How to build a TikTok Marketing channel for the pharmaceutical industry?

The explosion of TikTok in recent years has created a new wave for all social media marketing campaigns. The pharmaceutical industry is no exception to this trend, with numerous brands, doctors, and pharmacists joining the platform to spread knowledge and address consumer concerns.

So how can you effectively build a TikTok marketing channel for the pharmaceutical industry? Let’s explore three simple steps below!

Should the Pharmaceutical Industry Build a TikTok Channel?

It can be said that COVID-19 played a role in TikTok’s success today. The pandemic has significantly changed people’s lifestyles and habits.

Currently:

It is easy to see that Vietnamese consumers are increasingly concerned about their health. As a result, the role of the pharmaceutical industry is more crucial than ever. Topics such as health management, remote medical consultations, and healthy lifestyles have become highly popular.

According to TikTok’s statistics, users who are interested in health and lifestyle improvement activities are more engaged than non-TikTok users.

As people become more health-conscious, they actively seek more content related to self-care. The number of health-related hashtags on TikTok is considerable, with high view counts.

TikTok has become a hub where users who care about quality of life can connect and learn—especially with healthcare professionals.

Steps to Build an Effective TikTok Channel for the Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharmaceutical topics are often sensitive as they directly impact users’ health. However, if your product falls into the functional food category, creating a TikTok channel is highly suitable. TikTok can help you reach your target audience effectively, often at a lower cost than other platforms.

So where should you start when building a TikTok channel for the pharmaceutical industry? Let’s go through the essential steps below.

Step 1: Research the Market & Target Audience

This is one of the most crucial steps when launching on TikTok. You need to identify your core product and build a detailed portrait of your target customer.

To do this, put yourself in the shoes of a TikTok user—the ideal customer for your product. Spend 2-3 hours per day observing, tracking, and analyzing competitor channels, as well as successful similar products. This will help you accurately define your target audience.

You should also combine data from your existing customer base with insights from TikTok users interested in similar products. This will help you refine your content and visuals to optimize your TikTok channel.

Typically, audiences for pharmaceutical TikTok channels share the following characteristics:

• Age: 20-45
• Gender: 60% female, 40% male
• Location: Mostly in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
• Interests: Beauty, fitness, and health-related topics
• Behavior: Actively researching across multiple platforms about healthy lifestyles, wellness methods, and health-supporting products such as vitamins and functional foods

Step 2: Building Engaging Content and Strong Visuals

To succeed on TikTok, you must carefully invest in both content and visuals—the two key factors that drive success on the platform.

Content Strategy

TikTok has strict policies regarding pharmaceutical-related products. Adhering to these regulations is essential for your channel’s success. Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes user engagement, meaning your content should be relatable, concise, easy to understand, and most importantly, entertaining.

The Edutainment (Education + Entertainment) trend is a highly effective content strategy for pharmaceutical TikTok channels. There are several formulas for creating trending TikTok videos.

Here are some content ideas to attract viewers in the pharmaceutical industry:

• Share real-life stories with authenticity.
• Spread positivity and valuable insights.
• Integrate entertaining elements.
• Add on-screen text or keywords for better readability.
• Include trending background music that aligns with your content.
• Use high-quality equipment like microphones, lighting, and stabilizers for direct engagement with your audience.

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Visual Strategy

TikTok is a video-sharing platform that connects you to a potential audience of nearly 6 billion users worldwide.

To enhance your content, consider these visual optimization tips:

• Branding: Use logos and brand identifiers to protect intellectual property.
• Consistency: Add subtitles and consistent thumbnails for better recognition.
• Editing Tools: Utilize professional editing apps like Canva, CapCut, etc., to enhance video quality.
• Stability: Use a tripod to stabilize shots and avoid shaky footage.
• Clarity: Avoid blurry or low-quality visuals that create a poor user experience.

Step 3: Running High-Impact Advertising Campaigns

An effective TikTok marketing strategy for the pharmaceutical industry must include targeted advertising campaigns. TikTok ads not only boost brand awareness but also attract potential customers and accelerate conversions.

TikTok offers various ad formats, which, when combined with engaging content, can significantly improve brand recognition and conversion rates. A well-planned mix of organic content and paid ads will help you scale your pharmaceutical TikTok channel faster.

>>> Read more: Simple instructions on how to run TikTok Ads from A-Z

Three-Stage TikTok Advertising Strategy for the Pharmaceutical Industry:

Phase 1: Brand Awareness

At the initial stage, brands should focus on building recognition among consumers. Your TikTok channel should maximize video reach and use ad formats such as:

• Top View
• Reach & Frequency Ads
• In-Feed Ads
• Spark Ads

Choosing the right ad format based on your campaign objectives is crucial. With well-structured pharmaceutical content combined with TikTok ads, you can measure effectiveness through CPM (cost per thousand impressions), CPV (cost per view), and CPC (cost per click).

Phase 2: Expansion & Engagement

At this stage, your TikTok channel has gained a loyal audience with a steady follower base and consistent views. Now is the time to implement campaigns that drive interest, consideration, and excitement to encourage purchases.

