What’s the first thing a patient does when a physician tells them about their new diagnosis? Immediately, they’ll whip up their phone or open up a laptop to go online. They will probably research their disease and the product they were just prescribed. Among the sources found on Google, they’ll find blogs, forums, patient groups, and finally, medical videos.
Engaging online has become more common for patients than going to their physician. In fact, many of them will Google their symptoms before booking an appointment. There’s only one issue – in a sea of information available online, it’s hard to determine what’s useful.
Pharma companies can take advantage of this situation and inform patients through medical videos, and here’s how.
Patients love watching video content
When it comes to the type of content people consume online, video is holding a steady position at the top for several years now. In fact, soon enough, the video will account for 80% of the total traffic online.
It’s not just the general video that gets lots of attention. According to research, one in three people watch medical videos online regularly. They do this to stay informed about their symptoms, before even coming in for an appointment with an HCP.
It turns out that one-third of all patients watch a medical video before they book an appointment. This is great news as it’s untapped potential for life science professionals to influence patients’ health literacy before they take a step in the office.
Some things are certain – patients love videos and patients want to stay informed before, during, and after visits to a physician. However, pharma companies and life science professionals are simply taking advantage of this fact.
The reason to do this is quite obvious – medical videos get tangible results. After viewing a medical video, 93% of patients take some sort of action, whether it’s making an appointment, getting in touch with their HCP, or looking up product information online. To be specific, 60% of all patients who watch a video interact with their physician as a result.
How to create medical videos that engage patients
Create medical videos that patients really want to watch. The reason why patients want to stay informed is that A) they don’t have the knowledge about their disease B) they don’t have the health literacy to comprehend expert medical literature C) they’re afraid of the unknown.
Patients want videos that break down complex medical terms and ideas into easily digestible content. If the information is too difficult to understand, they will derive no value from the video. Ensure that the script is written by a medical professional who knows their target audience well.
Fortunately, investigating your target audience is easier than ever before. To check what patients are really searching for online, you can use a simple keyword research tool and find out what therapeutic areas and diseases demand immediate attention and answers for patients. By analyzing what else is out there, you can spot gaps and find areas where you can make an effect.
Put the focus on the patient. Pharma companies and physicians have seemingly different goals, but their end-game is the same: provide better products for patients and foster better health outcomes.
As such, videos that focus on the product are good, but they’re not enough. Instead of putting the product in the spotlight, stress the benefits that patients get from using it. What makes it better than the generic competition?
Even though patients can’t directly influence what their physicians prescribe them, properly educated patients can ask their physicians for a specific brand. Moreover, if physicians see that there’s an increased demand for a product, they’ll be more likely to prescribe it on their own.
Needless to say, just stressing the benefits without any evidence to back them up won’t be an effective solution. One of the best uses for videos which we found when working with our clients is when they’re used to explain the mode of action for a given product. By explaining what a medication does on a molecular level, you can hit two birds with one stone:
- Explain a disease
- Explain what makes a product effective
Be present. One of the major reasons why medical videos make such an impact is that they’re not in the waiting rooms or offices. They’re present where the patients are present – online. By making medical videos accessible online on pharma company and practice websites, you’re ensuring maximum visibility. The patient can get informed and watch medical videos in their own time. Moreover, the format is extremely handy for sharing, so physicians can view it with patients in their office or send it out after the appointment.
Want to create great medical videos?
Pharma companies have taken great advances in digital, and many of them have impressive digital marketing teams. However, the vast majority don’t have the manpower to create engaging medical videos. Working with our clients over the years, we’ve realized that we could help bridge the gap.
This is why we created PubExplainer, a video explainer solution that converts your publications into engaging 90-second explainer videos. Likewise, we’ve created MedExplainer, where you can explain a patient’s disease, diagnosis, or treatment in video format.
Reach out to us today if you want to find out more and book a demo with one of our experts.
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