Four Tangible Ways to Put the DO in DOL

What you’ll learn:

In the past decade, digital opinion leaders (DOLs) have emerged as crucial stakeholders in the healthcare landscape, driving conversations, fuelling peer-to-peer engagement, and amplifying key issues on social media. While recognizing their importance is the first step, the real challenge lies in translating this aspiration into action via tangible strategies that have the potential to drive impact.

Here’s how to bridge the gap from aspiration to action.

1. Engage: Deepening Connections with DOLs

Engagement begins with the simple act of connecting with DOLs on social platforms. Whether liking, commenting, or sharing their content, these small actions can lay the groundwork for deeper relationships. For instance, when a client shared a disease state education (DSE) website on LinkedIn, a DOL with over 6,000 followers reposted it, significantly amplifying its reach.

Moreover, targeted engagement strategies can make a significant difference. Engaging during key moments when DOLs are most active and interested—for example, via 1:1 outreach or briefings during congresses or major industry announcements—can enhance DOL receptivity and the effectiveness of your outreach.

To take engagement to the next level, consider organizing DOL workshops or advisory boards. These sessions allow for direct collaboration with DOLs, helping to define shared objectives, shape partnership initiatives, and co-creating content that resonates with your target audiences.

As a precursor to direct collaboration and partnership, Klick’s Integrated Influencer ID solution combines social-media influence-metrics activity with academic credentials in order to identify and prioritize the most influential and relevant DOLs for specific therapeutic areas or initiatives.

2. Upskill: Empower Your KOLs to Become DOLs

By definition, KOLs (key opinion leaders) possess deep expertise but, in many cases, have yet to fully embrace the potential of social media as part of their communication toolkit. By motivating and enabling them to acquire the skills necessary to enhance their online presence, there is an opportunity to inject and elevate true voices of authority into the social media dialogue—at a time when medical misinformation is a concern for many. Klick has developed an opt-in, self-directed training program to support KOLs in elevating their social media skills. This program offers practical, bite-sized daily tips tailored to their existing skill levels, enabling them to engage more proactively on platforms like Twitter/X and LinkedIn.

3. Co-Create: Leveraging Data-Driven Insights to Amplify Content

By partnering with DOLs, pharma companies can develop content that is compelling, credible, and shareable.

Starting with “lighthouse” projects—such as a series of educational videos or tweetorial-based publication summaries developed in partnership with a DOL—can be an effective way to ignite progress in DOL engagement. These smaller initiatives allow you to test strategies, gather feedback, and refine your approach before rolling out a comprehensive DOL engagement blueprint. Over time, these efforts can culminate in an organizational playbook that outlines best practices for compliant, impactful DOL partnerships.

4. Commit: Defining KPIs and Tracking Success

In Klick’s experience, an upfront commitment to measuring and demonstrating the impact of DOL engagement initiatives is critical to gaining organizational buy-in and investment. Establishing clear KPIs at the level of content reach and engagement (e.g., views, impressions, engagements), DOL and community activation (e.g., scientific share of voice), and industry benchmarks (e.g., referencing similar industry accounts, initiatives, or campaigns).

For medical affairs teams seeking to engage DOLs and support scientific exchange on social media, as one example, Klick developed the SOMEMA (Social Media for Medical Affairs) Index, which tracks industry performance in social media and DOL engagement. By continuously tracking performance, organizations can adapt and optimize their strategies for even greater impact.

Conclusion

Moving from aspiration to action with DOLs requires deliberate engagement, targeted upskilling, and collaborative co-creation, all guided by data-driven insights and a commitment to defining and measuring KPIs. By implementing these strategies, organizations can unlock the full potential of DOLs, driving more meaningful and widespread impact in the digital space.

Are you interested in learning more about building lasting, impactful DOL relationships? Reach out today to speak with one of our experts.