Health Marketers: This is Your Year to Inform, Include, and Inspire

These shifts in consumer behaviors and industry trends are transforming the health, wellness, and pharma market in 2023 and creating opportunity gaps across verticals. 

The health landscape is shifting. The past few years have put a spotlight on misinformation and diversity, and brands have an opportunity to resonate with what consumers want today. In 2023, marketers will need to focus on: 

• Providing credible guidance for your audiences

• Meeting the needs of a more diverse audience

• Cultivating and capturing consumer intentionality 

I sat down with our company leaders to hear what is shaping their teams’ strategy and approach this year, and learn what brands can do to take action. Let’s dive into these macro trends a little deeper.

Cut Through the Noise with Clear, Accurate Information

Why is this important now?

Misinformation is everywhere. Even though 72% of U.S. adults say they want their health information to come from a trusted organization, many people are still turning to social media, influencers, support groups, and friends and relatives. Some 42% say they “do their own research” before they accept a doctor’s guidance. Information choices are abundant, and we need to educate people on how to vet the consumed information and understand associated risks.

What can marketers do today to ensure credibility? 

Do the legwork for your audiences. Provide expert-backed, cited information with nuance and context for your audiences. Form intentional and thoughtful partnerships that align in mission and value.

What is Healthline Media’s approach to credibility? 

Cross-functional collaboration across editorial, medical, and marketing teams that showcases our rigor. Engaging content that is evidence-based, medically reviewed, and appropriately sourced. We apply this rigor to all content, products, and services. Our reader feedback reflects this — based on data from the last three months, about 83% of our readers find our information helpful or life-changing.

Reach Broader Audiences with an Empathetic, Diversity-First Approach

Why is this important now? 

People turn to brands that understand them. In our research, we learned that over three-quarters of people of color feel that health and wellness sites do not adequately understand their needs. Even more reported that their ethnicity plays a significant role in what health information they look for. That’s a missed opportunity. 

What can marketers do today to put diversity first? 

Recognize the importance of cultural aptitude and sensitivity. Take note of when the voices of certain demographics are missing from the conversation and actively seek ways to include those voices. What solutions do people actually want? What language makes them feel included? What actions engender trust? Choose B2B partners who already put these values into practice.

How does Healthline Media approach inclusivity? 

We center the needs of our audience and build for our most vulnerable first. Rigorous audience listening drives our editorial decisions, product development, and everything we do. In 2022 alone, we ran 23,000 surveys for U.S. site visitors and 50,000 worldwide. We emphasize stratifying that data to learn how to meet unmet consumer needs. 

The survey data also informs how we approach language and identify our learning gaps and blind spots. We take pride in prioritizing conscious, inclusive, and non-stigmatizing language so our audience feels represented in our content. Our surveyed site visitors help us identify what we are getting right and what opportunities we have to grow.

Drive Action by Reaching Specific Audiences with the Right Message at the Right Time 

What can marketers do today to motivate audiences? 

People show more trust — and willingness to act — when they are already engaged with a brand. So first, you need to draw people in with great content, personalized resources, and so on. Then you need to touch your high-intent audiences at just the right time, with nudges or hints that support their goals. 

How does Healthline Media capture intent? 

We know that our content can and does motivate people to act. We learned that when people with chronic conditions read relevant Rx content, they were more motivated to fill prescriptions, seek treatment for untreated conditions, and discuss new options with their doctors. We also develop products like Healthline Lessons, a condition-specific, step-by-step platform for helping people achieve behavior change, where pharma brands can align with target audiences.

We have built an extensive ecosystem that people trust. When people come to our site, they already have intent. With our data on their attitudes and behaviors, we understand their journey, so we can introduce an advertiser's message at the right time. 

Get Ahead of Emerging Trends with Healthline Media

It’s up to us as leaders to create spaces where audiences can confidently engage with health and wellness media to make more timely, informed decisions about their health. Through proprietary data and human-centered values, Healthline Media and our suite of products resonate with consumers and do more for marketers. We help our partners target high-quality, high-intent audiences while offering them greater transparency into data insights and performance results. 

Act now to make the most of these health trends and reach consumers. Reach out to Healthline Media or contact your sales representative today.