Digital Opinion Leader Deep-Dive: The Engager

In a recent article, we provided an overview of three Digital Opinion Leader (DOL) personas we have developed: Engagers, Creators, and Sharers. We also recently covered Creators and Sharers in more detail in previous posts. Closing out the DOL persona series is the Engager.

Engagers share attributes with the Sharer like a dedicated online community and amplification of messages, but the Engager goes beyond surface commentary. Much like the Sharer, they don't create rich media content. Instead, the significance of the Engager can be found in their ability to create editorial content that drives thoughtful conversations amongst their audience.

Facilitates Discussions
Simply put, the Engager thrives on discourse with their peers. This persona can be found on platforms that encourage two-way communication between the persona and their audience. Two-way communication allows the Engager to foster a sense of trust amongst their followers, making the discourse within the community even more beneficial.

Engagers stay up to date on the latest events and trends within their expertise and supply a platform for their peers to communicate through a variety of means such as polls, questions, scenarios, etc. These discussions provide value by not only allowing a safe space for healthcare providers (HCPs) to engage in topics that are important to their specialty, but Engagers can also provide their audience with added data-driven insights to advance those conversations to the next level.

Built on Community 
Throughout this series, we have highlighted the similarities between the different personas, and how they work in tandem. The Sharer amplifies messages and builds community without creating content, while the Engager builds community by providing context to bring the message to life. These personas can work together to drive repetition.

Community is the cornerstone of the Engager’s persona. HCPs rely on the Engager to facilitate meaningful conversations. Their community trusts the Engager to provide a space to engage, without bias or repercussions. A speaker without an audience cannot be effective. The same concept applies to the Engager.

Benefits of Collaboration 
Pharma collaboration with a DOL, especially facilitating discussions, can cause a bit of fear. However, that fear can be quelled by drawing a simple parallel. Yes, there is a level of trust involved when collaborating with. Engagers, however, that risk is no different than that of a traditional key opinion leader (KOL) facilitating discussions in person. Like any other opinion leader, DOL risk can and should be evaluated during the identification phase.

Engagers have access to HCPs and organizations around the world for the purpose of discussion and interaction. In the end, people will talk, but having the Engager on your side to facilitate meaningful discourse with their community can make all the difference. The Engager can act as a "myth buster" and drive audiences to data and research to support those claims.

Want more information on finding the best way to collaborate with the Engager? Let's connect.