In 2022 the healthcare industry (and the world generally!) continued the move to digital, which raised the challenge of how to connect more effectively and comprehensively with HCPs online.
Combined with privacy updates and a more digitally savvy audience, previously effective marketing methods have seen increasing costs and lowered ROI in 2022.
So where to go in 2023 to better connect with your HCP audience in a way that gives you clear metrics to measure ROI and engagement?
Include these 4 new healthcare and life science marketing trends to create trusted digital relationships with your HCPs.
1. Hosted Content
What is it?
At its simplest, this is placing content, be it video, CME, articles or infographics, about your brand (DSE, DSA or branded) on another platform to increase eyeballs and exposure.
📌 We explain it in more detail here in our Guide to Hosted Content article.
Why it’s important
Because it prioritizes the HCP’s preferences; for content format and where they choose to spend time online.
According to the Taking the Pulse U.S. 2017 study, pharma websites are seen as too focused on advertising and, as a result, just 27% of physicians find pharma websites to be a credible source of professional information, compared to 77% who viewed independent HCP-facing websites as credible.
With recent changes to Apple, Android and Chrome operating systems, as well as increased local legislation regarding cookie acceptance, tracking each click is becoming harder. But hosted content takes advantage of the relationship already established between the HCP and the platform to give you more information about who is engaging with your content.
Trust and credibility are the biggest concerns raised by HCPs in accessing information online. So putting your content where they already look for and trust the content means a higher rate of engagement.
There are also multiple formats available – video, animation, podcast, CME, webinars, patient case studies, infographics, podcasts, articles, interactive quizzes . . . the list is almost endless. And each one is designed to catch and hold the attention of your HCP.
2. Professional Social Networks
What is it?
HCP or medical social networks with membership available to verified HCPs only. These provide confidential, online peer-to-peer networks.
Some networks focus on CME, others on patient case studies, and some on a specific region or language. But all require verification of professional status for membership and entry.
📌 For a full detailed list download our Whitepaper on Medical Social Networks.
Why it matters
In our new age of reduced social interaction, fewer in-person events and more telehealth, HCPs are increasingly searching for a digital space where they can interact with their peers while maintaining professional codes of conduct.
Protecting patient confidentiality is a key topic for HCPs. This means most big, general social networks aren’t suitable for peer-to-peer discussions about patient cases.
Local legislation also requires that certain information only be provided to verified HCPs, making the general social media platforms such as Twitter or LinkedIn unsuitable for much-branded information.
While on these HCP social networks users are still in “work mode”, specifically looking for content and information relevant to their current caseload and supporting their peers. Disease information and prescribing guidelines are key topics.
Within these networks, HCPs have often completed a user profile with their speciality and other key information as well as consented to cookies and permitted tracking.
So you get verified HCPs, their key information and the metrics. All you have to do is provide engaging content in the preferred format for the platform.
3. Customer profiling
What is it?
The key to a customer-centric approach is knowing your customer!
Understanding the digital landscape where your customer lives means you can be where they are online, providing the content they are interested in, in the format they prefer.
Why it matters
With more and more time spent online, HCPs are becoming increasingly digitally savvy and aware. They know what they are interested in and how to ignore the rest.
It’s a dilemma – tracking information is diminishing, but the need for personalisation of content is increasing.
So providing content that speaks to their specific and unique needs and interests is key to successful customer engagement.
4. Bite size content
What is it?
Time-poor HCPs want short, easy-to-digest content. Think videos in 3-4 minute chunks, articles with summaries at the top and clear bullet points to scan, and podcasts they can listen to on the move.
Why it matters
Increased pressure on time, combined with rapidly evolving guidelines means HCPs have to keep up with a lot of information while juggling a larger caseload.
So, to keep their attention while you convey your key points, you need to present them in a content format that HCPs can digest quickly.
Creating content that is easily and quickly consumed digitally, and more and more via smartphone, is key to strong HCP engagement.
Make it quick, make it clear and make it work on a smartphone!
These 4 trends will shape digital communication with HCPs in 2023.
