Effective Ways to Market a Medical Product on Social Media

Social media has become one of the key forums that consumers turn to for health-related information. According to Healthline’s 2024 State of Consumer Health survey, more than half of Americans who say they tried a health trend, tool, or approach in the twelve months leading up to the survey reported they were inspired by content they found on social media.

If you are marketing a medical product, Healthline’s findings give you clear marching orders: make social media promotion a key element of your marketing strategy. The following are some steps you can take to ensure your social media marketing is effective.

Choose the right platform

Every social media platform is an effective tool for connecting with people, but each is unique regarding the audience it serves. Maximizing your marketing impact requires identifying your target demographic and focusing on the platform where they will most likely spend the most time.

For example, a company marketing acne treatments would focus on the platform that can most effectively get information in front of a younger age group. Instagram and YouTube reach a younger audience than Facebook, but TikTok typically reaches an even younger audience.

However, age isn’t the only demographic that should be considered. If you have a B2B product, you’ll find LinkedIn provides a better audience. If you have a B2C product, X or Instagram will likely be the better choice.

Your price point is also key when choosing your platform, as consumers will require more information when considering a high-ticket item. If your product is expensive, YouTube would provide you with the tools you need to deliver long-form, in-depth videos that explain its features and push consumers closer to a decision.

Focus on educating consumers

Most users don’t visit social platforms because they want to see ads. In fact, a recent survey shows that 89 percent of users would love to see ad volume limited. If your posts are purely promotional, users will probably scroll past them. 

To grab users’ attention, strive to be educational by focusing on how your product could help them. Identify the issues your product addresses and the problems associated with failing to address those issues. Explain the goal of your product and the challenges you overcame in its development. Ultimately, you must show consumers how your product will improve their lives.

Sharing statistics can be very educational. For example, if you have a product that gives people an alternative to doctors’ visits, give them stats on how much time and money they can save by investing in an alternative.

The more helpful information you share free of cost, the more trustworthy you become to users. Positioning your account as a valuable resource will build your reputation, which increases the product’s value in the market, and your following, which increases your visibility on the platform.

Prioritize engagement

“Reach” and “engagement rate” are two key metrics in the social media marketing world. Reach, which shows how many people have seen your content, is important, but engagement rate is more important because it measures the interaction that typically precedes sales.

Increasing engagement requires drawing in users and getting them to participate. Asking questions — “How would your life be different if you had a medical solution that took away your pain?— is a great way to stoke engagement. Running polls can also be effective.

To maximize the value of engagement, take steps to turn user responses into conversations. Companies that engage with user comments by providing thoughtful responses show that they value their audience. Direct messages should always get a prompt response.

Quality customer support is an element that drives user satisfaction with medical products. After all, consumers want to know that someone from the company will be there to guide them if they don’t get the results they expect. If they find your company is attentive on social media, it will help them to trust that you’ll be there if they need to reach out for help with a product issue.

Leverage collaborations

Building brand equity can take time. Strategic collaborations can streamline the process by allowing you to leverage the credibility already built by influencers and other professionals on social media.

The best collaborations are mutually beneficial. For example, if you have a med tech product, look for accounts that focus on introducing innovations or evaluating the effectiveness of tech solutions. You’ll provide them with content, and they’ll give you the opportunity to get more eyes on your product.

Collaborating with patient advocacy groups helps companies improve credibility while furnishing an opportunity to gain insights on consumer pain points. The patient communities the groups serve can evaluate how your product meets their needs and explain how it falls short.

Social media provides companies with a cost-effective way to market to billions of active monthly users, promoting their product and getting fast feedback on how those promotions are landing. Companies can maximize the impact of their marketing efforts by adopting an approach that focuses on the right platform and builds a following through education, engagement, and strategic collaboration.