Effective ad formats for this phase include:

• Reach & Frequency Ads
• In-Feed Ads
• Spark Ads
• Shopping Ads
• Collaborations with Influencers & KOLs

Unlike the first phase, this stage should focus on increasing CPC (clicks per ad) and improving CPA (cost per acquisition/conversion).

You can partner with content creators on the TikTok Creator Marketplace to run product review ads from KOLs. Use Spark Ads, which allow users to like, share, and comment like regular videos.

This not only builds credibility but also extends your reach to a broader audience with higher conversion rates through effective CTA strategies.

Final Stage: Expanding Market Share

In the final stage, your primary goal is to maximize user engagement. The following ad formats will help grow your TikTok channel and establish a strong presence in the pharmaceutical marketing sector, leading to a large, loyal follower base:

• Top View Ads
• Hashtag Challenges
• Branded Effects

The rise of health-focused content creators has significantly supported pharmaceutical brands on TikTok. These creators not only possess expert medical knowledge but also know how to make content engaging and relatable for viewers. At this stage, you can collaborate with renowned healthcare professionals to promote your products and channel. Hosting live Q&A sessions and expert discussions is an excellent way to increase credibility and audience engagement.

Pro Tips for Running TikTok Ads in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharmaceutical marketing presents unique challenges due to its sensitive nature. To navigate this effectively on TikTok, consider the following:

✅ Adhere strictly to pharmaceutical industry regulations.
✅ Develop long-term marketing campaigns that provide community value.
✅ Deliver credible, beneficial, and highly accurate information to viewers.
✅ Optimize ads using a TikTok Agency Account to diversify content display and reach more users.

Some high-performing ad formats, such as Top View, Reach & Frequency, and Shopping Ads, offer greater optimization potential. However, these options are exclusive to TikTok Agency Accounts, which are distributed through official TikTok Partners like buybm365.

For highly targeted and effective advertising campaigns, we recommend brands and sellers prioritize TikTok Agency Accounts.

Successful TikTok Pharmaceutical Channels

Lactacyd – ‘New Year, Fresh You’ Campaign

During Tet 2021, Lactacyd launched the #nammoiminhtuoimoi campaign to enhance brand awareness. The campaign leveraged Hashtag Challenges and popular KOLs, resulting in impressive statistics:

• 214 million views on TikTok in just 3 days
• 124,000+ user-generated videos using the campaign hashtag
• 18% increase in sales within the first two months of 2021

Dr. Lã Hà – Dermatology Influencer

Dr. Lã Hà, a leading expert in dermatology, has built a successful TikTok channel with nearly 600K followers.

• She shares professional dermatology knowledge and frequently engages with followers through comments, stitch, and duet features.
• Her content is highly targeted and psychologically appealing to consumers.
• Her videos have accumulated 9.3 million likes, showcasing her strong influence in the industry.

Alobacsi.com – Trusted Medical News & Advice

Alobacsi.com has become a reliable TikTok source for medical news, healthcare guidance, and expert consultations, featuring renowned doctors and health professionals.

• Content includes health news, expert advice, FAQs, and experience sharing, all presented clearly and concisely.
• The channel currently has 1.5 million followers and 29.2 million likes, proving its credibility and effectiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions When Building a TikTok Marketing Channel for the Pharmaceutical Industry

Will advertising for my products & services be restricted on TikTok?

The restrictions depend on the market and the country you are targeting with your advertising campaign. TikTok categorizes products and services into three groups: Prohibited, Restricted, and Allowed to comply with the laws and cultural standards of different countries. For the Vietnamese market, the classification is as follows:

For TikTok’s requirements and policies, pharmaceutical or medical-related TikTok channels must ensure that pharmacists and experts provide necessary certifications and credentials to support their expertise.

What should I consider when running pharmaceutical ads on TikTok?

Here are some key points to remember when advertising pharmaceutical products in Vietnam:

• Vietnam’s Advertising Law requires advertisements to be in Vietnamese only. However, English may be included in the video if it is part of the product’s brand or trade name.
• Avoid misleading comparisons between products or unrealistic promises about treatment timelines.
• For dietary supplements (health-related products), you must include the disclaimer:
  “This product is not a medicine and does not replace medical treatment.”
• Videos containing sensitive images, misleading information, or content violating traditional cultural values will be strictly prohibited.
• Do not include images of doctors, pharmacists, healthcare professionals, or medical devices.

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Special Notes

• Do not describe a product as having medicinal effects or claim it can cure diseases.
  Words like treatment, cure, heal, completely cure are prohibited in product descriptions. Instead, use phrases such as “supports recovery” or “aids in symptom relief.”

Conclusion

The above are industry-specific insights, guidelines, and important notes compiled to help businesses build an effective TikTok channel for pharmaceutical products. If you are looking to develop a TikTok marketing strategy for pharmaceuticals, following these best practices will ensure compliance and success.

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