Why the strongest pharma brands feel more human on LinkedIn

Pharmaceutical manufacturers don’t usually have a credibility problem. But they do sometimes have a connecting with people problem. And that really matters on LinkedIn.

Because this is where future employees, partners, wholesalers, and even potential customers form first impressions long before they ever speak to you.

If your content feels generic, stiff, or overly corporate, or is missing a clear purpose - people just scroll on by. Not because your company lacks value, but because your message lacks life.

Why LinkedIn matters

LinkedIn isn’t just a place to post updates.

For pharmaceutical manufacturers, it’s a positioning tool – with a potential audience of 1.3 billion.

• It builds trust with wholesalers evaluating reliability and partnership potential 

• It attracts talent who want purpose, culture, and clarity - not just job specs 

• It shapes perception in a highly scrutinised, credibility-driven industry 

In other words: LinkedIn is where perception gets built. And if you’re not actively shaping it, your competitors are.

If it doesn’t pass the “so what?” test, don’t post it

“We attended another oncology conference this year.”
“Great to connect with industry peers.”
“Exciting times ahead. Here’s to a good future collaboration.”

It says nothing. It does nothing.

This is one of the most common challenges I give senior leaders in the pharma industry when they come to me with “great ideas” they want to share on LinkedIn. We can’t just document what happened like minutes of a meeting, we have to convince the reader why they should give a sh*t about it. Why is it relevant to them? What value is it adding? How can they apply it?

Instead of saying:
“We attended a conference and had great conversations.”

Say:
“What did we learn at the conference? The next big challenge in oncology is not only discovering better treatments, but making them easier to personalise, access, and use in real-world care.”

It’s sharing your takeaway and your point of view on why it’s relevant to your audience. That’s what makes a connection.

Every post should have a job to do

Before you publish anything, ask:

• Do I want to attract talent to find the next market access lead? 

• Strengthen wholesaler and partner trust?

• Encourage participation in an educational event for healthcare professionals?

• Position the company as an expert voice on bladder cancer? 

And just as importantly - a clear call to action.

Give your audience something to do: Share a perspective, ask a question, invite conversation, point to a next step. 

If there’s no intent behind the post, there will be no impact from it.

Start with people, not products

Your molecules matter. Your supply chain matters. But neither is what makes someone stop scrolling. People connect with people.

Shift from what we produce to why it matters and who makes it happen. Show the humans behind the science - the clever people solving problems, improving access, safeguarding quality.

Instead of:
“We’ve expanded our manufacturing capacity”

Try:
“What does it take to scale production without compromising quality? For Anna, our site lead, it means rethinking every step, without ever losing sight of the patient.”

Exactly the same message but a completely different feel to it.

If it sounds stiff, it won’t stick

Global pharma brands often run into the same issue: the content is technically correct, but it feels emotionally flat and a bit stiff - I see this day in, day out on LinkedIn. And often that comes down to language.

For international companies, it’s worth involving someone with native-level English and a strong editorial background. LinkedIn views natural, conversational language with a human tone as more trustworthy (rewarded with increased visibility) - and it can be the difference between content that gets skimmed and content that gets remembered.

Show (don’t just tell) what it’s like to work with you

Show collaboration. Show problem-solving. Show how you handle complexity. Show how you take care of people. And let your employees tell the story, because real voices of people on the front line will always outperform high-level corporate ones.

The pharma brands doing it right

The pharma brands that win on LinkedIn aren’t the ones posting the most. They’re the ones posting with intent - blending science with storytelling in ways that actually connect. Patient stories, employee perspectives, and relatable formats turn complex science into something human.

Novartis does this brilliantly. From rare disease journeys to “day in the life” content, they make science feel personal and purposeful. One standout example: asking employees what it would be like to switch roles for a week. It sparks curiosity, builds empathy, and highlights shared purpose - without talking about the pipeline.

Pfizer shares clinical data and real-world evidence in formats that work for healthcare professionals, while translating public health topics into plain, shareable content for broader audiences. The result? They position themselves as a partner in decision-making, not just a manufacturer.

And then there’s Mölnlycke. A short film of a nurse rushing through her shift, barely finding time to comfort a child with a teddy bear, says more about healthcare realities than any product message could. It’s emotional, honest, and perfectly ties back to their promise: Let nurses be nurses. I can see why it’s been nominated for an award.

They humanise the brand.
They speak in language their audience understands.
They use content to add value and build trust, not just fill a feed.

That is how you become memorable, attract talent, and become the partner of choice.