There is no doubt that the digital environment is going through a shakeout. Except for TikTok, social media use is declining, and even Amazon is finding out that technology can’t lead to more profits. The way people search for health information has plateaued, but Dr. Internet will still be the first place many people look for health information. Here are some things some DTC marketers should focus on.

Every DTC marketer should have data to convince management of the importance of a good digital strategy. If you don’t have a deck on this subject, contact your digital agency immediately and ask them to prepare one for you. However, there are some things you need to review when it comes to allocating your digital dollars.

1ne: Paid search – Paid search is contingent upon the awareness of your product and disease condition. I continue to find that the metrics for paid search (bounce rate, time on site, pages viewed) are very low. Organic search continues to rule, so your website should be optimized for web crawlers.

2wo: Online Ads – In the real world, the online advertising supply chain is so replete with garbage that displaying ads on some websites costs tenths or even hundredths of a penny. Ad fraud is one of the largest frauds in the history of the world. Nobody knows the exact extent of ad fraud, but several reputable studies peg it at over $ 60 billion most researchers estimate that about five online display ads out of 10,000 get clicked on. Exploiting the programmatic advertising system is remarkably simple. You can become a successful ad fraudster with almost no technical know-how. And if you have technical know-how, the sky’s the limit. According to Hewlett Packard Enterprises, ad fraud has the highest potential for profitability and the lowest barrier to entry.

Your online advertising should be targeted, not programmed. It would be best to have in-depth analytics showing the ads are working.

3hree: Product Websites – This is one area where most DTC marketers skimp on budgets via a short-sighted process. Pharma websites continue, for the most part, read like medical journals and are full of hard-to-understand information. You should develop a website based on research with your audience and what THEY want. Content should be updated regularly to address medical information trending on social media.

4our: Social Media – Social media is unnecessary and full of medical information. However, it would help if you listened to what people say about your brand and competitors.

5ive: Targeting HCPs online – I cannot overemphasize the importance is integrating Medscape into your HCP online strategy. Medscape is often the first website HCPs go in the morning, as it presents a customized snapshot of medical news within their specialty.

6ix: Digital agencies – Too many DTC marketers treat their digital agencies like vendors. That’s a huge mistake. They should fully integrate with your team, including your offline and PR agency. Challenge them for better metrics beyond clicks.

What I always try to do when working with a new client is to diagram a patient decision model. Where are they making their choices, and what’s important to THEM? I get buy-in from the key people on the brand team to develop digital strategies along this model.

Digital is a very important part of your strategy. Doing the same thing that’s been done without sharpening your skills is a waste of money.