Pharma Influencer Marketing
More and more often we look for health information online. For patients, this is an excellent opportunity to find information quickly and easily, but also to save money. The real opinions of people who have had a health problem and have experienced the care of professionals and certain drugs, gain considerable weight in virtual communities, where people facing the same health problem seek information. For this reason, pharmaceutical companies need to be present where these activities take place: online. One of the effects of the digital transformation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has been an intensified collective focus on health, which has resulted in an increased search (and production) of health-related content on social media. Let's discover more about Pharma Influencer Marketing.
Pharma Influencers
Influencers are successful personalities, popular on social networks and generally followed by the media, who are able to influence the behaviour and choices of a given audience' - have played a fundamental role in this process, so much so that the WHO has also entrusted them with the sharing of hygiene practices, such as proper hand washing and the importance of social distancing. This unprecedented use of the figure of the pharma influencer has facilitated the spread of pharma influencer marketing even among the pharmaceutical industry, which is normally more resistant to cultural innovation due to a (rightly) more rigid regulatory system.
What you can achieve with Pharma Influencer Marketing
One of the most effective - and topical - ways to participate in online discussions is to work with pharma influencers and use their reputations to get to the heart of the debate about medical advice and diagnosis.
While this is a new trend for Pharma Marketing in Italy, the need for increasingly engaging social content that really helps pharmaceutical companies stand out and differentiate themselves from the competition is already emerging. The common need is to have informative, accurate and effective content such as photos, posts, videos; but which, at the same time, complies with stricter rules and regulations.
What you need to start an Pharma Influencer Marketing Campaign
# 1 Know the rules
Get information on regulations on advertising medicines
Drug advertising regulations vary from country to country. In Italy they are regulated by AIFA. Click here to view the relevant regulations.
When it comes to promoting pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other healthcare products, there are certain disclaimers that must be included.
As with any paid partnership, clear disclosure is best practice, so you may find it appropriate to use Instagram's paid partnership tag.
# 2 Choose pharma influencers carefully
A-list influencer, macro influencer, micro influencer, nano influencer. There are many different types of pharma influencers, any of which can contribute to an pharma influencer marketing campaign in the pharmaceutical sector. However, what really matters is that the person(s) chosen to deliver a particular message are perfectly aligned with the brand's story and values to engage the audience.
#3 Prepare a clear brief
Pharma Influencer marketing helps pharma brands because pharma influencers (also known as creators) can share their personal health stories, but you should always make sure they are not contributing to unfounded claims. A clear brief is essential to enable influencers to comply with guidelines and know exactly what to say and what not to say.
#4 Use a content approval process
It's a good idea to approve influencers' images and captions before they publish their posts. This way you can always be sure that the content produced for each brand is in line with their approved messages.
#5 Authenticity is key
Encourage pharma influencers to write in their own tone - and on their own channels - without suggesting a copy-paste of a cold description, more suited to an old-fashioned product brochure than the dynamic online atmosphere. Encourage influencers to use clear and correct terminology, without resorting to anachronistic euphemisms, as it is important that health-related messages are taken seriously by the social audience.
#6 Doctors are also influencers
In influencer marketing, credibility is essential and in pharmaceuticals - when dealing with a sensitive subject like health - this is even more important. This is why doctors are not only listened to on social media by consumers, but can also influence their colleagues. In addition, choosing a health professional also means ensuring their ability to write quality scientific content.