The healthcare industry has continued to expand at a rapid rate. To navigate this complex landscape, pharmaceutical companies have accelerated their digital transformation to foster deeper connections with healthcare professionals.
By actively incorporating digital trends into marketing and content strategies, pharma brands can stand out from the crowd. This article delves into a strategic framework designed to empower pharmaceutical companies to effectively reach and engage healthcare professionals and specialists through digital channels.
Understanding the current market landscape
The healthcare environment is undergoing significant transformation, driven by changes to buying behaviour through the pandemic, the increasing pace of digitisation and the proliferation of technologies such as AI. This shift has led to a strong desire for on-demand access to personalised information through online channels. The following key trends are shaping the healthcare professional (HCP) environment:
Digitally Native HCPs: Having grown up with digital products and social media experiences, a significant portion of HCPs are now digital natives. As a result, personalised, relevant, and seamless experiences are expected to be the norm.
Demand for Omnichannel Engagement: Success in engaging HCPs hinges on using the right audience-specific content and channels at the right times. Omnichannel replaces more traditional multichannel methods by integrating and coordinating the customer experience, supported by a feedback loop to assess engagement efficacy.
Need for Personalisation and Agility: HCPs require personalised content that addresses their specific questions and needs, delivered through convenient channels right when it is needed.
Challenges in pharmaceutical content strategy
The digital healthcare market's proliferation presents significant opportunities for companies, but also some significant challenges. With about 70,000 healthcare Google searches per minute, a content strategy is critical to ensuring you can stand out from the crowd.
Simply having a content strategy is just the beginning, and pharmaceutical companies face several challenges in developing a successful one:
Lack of Channel-Specific Content: Instead of tailoring content to specific channels and audience segments, we often reuse and repackage it inappropriately. Online marketing content does not replace content designed for other channels and should be complimentary and supportive of an omnichannel approach.
Poor Orchestration of Channels: To improve learning and engagement, there is a need for better coordination across channels. Understanding a customer’s full patient experience (from search and research to treatment and ongoing use of services) will support better coordination across channels.
Resource Intensive Customisation: Developing segmented and personalised content is time-consuming and costly. Integrating social media and using technologies such as AI to automate personalised content can help reduce costs and increase reach.
The Pillars of a successful omnichannel strategy
Healthcare professionals will interact with a variety of channels through a buying lifecycle. As a result, there will be a demand for ongoing personalisation and efficiency through each interaction to ensure seamless interaction across channels. An omnichannel strategy enables companies to deliver a customer experience across all channels (e.g. web, mobile, social or in-person).
For pharmaceutical brands, embracing a true omnichannel strategy is crucial for effective HCP engagement based on the following pillars:
Deep Customer Knowledge: Understanding the unique needs and preferences of different HCP segments.
Mastery of Relevant Channels: Utilising the most effective channels for reaching HCPs and delivering content.
Trust: In sharing data across channels in order to personalise the experience, trust that privacy and confidentiality are maintained is critical.
Powerful Content for Each Channel: Creating compelling content tailored to each specific channel and audience segment.
Highly Coordinated Actions: Ensuring seamless coordination across all channels to deliver a cohesive experience.
Data-Driven Adaptation: Continuously learning and adapting based on data and feedback.
Tailoring Content for Specialty Needs
In such a crowded marketplace, pharmaceutical brands must tailor their content to specific (or multiple) HCP specialists. Personalisation engages customers, increases satisfaction and is critical as a key area of focus in a content strategy. Equally, focusing on your target audience and developing a personalisation approach will ensure that you can establish the right content for the right healthcare professionals.
Some examples of content strategies for target audiences across different specialisations include:
Endocrinologists: Provide the latest clinical data, case studies, and patient resources through online videos, podcasts, and newsletters.
Immunologists: Offer robust data and updates through webinars, practical content like prescribing guides, and downloadable patient resources.
Dermatologists: Deliver scientific and practical information via expert videos, practical support tools, and educational events.
Medical Oncologists: Supply specialist data, case studies, and KOL opinions in various shareable formats.
Surgeons: Provide concise clinical data and summaries through short videos, webinars, and guideline updates.
General Practitioners (GPs): Focus on practical patient support materials, CPD-accredited learning, and event highlights.
Haematologists: Deliver personalised communication about clinical updates, new data, and patient support materials.
Neurologists: Provide product support and patient access to information through genetic testing and home infusion guides.
Respiratory Specialists: Engage through conferences, case studies, and patient support materials.
Nurses: Offer specialist-level information, practical care materials, and accredited education.
Cardiologists: Supply data, clinical updates, and practical resources for smarter work.
Content formats
To maximise HCP engagement, pharmaceutical brands should use a variety of content formats and channels, including:
eLearning Modules: Provide educational content on common topics within HCP practices.
Webinars and Videos: Offer on-demand sessions and short, digestible videos from KOLs.
Articles: Publish both long-form and short-form articles as well as Q&A pieces with industry experts.
Toolkits: Create practical clinic and disease-specific toolkits for HCPs (available in digital and physical formats).
Online advertising: Targeted brand positioning, informative or themed (related to events or areas of public concern) via search engines, forums or frequently visited sites (such as conferences or research hubs).
Infographics and PI Updates: Provide visually appealing and informative content for quick reference.
Continuous Improvement and Content Repurposing
A key aspect of a successful content strategy is the ability to continuously improve and repurpose content across channels. Data is, as always, key therefore ensuring your content includes tracking and measurement tools to gauge effectiveness is critical. Tools such as Google Analytics are accessible and relatively easy to use to access a wide variety of data that can be interpreted to derive insights. AI platforms such as Emarsys can provide further value by automating analysis and incorporating feedback into more personalised content development.
By decoupling content creation from production, pharmaceutical brands can optimise both processes and ensure that content is adjustable and distributable across different platforms.
Measuring Success (KPIs)
To measure the success of content strategies, pharmaceutical companies should focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as awareness, action, and advocacy. Important metrics include:
Reach and Frequency: Assessing the effectiveness of all channels, including owned, earned, and paid.
Channel Optimisation: Determining which channels work best for specific audiences, content types, and moments.
UX Optimisation: Enhancing user journeys to create deeper engagement opportunities.
Conversion Metrics: Driving conversions against key commercial metrics like registrations and prescribing preferences.
Engagement Metrics: Monitoring visits, bounce rates, time on site, pages per session, returning users, eDM click-to-open rates, database growth, and MSL interactions.
HCP Satisfaction: Assessing HCP satisfaction using the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and on-site surveys, as well as understanding the impact of channel attribution on prescribing preferences.
Targeting content to HCPs and specialists requires a strategic approach that embraces digital tools, personalisation, and omnichannel engagement. By understanding the needs of different HCP segments and utilising a variety of content formats and channels, pharmaceutical brands can enhance their engagement efforts and drive meaningful interactions with healthcare professionals.
By leveraging the insights and strategies outlined in this article, pharmaceutical companies can create an effective content strategy that resonates with HCPs, ultimately fostering better relationships and driving improved healthcare outcomes.
If you are a brand / marketing / digital leader or digital product owner looking to gain a competitive edge in the pharmaceutical industry and push the boundaries of digital possibilities, our newest whitepaper "Pharma's Digital Future: How Pharma can Engage HCPs in 2025" is for you.
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