I’ve said this a few times before; but I think it’s worth repeating based on a number of conversations I’ve recently had with pharmaceutical marketers.  Here it goes: Facebook, Twitter and blogs are not social media. I repeat, just because you throw up a Facebook page does not mean you have a social media presence.

A Facebook page without interaction is nothing more than a Website.  A Twitter handle without engagement equates to an RSS Feed and a blog without open commentary may as well be a company newsletter.  The point?  Social comes first in social media for a reason. Far too many pharmaceutical companies focus on the latter and ignore the former.  The results can be disastrous in an age when executives are demanding quantifiable ROI and quick results.

The most value that healthcare companies can be derived from social media stems from connecting directly with customers (in the case of pharmaceutical companies: patients, doctors, healthcare providers, insurance providers, etc…).  This is where you will hear invaluable feedback on your product or brand, come to intimately understand the decision-making process for requesting a certain prescription, learn the types of information most valuable to the patient and earn the type of trust that creates loyal brand advocates.  Anything short of that is marketing as usual.

Sure, there are some additional benefits to establishing a presence on social media channels that can be achieved without being truly social such as search engine juice.  If you churn out enough content focused on the term “cancer research” you will probably rank higher in search results.  But what about all the other content organizations are churning out on the same topic?  Are you present in those conversations?  If not, you are missing an opportunity to extend your social media presence, provide simplified access to information and establish a new relationship with your company.  There are important touchpoints outside of your own social media presence that should not be ignored.

As a social media marketer, focusing on the tools perpetuates the myth that this is just a fad and purely tactical in nature.  Fads do not get a sizable portion of the marketing budget and tend to fizzle out in due time.  My advice: stop focusing on the “media” and start worrying about the social.

• Previous Entry: Monday Morning Cup of Pharma Social Media Coffee
• Next Entry: Pharmaceutical Call Centers: A Path to Social Media Success