Part One: Unique Aspects of Promoting Pharmaceutical Brands in Russia.
Since its inception, internet marketing has been a catalyst for online sales, including pharmaceutical products. According to eMarketer, in 2020, the global eCommerce pharmaceutical industry grew by more than 14%, coming in second only to computer products and consumer electronics, both of which saw an 18% increase. This trend is also evident in the Russian pharmaceutical market, which continues to grow every year. In 2021, the number of online orders in online pharmacies increased by 30% compared to the previous period, with online sales increasing by 34%, bringing the total volume of the pharmaceutical segment to 2,295 billion rubles.
These results suggest that eCommerce has a significant and promising place in the segment, as a considerable proportion of sales occur via the internet. Many companies have capitalized on this fact by actively using internet marketing for promotion, creating a highly competitive environment in the segment and setting high standards for brands to enter online sales. However, internet marketing in the pharmaceutical industry has become more complex, requiring a deep understanding of the market, thorough competitor analysis, and an optimal strategy to find the target audience. In addition, there are restrictions on advertising pharmaceutical products in Russia, as well as unique features of the Russian market as a whole.
Given these factors, it is clear that seeking the help of specialists is necessary. QB Agency experts have examined the necessary tools for promoting pharmaceutical products on the Russian market and provided detailed comments on their specificities.
Some key points related to SEO
Some thoughts on the importance of SEO
In our extensive experience working with various pharmaceutical brands, we have come to believe that any effective promotion strategy must begin with SEO. Once this is in place, other advertising tools, such as contextual advertising and SMM, can be linked up to it. However, it is often the case that these other tools do not achieve the desired results, not because of incorrect configuration or poor ad copy, but because of an inefficient website.
What makes a website inefficient? At a minimum, it should have a well-structured layout, with intuitive navigation and a user-friendly product catalog. It should also comply with legal requirements, offer online ordering, load quickly on all devices, and display current prices and promotions. These factors are essential for visitors to make a purchase and return to the site later.
The benefits of competent optimization are long-lasting. By implementing SEO and analytics once, you can see an increase in sales that lasts for years. Of course, regular content updates and improvements are needed to maintain users’ interest, but SEO has a far more lasting impact than other tools like contextual advertising or SMM. These methods require regular financial investments and increased ad frequency to maintain website traffic.
While SEO is crucial, paid advertising on various platforms can also increase website traffic and should not be ignored.
Advertising in Yandex
Let’s move on to discussing paid advertising tools, starting with Yandex and its capabilities. Yandex offers a wide range of functionalities, including search queries, advertisements, and publications on various additional resources. Unlike other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Google, Yandex is not restricted on the Russian market. As a result, it has become a monopolist in the segment of contextual advertising on the Russian market.
Moreover, analytical data indicates that the Yandex audience’s interest in purchasing pharmaceutical products has been increasing every year. In 2022, 60% of the service’s users ordered medicinal products online at least once, and almost 25% placed an online order with home delivery. In July, Yandex received approximately 1.3 million search queries regarding the online purchase of medicinal products and dietary supplements, a 12% increase from the same period in 2021. The majority (83%) of such requests came from mobile devices, and on average, people visit four websites from a search query by a subject area, with an interval of about six days between the first request and the purchase.
Furthermore, experts identified certain categories of pharmaceutical products that experienced a surge in online sales at the start of 2022. These categories included medications for diabetes, asthma, pain relief, and more.
Daria Pozharova, Customer Relations Development Manager of the Pharma industry, explained that the growth of online sales in Russia can be attributed to various factors, including changes in the country’s legislation. Since September 2021, not only pharmacies but also commodity aggregators have been allowed to deliver over-the-counter medicines and advertise delivery, giving users the ability to compare offers and choose the right product, and brands have responded by increasing their online presence. In the second quarter of 2022, manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products increased their investments in online advertising by almost a third.
