Influencer marketing has taken the medical devices and services world by storm—who knew healthcare could be this cool? The global industry, now worth a hefty $32.55 billion, has grown faster than your last workout routine. Healthcare marketers have caught on too, with 86% using influencers to promote products. But here’s the plot twist: rather than the usual A-list celebrities, it’s micro and nano influencers—people with smaller, but fiercely loyal followings—that are driving results.
And speaking of smaller stars, let’s talk about one standout campaign that turned personal stories into powerful marketing: the collaboration between Open Bionics and Tilly Lockey. Tilly’s journey from losing both hands at 15 months to embracing the Hero Arm, a bionic prosthetic, was shared with raw authenticity across social media.
Her story wasn’t just about showcasing tech; it was about empowering people, breaking boundaries, and turning her arm into a symbol of possibility.
Want to know how this strategy works? This article will break it down and also tell you all about the best influencer marketing strategies for medical devices and services.
- 1. Leveraging Visual Storytelling and User-Generated Content
- 2. Empowering Through Influencer-Driven Personal Stories
- 3. Creating Impactful Content with Influencers
- 4. Leveraging Influencer Diversity
- 5. Harnessing Hyper-Local Micro-Influencers
- 6. Activating Influencers for Authentic Disease Awareness
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Leveraging Visual Storytelling and User-Generated Content
In the world of influencer marketing for medical devices and services, one of the most overlooked, yet highly effective tactics is tapping into authentic, real-life user stories and elevating them through visual storytelling. Rather than simply showcasing a product’s features or benefits, this approach integrates the voices of real customers and influencers—ideally people who have a meaningful connection to the product—into a narrative that resonates with the target audience.
It’s about showing the human side of health challenges and doing so in a way that feels relatable, inspirational, and empowering.
Why does this work so well? Because, let’s face it, consumers are tired of the generic product pitches and the "here's how our gadget will change your life" rhetoric. They want something real. This is especially true in the medical sector, where trust and authenticity are the bedrock of successful marketing.
People dealing with health conditions like diabetes are not just looking for a device; they're seeking a lifeline—a solution that fits into their lives, not a perfect, polished ad campaign. So, what better way to communicate this than by sharing personal stories of people who have found these solutions?
Enter Dexcom, the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) giant, and its brilliant #SeeDiabetes campaign. Dexcom took this strategy to heart by creating an interactive photo gallery that featured not only celebrity ambassadors like Nick Jonas but also real-life users—people who use Dexcom’s CGM devices to manage their diabetes daily.
By blending paid influencers and everyday users into one seamless, heartfelt narrative, Dexcom turned its product into a symbol of community, empowerment, and accessibility.
In a nutshell, the campaign invited consumers into a world where diabetes management wasn’t just a medical process but a personal journey. The #SeeDiabetes gallery became an online space showcasing people from all walks of life, some as young as 10, others in their 60s, each contributing their story and photo.
The success of this strategy was clear in the numbers. Dexcom reported a 27% sales growth in the third quarter, and it was no coincidence that the #SeeDiabetes initiative came right on the heels of that surge. By spotlighting real users, Dexcom not only generated buzz but also fostered a deeper, more authentic relationship with its audience.
Key Takeaway
To truly connect with your audience in the medical devices and services space, harness the power of visual storytelling combined with user-generated content. Don’t just showcase your product—show how it fits into real lives and solves genuine problems.
Engage your users by making them part of the narrative, whether through photos, testimonials, or videos, and create a space where authenticity is celebrated. When consumers see real stories from real people, they’re more likely to trust and connect with your brand.
2. Empowering Through Influencer-Driven Personal Stories
Another powerful strategy in medical device marketing today involves leveraging personal, authentic stories shared by influencers who have experienced the product firsthand. The beauty of this approach lies in its ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level. When influencers with personal experience share how a product has helped them overcome challenges, it doesn’t just showcase the device—it builds trust, breaks down barriers, and fosters a sense of community.
In the medical devices space, where trust is paramount, authenticity is the secret ingredient that turns a promotional campaign into a movement.
Take, for instance, the impactful influencer strategy used by Open Bionics with Tilly Lockey, a young woman who was fitted with their Hero Arm—a prosthetic hand designed to provide more functionality and a more natural, personalized experience for amputees. Tilly’s story is one of resilience and empowerment, making her the perfect ambassador for a product that represents independence and possibility.
