Are pharma brand websites ready to engage?

According to the "Internet Trends 2018" report published by Kleiner Perkins, internet penetration has increased by 100% since 2009. The usage of smartphones and tablets has not only increased the number of internet users, but has also provided another channel for information access. The report has also indicated that the average amount of hours spent by Americans had also increased by over 100% from 2008 to 2017.

What does all of this mean for health care? The ease of access to medical information has become an opportunity and challenge for pharmaceutical companies. The extent of mistrust on the quality of online information has caused a lot of patients and physicians rely only on a few sites that are deemed trustworthy with the endorsement of their peers. While physicians may be able to discern the accuracy of medical information quickly, patients may take longer to sift through websites that they regularly visit and settle on sources of relevant and accurate information. In fact, patients inevitably begin their searches on the likes of Google and Bing and evaluate the top results before narrowing down on their choices.

What does all of this mean for health care? The ease of access to medical information has become an opportunity and challenge for pharmaceutical companies. The extent of mistrust on the quality of online information has caused a lot of patients and physicians rely only on a few sites that are deemed trustworthy with the endorsement of their peers. While physicians may be able to discern the accuracy of medical information quickly, patients may take longer to sift through websites that they regularly visit and settle on sources of relevant and accurate information. In fact, patients inevitably begin their searches on the likes of Google and Bing and evaluate the top results before narrowing down on their choices.

The notion that brand websites are not designed to suit the requirements and preferences of their target audience has become increasingly stronger. Recent research has indicated that brand websites have not applied a well-thought-out strategy to retain visitors.

The notion that brand websites are not designed to suit the requirements and preferences of their target audience has become increasingly stronger. Recent research has indicated that brand websites have not applied a well-thought-out strategy to retain visitors.

Brand websites of Novartis are an interesting example. Out of all websites that were evaluated, sites belonging to Novartis had the distinction of being the highest and lowest ranked. While this might be an anomaly, it does beg the question, are all brand sites of the same company designed with the same design parameters?

The analysis also discovered that while efforts were made to provide good customer experience in the areas of technology, SEO, and analytics, most websites were not up to scratch. Surprisingly, many websites were not optimized for performance and security. They were neither geared for engagement on social media by way of dedicated accounts or handles. Furthermore, the ability of the reviewed websites to understand their visitors and develop personalized customer journeys remains to be seen. The initial findings are not necessarily reassuring. Pharmaceutical companies have to address the needs of their visitors without inundating them with information of little or no relevance.

The findings of the report have to be viewed in the light of the advancements that websites and mobile apps of businesses in e-commerce, banking, travel, and even hospitality have made in the last decade. Pharma brand websites and mobile apps need to create a roadmap that ensures that all the key areas that dictate the longevity of brand loyalty are factored in as they revamp or develop new channels of engagement.

The report can be downloaded by clicking here.

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