3 Ad Formats That Increase HCP Engagement

There’s a lot that goes into successful healthcare advertising; reliable audience data, ad inventory, and targeting are just a few. As more healthcare brands invest in digital advertising and ad inventory goes up, your ability to engage HCPs will depend almost exclusively on you standing out from the competition. Here are three ad formats that increase HCP engagement

CTV & OTT Ads

According to eMarketer, 204 million people use CTV devices.¹ Additionally, more than 55% of the US population has an OTT subscription.² The growing popularity makes it a clear-cut avenue for your ad dollars. CTV and OTT ad formats come in various shapes and sizes.

CTV & OTT Ad Formats

• Commercial Ads: Ads that occur naturally when an HCP streams content.
• Home Screen Ads: Ads HCPs see when they’re on the home screen or scrolling through content.
• Interactive Ads: Ads with a layer of interactivity that gives HCPs the chance to learn more.

Video Ads

Ninety percent of advertisers say the video ad format is the most compelling part of their digital campaigns. And this makes sense. People are 27.4X more likely to click a video ad than standard banners.³ Video ads come in various shapes and sizes.

Video Ad Formats

• Non-Linear Ads: Non-linear ads play simultaneously with a video—think overlay ads on YouTube.
• In-Stream Ads: In-stream ads play before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after (post-roll) a video.
• Outstream Ads: Outstream video ads have don’t have to relate to the web page’s content. You’re most likely to see this type of video ad
  in the header, footer, or sidebar of a web page.
• Native Video: Native video ads match the look, feel, and function of the web page.
• Interactive Video: Interactive video ads let HCPs click, drag, and scroll to learn more about the product or service.

Mobile Ads

People, including HCPs, spend on average 5.4 hours on mobile devices daily. As mobile devices continue to penetrate the healthcare industry, this ad format will provide you with an effective and efficient way to show up on the devices HCPs actively use.

Mobile Ad Formats

• High-Impact Ads: Ads that encourage engagement by using their size—they’re generally larger and more prominently placed than other mobile ad formats.
• Vertical Video: Ads designed to fill all of an HCP’s screen.
• Interstitial Ads: Full-screen ads that appear between an HCP’s experience on a website or mobile app.
• Native Ads: Ads that blend into the surrounding content.
• In-App Ads: Ads in popular lifestyle mobile apps and games.
• Rich Media Ads: An ad with an extra layer of engagement, generally in the form of sound, movement, or a call to action (CTA).

Choosing the Best Ad Format for Your HCP Campaign

With so many ad formats available, it can be hard to choose the right one. However, if you start by asking yourself the following three questions, the decision will become abundantly clear.

• What’s your goal? Having a clear campaign goal is critical. Do you want product awareness for an Rx drug? Great. CTV and OTT ads would be an excellent option due to their ability to capture attention on the big screen. Do you have a lower-funnel objective such as getting a hospital executive to keep you in their consideration set? If so, bring your products to life with in-stream video ads and give your audience a chance to see your product in action. If you’re trying to close a sale of a new medical device, add rich media mobile ads to the mix that include a prominent CTA.
• Who’s your target audience? Understanding the unique traits and characteristics of your target audience will give you the insights necessary to select the right ad format. Where do they spend their time? In an office or the operating room? What do they do outside of work? Are they primarily with their families or more likely to be socializing with colleagues?
• What’s worked? This isn’t a guessing game. Choosing the proper ad format relies on you having access to historical campaign performance and HCP-level insights. Which ad formats led to the most cost-efficient conversions? Which ones had the greatest return on investment (ROI)? Which format did your customers say they resonated with the most? Take these learnings and apply them moving forward—this is one of the best ways to generate cost-efficient scale since you’ll be investing in proven ad formats that engage HCPs.

These are three fundamental questions you must ask yourself. The more you understand your goals and target audience, the more informed of a decision you can make.