The Art of Marketing Dynamic Teledermatology and Artificial Intelligence Solutions

Innovations in digital dermatology dominated the conversation at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2026 Annual Meeting,¹ and you may have engaged in some of these dialogues. There are unique opportunities and potential minefields associated with such rapidly changing technologies.

In partnering with dermatology practices on a regular basis, our team has identified two categories within digital dermatology that are becoming increasingly impactful: teledermatology and artificial intelligence (AI). This article explains how you may approach these technologies from a marketing communications standpoint.

TELEDERMATOLOGY

If your team still tends to associate teledermatology services with pandemic-era relics, it is time to revisit your strategies on this front and potentially reprioritize related efforts. Within the “Leveraging Teledermatology to Improve Patient Access to Dermatologist-Level Care” session at the last AAD Annual Meeting, the merits of offerings such as video visits, portal messaging, and e-consults were discussed amid declining reimbursement.² In such an environment of change and uncertainty, the concept of working smarter and not harder has never been more relevant. By leveraging some of the tele-examples mentioned here, practices can preserve their revenue and work more efficiently amid increasingly narrow margins. So, teledermatology has potentially dramatic back-office benefits that are worth bolstering; however, it has vital front-office benefits related to your marketing communications strategy and results, too.

As you re-review potential new or enhanced applications for (and methods of delivering) teledermatology services, think in terms of your website and other digital communications channels. Always think about how you can promote, communicate, and better educate your patients and broader community about these offerings:

• Start from scratch as needed. Consider relaunching your teledermatology services. Ensure that the solutions you highlight in articles, blogs, announcements, and other content are current and reflect what you offer now, not what was offered in 2020 when you may have first introduced your services. The features and capabilities associated with these technologies never stand still, and you do not want to convey outdated information. It may give patients the wrong perception of your practice. It is better to be seen as a smart and savvy early adopter or innovator than as a dinosaur out of touch with healthcare consumers and technological demands.
• When conveying that information, isolate those features that would be most interesting or important to your patients. What is important to support your team’s operations from a back-office perspective may not resonate with patients unless you can clearly demonstrate how said feature or characteristic impacts and helps them.
• Patients’ comfort with technologies can vary dramatically based on personal preference and not just generational nuances. Remember this when crafting content. Even individuals who are “digital natives” may be dipping their toes into telehealth for the first time. With this in mind, it can be helpful to craft an FAQs section or guide on your website where your team answers common queries from patients about these services. A “how to” style guide may also walk the novice through what to expect from video visits, including how to prepare and the follow-up that may be involved afterward.
• Strong approaches to “Calls to Action” are essential when promoting teledermatology. Reassess how teledermatology is referenced and positioned within existing services pages and posts on specific treatments, products, conditions, and concerns. It is not enough to encourage readers to call your team to schedule an appointment at your physical office. Mention your e-visits and how they can get in touch with your team to start that process, ensuring each actionable item aligns with your current system, capabilities, and practice goals. It should be easy for individuals to find information about scheduling video visits. Banners and other graphics can help to heighten the visibility of these services. Visitors to your site should not need to search for an element that is so critical to boosting your conversion rate,³ transforming “lurkers” into loyal patients who then go on to be your best “brand ambassadors” (courtesy of referrals).

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Other sessions at AAD this year discussed AI as a significant technological area of focus. Much has been made of potential minefields associated with AI,⁴ to the point where you may be experiencing some AI fatigue. However, presentations at the meeting provided varied stances on the technology. On the positive side, presenters highlighted advancements in image analysis and diagnostic capabilities.⁵ On the cautionary side, presentations also alluded to an overreliance on AI resulting in “de-skilling,” or an erosion of clinical expertise. The concept of “never-skilling” was also referenced, a nod to how some trainees may never fully develop fundamental clinical skills because they are “AI natives.”

We see opportunities for positive applications and outcomes in all of these discussions. There is the obvious benefit of marketing how you are using AI for good, how it is a complement when diagnosing conditions but not a substitute for your clinical expertise. As it relates to such expertise, the aforementioned concepts of “de-skilling” and “never-skilling” may represent tremendous food for thought. Let them guide your approaches to learning and training. When you have distinctive approaches to training and continuing learning, they should be highlighted on your website and in other marketing materials in a way that boosts the Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) qualities that consumers value, and that gets rewarded by the search algorithms/ranking systems.⁶