Traditionally, sales representatives approach HCPs offline, but this is becoming less effective. HCPs obviously receive many visits and have little time to spare. Furthermore, many sales reps are now using Healthcare marketing digital technology like Veeva Engage to connect with HCPs. However, this only works if you are already in contact with HCPs. If not, you need different online channels to reach them.
This page shows some of the online marketing methods that we commonly use.
Our summarised approach: first, we study the product, segment, company, market and target audience. After that, we determine the online objective derived from the company’s objective. Now it’s time to establish KPIs, which will enable us to make the online objective measurable. In an online marketing strategy, we then describe the most effective way to reach the target group and achieve the objective with a selection of online channels and media. We subsequently implement the strategy ourselves, in partnership with the client.
There are three important phases when setting up an online campaign: research, strategy and concept.
Research
In the research phase, we look at the current online landscape. For example, a pharmaceutical company wants to set up an online campaign for a disease. This company does so by offering online tools to HCPs to help them make better diagnoses. In this case, it is essential to know what kind of online tools already exist and where the opportunities lie.
The research also reveals which keywords are used by the target audience in Google. Are the ones you initially thought of really the keywords they use? We also explore which social channels the target group uses, whether these are relevant for the campaign and how these can be used in the customer journey of the target audience.
Strategy
Extensive research is in fact the start of the HCP centric strategy phase. It’s now time for strategic considerations, an in-depth study of theoretical models, a selection of channels, etc. The intensity of this phase varies with each project. One client is keen to build on an existing online strategy, while another prefers to develop a strategy from scratch.
In the example above, the strategy offers insight into the relevant channels for promoting the online tools. The strategy also explains how a potential campaign website can be found on Google and what tone of voice is suitable.
Concept
In the concept phase, our creatives start to work. They read the research and the strategy and are given full rein to their creativity. For us, this is one of the most enjoyable phases. Brainstorming sessions produce ideas about the concept of the campaign. We usually develop different directions to present to the client.
This might include a concept that is mainly informative or one which plays on the emotional side of the HCP. Together with the client, we choose one direction which we elaborate fully.
Website At Medical Digitals, we make various website platforms for HCPs. In many cases, a platform is the centre of an online campaign. Here are some examples of website applications for HCPs.
Websites with HCP login To share medical content with HCPs, we make websites with a gated section, also known as an HCP portal. The area of the platform behind the login contains medical content about a disease or treatment method. We also make platforms on which the HCP content is public. These websites don't require a login. Instead, we ask the visitor whether they are a healthcare professional or not.
Landing pages for continuing medical education, webinars, online events We regularly develop independent web pages to promote continuing medical education (CME). This works as follows: through channels like LinkedIn and mailings, we send short, attractive articles about CME on behalf of our client. These messages contain a link to a landing page. Such a page is dedicated to generating enrollments for CME courses.
Custom-made email technology We use custom-made email technology to refer an HCP to medical content. This technology enables HCPs to view the content behind a login from a mailing. This is possible for email addresses verified by the pharmaceutical company (or other LSH companies). The HCP does not have to create an account, which lowers the threshold to view the content.
Product websites or product-specific pages within their own domain. We are also experienced in creating product websites and product pages. These might include websites and pages which have their own visual style and perhaps functions to share information about products.
High traffic & complex CMS For European online campaigns, we often see high volumes of traffic on one domain. Our systems, and the specialists behind them, guarantee that high traffic will not cause any problems. We are familiar with complex Content Management Systems (CMS). Over the years, we have got to know multiple systems, such as WordPress, Drupal, Umbraco, October and Sitecore. Furthermore, our talented developers are quickly able to adapt to new systems.
Corporate websites Many corporate websites of Life Sciences & Health companies are outdated. We still see non-responsive websites, non-user-friendly tools and dead links. Many web designs are also very old-fashioned. We understand that many local corporate websites are bound to rules from the global organisation. This makes it an interesting challenge for us to update and modernise the old corporate website. Often, there are more options than you think.
Content on the website Usually, we don’t just design and build platforms; we also provide all the content for it. This ensures the smooth progress of the project. Examples of content are website texts as well as photography, animations and videos. Alongside an entire team of copywriters, medical writers, designers, animators and photographers, we develop content for online applications.
Content is the main theme in every online campaign we implement.
We develop
● Website texts
● Blogs
● Whitepapers
● Banners
● Social posts
● Animation videos
● Videos
Specific approach We are specialised in the creation of textual and visual content for HCPs. This target group requires a specific approach. For example, a general practitioner expects a text at a certain medical level, including the use of the right words and citations. Speaking the same language as your target audience will build trust. If a pharmaceutical company introduces a new product, they obviously want to inform HCPs about it. In many cases, online content is a good way to do so. This content can consist of brochures, LinkedIn posts and email campaigns. For example, a pulmonologist uses LinkedIn to read about the latest developments in medical groups. By targeting this LinkedIn group, the pharmaceutical company can reach the pulmonologist through advertising with content about the new treatment. By clicking on the advertisement, the HCP will be directed to a landing page with all the relevant information. This way, the HCP can register for a webinar about the new treatment.
Online copywriters & medical writers Our team consists of online copywriters and medical writers. This combination ensures that texts are medically correct, easy to read and match the target group’s interests and expectations. We know that this is essential in the Life Sciences & Health sector. If it is required for the project, one of our search engine marketing specialists joins the team to write texts that are optimised for Google.
Online design In addition to copywriters and medical writers, our team also consists of visual designers who create corporate identities, animate videos and design social posts. These designers are involved in a campaign from the start. They create the visual campaign style and apply this to the various types of content.
The simplest definition of lead generation is: ‘Acquiring new potential clients.’ Nowadays, this is mainly done online. Particularly in a competitive market, generating high-quality leads is a necessity. Also in the LSH sector, online lead generation is becoming more common.
