Internet Marketing in Regulated Industries
Reaching audiences in a highly regulated industry can be a bit of a challenge.
Industries like healthcare, law, guns, alcohol, and marijuana, just to name a few, have a hard time marketing their products.
With the laws constantly changing, those regulated industries have a hard time keeping up, and it’s only going to get more challenging over time.
These regulated industries have been around for a long time, and you may be wondering how they stay in business with limited marketing. Read on below to find out!
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How do I Market my Regulated Business?
Legal
In a regulated industry, it is important to know the legalities inside and out. Also, every state is different, so you need to be aware of your state’s specific marketing laws.
For instance, in Massachusetts, it is prohibited to put up a marketing geofence around healthcare facilities.
Another example is lawyers are not allowed to use remarketing, because it could reveal or imply someone’s legal history.
Look at big tobacco or even the marijuana industry — they all have different legal issues when it comes to marketing. The biggest challenge they both face is making sure children aren’t included in their marketing audience.
Again, it is important to know the ins and outs of your industry and what legal issues you may face with internet marketing.
Branding
A lot of regulated industries have been marketing their products for years despite these challenges.
However, the laws have changed, and it has become more complicated.
So maybe it’s time to re-brand. Explain why this would help – it’s too vague.
Here are some things to consider when branding or re-branding:
In order to reduce the number of children and adolescents who use tobacco and alcohol, to prevent health consequences related to tobacco and alcohol use, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and its implementing regulations restrict the way tobacco and alcohol product manufacturers, retailers, and distributors can advertise and promote tobacco products.
Website – Make sure your website is in compliance with what you’re selling. If you’re selling alcohol or tobacco products, you need to make sure there is an age requirement.
Social Media – Social media is a great tool and is an easy (and often free) way to show off your products. However, it is important to know social media laws.
Often, certain types of content are prohibited from being posted (unfortunately, Facebook has a restriction when posting about things like guns, marijuana, etc.).
Here’s a list of different types of prohibited content that is not allowed to be posted on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter:
- Illegal Products or Services
- Tobacco Products
- Drugs & Drug-Related Products
- Weapons, Ammunition, or Explosives
- Click Here For More Information
Print Advertising – Using newspapers and magazines is a great way for restricted industries to showcase products while avoiding strict online policies. The Federal Alcohol Administration Act doesn’t require alcohol beverage ads to be pre-approved before appearing in print.
SEO – Local SEO can help market your regulated industry, especially for products legal in only certain states, like gambling or marijuana. It allows targeting a local audience, reducing the chance of legality issues across state lines.
Even with product restrictions online, there are still ways to market your business and reach the right audience without breaking laws. For example, R.J. Reynolds was fined $20 million for marketing tobacco to children.
Audience
Know your audience! This is especially important for restricted products like tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana. Marketing to children under 13 must comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Not understanding your audience can lead to fines or even a company shutdown.
Marketing Guidelines
Below are a few guidelines for different regulated industries:
- Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana – Strict regulations exist for advertising these products. Platforms like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Instagram restrict promotion of these items.
- Healthcare, pharmaceutical, and insurance – Marketing must comply with HIPAA and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which affects how healthcare and drugs are advertised and sold.
- Gambling and gaming – Governed by local, state, and federal regulations, with some states having rules dating back centuries, while others are still developing them.
Industry regulated marketing doesn’t have to be hard.
Marketing restricted products can be challenging but not impossible. The key is knowing your audience and delivering information creatively while staying within regulations. Regulated products require even more creativity in marketing since they are different—your campaigns should reflect that.