How Pharma Companies Can Better Leverage Influencers

 A recent survey about influencers in the pharma space has found that people are much more likely to trust patient influencers who have experience with a particular condition/in a certain disease community versus lifestyle influencers when it comes to branded pharma products. It should be noted that the survey was conducted by WeGo Health (a company that connects healthcare companies, agencies, and consulting firms to “Patient Leaders”, or patient influencers), so perhaps the survey is not an 100% independent unbiased source. That said, the findings are not surprising: patients trust authenticity and want to hear from individuals who seem relatable and knowledgeable when making these important (and often life-changing) decisions about their or a loved one’s health.

WeGo found that when it comes to promoting pharmaceutical products, the “micro- and nano-influencers”, which have fewer followers than other influencers, are actually the best ones to partner with since they have such strong engagement and trust within their small circles. In fact, WeGo explains that for the best (i.e., most quality) reach, pharma companies should target these micro-influencers and create similar look-alike audiences based on these highly engaged and trustworthy patients. This is contrary to the approach behind most influencer marketing (for CPG products, clothing, etc.), where it makes sense to partner with a few influencers with huge audiences; it reflects a more targeted approach centered on authenticity, reliability, and relevance.

Source: https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/pharma-brands-and-social-influencers-forget-lifestyle-gurus-and-stick-to-trusted-patient