When you search for health advice – do you end up scrolling through your favorite content Creators on Instagram and TikTok? A growing number of people do. For many young people, social media is becoming the primary source for researching and diagnosing symptoms and learning more about their bodies. A staggering 33% of Gen Zers use TikTok for health searches in favor of an IRL doctor – an indication of a significant shift in how health information is accessed.
Unlike the sometimes anxiety-inducing experience of an IRL doctor’s visit, platforms like TikTok and YouTube offer easy to access and free, seemingly reliable advice from Creators including doctors, health enthusiasts, and real people experiencing symptoms. Not to mention the medical bias that plagues our healthcare system especially as it relates to the dismissal of people of color’s pain; the internet might offer a more neutral space, with less doctor gaslighting, and a safer environment to explore sensitive health issues.
But should we trust the internet with our bodies?
Despite being highly regarded by Gen Z and many others as a verifiable resource, social media content remains largely unregulated and often unmoderated. Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, platforms are not liable for content posted by users. This means that misinformation –rampant during the pandemic and beyond– often goes unchecked. From the mass proliferation of vaccine conspiracies to a vast array of misleading health claims about products like insulin and sunscreen, the spread of misinformation poses a serious risk to public health.
Misinformation on social also hurts healthcare companies. False claims and conspiracy theories create confusion, erode trust in healthcare professionals, and prevent people from getting the care they need. It’s hard to fight skin cancer when people online are claiming sunscreen is a hoax.
We can’t turn off social media. And we can’t scrub the internet of every false claim or under-researched advice. So, what can we do? How can healthcare companies get people trusted medical information at scale?
The answer is ads. More specifically, ads on TikTok and Instagram – ideally starring Creators.
Why? Three reasons:
1. TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are where your audience lives.
While doctors remain a critical part of the healthcare information ecosystem, an increasing number of people – especially when it comes to younger audiences and underrepresented communities – are turning to these platforms for health information. A 2021 Pew Research study found that 80% of U.S. adults use social media, with about one-third turning to these platforms for health information.
2. Ads that are made by or feature Creators perform best on social.
At least 72% of people follow Creators and they are more likely to consider a brand if a Creator recommends it, and their trust in Creators is only increasing - 30% of people trust Creators more today than they did 6 months ago; their influence is worth their weight in gold. Creators are not only uniquely poised to reach audiences effectively, but their content on behalf of healthcare brands is vetted by regulatory bodies like the FDA. There are credible, qualified creators speaking your audience’s language on platforms where your audience engages content e.g., Dr. Luke Maxfield who has built credibility both individually and on his immensely popular shared YouTube channel with Dr.Shah, Doctorly.
3. Healthcare Ads are regulated by not one but 2 Federal entities.
Healthcare advertising is strictly regulated by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Brands are held accountable for the public claims they make about drugs and treatments within their portfolios. An antithesis to misinformation, healthcare brands must be compliant and truthful in the content they publish on social media, including ads and Creator-led content.
Creators – the people who fill our social feeds and change our perceptions, behaviors and decisions around health (and just about every other topic) – have the opportunity to be stewards of information quality in the social healthcare landscape.
Medical myth busters like medical student and science communicator, Joel Bervell and internist and assistant professor of Medicine Eric Burnett, MD apply their medical training to debunk health misinformation to hundreds of thousands of TikTok followers; With the rapid advancement of technology and overwhelming flow of information, we need more Creators doing the same. While it’s unlikely we’ll be able to eradicate misinformation altogether, trusted healthcare brands and their partnered Creators, have a responsibility to promote evidence-based facts and help filter through the noise.
The reality is clear: the only consistently trustworthy health information on social comes from credentialed experts. Those who double as creators are becoming one of the best vehicles through which to disseminate reliable health information effectively at scale.
Creator-brand partnerships like Academy Award winning actor Jeff Bridges and AstraZeneca launching an educational campaign in support of the immunocompromised around protection against COVID-19, or Christy Romano and Emergen-C channeling pop rocks nostalgia through content that promotes their vitamin c boosting Emergen-C Crystals, demonstrate that by appreciating the importance of accurate (and sometimes fun!) health messaging, healthcare companies can tap into a new wave of consumer engagement that prioritizes trust and credibility.
In this era of self-guided health, where one in three individuals believe they can research their way to the same knowledge as a doctor, investing in Creator content is no longer optional, it’s essential. It’s time for healthcare brands to invest in cultivating communities that trust science, with the help of trusted voices to combat misinformation and conspiracy, and promote important healthy conversation, starting now.
Amaris Modesto is a senior vice president of Creator marketing at Edelman. She partners micro-tier to celebrity talent with health and wellness brands.