Promote Biotech through Social Media

Biotech Companies and Individuals, who have embraced this technology have come to understand how essential--and powerful--social media has become for brand management. Biotechs should consider including Twitter in their social media plan, but not just because everyone else is doing it. It's a strategy that requires constant monitoring, and a real commitment to maintaining the relationships you build in the Twitter community. Here are a few things to keep in mind when building your Twitter presence.

Users don't want to hear from an unidentified corporate voice--they like to know there's a real person tweeting. Designate someone in your company to be the voice of your Twitter account. Once you have decided who will be the voice behind your identity, find your audience on Twitter. Observe how they speak and interact with each other, and use that knowledge to shape your account. Finally, focus on providing a service to your followers. Rather than simply blasting your latest press release, you should look to build communities and have conversations with those who have similar interests as you. The companies that are most successful on Twitter are those that join in on discussions, and provide valuable information to their audience--whether it's news from the company or a different source. 

What are the benefits of building a solid reputation within the Twitter space? Respect and attention. Companies can monitor discussion about their brand and get a sense of what news and information impacts their reputation. It's also a very affordable way for otherwise cash-strapped small biotechs to get their name out there in front of industry, journalists and consumers. "Respect is earned through repeated acts for micro-relevance. It can be earned 140 characters at a time."

Why Pharma Brands Use Google+

It is well known that pharmaceutical brands are often reluctant to use social media channels due to heavy industry regulations and fear of engaging with consumers in an uncontrolled space. However, here is a new platform that pharma brands may end up adopting more rapidly due to it having a number of ‘pharma-friendly’ features – Google+.

Google+ has launched branded pages. Given that they appear to be very similar to the ones on Facebook, numerous bloggers have criticised the new feature for being unoriginal. Nevertheless, a number of companies have decided to see for themselves how they could utilise this new social media channel. After using the page for a couple of days, we have spotted a number of advantages that Google+ has over Facebook that pharma brands can really embrace.

While it is unlikely that Google+ will eventually become a serious rival of Facebook, for pharma, Google+ can be of real value for a number of reasons:

1)      Privacy: 

A key difference between Facebook and Google+ is Google’s so called ‘Circles’. This feature addresses some key privacy concerns that Facebook has so far failed to tackle. These Circles allow brands to exercise control over what content is being shared with whom. What this means for pharma brands is that they can now reach out to specific interest groups by having separate patient/HCP circles for instance and thereby, they can easily block people from seeing certain pieces of content.

2)     ‘No Promotion – No Problem’: At present, Google+ does not allow promotions on pages. The content policy for Google+ Pages states that “you may not run contests, sweepstakers, offers, coupons or other such promotions directly on your Google+ page”. For many industries, this is devastating news, but for obvious reasons, pharma is not affected by this policy and does not have to worry about having their pages labelled as ‘uninteresting’ compared to other brands.

3)      Hangouts:

A ‘Hangout’ is essentially a group video chat, which is a truly unique feature to Google+. A company could host a ‘Hangout’ with their customers where they get to ask questions about products and services. Pharma could utilise this feature to keep key opinion leaders up to date on industry developments or use it as Q&A sessions for healthcare professionals.

4)    SEO benefits: While this benefit is not unique to pharma brands, it is nevertheless worth mentioning. Google+ pages are factored into Google search results and there is also a recently launched ‘direct connect’ search feature where by typing “+” ahead of a search, visitors can go directly to your page.

5)    A potentially more reliable alternative to Facebook?:

In August, Facebook’s new ‘no comment’ regulation has caused quite a stir in the pharma industry. By banning pages that do not allow comments from visitors, a number of pharma brands decided to quit Facebook altogether. Facebook has thereby proved to be a rather unpredictable platform and many pharma marketing professionals have come to hope that Google+ will offer a reliable alternative.

Pharma And Google+

When most of us think of social media, what first comes to mind may be platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or even the more professionally geared LinkedIn. But there's a new kid on the block, and pharma should be paying attention. I say 'new,' but you'll recognize the newcomer immediately: Internet search-colossus Google, who has just launched Google+ into the social media space.

The Google+ beta was released in a field trial in late June, and early indications are that the service incorporates features that might get pharma past some of the pitfalls associated with today's dominant platforms.

It's no secret that pharma and social media have made uncomfortable bedfellows. The social Web celebrates conversation. Pharma is wary of conversation. Pharma worries about saying the wrong thing; worries that someone else will say the wrong thing; worries that just by being in the social media space, it's going to get into trouble.

Lack of guidance from the regulatory bodies on either side of the Atlantic has fueled the anxiety, but the traditionally measured top-down communication style of pharma struggles with the informal call-and-response of social media interaction.

The clear disconnect between pharma and social media has some industry folk asking if it's time for pharma to withdraw graciously. Steve Woodruff, author of the Impactiviti blog and one of the first to bring social media to pharma's attention, posed the question in a recent blog post entitled, "Time to give up on pharma and Social Media."

