What I learned at Google ThinkHealth

Turns out, this really is ‘the year of mobile’



I was lucky enough to be invited to the Google ThinkHealth event in New York City on September 15, 2011.

First, going to Google headquarters is always fun because you get to see people rolling down the hallways on scooters and there is a sauna in the cafeteria.

More importantly, Google always has first-rate speakers at this event and this year was no different. They featured Thomas Goetz of Wired Magazine, Dr. David Best of the Doctor’s Channel and Dr. Ruth Westheimer, still going strong at 83 years old.

Dr. Ruth has expanded her brand via Twitter and a YouTube channel.

While there were a few very cool things presented that I can’t talk about due to a nondisclosure agreement, there were some interesting statistics that I can share.

One of the Google presenters laughingly noted, “It’s been the year of mobile for the past four years.” But behavior has finally caught up to our enthusiasm.

Most people constantly keep their cell phone close by, borne out by this research, which showed 61% keep their mobile phone in the bedroom.

We were told that if you lose your phone you discover it’s gone in 40 seconds on average! This study shows that 61% would realize their phone was missing within the hour.

With this reliance on cell phones, surprisingly, most websites are still not optimized for mobile viewing. Best practices include: prioritize content, retain white space, use big buttons and make it easy to convert. One company who does it right: Amazon.

This year, mobile will add 26% to prescription searches and 22% to over-the-counter searches.

Keeping these statistics in mind, pharma brands should ensure their paid search ads are showing up for mobile search and their websites are mobile-friendly.

I’ve written before about the power of YouTube, and this event simply reiterated its importance.

One-third of all Internet time is spent watching video, and 30% of viewers share with a friend after watching a YouTube video.

Pharma marketers, take note and take advantage of this great tool.

Eileen O'Brien is director of search and innovation at Siren Interactive. She blogs at Sirensong.

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