Medinfluencers, professionals who take advantage of their experience to educate and guide on social networks, are health disseminators who combine their professional experience with that of digital communicators. They use Instagram to spread health information in an educational and engaging way. They make use of the multimodal nature of this platform – through the combination of written text, audio, images and videos – to demystify complex medical concepts and offer practical health advice.
By doing so, they not only reach their followers in a more personal and direct way, but also open communication channels that allow viewers to interact, ask questions, and actively participate in their own learning process. Topics covered can range from nutrition and exercise to mental health and disease prevention. Its ability to reach large audiences and spark discussions about health is setting new standards in health education and medical communication.
The social network Instagram, the third most popular, behind Facebook and YouTube, has more than one billion monthly active users and has become a means of communication and education.
Metacommunicative and multimodal strategies
Due to the multimodal nature of Instagram, medinfluencers have developed sophisticated techniques to capture the attention of their followers and ensure that messages are not only viewed, but also understood and remembered.
The use of information graphics, infographics, demonstration videos, and visual narratives are common strategies that improve the understanding of information by combining visual and textual stimuli in an effective way.
In addition, the interactivity offered by these tools encourages greater public involvement. Followers not only consume content, but interact with it through likes, comments, and sharing it on their accounts.
All of this increases the user’s retention of information and their willingness to change health-related behaviors or attitudes.
Disclose in Spanish or English
The communication strategies that these professionals use are very diverse, but they are even more so when we compare medinfluencers who communicate in different languages. Our recent study investigates the way in which health-related information is communicated in two languages (English and Spanish) and, therefore, in different cultures.
In order to carry out this study, 200 posts were analyzed from 10 Instagram accounts in Spanish and 10 in English of the medinfluencers with the most followers in both languages. To determine their level of popularity, issues such as profile, professional experience, the topic on which they publish, the frequency of publication, the most common type of publications (text, video, images, etc.) were taken into account. .) and the number of followers.
Among the most popular in Spanish (at the time of writing this article), we find Mario Alonso Puig (2.3 million followers), Sergio Peinado (1.6 million followers) and Lucía Galán (1 million followers ).
On the other hand, in English, medinfluencers such as Nicole LePera (8.4 million followers), Mark Hyman (2.8 million followers) and Hazel Wallace (765,000 followers) stand out.
Among the results obtained in this study, we highlight that, in English, brevity and efficiency are often priorities, which reflects a culture that values speed and being direct.
However, in Spanish we tend to value clarity and exhaustiveness, and we find rich and detailed contexts that facilitate a deeper and more holistic understanding of the topics covered.
Cultural expectations
The difference between the two languages could reflect not only linguistic preferences, but also different cultural expectations. By using simple and informative language, these medinfluencers tell us the way in which contemporary societies handle health issues.
In Spanish, medinfluencers communicate in great detail. This includes frequent use of extensive explanations and the incorporation of practical examples that help illustrate key points. This detailed approach not only ensures that information is accessible, but also fosters deeper understanding and greater interaction between the content creator and their audience.
On the other hand, in English communication tends to be more practical. Messages are short and to the point, designed to efficiently convey information in a format that can be consumed quickly. This style responds to a cultural preference for immediacy and clarity; Time is valued as a scarce resource and priority is given to speed and not so much to depth in the communication of information.
Pedagogical implications
Understanding how cultural expectations influence communication can significantly improve the doctor-patient relationship and increase the effectiveness of health interventions.
Adapting health communication strategies to reflect these linguistic and cultural differences could have a profound impact on the effectiveness of health campaigns.
By designing communication materials that respect and reflect the communication preferences of different language groups, healthcare organizations can significantly increase the reach and impact of their messages.
Keys to know if I can trust you
Choosing which medinfluencer to follow on social media should not be a decision taken lightly, especially when it comes to topics as important as health.
Therefore, before taking all the information offered at face value, we recommend verifying the influencer’s academic and professional credentials. Many professionals include (albeit briefly for space reasons) their degrees, certifications, and affiliations in their profiles. Additionally, their experience and specialization in a field of medicine are indicative of a solid foundation in the subject they discuss. It is advisable to also take a look at their professional websites (most of them have one).
Likewise, we must take into account the character’s honesty about business collaborations. Those medinfluencers who are ethical will always disclose any commercial relationship that could influence their content verbally or through tags. This is essential to evaluate the impartiality of the information they provide.
It is also important to evaluate the quality and source of the information they share. Medinfluencers that one can trust with their health tend to base their recommendations on up-to-date scientific evidence and cite studies from prestigious journals or interventions from recognized medical conferences.
Needless to say, we should be wary of anyone who promotes miracle cures or guaranteed results, especially if these are linked to specific products.
Clear and precise communication
On the other hand, the appropriate use of language is an essential criterion to evaluate the credibility of a medinfluencer. Accuracy and propriety in the use of medical terminology are indicative of in-depth and specialized knowledge.
A reliable medinfluencer will strive to communicate clearly and coherently, and will organize their posts in a logical and articulate manner, which facilitates understanding and shows respect towards the recipient of the information.
The presence of frequent spelling or grammatical errors can be another red flag. Although occasional error is human, posts riddled with errors may reflect carelessness or unprofessionalism, potentially extending to the accuracy of the medical information being provided.
Finally, we can observe how they interact with their followers. Ethical professionals do not offer personalized diagnoses or treatments without a formal consultation.
These tips will allow you to be careful when “following” (or not) medinfluencers, since we cannot trust everything we read, see and hear on social networks. You must ensure that all information related to your physical and mental well-being is based on true and reliable data.
A communication model
Medinfluencers on Instagram are not only changing the landscape of communication in the field of digital health, but they are also providing a valuable model for transmitting information in a motivating and personalized way (as long as we know how to choose the most reliable medinfluencers).
This evolution in digital communication offers a unique opportunity to improve health on a global scale through the use of social media as a powerful tool for social and educational change.
This article has been published in «The Conversation«.
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