Comments on: Forget Communities, Create Channels Instead http://www.doseofdigital.com/2009/05/forget-communities-create-channels/ A Healthy Approach to E-marketing -- Effectively using digital technology and social media in pharma and healthcare marketing Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:39:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jonathan Richman http://www.doseofdigital.com/2009/05/forget-communities-create-channels/#comment-319 Jonathan Richman Mon, 04 May 2009 17:18:28 +0000 http://www.doseofdigital.com/?p=780#comment-319 Thanks for the comment, John. I think that industry's role is simple here...paying the tab. Creating a site, recruiting members (via promotion), and managing it takes time and a lot of money. Leading experts in a given field can't afford the time or capital required, so industry can play a helpful role. Without this funding, these channels might not ever be created. They have a chance to positively impact the quality of information available online for their patients. This should be a goal for every product whether or not the company or product's branding is pasted all over it. Thanks for the comment, John. I think that industry’s role is simple here…paying the tab. Creating a site, recruiting members (via promotion), and managing it takes time and a lot of money. Leading experts in a given field can’t afford the time or capital required, so industry can play a helpful role. Without this funding, these channels might not ever be created. They have a chance to positively impact the quality of information available online for their patients. This should be a goal for every product whether or not the company or product’s branding is pasted all over it.

]]> By: John Eichert http://www.doseofdigital.com/2009/05/forget-communities-create-channels/#comment-316 John Eichert Sun, 03 May 2009 15:15:21 +0000 http://www.doseofdigital.com/?p=780#comment-316 Jonathan, I like the points made in this blog by both you and Stephen Saber as it looks to be a good 'stepping stone' for life sciences companies into the wide open world of social media, web 2.0 / health 2.0, or whatever you want to call this new wave of communications and information sharing. But I think there is a subtle difference between creating a web site with social media elements / features and what companies are doing now with branded and unbranded web sites. The idea of a moderated channel led by experts makes great sense, but what role would industry play in the site if the experts (not the pharma company) are the ones creating the content and moderating the conversation? John. Jonathan,
I like the points made in this blog by both you and Stephen Saber as it looks to be a good ’stepping stone’ for life sciences companies into the wide open world of social media, web 2.0 / health 2.0, or whatever you want to call this new wave of communications and information sharing.

But I think there is a subtle difference between creating a web site with social media elements / features and what companies are doing now with branded and unbranded web sites. The idea of a moderated channel led by experts makes great sense, but what role would industry play in the site if the experts (not the pharma company) are the ones creating the content and moderating the conversation?

John.

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