Tilly’s journey began when she lost both of her hands due to Meningococcal Septicaemia at 15 months old. By the time she was eight years old, Tilly was fitted with the Hero Arm, and her life changed drastically. The Hero Arm allowed her to perform tasks she never thought possible, from simple everyday activities to activities like playing "Just Dance" on the Wii—a task that previously involved tapping the remote to her arm.
But Open Bionics didn’t just stop at sharing her story—they empowered Tilly to share her journey with the world. Through social media, Tilly became an advocate for the Hero Arm, showcasing her daily life and the new abilities her bionic arm afforded her. She even featured on the official Instagram account, having the chance to share her amazing and inspiring story with the rest of the world. The post has, to this day, 450k likes!
Through her social media activity, Tilly demonstrated how the Hero Arm didn’t just help her with functionality—it gave her the freedom to express herself in new, personal ways. Her influencer-driven campaign wasn’t about just demonstrating a product’s technical features; it was about showcasing what it enabled: independence, confidence, and fun.
Tilly is now an Open Bionic brand ambassador and a strong advocate for their products. The Hero Arm transformed her life and helped launch her pop career with her debut single "Porcelain"
Key Takeaway:
Your product’s success isn’t just about features—it’s about what it enables your customers to do. If you want to make a meaningful impact with your influencer marketing efforts, consider working with influencers who have a personal connection to your product. Share authentic stories that showcase the emotional and functional benefits of your device. When influencers become advocates for your product, their personal experiences can connect with audiences on a deeper level, creating trust and driving real change.
3. Creating Impactful Content with Influencers
We've already established that one of the biggest hurdles in medical marketing is making complex products easily understood and relatable to the people who need them the most. That’s where content-driven influencer marketing comes in—specifically when you leverage influencers to create content that doesn’t just promote a product, but demonstrates its real-world benefits in an engaging and relatable way.
This strategy is especially effective in industries like healthcare, where products often have to convey both function and impact, and potential users may need reassurance that the product will work for their unique needs.
The key to success here? Demonstrating the product’s capabilities through influencers who can speak directly to the target audience, creating content that is both educational and engaging. Instead of a static ad or simple endorsement, influencers can turn product demonstrations into interactive, relatable stories. They can show exactly how a product works in the context of their everyday lives, adding an authenticity and relatability that goes far beyond traditional marketing.
Take Smith+Nephew’s campaign for thire ALLEVYN LIFE wound care dressing as an example, orchestrated by Balcom Agency. Their challenge was clear: nurses—who are busy, overworked, and constantly making quick decisions about the products they use—need to be made aware of their product in a way that would stick.
The key insight here was that nurses have an incredibly active, highly engaged presence on social media, especially on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Balcom Agency’s marketing team tapped into this by partnering with nursing influencers who were not only trusted voices but could also show the functionality of ALLEVYN LIFE in a way that resonated with their peers.
The campaign centered around the product's fluid demo, something Smith+Nephew regularly used to highlight the absorbent nature of ALLEVYN LIFE. By partnering with nursing influencers, the company was able to capture these moments on video.
Influencers applied blue-dyed water to the dressing and demonstrated the product’s fluid absorption and flexibility by squeezing it over their heads and bending it at the elbow. These actions didn’t just showcase the product’s features—they gave the audience a sense of how ALLEVYN LIFE could fit into their daily lives and routines. It wasn’t about a sterile product demo; it was about showing the product in action, in the hands of real people.
The results were astounding. In 2022, the campaign shattered expectations, surpassing benchmarks by a wide margin: a 242% higher click-through rate (CTR) and a 372% higher engagement rate (ER). More importantly, it became the #1 traffic driver to the ALLEVYN landing page over a three-month period in 2023. This success was so impactful that Smith+Nephew requested a repeat performance for the following years, which speaks volumes about the effectiveness of the strategy.
In 2023, the campaign evolved further by adding TikTok to the mix. By branching out to TikTok alongside Instagram, the influencers were able to tap into a broader audience and maximize organic reach.
@stephbegg A perfect real life example of antibiotic nursing considerations! I loooove tying in real-world stories to education…it helps it stick way better #fyp #foryou #nursingstudent #nursingschool #nclex #nclextips #nclexprep #antibiotics #nursingnotes #nurse #rn ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim
Key Takeaway
When marketing medical devices, focus on demonstrating the product’s functionality through influencer-driven content. Partner with influencers who have real-world experience or expertise to create engaging, informative, and authentic product demos. Video content, particularly on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, has the power to educate, engage, and drive conversions. It’s not just about showcasing features—it’s about showing how your product solves real problems in relatable ways.
