Insight Drop: Why 80% of Medical Content Goes Unseen
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Episode Summary
Creating valuable medical content is only half the battle. The real challenge? Making sure it actually reaches and impacts HCPs who need it most. In this episode of Transforming Medical Communications, Wesley Portegies is joined by Janna Crabb, Director of Digital Communications Strategy at MedComms Experts, to explore how Medical Affairs teams can design and implement effective digital awareness campaigns that drive measurable HCP engagement and behavior change.
We’ll talk about how to:
- How to balance content creation with distribution efforts using the 2:1 ratio principle
- Why multi-channel digital campaigns outperform single-channel approaches for reaching diverse HCP audiences
- How to develop metrics-driven campaigns that optimize reach and engagement over time
- The essential components of effective email strategies
- Why community physicians need different outreach strategies than KOLs and conference attendees
Guest at a Glance
Janna Crabb is the Director of Digital Communications Strategy at MedComms Experts, bringing vast experience in digital content strategy and HCP engagement. With a career focused on helping organizations amplify their scientific and medical narratives across digital channels, she specializes in developing targeted awareness campaigns that ensure valuable content reaches the right audiences effectively.
- Connect with Janna Crabb on LinkedIn
Host at a Glance
Wesley Portegies is the Chief Strategy Officer and Founder of Medical Communications Experts, an agency specializing in effective Medical Communication strategies for pharmaceutical companies. An experienced entrepreneur, Wesley started his first company at 19 and has built multiple successful companies. With over 20 years in the Medical Industry, both on the agency and industry side, he is driven by a passion for Medical Communications.
- Connect with Wesley Portegies on LinkedIn
Hot Takes and Key Highlights
- [01:14] Stop Whispering in a Stadium and Make Your Content Heard
Creating great content isn’t enough if no one sees it. Think of it like whispering in a stadium during a rock concert. Janna reminds us that digital awareness campaigns aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re the engine that gets HCPs to actually notice, click, and consume your work. Her advice is simple but powerful: for every piece of content you create, double or even triple your effort in promoting it. Otherwise, even the most valuable content risks being invisible.
“For every piece of content you create, you should double, maybe triple the effort on getting people to see that content.”
- [02:40] Why Distribution Matters More Than Creation
If HCPs never see your content, it won’t drive impact. To truly make a difference, put at least twice as much effort into distribution as you do into creation, and make sure your campaigns span multiple channels so you reach different types of HCPs where they actually are. Repetition across platforms not only builds awareness but also strengthens trust, helping ensure the right information reaches both specialists and community physicians who need it most.
“If you wanna reach a broad audience, then you need to communicate with the different HCPs where they are.”
- [06:21] Social Done Right
Don’t just jump into social media and start posting everywhere. First, figure out where your audience and experts actually spend their time. By researching which platforms your HCPs and KOLs use to engage and share insights, you’ll know exactly where to focus your efforts instead of wasting time on channels that don’t matter.
“Before you jump in, start posting on X or on LinkedIn, or Instagram, or even TikTok. You need to know where your HCPs are spending their time.”
- [16:56] Think Multi-Touch, Not Single Metric
Don’t treat metrics as final judgments. Treat them as fuel for continuous improvement. Open rates, click-through, and opt-outs aren’t just numbers; they’re patterns telling you what to do more of and what to cut back on. And remember, impact goes beyond one channel: a subject line that doesn’t get clicks in email might still drive recognition when seen again on platforms like Doximity. Look at your campaigns holistically, track touchpoints across channels, and use the data to refine your communication strategy.
“I think it’s also important to think about it holistically as a digital awareness campaign and not only as the individual channels.”
YouTube Chapters
- [00:00] Intro
- [01:14] Stop Whispering in a Stadium and Make Your Content Heard
- [02:40] Why Distribution Matters More Than Creation
- [06:21] Social Done Right
- [07:35] Email Is Still a Powerhouse
- [09:40] Third-Party Platforms That Work
- [13:15] A 3-Step Campaign Plan
- [16:56] Think Multi-Touch, Not Single Metric
- [19:36] Doing It on a Budget
- [21:00] Common Pitfalls
- [22:44] Closing Takeaways