Lead generation is primarily about collecting data from someone in your target audience. For Life Sciences & Health, these might include:
But you cannot overlook the GDPR rules and regulations while managing the leads. To ensure compliant, reliable and relevant healthcare professional data, we partnered with OptInsights.
Together with OptInsights, we can help you collect, manage and integrate HCP data in an automated way according to data protection regulations (e.g. GDPR). It saves manual labour, improves data quality and increases coverage and reach.
Interested in a detailed handbook to reach HCPs through lead generation? Send us an email, and you will receive our whitepaper in your mailbox!
When we started Medical Digitals in 2010, social media was still in its infancy. Only a few companies in Life Sciences & Health were using social media as a marketing channel. Things have changed now. In today’s campaigns, social media is almost indispensable. It is an important part of reaching HCPs. HCP audiences are very active on social media. They check their newsfeeds on LinkedIn and Twitter for news, trends or new treatment methods.
Social media strategy To obtain a clear picture of the social media objective, a successful campaign always starts with a strategy. Likes, shares and clicks don’t just appear from nowhere. For us, analysing the target group, objectives and possibilities is the basis for a strategy. However, we don’t do this alone but together with the client. Our strategists need the client’s knowledge and experience to be able to provide decent advice. This advice focuses on various topics, like the channels that will be used, content type(s), visual style, tone of voice or advertising strategy.
Content creation for social media Stories, carousel posts, link images or videos. The possibilities on social media platforms grow by the day. However, the Life Sciences & Health sector is bound by strict rules. Our content specialists are aware of the latest trends and current legislation and regulations. This is essential in our eyes. This is the only way to create effective, rule-bound social content for Life Sciences & Health.
Community management and web care Social media is accessible to everyone. This means that every GP, nurse or medical specialist can respond to the content you publish. This might sound worrying, but it is an opportunity to create a connection with your target audience. We can help you do that. For example, by responding to questions and comments from the community. This keeps the community lively. Needless to say, all comments will only be posted after the approval of our client. Another essential element is a web care plan, which describes how to respond to comments, and a social media protocol. The social media protocol describes the specific procedure to be followed if an adverse event (AE) is mentioned. We have developed several web care strategies and social media protocols for both Dutch and European campaigns. This experience helps us to seamlessly align new protocols with the existing way of working regarding to reporting adverse effects.
To reach HCPs, it is essential to share content at the right moment and use the right channel. A whitepaper, animation, or social media post will lose its value if your target audience does not see it. Therefore, advertising deserves an important place in an online campaign. With online advertising, you can reach a specific target audience. There are numerous options. Following are some examples.
Social advertising Social media platforms have access to a lot of user data. This makes it possible to target very precisely. Therefore, every social media platform offers the possibility to advertise on it. One platform may do this more extensively than another. Besides standard advertising options on social media channels, we also use a different method: hypersegmentation. This is a refined method to reach a very specific group of HCPs on channels like LinkedIn and Twitter. Based on big data, the method provides insights into target audiences and creates a specific segmentation. This ensures efficient use of the budget. Would you like to know more about how hypersegmentation (micro-segmentation) works? We will be happy to explain this to you in a video call you or via email! Send an email to info@medicaldigitals.com or call +31 (0)20-3080208.
Google Ads Due to the speed of online, people expect to receive an answer to their questions in seconds. Therefore, an HCP won’t go to page two of Google. Therefore, you have to make sure that your content is visible at the top of the first page. Search Engine Advertising (SEA) makes this possible. This specialism ensures that your website appears directly above the organic search results. After performing the keyword research, we know exactly which keywords your target group uses. This means that the advertisement is only shown if the HCP uses specific keywords, increasing the relevance of impressions and clicks. Our specialists know where advertisements may be placed and can write advertising texts in such a way that they comply with legislation without missing out on results.
Native advertising GPs, pulmonologists or oncologists: different specialists who consult different websites to follow the latest developments in their field. The revenue model of these websites often consists of native advertising: offering sponsored content that is related to the subject of the platform. Because the sponsored content has the same look and feel as regular articles on the platform, the user experience is almost the same. This makes native advertising less intrusive than other types of advertising.
Search There are various ways you can generate website traffic. For example, advertisements on social media or links from external platforms. But in many cases, search engines are the main source of traffic. This is where many people start their search for information. As a marketer, you can ensure that your website is shown in the first couple of search results for keywords relevant to you. You can do this in two ways: organic and paid. In brief: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) activities contribute to the organic positions of your website in search engines. Search Engine Advertising (SEA) is the paid method to appear in search engines. Keyword research forms the basis for both SEO and SEA. Various keyword tools give us insights into the search behaviour of your target audiences. For example, a pharmaceutical company wants to target HCPs with an informative website about the treatment options for a skin disease. The content is public and appears before a login. What keywords do HCPs use when looking for information about this skin disease and the treatment options? What keywords are frequently used by competitors? These are important insights that determine the SEO and SEA strategy.
Search engine optimisation Our SEO specialists make sure that your website ranks well in search engines. A lot of factors are involved here. For example, the technology of a website. Is the website responsive to several devices? And does it have an SSL certificate? Content also plays an important role. Are the texts optimised for Google? And do the images have the right alt-tags in the CMS? Technology and content are part of the ‘on-site optimisation’. Getting relevant links to the website is the ‘off-site optimisation’. This both contributes to the authority of the website and the ranking in search engines.
PPC advertising PPC (pay per click) advertising is a form of online advertising that is usually linked to search engines. By using PPC advertising, you can ensure that your website is shown in the first couple of search results. Our specialists have experience with SEA in the Life Sciences & Health sector. This means that all ads will comply with rules and regulations without missing out on results.
