Legal restraints prevent healthcare brands from publishing bold and creative content online.

The internet helps various business sectors reach wider audiences, but some industries see more challenges than others. Healthcare must tiptoe around strict laws, limiting the types of claims brands make in their promotional media. This year, pharmaceutical and other related businesses had to wait on the sidelines while other industries embraced and profited from integrated marketing practices like SEO content creation.

Healthcare TechnologyTwenty-two percent of Americans consider the internet as their most trusted source of information, according to a survey released by RxAlly in September 2012. The research firm comScore published a similar report in January 2012, showing that 59 percent of internet users visited general health websites over a six month period. More, seven in 10 women and six in 10 men use these sites to identify and diagnose symptoms before visiting a physician. These informational hubs provided internet users with preliminary advice on how to approach and manage their health concerns. In most cases, these sites were unrelated to brands selling products or services online.

Brafton recently reported that eight in 10 Americans start their health-related research on search engines. This trend opens the door for healthcare brands to publish SEO content for lead generation, but the language used must be tight and technically sound. Straying too far in one direction and making bold claims in branded content can have negative implications for organizations, so a content marketing strategy must be developed in advance of any product launch.

According to a recent study from Cutting Edge Information called “Launching Pharmaceutical Brands: Formulas for Commercialization Success,” developing core marketing strategies for product launches must revolve around the products’ key selling points. This means that while a lot of information can be inferred through various tests and reports, pharma companies should stick to the basics when promoting their products. At first glance, this could limit the content marketing opportunities for healthcare brands, especially for organizations with long-term objectives.

To avoid potential lags in content production, pharma companies should work with internet marketing agencies, and depend on their in-house writers and strategic abilities to develop unique Editorial Calendars for greater success. Firms that work with various industries understand how to wade through rough legal waters and give healthcare and pharma companies the resources they need to take advantage of all that web marketing has to offer.

Ted Karczewski is an Executive Communications Associate at Brafton. He works to develop his own voice and apply his passions to the evolving world of SEO and content marketing, but he doesn't shy away from writing for fun. After graduating from Suffolk University, Ted used his Communications degree to test out Sports Journalism before Marketing at Brafton.