According to reports by InvestIndia.Gov.In, India’s pharmaceutical industry is expected to reach $65 billion by the end of 2024 and $130 billion by 2030. This meteoric rise not only underscores the industry’s immense growth potential but also its pivotal role on the global stage.
As India emerges as a powerhouse in pharmaceutical innovation and production, the integration of digital marketing strategies becomes not just a choice, but an imperative for companies looking to thrive in this dynamic landscape. Let’s take a closer look at how digital marketing can help transform and boost India’s pharmaceutical sector.
Prescribing Success: Crafting a Compelling Digital Presence
Your company’s website is like your introduction to the world. A website is like the digital heart of a pharmaceutical company’s marketing efforts. It showcases your products, shares important info about clinical trials and certifications, and tells the world who you are and what you stand for.
A comprehensive website boosts visibility online, ensuring customers from around the globe can find us and learn about what you do. And it’s not just a one-way street – your website is also where we chat with our customers, answer their questions, and make sure they feel heard and valued. And let’s not forget about playing by the rules – a good website helps pharma companies stay compliant with regulations and certifications.
In short, your website is not an option, but the engine driving digital marketing in pharma.
Diagnosing Visibility: Get Noticed On Google
Google is currently the world’s largest search engine with a whopping market share of 81.95%. Making use of Search Engine Optimization ensures your website ranks higher on the SERPs. Not only does this add to your organization’s credibility but also makes it easier for healthcare professionals and patients alike to learn more about your products and/or services.
If you’re just starting out in the world of SEO, here’s a quick and easy beginner’s guide on SEO to get you started.
Nurturing Engagement: Connecting with the Masses through Social Media
No one can deny the impact social media has on society. As of January 2024, India alone had 462 million active social media users. How does this affect the pharmaceutical industry? For starters, it opens doors to a much wider audience than any other marketing avenue, from building brand awareness to promoting products and services to providing research findings and educational resources.
Here’s some more data on the impact of social media on the health and pharma industries.
According to a Mediabistro survey:
- Over 40% of people are influenced by social networks in their health choices (pointsgroup.com).
- Consumers between 18-24 discuss health and wellness issues on social networks twice as much as people aged 45-54 (getpushing.com).
- 90% of the same age group trust medical information shared on social networks (searchenginewatch.com).
Educate Audiences & Reach KPIs with Content Marketing
As mentioned earlier, more and more people are turning to the internet to learn more about health, medication, treatments and the like. Content marketing helps pharmaceutical companies fill that space.
Simply put, content marketing refers to writing, designing, and publishing information online. But that’s not all it is. An effective content marketing strategy delivers a dual goal in mind. One, it addresses your audience’s needs, and two, it gently pushes your KPIs in the right direction. Because reliable content builds trust, which improves awareness, boosts engagement and converts potential customers into leads.
Therefore, crafting a compelling content marketing strategy for pharma requires thought, research and a clear vision. It needs strike a balance between educating your audience while keeping your company’s bigger picture in mind.
Here are 7 other benefits of creating a content marketing strategy.
Enhanced Realities: Augmented and Virtual Reality in Pharma
According to a report by Statistica, the consumer VR software market is projected to generate a revenue of US$4.3bn in 2024. While this may seem like an immediate choice of adoption for pharma companies, particularly in India, AR and VR technology offers pharma brands a new avenue to break down walls between its business and clients, partners, patients or consumers.
GlaxoSmithKline, a well-know UK-based pharmaceutical brand, was one of the earliest adopters of AR and VR tech. In 2016, one of their brands – Excedrin, developed a VR-driven campaign named The Migraine Experience.
The premise of the campaign was to throw light on migraine sufferers and raise awareness amongst the general public about the severity of this problem. Here, migraine sufferers used a VR headset to program-in specific symptoms like blind spots, sensitivity to light, etc and handed over the headsets to their family and friends to experience these symptoms firsthand.
The campaign was a massive success – and earned Excedrin a considerable boost in profits within two weeks of its launch.
PharmaBot: The Role of Chatbots in Healthcare Engagement
Chatbots are essential in pharmaceutical digital marketing for various reasons. Firstly, they offer 24/7 support, ensuring timely assistance for customers and healthcare professionals. They also provide personalized interactions, tailoring responses to specific needs.
Additionally, chatbots streamline communication, handling inquiries efficiently. They support healthcare professionals by offering essential information and facilitate data analysis, providing insights into customer preferences. Lastly, chatbots ensure compliance and maintain communication consistency, safeguarding brand reputation.
Overall, they enhance engagement, efficiency, and business outcomes in the pharmaceutical digital landscape.
Take the successful example of Sophia – Novo Nordisk’s chatbot. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company specializing in diabetes care medication and devices.
In April 2018, Novo Nordisk introduced its digital concierge chatbot Sophia – built specifically for people with diabetes. Sophia was built using AI and NLP (Natural Language Processing) Technology to directly respond to queries, address concerns and redirect more complex queries, all delivered within an apporacbahle and eatable persona.
The team immediately noticed a spike in website visits between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., which indicated a need for information outside of standard working hours.
By September 2018, Sophia had recorded over 11,000 conversations and had been asked more than 27,000 queries.
Remedial Alignment: Create an Omnichannel Approach
Omnichannel marketing refers to interconnected strategies that provide access to information everywhere, virtually. An omnichannel approach for pharma digital marketing is slowly becoming a reality. Digital marketing for pharma must take into consideration the range of customer touchpoints – the doctors, lab professionals or patients who move between social media or apps or websites to physical events across geographies – and ensure your brand’s communications are connected, common and precise.
Another aspect of omnichannel marketing for pharma is ensuring there is 24/7 care provided and automating tasks wherever possible. Live calls, 24/7 support on social media, and personalised live chat experiences will make customers feel valued.
Connecting with your customer during the sales process and leading them to the end of the sales funnel increases brand awareness and ensures a positive perception of your pharma brand.
In Conclusion
Digital marketing for pharma opens up several communication channels between pharma professionals and patients, and streamlines the purchasing process via personalised recommendations, round-the-clock care and mobile solutions.
If you are looking for a fool-proof pharma digital marketing strategy, head over to Bunjy Digital. Our team of experts will create a customized digital marketing strategy for your brand. Reach out to us today!
