I shouldn’t have to write this article because FemTech companies should be able to play the same game as everyone else in content marketing. We shouldn’t have to seek out other avenues and channels when this work is as essential as many other businesses.
FemTech content is educational, gives people insights into their bodies, allows them to feel part of a community and saves lives.
But we move.
This blog post isn’t about how to make a strategy either. Hubspot has you sorted for that! So instead, consider these points and sprinkle them throughout your strategy, as yours may not follow the norm for content distribution.
Crafting Powerful Content That Gets Shares, Minus The Stigma!
I hope this article will be defunct and irrelevant in a year or two.
The following tips and strategies are ways to bypass current algorithms and outright gender bias that large platforms display regularly.
I hope that as the need for research into womens’ bodies becomes the norm, these platforms will no longer stigmatise FemTech advertising.
Create Once, Share Sexual Stuff Regularly
When sharing your content, not only do you need to factor in how Instagram graphics will be a different size to Facebook, but you also need to be aware of using “explicit” words. Using “seggs”, “v&gin&” and “#femalepleasure” instead of #sextoys, for example, is a vital part of the content creation process.
I find this incredibly frustrating, though, because this further enforces the stigma around words like sex, sex toys, and orgasms. So what, we can’t even say the correct terms now?!
Educate First
Create educational content around your product/service topic rather than direct ads that big platforms might, unfortunately, pick up as sexual content. Educating your users also doubles as building brand awareness and trust in your company, thus creating communities and social shares.
I must mention that your content is supposed to be engaging, educational and put the reader first! So often, we see FemTech’s sharing one post a week about their latest blog post, a couple of hashtags and then radio silence.
This is boring and just plain ol’ promotion.
Ask questions, get conversations flowing, share fun behind-the-scenes of your company, answer user and reader questions!
A flourishing FemTech in this educational space is O.School (O standing for orgasm, of course!).
Strength in Numbers
It can be disheartening to create glorious, fun content only for socials to flag it as inappropriate. I don’t understand why they make such restricting rules about genuine brands and their accounts when unsolicited pictures can still be sent on the reg.
I get your frustration; just let us live our lives, FFS!
And yet, we still find ourselves scrolling through the socials, pining for the day we’ll be able to share freely.
If you want to make it work, why not play to their algorithm. Reaching out to online publications such as Vice, WIRED, Cultbeauty, Forbes, and Tech Crunch, who have such large audiences on their socials, can bring about new discussions and add credibility to your own social account.
Talk to a Friend
Produce content that’s relatable and from the first-person point of view. You could be a health tech company for infertility or menopause, but chances are your content won’t be read if it is super scientific.
Sharing relatable stories and cutting the jargon makes your content accessible and more likely to be found.
#Inspo, anyone?!
Look at what other successful FemTechs are doing. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, and you can take inspiration from the leaders.
Learn from the big gals.
Check out their social media platforms and content for language and curation; how do they get it out there, what language do they use?
You could also look at other companies in a completely different market (for example, garden centres) but share the same target audience. How are they speaking to their customers?
The Dreaded Shadowban
The shadowban is something many sex-worker creators and brands alike worry about.
If your content is flagged, speak up about it. Talk to those in the social media company and get your followers to share your posts.
Unfortunately, there is still a tremendous gender bias, especially in big tech algorithms. Still, the more we speak out and push against these barriers, the more likely they are to be normalised.
Ted Talks, But Does He Listen?!
Why not interview people in your industry? This is more likely to garner shares and be distributed to a broader but still relevant audience.
All while educating your readers of course.
The more that are involved, the less likely it will be flagged as “explicit content”.
Grow a network of experts and partners; this will vary depending on what field you’re in, but at the end of the day, we’re here to improve women’s health.
By connecting with and asking doctors and gynaecologists to share your content, or with other sexual health educators or influencers (I’m looking at you, Come Curious!), you prove that you’re a brand that wants to make a difference.
In addition, sharing your content with other companies in a similar space to you, who may have the same audience but aren’t your competitors, will also boost your social street cred.
So make it your business to share and uplift other companies you think your audience will benefit from reading, and reap the rewards.
Start a Podcast!
I can hear Carrie Bradshaw gushing with delight at this one…
With podcasts, unlike YouTube or other prominent social media platforms, you are free to discuss whatever you want! If you wish, you can video record the podcast simultaneously and share this on YouTube or to your website.
I understand that this can be a big undertaking, and not many new FemTechs have the capacity, capital or reach to grow a podcast.
However, if you’d like to put your company out there, you can reach out to already thriving podcasts; FemTech Focus and HaloFemTech. You can also contact popular podcasts not necessarily in the FemTech space but have the same audience as you.
Monthly Giveaways
We all love the chance to win something fun!
Why not get your customers involved and offer a giveaway for one month’s free subscription, a hamper or link up with other brands who can provide a whole array of prizes. This is a quick and straightforward way to boost your online engagements and brand name. Just make sure you’re following the rules of whatever social media platform you’re doing the giveaway on.
Organic tampon company Daye has taken it to a whole other level and pulled their advertising budget from such platforms due to the constant banning of their ads. Their new campaign is a £1000 raffle to a customer who signs up for their subscription. Genius!! (Although I hate that it’s had to come to this, I hope it instigates change!)
Widen Your Gaze
Depending on what FemTech space you occupy, it might be tough to advertise or spread your brand message (let alone your legs!) to a broader audience.
This is where I recommend checking out new online spaces that are open and unaffected by BigTech culture and clampdowns.
Lips is an up and coming women-identified and LGBTQIA+ platform that stems from ideals free from hate and biased censorship.
The wonderful Blogger On Pole interviewed the Lips creators about their ethos on her blog.
Watch this space (and read their lips, literally!)!
Build An Email Marketing Newsletter!
I left this until last because email marketing is a no-brainer, yet it often slips by the wayside. Either in part, because it seems like an awful lot of effort or! How do you even build an email newsletter?!
Much like creating any online content, you first look at your audience and their needs and match what you can provide them.
Craft an eye-catching email landing page and pop up on your website, entice your readers with juicy downloadable content for more sign-ups and add eye-catching deals to your newsletters.
Don’t forget to write an alluring subject line that makes them click, even if they’ve just realised they’re out of tampons.
Email is where you can easily reach your audience because they have had to go through a few hoops to sign up (GDPR waaassssup!). You know they’re happy to receive your newsletter, so treat them with the inbox respect they deserve.
Be Creative, You Say?
I’m sure you’ve heard this phrase repeatedly about how to take your marketing efforts to the next level.
Think outside the box, grab the reader’s attention, let’s try to go viral!
While these might work for, say, men’s shaving monthly subscriptions, it’s a lot more challenging to fulfil these somewhat trivial pursuits as a FemTech trying to educate and raise awareness around women’s health.
On the other hand, marketing can often be a last-minute thought in even the more prominent global companies, so who are we to point fingers?!
However, despite navigating difficult advertising and “community” guidelines, having a trick or two in your back pocket goes a long way.
If you’re stretched too thin or lacking that creative flow for marketing materials, please feel free to reach out to me at hello@mariaprendeville.com to discuss how we can take your content from boring (or non-existent, that’s ok too!) to blazing in a manner of weeks.
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