New Media Guru Ron Ploof on Healthcare 2.0

July 22nd, 2009

by Caitlin

Recently we had the opportunity to chat with new media evangelist and consultant, Ron Ploof, of the popular RonAmok! blog. Ron shared his thoughts on his recent case study that evaluates Johnson & Johnson’s social media platform and how other pharmaceutical and medical device companies can integrate social media into their communications programs.

Here’s what he had to say…

What is it about Johnson & Johnson that makes them a good example for other healthcare industry companies to follow in implementing a social media program?

Johnson & Johnson had a vision that social media could work for them, but had to find a way to put a toe in the water. With their first blog, The Kilmer House, they chose to look backwards, focusing on their 123 years of public education. The choice to look backwards is brilliant because no one can get into trouble for backward-looking statements. By choosing something safe that fit within their corporate culture, J&J learned lessons and built upon that experience.

With compliance issues and medical companies under constant scrutiny for communication tactics (among other things), isn’t there a risk for companies to join in the conversation?

With healthcare you have to ask if what a company says online actually hurts the public. We started regulations to protect people from big-bad corporations, like the elixir salesman in the J&J case study. But what happens when such restrictions put a stranglehold on the conversation? I think the government is going to have to think through that question.

The other important thing to consider is that if they don’t figure out how to communicate online, patients will do it for them. If J&J doesn’t host the conversation about a particular disease or treatment option, people who are suffering from a disease state will collect together and talk about it–independent of pharmaceutical and device companies. For instance, PatientsLikeMe is a great place for people to discuss their ailments. A social network of like-minded people is totally different than talking with a company or a doctor, so people on PatientsLikeMe and other patient networks, like SugarStats, will probably share more information than the pharmaceutical companies ever dreamed of them sharing.

So do you think social media is the future for companies in healthcare communication?

It doesn’t matter, because the conversation is going to happen regardless. Companies and government regulators will have to figure out how to make it work, and if they don’t, the patients will. The tricky thing is that lawyers and regulators want absolutes–for everything to fit into black and white terms. Such a hope is impossible with conversation. Conversation is gray. The good news is that the issue will be solved. The question is: who will do it first?

Companies with the best chance of cracking it are those willing to take a little bit of risk. The risk being: we have decided to talk about this subject because we think there is a benefit for the greater good. When you look at companies like J&J, you see that healthcare companies keep inching closer and closer. As companies push the envelope further, some might get slapped, but maybe that will be the catalyst for change. For example, if a company creates a portal so valuable to patients, yet is removed because of some arcane regulation, the public uproar will force the regulations to change.

What are some basic steps a company looking to experiment with social media can take now?

Across industries, the most common obstacles include internal resistance and fear of losing control of your brand. Let’s face it. When you go online, you lose all control. The first step, then, is to explain this fact to upper management and gain their support.

Once you have support, I always recommend starting with a blog first. One of my top ten rules for social media is ‘don’t build an entire social media strategy on rented land.’ A blog on my website is mine. Twitter, Facebook and other social networks are great, but if you build your entire social media presence on external site and they go away, you’ve lost it all. With a blog, if one of the rented properties changes, your audience can trace the breadcrumbs back to your home—the blog. What I really like about J&J is that they built their foundation on their own land first and then built out with rented pieces. They started with two blogs, then went to YouTube, and now they’re using Twitter like a quarterback to tie all of the pieces together.

The other thing is to make sure you’re always measuring what you’re doing. With traditional media, we used to rent an audience from a publisher or a broadcaster, but social media allows us to build a specific audience of people interested in our products and services. To make sure that audience remains engaged, you have to measure its size and level of engagement to see what’s working, and what’s not. If your audience is growing and engaged and you still face internal resistance, show them the measurements. No one can argue with results.

In your J&J case study, you talk a lot about the impact of videos. Why do you think they are so effective, and what are best practices tips for companies looking to make videos?

Humans are very visual beings, so video is one of the quickest growing aspects online. To me, the success is in the stories and storytelling. We pay $10 to sit in a crowded movie theater with people we don’t even know to stare at a screen. Why? Because we’re hardwired to love stories. Therefore, creating online video that tells stories is an excellent way to communicate a message. Probably my favorite quote from C.C. Chapman is “the quality in it (video) is more important than the quality of it.” Companies must get more comfortable with the fact that we don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a studio production. A lot of people think you need expensive studios and lighting to make a good online video, but to me that’s old media. As long as the sound and video aren’t distracting, the success comes from properly capturing the story.

A few additional resources from Ron if you’re looking to learn more about healthcare and social media:
Tips on making corporate videos
Ron’s interview with new media guru CC Chapman on social media tips and tricks

Entry Filed under: Health 2.0, Media, PR Strategy & Tactics, Pharma, Social Media