Mehrak Saheb.
There’s been much talk recently about the growing role of social media in the patient journey. Yet, despite the buzz, research on how people use these platforms to seek health information remains limited.
So, is social media replacing Dr. Google? Not quite.
Instead, it’s carving out a distinct and complementary role in how patients navigate their health.
Google remains the go-to tool for specific, fact-based health answers. Particularly, when immediacy is paramount, Google is the first port of call. A study published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health last year, Patterns of Parental Online Health Information-Seeking Behaviour, found that 89% of Australian parents had used search engines to find health information about their children, with 90% doing so when their child was sick.
This makes Google a prime channel for reaching consumers in immediate need of solutions or support. It’s direct, practical, and satisfies a pressing need for answers.
Social media, however, plays a broader and more nuanced role. It’s less about precise searches and more about communal learning, emotional reassurance, and lived experiences. You won’t find parents jumping onto social media to figure out what to do when their child has diarrhoea and a fever. Instead, they turn to these platforms to connect with other parents and learn from shared experiences.
For example, the same study found that parents of children with chronic illness (43%) were more likely to access social media for their child’s health than parents of children without chronic illness (16%).
Unlike Google’s structured, clinical results, social media thrives on real-world stories and shared experiences. People follow health influencers, engage in discussions, and observe others’ health journeys, particularly for long-term or ongoing conditions. This kind of informal learning is deeply personal and often more relatable than formal medical advice.
Social media fosters:
- Connection: Patients engage with others who share similar experiences, whether managing a chronic illness, navigating the healthcare system, or exploring treatment options.
- Community: Groups and forums create a sense of belonging, where individuals can find support, exchange advice, and share personal health stories—especially important for those who may feel isolated in their offline circles.
- Learning from Lived Experiences: Through the stories of peers, patients gain insights into navigating health challenges that go beyond clinical advice. This shared wisdom helps them validate decisions and better understand their situations.
While social media isn’t where people typically seek immediate answers for acute conditions, it plays an essential role in the ongoing health journey. For pharmaceutical brands, social media presents an opportunity to engage more deeply with consumers by providing valuable, accurate, and supportive content. It’s about contributing to both the knowledge and the emotional journey of patients, rather than just delivering information.
It’s important to know that the power of social media as a health tool comes with its challenges. The same openness that fosters connection can also enable misinformation to thrive. Research from the University of Chicago earlier this year revealed that 44% of TikTok videos about sinus issues contained non-factual information, with many created by influencers lacking medical credentials. This highlights the importance of ensuring credible, science-backed content reaches patient communities.
Pharmaceutical brands have a key role to play here, this is an opportunity to not only engage authentically with patient groups on social media for business outcomes but to also help combat misinformation and contribute to public health education.
Social media will never replace Google for fact-based information, but it complements it by addressing other critical aspects of healthcare. It provides emotional connection, practical advice, and long-term education—support that goes beyond the capabilities of search engines.
Mehrak Saheb, Digital Media Strategist, Prophesy Digital