4. Leveraging Influencer Diversity
What if the secret to broadening awareness and increasing engagement in medical marketing lies in diversifying your influencer selection? In other words, rather than sticking to one niche category, why not partner with influencers from multiple areas—family, lifestyle, beauty, and more—to appeal to a broader audience?
This approach allows you to reach a wide range of potential customers who may have different interests and needs. By incorporating influencers from various categories, you expand the scope of your campaign, increasing the likelihood that your target audience will connect with the content in a personal and meaningful way.
This cross-category strategy helps to illustrate that your medical product or service isn’t just for one specific demographic, but for anyone who could benefit from it—whether it’s a parent, a wellness enthusiast, or someone just looking for better healthcare solutions.
A great example of this strategy in action comes from Medizinfuchs, Germany’s largest price comparison platform for medicines. Their goal was simple: raise awareness about their app, which helps users compare prices for over 350,000 medications, and drive more app downloads. To achieve this, Medizinfuchs turned to a mix of nano- and micro-influencers across a variety of categories, from family influencers to lifestyle and beauty bloggers.
The campaign’s implementation focused on Instagram Stories—an ideal medium for quick, digestible content that can drive engagement and direct calls to action (in this case, app downloads). What made this campaign stand out, however, was the decision to use influencers from a variety of different niches, allowing the app to reach an incredibly diverse audience.
For example, family influencers helped promote the app to parents who wanted to stock up on medications for the cold season or for upcoming family trips. In a follow-up campaign, lifestyle influencers were brought on to promote the app to a broader, wellness-focused audience, while beauty bloggers targeted their followers who were looking for skincare and health products.
The results were highly successful: 28,000+ views on Instagram Stories, over 2,500 link clicks, and a great deal of positive feedback from both influencers and the client. The diversity of influencers allowed Medizinfuchs to cast a wider net and engage with different groups, all while delivering a clear message about the app’s benefits.
Key Takeaway
If you’re looking to increase awareness and drive engagement for your medical device or service, don’t limit yourself to one category of influencers. Try to incorporate influencers from a variety of backgrounds and industries to expand your reach.
Whether you’re working with family influencers, lifestyle bloggers, or even beauty experts, this approach allows you to connect with a broader audience, showcasing your product’s versatility and relevance across different lifestyles. When you cast a wider influencer net, you’re more likely to catch the attention of a diverse customer base.
5. Harnessing Hyper-Local Micro-Influencers
In the crowded world of medical services, standing out and reaching the right audience is often a challenge. But what if you could hyper-target specific local communities with micro-influencers who are already trusted voices within those communities? This approach, focusing on localized, highly engaged influencers, can be incredibly effective for medical device and service brands looking to build awareness and trust in specific regions.
Micro-influencers—those with smaller, but more dedicated and engaged followings—are often viewed as more authentic and relatable compared to larger influencers or celebrities. They tend to have niche audiences that trust their opinions, making them ideal partners when trying to reach people in particular areas, especially for regional healthcare services.
By working with these influencers, medical brands can not only raise awareness but also encourage positive word-of-mouth and drive action, all while maintaining an air of credibility and relatability.
A perfect example of this strategy in action comes from SSM Health’s Virtual Visits campaign. After seeing success with a micro-influencer initiative in a single region, Infinity Marketing, the agency in charge, expanded the campaign to four regions to boost awareness of their telehealth platform. The goal was clear: raise brand awareness, increase future use consideration, and spark positive conversations within each local community.
To execute this, SSM Health’s partner, Infinity Marketing, identified and contracted eight hyper-local influencers, each with a strong following in one of the target regions. The influencers—carefully selected for their regional relevance—created content around the ease, affordability, and convenience of Virtual Visits, which allowed users to consult healthcare professionals via mobile devices. Their posts were tailored to each community’s needs, ensuring that the content felt organic and highly relevant.
The influencers’ content was diverse, spanning blog posts, Instagram stories, static posts, and Facebook posts, ensuring multiple touchpoints with the target audience. Each influencer received a unique URL linked to a dedicated campaign landing page, which helped track the traffic and effectiveness of their individual posts. This level of personalized tracking was key for measuring ROI and understanding how each influencer contributed to the overall campaign.
As for results? The campaign crushed its objectives. With over 51,000 impressions and a 2.7% engagement rate, it delivered 59,000+ total reach and 412 unique website sessions—evidence of solid audience engagement. The influencers’ content was so effective that comments, reactions, and shares were overwhelmingly positive, showing a high level of brand advocacy and suggesting that these local communities would consider using Virtual Visits in the future.
