Kajwang, B. (2022). Effects of digital marketing practices on performance of the insurance sector: A critical approach with a review. International Journal of Business Ecosystem and Strategy, 4(4), 89–95. https://doi.org/10.36096/ijbes.v4i4.357
Krames. (2022, February 16). Importance of digital marketing in healthcare. WebMD Ignite. https://www.webmdignite.com/importance-of-digital-marketing-in-healthcare
Lim, W. M. (2022). Customer engagement and social media: Revisiting the past to inform the future. Journal of Business Research, 148 (C), 325–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.068
Loureiro, S. M. C., Kaufmann, H. R., & Vrontis, D. (2012). Brand emotional connection and loyalty. Journal of Brand Management, 20(1), 13–27. https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2012.3
Mpinganjira, M. (2016). Influencing consumer engagement in online customer communities: The role of interactivity. Acta Commer, 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v16i1.381
Nobile, T., & Cantoni, L. (2023). Personalisation (in)effectiveness in e-mail marketing. Digital Business, 3(1), 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.digbus.2023.100058
Nuseir, M. T., El-Refae, G. A., Aljumah, A. I., Al Kurdi, B., & others. (2023). Digital marketing strategies and the impact on customer experience: A systematic review. In The Effect of Information Technology on Business and Marketing Intelligence Systems (pp. 25–47). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12382-5_2
Patton, M. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Paul, J., Ueno, A., Dennis, C., Alamanos, E., Curtis, L., Foroudi, P., Kacprzak, A., Kunz, W. H., Liu, J., & Marvi, R. (2024). Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary perspective and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.13015
Paul, M., Maglaras, L., Ferrag, M. A., & Almomani, I. (2023). Digitisation of healthcare sector: A study on privacy and security concerns. ICT Express, 9(4), 571–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icte.2023.02.007
Qurtubi, Q., Febrianti, M. A., Sugarindra, M., Suyanto, M., & others. (2022). The impact of digital marketing: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM, 16(13), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v16i13.30609
Rodrigues, J., & Martinez, S. (2019). Personalisation in mobile marketing: Implications for health insurance. International Journal of Mobile Marketing, 14(3), 43-55.
Sabbagh, F. (2021). E-mail marketing: The most important advantages and disadvantages. Journal of Economics and Technology Research, 2(3), 14. https://doi.org/10.22158/jetr.v2n3p14
Şenyapar, H. N. D. (2024). Healthcare marketing evolution: A comprehensive exploration of new-age strategies and patient-centric paradigms. Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi, 25(3), 440 – 455.https://doi.org/10.37880/cumuiibf.1429844
Shojaei, P., Vlahu-Gjorgievska, E., & Chow, Y.-W. (2024). Security and privacy of technologies in health information systems: A systematic literature review. Computers, 13(2), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13020041
Shotarova, Z. (2023). Leveraging technology to enhance healthcare access: Lessons from European leaders and challenges in Bulgaria. Journal of Management Sciences and Applications, 2(1), 169–174. Retrieved from https://jomsa.science/index.php/jomsa/article/view/32
Stake, R. (1995). Case researcher roles: The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Statista. (2023). Social media adoption rates worldwide: Global Digital Report 2023.
Stoumpos, A. I., Kitsios, F., & Talias, M. A. (2023). Digital transformation in healthcare: Technology acceptance and its applications. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043407
Thomas, J. S., Chen, C., & Iacobucci, D. (2022). E-mail marketing as a tool for strategic persuasion. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 57(3), 377–392. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968221095552
Tiago, M. T. P. M. B., & Veríssimo, J. M. C. (2014). Digital marketing and social media: Why bother? Business Horizons, 57(6), 703–708.
Tuti, M., & Sulistia, V. (2022). The customer engagement effect on customer satisfaction and brand trust and its impact on brand loyalty. Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 13(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.18196/mb.v13i1.12518
Ventola, C. L. (2014). Mobile devices and apps for health care professionals: Uses and benefits. P&T, 39(5), 356–364. https://doi.org/10.1037/2471-5030
Vivek, S. D., Beatty, S., & Morgan, R. M. (2012). Customer engagement: Exploring customer relationships beyond purchase. The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 20(2), 127–145. https://doi.org/10.2753/MTP1069-6679200201
Willie, M. M., Musungwini, S., & Ocak, A. (2025). Building brand identity through digital marketing platforms and smart apps in medical schemes in South Africa. In Modeling the Relationship and Capabilities of Digital Marketing Inhibitors in Marketing (Chapter). IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1006125
Willie M.M., Masanganyi M. (2024). Comparative analysis of healthcare coverage trends. World Medical Journal. 2024;70(4):54-6.
Yin RK. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. 6th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.