Where are the best digital spaces to find healthcare professionals (HCPs) in 2025? If you picture doctors, nurses and other HCPs buried in online medical journals, or engaging in discussions on specialized platforms like Doximity, you’re probably not wrong… But that’s only part of the story.
The thing is that HCPs are just like the rest of us: they love scrolling on popular platforms like TikTok, Instagram and even Reddit – not just for fun, but also for professional uses.
Pharma marketers: if you’re still relying solely on traditional online platforms like medical journals or LinkedIn to reach HCPs, you’re missing a trick. More than ever, doctors and nurses are using non-traditional media, and the data backs it up.
Today’s smart marketing strategies meet HCPs where they are – on the platforms they use every day – and deliver personalized messages in the way HCPs want to receive them.
Why Pharma Marketers Need to Rethink Their HCP Targeting Strategy
You might be wondering: do HCPs really use social media for professional purposes? The short answer is yes. And there’s a lot of evidence to back this up.
69% of HCPs engage with influencer content on social media every day. And almost 90% of these professionals believe the pharma industry is underutilizing social media as a method of communication.
According to one study, almost three-quarters of HCPs who use social media spend at least 7 hours on these platforms each week. The most popular platforms among HCPs? Facebook (70.7%), YouTube (57.9%), LinkedIn (52.2%), WhatsApp (50.6%), Instagram (41.7%), Twitter (26.6%), TikTok (9.9%), and Reddit (4.7%).
Most HCPs are using these platforms for professional purposes, such as to “stay informed about medical news, participate with continuing professional development (CPD) activities, and access treatment information.” One Reddit user said: “I literally joined Reddit solely because it was the only place on the entire Internet I could find where medical professionals across roles and professions interacted and talked about their professional concerns.”
Likewise, there are entire pages dedicated to medical education videos on TikTok, some of which have racked up millions of views.
But are HCPs actually influenced by the content they see on these platforms? Again, short answer: yes! A recent survey found that 60% of HCP have changed their perception of a medication after seeing content about it on social media. 50% have even changed prescriptions based on social media content.
There’s clearly a huge opportunity here… how can pharma marketers tap into it?
How to Effectively Reach HCPs on Social Media
Now that we’ve covered the what and why of HCPs on non-traditional media platforms, let’s talk strategy. Here’s how you can engage them effectively:
Leverage influencers and Digital Opinion Leaders (DOLs)
HCPs trust other HCPs – not just those they meet in person. They also follow each other on social media. Partnering with respected voices in the field is a surefire way to amplify your message. Here are some of the top HCP voices on social media – but a quick search can surface top medical influencers across different platforms and specialties.
Use engaging content formats
HCPs are just like everyone else: they want to consume content that’s interesting, dynamic, and even fun (if appropriate!). So it’s no surprise that short-form videos, interactive Q&As and visual case studies perform better than traditional ads among this audience. A static LinkedIn post? Meh. A TikTok breakdown of a new treatment? Now we’re talking.
Target the right platforms for the right audience
- Instagram and TikTok: The best place to find younger HCPs (especially dermatologists, emergency practitioners and PCPs).
- Reddit: Great for more in-depth peer-to-peer discussions. There are many active forums where you’ll find HCPs exchanging ideas, professional concerns, and more (e.g., r/doctors, r/medicine).
- YouTube: Perfect for longer-form educational content (e.g., expert panels).
Optimize your omnichannel strategy
Of course, social media should be just one part of your overall digital strategy. You can use data-driven insights to track HCP engagement across various touchpoints and see where you’re getting the most bites. This level of insight allows you to make real-time changes as needed, rather than waiting until after a campaign has finished, when the resources have already been invested.
However, social media platforms aren’t designed specifically for HCPs, so reaching them requires smart targeting. The good news is there are highly vetted audience suppliers that allow brands to narrow down their reach by specialty, prescribing behavior, ICD-10 codes, and more. You just need the right data partner (hint: we know one!).
With the right approach, brands can gain physician-level data (PLD) on website visitors driven by social campaigns. They can use these insights to strategically track engagement and tweak their approach over time.
How to Meet HCPs Where They Are
Healthcare marketing is changing, and the old “spray and pray” tactics just don’t cut it anymore. Today’s HCPs are digital-savvy, socially engaged, and looking for meaningful content in places pharma marketers might not have expected.
That’s where PurpleLab comes in – we’re your trusted partner when it comes to real-world healthcare data. Our platform makes it easier than ever to deliver highly targeted HCP audiences on Reddit, TikTok, Instagram, and beyond – helping you reach these audiences in minutes rather than weeks.
Want to learn more about how we can help you reach HCPs on the platforms they actually use? Let’s talk. Contact PurpleLab today to get started!