New Facebook Features Impact Pharma
Most people are well aware of the explosion of social media and its relevance in marketing today. For many reasons, the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries have been reluctant to dip a toe into the social media pool, even to test the waters, but for those who have, there are new features on Facebook that will impact the way pharma moves forward. The impact can be positive or negative. A closed door or an opportunity. It all depends on your perspective.
Recent changes made by Facebook eliminate the ability to block commenting and ‘Liking’ on Wall posts. In the past, pharma and healthcare companies were able to ask Facebook for a special exception that allowed them to prevent people from being able to Like or comment on their Wall posts. This was a convenient way to avoid having to deal with user comments that might refer to an adverse event or an off-label product.
Now that users can Like or comment on Wall posts, those discussions are no longer avoidable. Some companies have responded to the change by eliminating their pages altogether, while others seem to have embraced the change and have started to engage with people on Facebook—jumping in with both feet.
The wrong but understandable action would be to simply delete posts that companies fear may cause regulatory issues. But the bigger question is this: Wouldn’t pharma companies be better off by giving those people another option to get their questions answered? Hearing from patients online could be viewed as an opportunity if the strategy is right.
Facebook also added an additional feature that pharma and healthcare companies can possibly leverage to help them comply with government regulations. The feature adds a continuous ‘More Information’ section to the bottom of the Wall that can be used to add important safety information that will always be visible. This may be a way for companies to avoid having to include their canned disclaimer in every single response they post on their Wall.
By some estimates, 11% of US healthcare consumers use social networks to find or share health information. Not only are a large percentage of healthcare consumers seeking health information online, they are often using the internet for support and to find others who have experienced similar health issues. The rise of health advocacy and disease support pages on Facebook indicates there is an appetite for such support in social media channels.
While pharma companies may struggle to place a clear strategy on social media, the very idea that pharma can engage patients in meaningful conversation or dialogue on the web is also very optimistic. Web-based conversation can be ill-tempered, childish and superficial. This may not be the place where pharma can effectively communicate value to patients and society. As in any environment, real relationships and dialogue take time and commitment to build.
So the question remains: Does social media have a place in the marketing strategies for pharma and healthcare companies?
