The digital revolution continues to transform healthcare fundamentally, and many people believe that a tipping point is finally within reach. In 2014, digital health investments topped $6.5 billion, compared with $2.9 billion a year earlier. Dramatic changes in the traditional roles and dynamics of healthcare stakeholders have basic implications for pharma companies. The digital revolution has spawned a customer in a digital world revolution symbolized by an increasing demand for connectedness and information. Customer in a digital world with new technology tools are becoming more active and self-directive, which changes their interactions with providers, payors, and pharma companies.

Technological advancement in the medical and pharmaceutical fields will be continuously changing the industry, while the demand for accurate data will only rise as well. Pharma and life science companies have to stay alert to the rising amount of inaccurate information concerning health and therapy approaches. We are living in the era where Instagram bloggers can become the source of trust. In the same way, a single post can affect the minds of millions of people.

1. Align social media goals with overall business objectives.
This will help establish KPIs and the right metrics to measure along the way, the former of which will inform how well the brand is doing at achieving its goals.

2. Include patients in research and planning.
Collecting patient insights will help develop persona behavior, establish where and why they are online, and what content they value most. Including patients early on in strategy development demonstrates commitment to serving them and helps to ensure that the brand provides the right information.

3. Audit your own content.
Determine where you are now, identify what content is and is not resonating with your consumers, and prioritize accordingly.

4. Research and analyze the current landscape.
See where your competitors and partner organizations might be, and measure how well their channels and content are performing.

5. Based on research, plan for whether comments are turned on or off, and establish community guidelines, a response plan, and appropriate monitoring schedules.
It is prudent to establish rules for engagement on social and plan ahead for foreseeable scenarios. Because social media takes organizational commitment, internal stakeholders involved should agree to be reasonably available to make sure responses are timely.

6. Plan, create, and post your content.

Create a content calendar and the assets that align with research and planning findings and shepherd them through the legal and regulatory review process.

7. Measure and optimize.
The beauty of digital is that you can easily measure whether your content is resonating, and if it doesn’t work, you can change course to better fit the needs of patients. Keep measuring and adapting throughout the year.