Last Updated: 03/08/2024
When it comes to marketing a medical device or new healthcare product, social media is not typically the go-to strategy. However, social media strategies for healthcare are the new norm. After COVID-19, face-to-face time between sales reps and doctors has become severely limited. Suddenly, social media platforms have emerged as the best way to get products in front of both medical professionals and consumers.
In a traditional setting, medical marketers are primarily speaking to doctors and preparing sales pitches accordingly. Reps hit the circuit prepared with data, statistics, demonstrations, and free samples to entice HCPs to try their new product. These medical professionals, acting as a middleman and a trusted source, would then educate their patients about the new products and services and prescribe or utilize them in their offices.
With the tables turned over the last four years, there has been a scramble to figure out how to effectively and efficiently reach the consumer when reps and HCPs have been essentially taken out of the picture. Social media has become the solution to make this happen. While there has been somewhat of a return to normal, face-to-face interactions have become a thing of the past for many day-to-day activities.
Studies show that online communities do indeed play a bigger role than ever in how people make health decisions and self-diagnose. With that being the case, it’s extremely important to be a voice of professionalism and science to cut through all the noise and misinformation. We believe that the path forward will primarily be digital and conversations will be taking place on social media platforms.
Making this switch has been a difficult task for many med-tech and healthcare brands. There are so many things to consider for a company that is moving into this new landscape, and success is dependent on how quickly you can adapt and move forward. Who are you speaking to? What is your brand voice and messaging? Is the content geared toward consumers or HCPs? What legal technicalities do you need to be aware of?
XDS has helped and continues to help our clients pivot in what is emerging as the new normal in healthcare marketing. We have put together some insights to break down the complex landscape that is social media and best practices for moving forward with success.
“Whether It’s B2B or B2C, at the end of the day in social media marketing it’s 'B2H,' business to human connection. In other words, there’s always a person behind each social profile that you’re looking to connect with, so it’s important to keep content engaging. This will allow you to create a deeper connection to your followers and elevate your brand voice to be more personal and interactive. Humanizing social media is important to grow your brand.” – Angela, XDS Social Media Manager
To understand the importance of a social media strategy in healthcare, let's first take a look at the user journey. When your car breaks down, you call a mechanic. Legal issue? You reach out to a lawyer. Buying a house, you’ve got a realtor on speed dial! Now, when you have a medical issue, what is the first thing you do? Do you dial your HCP or do you turn to Google? Google it is!
In fact, studies show that 65% of the people surveyed by Big Think do in fact hit Google to research their symptoms and begin the journey of self-diagnosis. You chat with friends and family and look to health and wellness gurus online. You try home remedies, self-prescribed drugs, lifestyle changes, dietary restrictions, miracle ointments, and elixirs! Your doctor is typically the last on the list and often the last resort.
Why is this the case? The information is out there, and we all have access. If we can educate ourselves and do some digging to decide what is best for our bodies, we want to feel that we have the power to take care of ourselves and make educated decisions.
Through Google searches and connecting with others in niche communities on social media, we are able to find people who understand our issues both physically and emotionally and are on the same journey as we are. We take comfort in that community and trust their opinions and recommendations.
For a business, that means having social pages up and running to satisfy the needs of today’s digital-savvy consumers who are using these platforms to evaluate services or products that interest them is a must. If a user hits your page, they will automatically form opinions about your brand based on how credible and professional your social pages look and what your messaging is.
When we hit up that Google search bar, do your website and blog have content that will populate? This is where pharma SEO and social media tie together.
Through social media, we can target those consumers with ads if they are engaging with your content. Ad algorithms on social platforms also allow us to target those interested in topics relevant to your product or services. What people search for online and the ability to target them with ads on social media play a huge role in your brand’s exposure and engagement.
Now that we can target your audience on social media, we can reach them with ads and boosted content. Much like healthcare PPC search ads, these social media promotions are pivotal for initial clicks, but the journey doesn't end there. Once they click, they will do a lot of research and dig into what you have to offer.
More often than not, consumers will turn to social platforms to learn more about your product and services and connect with others who are familiar with it seeking out feedback. With that being said, you not only need a presence on social media, but your pages need to be on point with clear messaging, a cohesive brand image, and consistent posts that are getting engagement, likes, and comments. If all the pieces are not in place, it can discredit your brand and create mistrust.
Posting and running ads is just the beginning. Having an active voice is critical. Responding to comments, chiming in on relevant conversations, re-sharing content, and connecting with groups, influencers, and like-minded people is key for a social media strategy in healthcare. Building a recognizable and trusted voice in the social landscape builds brand recognition, reputation, engagement, authority, and loyalty.
