Part 2: Distinctive aspects of promoting pharmaceutical brands in Russia.

In the previous article, we delved into the specifics of promoting pharmaceutical products through contextual advertising on the Yandex platform.

Now, let’s turn our attention to social media, where promotion can be aimed at driving additional traffic to websites and building brand pages on specific social platforms. Unlike Yandex and its tools, campaigns on social media require a different approach.

At the initial stage of the funnel, the focus will be on reaching a wider audience to increase product and brand awareness. Collaborating with opinion leaders and redirecting users to the website for a more detailed look at the products can also help build trust and loyalty. Social media is also an excellent platform for attracting new audiences and converting them into permanent customers.

What are the social networks available for use in Russia in 2022?

As of now, Meta* company’s networks and TikTok have limited advertising opportunities and restricted Russian accounts. Therefore, we recommend focusing on domestic resources. The most significant ones are the myTarget advertising platform (for promoting on VKontakte and Odnoklassniki) and the VKontakte advertising account itself. It’s worth noting that both advertising cabinets offer the ability to set up campaigns on VKontakte and Odnoklassniki social networks. However, they differ in targeting options, audience selection, and ad formats, so we suggest running ads on both platforms to reach various target groups.

VKontakte is one of the most popular social networks in Russia, with an average of 75.7 million Russian users logging in during the first half of 2022. The majority of users access the platform through mobile devices, so advertising opportunities for mobile versions are currently in high demand. The audience of VKontakte is typically affluent and diverse in interests.

Odnoklassniki is the second most crucial social network in Russia, with 37 million Russians accessing it each month. The main audience is aged 25-45 years and has a high degree of engagement, making it an ideal platform for targeted advertising. Users on Odnoklassniki are receptive to advertising messages, and one popular format is a banner with a brief text.

Step 1. Attracting new users

When working with VKontakte and myTarget, there are different approaches available that can combine social and demographic characteristics, interests (health), geo, devices, and search for key queries, among others.

Moreover, additional advertising and targeting opportunities have emerged in 2022 through the integration of ads in the “Weather” service, which is a mini-application that provides information about the weather conditions in the user’s current location. Since weather conditions can affect health to some extent, this provides an opportunity for thematic ads about antipyretics or dietary supplements that strengthen the immune system to appear only to users located in areas with increased precipitation, for example.

Step 2. The main types of publications 

There are numerous options available for content publication on social networking websites, and a comprehensive approach is recommended, as in the case of Yandex. Standard advertisements are essential and work well with an audience already familiar with the product. Adding relevant action buttons, such as “buy,” “go to the website,” or “fill out a questionnaire,” can enhance their effectiveness. For more detailed and visual descriptions of products or promotions, carousel promo posts consisting of multiple visual elements can be used.

To attract new users, short vertical videos (Clips), surveys, blogger integrations, chatbots, or even separate collaboration projects placed in mini-applications in VKontakte can be used. However, in some cases, it may not be possible to openly advertise a medicine, especially when sensitive topics like acne, diabetes, or the intimate sphere are involved. In such cases, hidden approaches are employed to promote the idea of the product or community of interests.

For example, the Detralex brand has created a community dedicated to a sedentary lifestyle (Homo Sedens) and actively draws attention to its product – a medicine aimed at combating varicose veins and hemorrhoids – by broadcasting the idea of the harm of a sedentary lifestyle, which is relevant for city dwellers.

As a result, the promotion approach is characterized by a more gentle tone and a strong focus on addressing a particular health issue, rather than just promoting a single product, which generates significant user interest.

Step 3. Working with creatives 

Considering the advertising legislation requirements, creating content that promotes pharmaceutical products can be challenging. Despite the restrictions, the main goal of the creative remains to persuade users to make a purchase.

So, how can it be achieved?

Instead of referring to the disease, it is recommended to focus on the medicine. This is primarily due to the legislative aspect of advertising, as ads with indications of disease symptoms may not pass moderation on social networking websites. Therefore, it is better to highlight the positive aspects of the product.

Ascensia Diabetes Care, the manufacturer of diabetes testers, promotes a positive message in its VKontakte group by highlighting that a diagnosis of diabetes does not have to halt a person’s life. They encourage a more convenient and comprehensive approach to managing the disease with the help of their products, and provide links to useful resources on the topic in their public content.

The visual component of the advertisement plays a significant role in capturing the user’s attention. Therefore, it is essential to avoid using intimidating images in ads that could lead to negative perceptions or rejection by moderation.

To improve the effectiveness and ethical standards of advertising, it is recommended to avoid making comparisons using the “Before-After” format, which has become outdated and deemed unethical. This is due to its overuse by many manufacturers, some with questionable reputations, which has led to a negative perception of such content as being of “unfair quality”. It is unlikely that this trend will be viewed more positively by the audience in the near future.

Additionally, it is against advertising legislation to provide guarantees of a complete cure or absence of side effects in pharmaceutical advertisements.

Less text on visual elements. Recently, VKontakte implemented a 20% limit on the amount of text that can be included in an image. In this age of visual communication, it is important to recognize that excessive text on an image can negatively affect user perception and engagement. Instead, it is advisable to keep the image clean and use the text area of the post for more detailed descriptions, with a short call-to-action or slogan on the image itself.

However, these recommendations are just the starting point for successfully promoting pharmaceutical products on social networking websites. It is important to note that every project is unique and the assistance of specialists may be necessary.

Instead of conclusion

Internet marketing in the pharmaceutical industry involves various tasks, such as market research, compliance with regulations, developing effective strategies to attract diverse audiences, implementing SEO, and conducting comprehensive analytics. Successful promotion of pharmaceutical products requires the expertise of professionals who are experienced in dealing with these complex challenges.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to seek assistance from experts in this field. QB Agency specialists are well-equipped to navigate the complex world of pharmaceutical advertising and are committed to working collaboratively with you to elevate your brand’s online sales in Russia.