MedNet.com confronts “Click Through” competition

An Analysis

Table of Contents

MedNet – A summary

Challenge 1 - Marvel

Challenge 2 –Cholestrol.co

m

Possible Solutions

Recommended Solution

MedNet.com A Summary

The goals with which it was launched..

The characteristics of the company and brand image

Competitors in the market

Business Model

GoalsMedNet.com – Summary

Goals

To provide scientifically based medical information to non professional audience

To provide the above information for free to consumers

1

2

3 To generate profits from advertising sales

Goals

To provide scientifically based medical information to non professional audience

To provide the above information for free to consumers

1

2

3 To generate profits from advertising sales

Goals

To provide scientifically based medical information to non professional audience

To provide the above information for free to consumers

1

2

3 To generate profits from advertising sales

Characteristics and Brand Image

MedNet.com – Summary

Characteristics and Brand Image

Accessibly Written; Easy to navigate and Trustworthy

Considered the best website for trusted ,evidence based consumer information

Includes an active community of bloggers, community chats and virtual reality enthusiasts

Qualıtıes

Easy/Quick to NavigateVery Easy and

Intuitive to use

Accessibly Written

Very accessibly Written

All content is written/reviewed

by Experts

personableWith expert

reviewed peer content

Professıonal

Competitors

MedNet.com – Summary

Competitors

US National Library of Medicine

WHO Website

Cholestrol.com

Condition Specific Sites

Competitors

Clinical Trials .com

Alternativehealth.com

Marvel – Search Engine

Business Model

MedNet.com – Summary

Business Model

Pays them by Cost per thousand Impressions (CPM) method

Offers all other content for free

Traditional Banner advertising ; primarily by pharmaceutical companies

Challenge 1MARVEL

The Marvel Story

Pays for clicks instead of impressions

Higher click through rate…

Seemingly a cheaper alternative for the companies…

The Marvel Story- Solution

Click ≠ Sale.

But this throws up another issue….Cholestrol.com

MedNet “click”ed customers tended to buy the product more than customers of general purpose marvel….

Challenge 2Cholestrol.com

(Content Specific Sites)

Characteristics..

Focussed only on one CHRONIC condition

Provided Interactive tools….

1

2

3 Came dangerously close to actual prescription / Diagnosing

Characteristics..

Focussed only on one CHRONIC condition

Provided Interactive tools….

1

2

3 Came dangerously close to actual prescription / Diagnosing

Characteristics..

Focussed only on one CHRONIC condition

Provided Interactive tools….

1

2

3 Came dangerously close to actual prescription / Diagnosing

Possible Solutions ??

?

The Alternatives

1Take a more

prescriptive role• Charge for

content

• Treat customers as almost patients

• Less dependent on revenues

Include Alternative Health info

2 3• Start

conservatively

• Then turn Liberal

• Will it help advertising ?

Be a manager of employer websites• Use Integrity to

their advantage

• Would advertising continue ?

• Is it good overall ?

The Alternatives

1Take a more

prescriptive role• Charge for

content

• Treat customers as almost patients

• Less dependent on revenues

Include Alternative Health info

2 3• Start

conservatively

• Then turn Liberal

• Will it help advertising ?

Be a manager of employer websites• Use Integrity to

their advantage

• Would advertising continue ?

• Is it good overall ?

The Alternatives

1Take a more

prescriptive role• Charge for

content

• Treat customers as almost patients

• Less dependent on revenues

Include Alternative Health info

2 3• Start

conservatively

• Then turn Liberal

• Will it help advertising ?

Be a manager of employer websites• Use Integrity to

their advantage

• Would advertising continue ?

• Is it good overall ?

Recommended Solution ??

?

Which one ?

1Take a more

prescriptive role• Charge for

content

• Treat customers as almost patients

• Less dependent on revenues

Include Alternative Health info

2 3• Start

conservatively

• Then turn Liberal

• Will it help advertising ?

