#pharma keeping an audience involved requires keeping up with the rapid pace of trends


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#pharma the secret to staying engaged with your followers means you have to keep up with the trends in social media. Here are some trends you should be monitoring.

being proactive

  • companies not being directly called into action but you participate in the online discussion
  • an excellent example from Sanofi

influencer marketing is evolving

  • influencers more than your traditional testimonials have a lead in social media marketing

User-generated content (UGC) is more appreciated by the audience

  • UGC is more authentic
  • UGC is more creative

online advocacy

  • movements are created online

social media is where people go for news probably more than TV

#pharma how do you consume content


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#pharma how do you consume your content? Well then think of the content you produce and how you want your followers to consume your content.

what is content consumption?

  • basically how your online followers/audience read and interact with your content

who creates your content?

  • content marketing team(s):
    • team of content marketers, 
    • content creation resources, 
    • measuring if content is effective,
    • cross-channel integration
  • user-generated content marketing (UGC = user-generated content):
    • content created by your followers,
    • patient,
    •  physicians,
    • users online
  • advertising agency:
    • just recycle what you do on TV on social media platforms

do you create long or short-form content?

  • short is what content creators refer to as *snack-able* probably the best  for accessing content via mobile
  • long content for reading more in-depth

what pisses you off about the content you consume?

  • clickbait
  • spam
  • suggested recommendations
  • useless information

so how can you get people to read your content?

  • be an influencer 
  • be as social as you can
  • engage on social media platforms
  • create content with users (think patients and  UGC)
  • produce excellent content

the heart of a #pharma company demands more than advertising


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#pharma is your ad worth clicking (aka interruption marketing). Forget traditional advertising and think engagement marketing.

what is engagement marketing

how to think engagement marketing: content 

  • provide useful content
  • provide relevant content
  • provide content with value to your audience
  • publish high-quality content

how to think engagement marketing: be authentic

  • let employees tell the story not an agency
  • answer questions your followers ask
  • lead a conversation online
  • share thoughts via social media platforms

how to think engagement marketing: know your audience

  • consumers today are informed and savvy
  • consumers have more control over the content they want to see and receive
  • know what your followers are saying about you online
  • know what your followers are discussing online

how to think engagement marketing: have a social media team in place to handle engagement

  • have social media team work with all departments
  • make sure the social media team has the right workflow in place
  • social media team must have direct access to senior management to streamline and respond rapidly
  • have a social media team that cultivates a culture of content
  • a must for the social media team is social monitoring

#pharma questions the difference between a testimonial and an influencer


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Question from #pharma: “are testimonial and influencer the same thing?”

are testimonial and influencer the same thing

  • no

an influencer

  • creates online engagement
  • have started or created their careers online and their business model is built on their social media platforms
  • have a following and know their audience
  • are transparent about advertising

a testimonial

  • is a “recommendation” from a celebrity
  • usually, an actor, musician, athlete or other pop figure promotes a product
  • very expensive

what role if any do testimonials and influencers play in content marketing

  • consumers are spending more time online so there is more need for influencers
  • influencers can help to create content
  • influencers can A/B test online
  • influencers know their audience best
  • working with either influencers or testimonials good content is always a must

pharma whom to choose for online marketing

  • working with influencers is today the mainstream marketing approach to online marketing
  • with influencers, it is easier to reach your target audience
  • with influencers, you get more value for your money

#pharma needs to be thinking like a media company


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When big #pharma came to be there was no social media. In today’s digital age #pharma needs to have a social media mentality and to think like a media company.

what do we mean to be a media company

  • revenue is essentially based on audience

revenue is essentially based on audience

  • build interest on what your audience wants to see
  • are you helping them to solve a problem
  • remember it’s not about you

content marketing strategy and creating a connection are vital

  • are you giving value back to your audience
  • continue to give customers value before asking for something in return
  • create genuine and original content that is useful to them

just don’t be the commercial

  • don’t sell me something rather tell me about it, write about it
  • content does not have to be product-related
  • try to humanize your brand
  • you know viewers can opt-out of ads online

lots of competition

  • newsfeeds travel so fast, you need to be interesting to grab attention
  • remember to always ask yourself *would I share this with my followers*
  • learn from others/brands that have been successful
  • show true commitment and have a budget and the right people with expertise in-place

#pharma and the need to creating unique pieces of content


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Question from #pharma: should I post more content? My answer: No, but do post more unique pieces of content.

what do we mean by unique content

  • it is original
  • it is creative
  • it helps to answer questions
  • it provides useful information
  • it engages

why do you need content to be original

  • if you want to grab attention then you have to be original
  • it enables people to discover who you are and what you do

so where should you start

  • your audience will tell you
  • what are they talking about
  • what are they commenting on your feed
  • are you answering their questions or needs

can repurposed-content be original

  • hell yes, just create more original content

are traditional #pharma ads considered original content

  • ask yourself are people stopping to read or engage

some thoughts about kid influencers


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Could kid influencers one day collaborate with #pharma?

why kid influencers

  • social media is a big part of their life
  • they get how social media platforms work
  • some are doing it for the experience (for example making and editing videos)

parents are behind the kid influencers

  • there is a high level of parent involvement
  • parents are usually the ones working behind the scenes
  • kids can complete the package, where parents are already influencers

ethical concerns

  • audiences do not like to see kids used for profits
  • appropriate age would be teenager
  • cyberbullying is a concern
  • there is a need for more legal protection regarding:
    • earnings
    • work permits
    • limit of working hours
    • work not interfering with education

what are the benefits

  • they are authentic
  • they are likable
  • kids have a huge effect on online content creation
  • two audiences: children and parents, they view the same videos
  • kids can change how other kids feel about themselves (for example mental health, rare diseases)
  • they can also encourage other kids in the right direction if heading down the wrong path

Some famous kid influencers

  • the Parkland kids @AMarch4OurLives
  • Greta Thunberg @GretaThunberg