6. Activating Influencers for Authentic Disease Awareness
When it comes to promoting medical devices and services, especially in the realm of chronic conditions like Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and its related complications, traditional marketing strategies can fall flat. People don’t just need to know that a product exists—they need to understand how it fits into their lives and what difference it can truly make.
That’s where influencer activations come into play, specifically when the goal is to raise awareness about a serious health issue, educate a specific audience, and ignite real conversations.
So, what's the secret here? The strategy is straightforward: leveraging influencers to create personalized, authentic content that directly speaks to the experiences and concerns of the target audience. But instead of simply showcasing a product, influencers share their personal stories and insights, sparking genuine engagement. This method allows the message to come from a trusted voice, not just a corporate brand, making the information feel more relatable and impactful.
The tactic is about activating influencers to become advocates who can help educate their followers while bringing awareness to important issues, such as the connection between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and T2D. By combining powerful storytelling with expert opinions and personal experiences, this influencer-driven approach fosters meaningful connections that drive change.
Take the Action360x campaign for a pharma giant for example. Their client wanted to partner with influencers to raise awareness about the heightened risk of cardiovascular disease in people living with Type 2 Diabetes across multiple European markets. But rather than just pushing out generic messages, Action360x activated influencers who had authentic ties to the healthcare space or the patient community, and whose voices could resonate deeply with their followers.
The team identified eight key influencers from Finland, Greece, Norway, Belgium, and Sweden, all of whom had the credibility to speak about Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). These weren’t just random influencers—they were carefully selected to ensure their stories were both authentic and relevant to the issue at hand.
The influencers shared personal narratives or expert opinions about the risks of CVD, leveraging their own unique perspectives to address the topic with authenticity. Whether they were patients living with T2D, healthcare professionals, or individuals with personal connections to the condition, each influencer created original content designed to drive meaningful conversations.
The results? Well, they were impressive. Over 234,000 people were reached across Instagram, with over 10,000 content engagements. The influencers created 30 pieces of unique content, with an impressive engagement rate of 2.32%.
Key Takeaway
If you’re looking to boost awareness and foster genuine connections in the medical device space, try activating influencers who have authentic ties to the issue at hand. Go beyond basic promotions by having influencers craft content that resonates with their followers’ personal experiences. Focus on building long-term relationships with influencers who can help educate, inspire, and spark the kind of conversation that leads to real change. It’s not just about selling a product—it’s about creating an informed, engaged, and empowered community.
In influencer marketing for medical devices, authenticity and emotional connection are key. By leveraging personal stories, visual storytelling, and diverse influencer partnerships, brands can foster trust and expand their reach.
Strategic campaigns that engage micro and hyper-local influencers can drive meaningful conversations and brand advocacy. Embrace these approaches to create lasting relationships and boost your brand’s visibility, ultimately leading to sustained success in the healthcare market.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is visual storytelling in influencer marketing?
Visual storytelling in influencer marketing combines real customer stories with engaging visuals to connect with audiences emotionally. It emphasizes relatability and authenticity, especially in the medical sector, by showing how a product truly impacts real lives.
Why is user-generated content important in medical marketing?
User-generated content allows for authentic storytelling, which builds trust and credibility. When real customers or influencers share their experiences, it humanizes the brand and resonates more deeply with potential users.
How do personal stories from influencers help in medical marketing?
Personal stories from influencers make campaigns relatable and humanize the product, fostering trust and emotional connections with the audience. These stories can highlight real-life benefits and demonstrate how the product can solve real problems.
What are the advantages of using micro-influencers in healthcare marketing?
Micro-influencers typically have smaller, but highly engaged followings. Their personal connections with their audience make them more trustworthy, and their content is more likely to drive authentic engagement and influence purchase decisions.
How can influencer diversity benefit a medical marketing campaign?
Influencer diversity expands the campaign’s reach by appealing to different audience segments. By including influencers from various categories like lifestyle, beauty, or family, brands can engage a wider audience and showcase the product’s broad appeal.
What role does hyper-local targeting play in medical marketing campaigns?
Hyper-local targeting with micro-influencers allows brands to connect with specific communities in a more personalized and impactful way, ensuring the message feels relevant and resonates with the local audience’s needs.
How can influencer campaigns educate audiences about medical devices?
Influencers can use educational content, such as demonstrations, tutorials, or personal experiences, to explain the benefits and functions of medical devices in an easy-to-understand way, helping consumers make informed decisions