I don't think so, and Woodruff doesn't either. Pharma needs to pull back from what Woodruff calls "public, interactive, real-time social media platforms" and realize that it can't use social media the way Justin Bieber or your local microbrewery use it.

What the Buzz is About

This is where Google+ is interesting and, potentially, a smarter social media option for pharma companies. Circles (groups), Sparks (suggested content), and Hangouts (private spaces) could be key features to allow marketers more control of the online environment in which they engage healthcare professionals and patients.

More than this, though, Google just seems that much more willing to work with pharma to create digital media services that meet the industry's unique concerns. From reportedly paying $500 million to settle a criminal investigation into unregulated pharmacy advertising, to reprogramming YouTube channels to allow pharma marketers to control adjacent videos, and suggesting pharma-specific ad formats directly to the FDA, Google sees pharma as a market worth working with.

In contrast, Facebook is forcing most pharma marketers to include comments on their Facebook pages, more concerned that the site continues to host open dialogue than dealing with pharma's worries about off-label postings.

Nothing is for certain on the Internet. Google+, with just 10 million users at press time, might just be too late to convert Facebook's more than 750 million users. And Google hasn't been entirely golden in the social media or health spaces—early efforts Wave and Buzz both were considered flops—and Google Health, a service designed to give people online access to their personal health and wellness information, is to be mothballed at the end of this year.

But Google is no ordinary Johnny-come-lately: According to Comscore, 180 million people visited Google sites (including YouTube) in May, compared with less than 160 million on Facebook. And while some in the industry might be asking whether it's time for pharma to throw in the towel on social media, I think things are just starting to get interesting. With the right tools, Google+ among them, and its own digital IQ, pharma will find its place in social media.

Tips on Social Media for Pharma Marketing

Educate everyone involved on the importance of social media for the company

– Begin the process by highlighting the need to be present in the social media world. The pharmaceutical industry has been hesitant about social for years. However, consumers will be talking about you whether you are there or not.

Stay in close contact with your legal team 

– Often times marketers and attorneys approach risk-reward scenarios with differing perspectives, working with your counsel is essential in social media marketing. Think creatively on how to advance your brand goals and provide your legal team with multiple campaigns. Find ways to problem solve with your counsel.

Stay on label and create options for sharing risk information in multiple formats

– Because the channels for sharing have changed, it doesn’t mean that pharmaceutical companies can omit risk information.

Create strong internal guidelines for social media objectives

– Prior to beginning any social media program, establish controls and expectations of staff that would be involved in public engagement. Much like our social media checklist, create a list of regulatory boundaries and potential scenarios where legal counsel would be notified of consumer concerns. Once approved, set frequent reviews of the social media program to identify potential pitfalls around key regulations like patient privacy or adverse events.

Tell human stories

– The importance of health is a universally shared value. Social media is driven by the inherent desire in people to seek connections. Identify compelling stories that highlight benefits of the medication. Success stories like these should be reviewed and submitted in compliance with established DDMAC process but, once approved, can be shared through social channels to demonstrate real impact in the lives of consumers and enhance public goodwill toward the company.

Why Social Media Must in Pharma Marketing

Social media marketing presents challenges for every company in defining the appropriate voice for the brand and how to engage. However, some companies are forced to work within much stricter guidelines such as those in heavily regulated industries. Does that mean social media shouldn’t be part of the marketing and communications mix? No.

  

Companies that are using fear of regulations or lack of guidance as an excuse to sit on the social media sidelines are missing out on important opportunities to enhance their online presence and connect with their customers. Fear should never be the driving factor for a business.Pharmaceutical marketing is highly regulated by the FDA and the Division of Drug Marketing and Communications (DDMAC).

  

Pharma marketing is extremely competitive and lacking in clear social media boundaries based on current regulatory guidance.

Yet some healthcare and pharma companies are doing good work in the space, finding ways to connect physicians via secure social networks to improve information sharing for example. In absence of definitive social media policy from the FDA, pharmaceutical companies need to work closely with their legal team along with marketing professionals (whether internal or external) with a strong understanding of social media engagement to ensure that the spirit of the laws are being followed despite a gray area until formal social media guidance is released.

  

Despite many of the logical concerns about discussing health issues in such a public forum, companies working within guidelines that have long applied to Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) advertising and patient communications can operate effectively. In 2010, of 52 warning and notice of violation letters sent from DDMAC to companies only one was issued in the social media space. Clearly if pharmaceutical companies follow existing marketing guidelines the risks aren’t off the charts.

  

Pharma companies need to think beyond direct product promotion when using social tools. Johnson & Johnson has created an active social presence that utilizes a blog focused on stories of employees, wellness information, and corporate content. The blog contains robust content and is supplemented with YouTube and Facebook pages. J&J also connects with with community members via communications staffer Marc Monseau who tweets on behalf of the brand in a more personal voice.