To effectively market on the Yandex platform, a comprehensive approach is recommended, utilizing several Yandex services simultaneously. These services include Yandex Direct contextual advertising, classic media tools such as banners and videos in the Yandex Advertising Network, media formats in geoservices such as Yandex Maps, Navigator, and Metro, and content promotion on Yandex Zen through a brand channel. Yandex Audience, which collects user segments including retargeting, can be used for a more comprehensive approach. By combining various Yandex services and tools, brands can interact with customers throughout the sales funnel, from the first advertising contact to making a purchase on the website.
Successful promotion on Yandex requires consideration of several nuances.
The first step in working with Yandex Direct for promoting pharmaceutical products involves preparing the necessary documentation. Advertisers need to provide a list of documents to pass moderation on the platform, including Marketing Authorization of the medicinal product, the company’s license for pharmaceutical production, permission for the introduction of an immunobiological medical product into civil circulation, and a license for pharmaceutical activity.
Dietary supplements have additional requirements that need to be fulfilled. However, seeking the assistance of experienced advertising specialists who have previously worked with pharmaceutical brands can help resolve organizational issues more quickly.
Step 2: Using disclaimers in pharmaceutical advertising
In accordance with Russian law, medical-related advertising must contain a disclaimer. Therefore, pharmaceutical products also require labeling. However, the rules for placing disclaimers for over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements differ.
For over-the-counter medicines, the disclaimer must include the warning “There are contraindications. A specialist’s recommendation is required,” which should occupy at least 5% of the advertising area (in both the text and visual parts of the message). On the other hand, dietary supplement advertising should include the text “It is not a medicine” in the disclaimer, which should be larger and occupy at least 10% of the advertised content.
Additionally, during the moderation process, Yandex may add warnings to certain types of content such as text-graphic, video ads, and smart banners. Nonetheless, the immediate responsibility of an advertiser is to create a disclaimer within the advertising content.
Step 3. Dealing with Sensitive Topics
Sensitive topics refer to issues that are personal and can affect users’ privacy, experiences, and personal struggles. Examples include treatment of serious illnesses, diets, intimate problems, and so on. Advertising medicines that address these topics are subjected to additional restrictions by Yandex.
The straightforward nature of such advertisements is the primary reason for these restrictions. To ensure that the promotion is successful and reaches a wider audience, it’s recommended to create a neutral advertising message. The primary focus should be on the product’s application area and not on the disease or problem as a significant disadvantage for the individual.
Step 4. Audience Selection, Behavioral Targeting, and Retargeting
Yandex Direct provides an option for promoting over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements that do not involve sensitive topics. This tool targets users who have shown interest in similar products by searching for them on Yandex. User interests are categorized into short-term and long-term, and if their preferences change, Yandex adjusts the products displayed accordingly.
When setting up a campaign in Yandex Direct, advertisers can choose a specific audience segment that is most relevant to them, considering parameters such as geographical location, socio-demographic indicators, and search queries. For instance, advertisers can configure their ads to display only to users in Moscow who are interested in buying contact lenses.
Retargeting and audience selection enable advertisers to narrow down the audience even further and display ads only to customers who are interested in making a purchase. For example, website visitors who added a product to their cart but did not complete the purchase can be targeted using Yandex Metrica or Yandex Audience web tools. These tools analyze the customers’ behavior on the website and help select groups that are most likely to convert.
Step 5: How to Communicate with Yandex Technical Support
Effective communication with Yandex technical support specialists is crucial to the success of any advertising campaign. However, in some cases, communication can take longer due to insufficient information about the campaign.
To avoid such situations, it is important to select the appropriate advertising category, such as medicines or dietary supplements when submitting documents, as the rules for placing ads may differ for each category. Additionally, when sending specific requests, be sure to provide the campaign or advertisement number instead of just the advertiser’s login, which can cause delays in verification. If you already know the specifics of the problem, add comments to the request to expedite the process.
In conclusion, a comprehensive approach is essential for a successful advertising campaign on the Yandex platform due to its various nuances and tools. While Yandex is a necessary service for pharmaceutical companies as the Russian audience is increasingly interested in such products, social media promotion is also crucial for an effective campaign.