Digital Opinion Leader (DOL)
What is a digital opinion leader (DOL)?
A digital opinion leader, or DOL, is a social media influencer for the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. They are an individual or sometimes even an organization that has a large online presence, typically through social media.
They are similar to a key opinion leader (KOL), except a DOL is purely digital, while a KOL may not have a digital footprint at all. DOLs are considered the more modern form of KOLs because they reflect how information is shared in today’s environment and leverage the rapidly increasing social media market to connect with clients.
DOLs can help optimize marketing efforts or create a better connection with a specific patient group. They provide valuable information to their audience while informing them about the latest breakthroughs for their focus area.
Why should biopharma companies partner with DOLs?
When a DOL partners with a biopharma company, they can use their online presence to inform all the people they interact with—which can include healthcare providers, physicians, payors, and even patients—of the brand and its products/services. Through their presentation or promotion of a brand, DOLs can help build a biopharma company’s reputation and instill trust for the company in the clients they’re looking to reach.
When choosing whether to work with a DOL, it helps to look at three metrics: their number of followers (influence), frequency of content interactions (engagement), and whether they fit the company’s objective (relevance).