Oct 16, 2008 - HBA Metro - Taking the Plunge into Social Media: It’s Time for the Healthcare Industry to (Cautiously) Embrace Web 2.0
By Michele Baer
It’s no exaggeration to say that the Internet has radically changed our world.
Think about life 10 years ago. Who could have imagined turning to your computer for such diverse activities as reading breaking news updates, downloading music, registering to vote and buying everything from airline tickets to groceries?
But perhaps even more amazing is the power of Web 2.0 – or as some call it, social media – which allows users of the Internet (you and me!) to generate our own content, build online communities and networks with colleagues, friends or even complete strangers and get access to unprecedented information. YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook indeed have become household names.
It shouldn’t be surprising to any of us in the healthcare field that Americans are hungry – very hungry – for health information. The Pew Internet & American Life Project estimates that a staggering 75% to 80% of Internet users look online for health information1. And those who are living with a disability or chronic condition – such as heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis or arthritis – are even more likely to go online to do health research and to report significant impacts from those searches. The Pew study shows that 75% of patients with a chronic condition say their last health search affected a decision about how to treat a health problem; 69% report that information led them to ask a doctor new questions or to get a second opinion.
What’s important for healthcare marketers to note is that patients are not only consuming health information, they also are creating it – thanks to simple online tools that allow people to write blogs, post on message boards and even start online support groups with others who suffer similar conditions. Make no mistake: patients feel empowered by information and many are eager to share their medical knowledge with others.
Hazy Regulatory Hurdles?
Yet despite passionate consumers, the healthcare industry largely has stood on the sidelines as most other industries have begun to utilize social media tools to engage their key audiences online. Clearly, in a field as highly regulated as ours, there are hurdles, and many regulatory and legal professionals in healthcare are waiting for some guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about how to navigate Web promotions.
What is clear is that the standard regulations for traditional consumer advertising certainly apply. And what is also clear is that FDA is watching social media promotions and is taking it seriously. In fact, this fall, the agency issued a warning letter to a large pharmaceutical company for overstating efficacy in a YouTube video of its celebrity spokesperson and mandated that it cease distribution of the video immediately.
Early Adopters: The Best of the Best
But don’t let regulatory murkiness put the brakes on your plans to engage consumers online just yet. Be inspired by some innovative early adopters who have harnessed the power of Web 2.0 to reach and inspire many:
- AstraZeneca created the “Celebration Chain” Website to promote breast cancer awareness. The site, branded with the company’s Arimidex® drug, allows users to create virtual paper dolls and to send them online to women fighting breast cancer. AstraZeneca donates $1 for each new doll created, up to $25,000, to charity.
www.celebrationchain.com
- Johnson & Johnson launched a new Facebook application this summer called Acuminder, which reminds members when it’s time to change their contact lenses, buy new lenses and even schedule their annual eye exam.
www.acuminder.com/facebook
- The President and CEO of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center hosts a much-followed blog called “Running a Hospital.” At times contentious and at others inspiring, Paul Levy’s blog demonstrates one senior manager’s willingness to embrace Web 2.0 and to put a unique spin on policy and management issues.
www.runningahospital.blogspot.com
- Last winter, Novartis sponsored a flu awareness film contest on YouTube called “Fluflix” to promote its flu awareness resource, FluSource, and its Fluvirin® vaccine. The contest received 60 entries, which were screened by a system administrator prior to posting to avoid issues of adverse-event reporting.
www.youtube.com/contest/fluflix
The Smart Marketer’s Roadmap to Exploring Social Media
It’s time for smart marketers to take the plunge into social media – a place where you can engage, inspire and educate your consumers. Here’s your roadmap for your first trip down Web 2.0:
- Transparency is paramount
The first “rule” on the Web is to be transparent, whether you’re creating a Web presence of your own (a unique site or a mini-site on, say, Facebook) or posting comments on blogs or message boards. Be 100% upfront about your company or brand affiliations – all the time.
- Location, location, location
As with traditional marketing programs, your messages need to be compelling and targeted. But equally important in Web 2.0 is where to reach your key audience. Research where they are going on the web, and connect with them there.
- Be willing to interact
Social media, by definition, is not a one-way conversation. People can – and often will – comment on companies, brands and issues. Be prepared for it by setting your own parameters of what type of interaction is permissible on your site and what your company’s policy is about posting on others’ message boards and blogs.
- Determine metrics upfront
You wouldn’t launch a major advertising or public relations campaign without benchmarks on what spells success. The same should go for social media, even if the metric is modest initially. Some possible measurement parameters might include: time spent on a Web site, “stickiness” of a site, unique page visitors and tone analysis.
- Team up with your regulatory and legal colleagues
In the end, everyone’s goal is the same – to position your company for success. Partner with your regulatory and legal teams and involve them early on in your plans to incorporate Web 2.0 into your marketing mix. Return every “no” with “how can we make this work?”
Follow these steps, and soon, you just may be launching a successful and impactful social media initiative for your brand – with regulatory and legal blessing to boot!
Michele Baer is President and Founder of Baer Consulting Inc., a healthcare public relations and marketing communications firm based in northern New Jersey. She serves as the HBA Metro Chapter’s Public Relations Committee Chair.
1Pew Internet & American Life Project. “The Engaged E-Patient Population.” August 26, 2008.