Using branded hashtags, industry hashtags, and campaign hashtags all add to your searchability. Researching competitor hashtags and relevant influencer hashtags can also give you some insights into what hashtags you should include. Also, keep an eye on trending hashtags and be sure to include them if they are relevant.
“It is crucial to present a cohesive and consistent brand image across all of your social channels. This could possibly be one of the first touchpoints for your audience and they will immediately form an opinion based on what they see. Social media is a valuable tool for businesses and a key component of successful digital marketing strategies. It guides a positive user experience, inspires conversations, and is a necessary asset for building brand awareness and increasing engagement. Todays’ digital-savvy consumers use social media to evaluate products and services and it’s more important than ever for all brands to have a voice, stand out in a saturated medical landscape and stay top of mind while building recognition, reputation, authority, and loyalty.” – Kristin, XDS Marketing
“Add value, not noise! Are you adding to the conversation or are you making noise? Plan, learn, connect, and engage. Plan ahead and set your team up for success to navigate unforeseen events, including what to do and what not to do, to avoid panic-based decision making. Learn which social networks/platforms your audience uses and what people are talking about and join the conversation. Connect with your target audience and humanize your brand. Engage with dialogue, not a monologue. Prioritize your target audience. Research their needs, wants, questions, and behaviors. A strong social presence and a strong brand personality don’t happen overnight.” – Aly, XDS Strategist
“Videos tend to do better than static-driven graphics (that’s because the human brain is wired to consume visual content). Statistically, people like to watch things, movement catches their eye and gains their attention so they don’t scroll away quickly. For videos that have audio, I highly recommend subtitles or at least some type of text that alludes to the video’s content. The majority of people have their volume off when scrolling social. Subtitles are also a good idea from an accessibility standpoint.” – Megan, XDS Associate Designer
“I try to use imagery that is hopeful and empowering as opposed to showing imagery of sick or depressed looking people. The patients don’t need to see the 'problem' because they are already experiencing it. Showing them a hopeful, healthier future resonates better and focuses on the 'after' in a 'before and after' comparison.” – Sara, XDS Associate Designer
“Your audience will have an experience when they see/click a social ad. Plan out the messaging and make sure the experience is clear, easy, and consistent. Having ad copy and ad visuals that align with the landing page that users will visit when they click the ad adds to the overall brand consistency and user experience. The ad copy and landing page should have a clear, obvious next step for the audience to take like a submission form or downloadable content, etc. Make it easy for your audience to convert! ” – Aly, XDS Strategist
By now, most businesses have realized that it’s a pay-to-play world when it comes to reaching consumers online, and relying solely on organic reach is no longer a viable option. However, without having a substantial content marketing strategy, social media presence, and an optimized website, your money won’t go as far as it could.
Paid tactics alone may get you noticed but to truly see an increased ROI your brand needs to be credible. Money may drive traffic, but the quality of content is what keeps consumers engaged on your pages and inspires them to learn more and trust your brand. So not only is content a key factor to enhance your paid spend, but the quality of the content is the driving component of success.
By utilizing best practices, a brand can elevate their reach and engagement, establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry and get more bang for their buck in the ad space.
Success comes from reaching a very niche audience rather than trying to the reach masses. A small yet engaged audience trumps a larger audience when it comes to ads.
is a great way to feel things out. Start with what you know, or think you know and then allow A/B test variables to take your ads from good to great.
If you see a certain audience highly engaged or a certain post or topic that is performing extremely well from an engagement standpoint, run with it. This is a great place to consider doing a campaign built around that post or topic or group of people.
This will allow your social media team to act quickly and throw some money behind a well-performing post. Boosted posts work best in 24 hours. Past that window, consider creating a new ad inspired by the well-performing content. We have seen our clients get significantly more value and ROI utilizing fresh content for social ads instead of using an expired organic post.
While you may not be seeing the exact result you were looking for in click-through rates, keep in mind, if the engagement is there and your sales are increasing, the ads are working. Tracking the view-through rate isn't an exact science, but we do know that if we are getting eyes on an ad, it keeps your brand top of mind. Users will often come back to a site later on or type the name of your company, product, or service into the search bar from memory to learn more, shop, and explore.
Whether you are in the process of kicking off your social pages or are in need of an overhaul, XDS has worked with several med-tech companies to get the ball rolling.
The Experience Design Studio is an award-winning digitally native customer experience agency founded in 2017 by two agency veterans, bringing their collective creative, user experience, marketing, technology, and healthcare expertise together. XDS is a full-service digital agency providing strategy to creation, consulting, design, engineering, marketing, and analytics, with the aim of providing seamless customer, patient, and HCP experiences across all digital touchpoints, with common sense, sprinkled in. Looking for help creating a social media strategy in healthcare? Contact XDS today!