Be a manager of employer websites• Use Integrity to

their advantage

• Would advertising continue ?

• Is it good overall ?

The Recommended Solution

1Take a more

prescriptive role• Charge for

content

• Treat customers as almost patients

• Less dependent on revenues

Include Alternative Health info

2 3• Start

conservatively

• Then turn Liberal

• It will help Advertising

Be a manager of employer websites• Use Integrity to

their advantage

• Would advertising continue ?

• Is it good overall ?

The next question is ….

Why not option 1 ?

Alternative Solution

Reasons..

Statistics show people are not willing to pay for content/ register..1

2

3

Will only lead to loss of customers

A prescriptive / diagnostic approach would harm MedNet’s image of trustworthiness, Integrity in case of any (highly plausible) legal issue.

Will harm MedNet in the long run.

A lot of people browse general health information not just condition specific pages. We would lose all those customers…

Evidence 1

6 out of 10 people wouldn’t want MedNet to store personal

information

Evidence 2

75% people wouldn’t want to pay for content

75 percent

Evidence 3

50% people wouldn’t want to register for content

50 percent

Clearly the adoption of this move will only harm the existing customer base and also will hinder potential users..

Analysis

!

Reasons..

Statistics show people are not willing to pay for content/ register..

A prescriptive / diagnostic approach would harm MedNet’s image of trustworthiness, Integrity in case of any (highly plausible) legal issue.

1

2

3

Will only lead to loss of customers

Will harm MedNet in the long run.

A lot of people browse general health information not just condition specific pages. We would lose all those customers…

‘…were at risk of violating state and federal regulations that require medical advice to be delivered in person by a licenced physician’

Evidence

The benefits(if any) of this move are clearly not worth the gamble that this move is. In the long run it’ll only serve to destroy the strong trustworthy image of MedNet.

Analysis

!

Reasons..

Statistics show people are not willing to pay for content/ register..

A prescriptive / diagnostic approach would harm MedNet’s image of trustworthiness, Integrity in case of any (highly plausible) legal issue.

1

2

3

Will only lead to loss of customers

Will harm MedNet in the long run.

A lot of people browse general health information not just condition specific pages. We would lose all those customers…

Evidence

50% people visit general sites

Evidence

Wait ? How does these people help advertisers ?

Evidence

These are the same people who would come back in case of a

crisis …

Evidence

As evidenced by this survey…

Yes No Would you return to MedNet In case you need

information ?93% yes !!!

Analysis

Hence this extra viewership helps…

Why not option 3 ?

Alternative Solution

Reasons..

Will dent their integrity and trustworthy image… Sends out a slightly image

1

2

3

The Pharmaceutical company may not let them advertise … even if they do they would e subject to control and regulation …

Will harm MedNet in the long run.

Loss of Independence …Factors like driving down healthcare costs will now be a priority …

‘ We’ll be inviting a perception that we abandoned our hard nosed scientific independence in morphing from a information content business to a human resources services for hire… ’

Evidence

- Heather Yates Vice President, Business Development MedNet,.com

Reasons..

Will dent their integrity and trustworthy image… Sends out a slightly image

1

2

3

The Pharmaceutical company may not let them advertise … even if they do they would be subject to control and regulation …

Will harm MedNet in the long run.

Loss of Independence …Factors like driving down healthcare costs will now be a priority …

Reasons..

Will dent their integrity and trustworthy image… Sends out a slightly image

1

2

3

The Pharmaceutical company may not let them advertise … even if they do they would be subject to control and regulation …

Will harm MedNet in the long run.

Loss of Independence …Factors like driving down healthcare costs will now be a priority …

Why alternative methods ?

Alternative Solution

Reasons..

Will expand and diversify the visitor/ customer base a lot.. 1

2

3

Help MedNet be more stable , and ensure it can afford to reduce income form some companies

For all non staunch supporters, MedNet will now serve to be a transitory, comprehensive, trustworthy source of all kinds of medical methods. Will increase it’s own viewership from these new class of customers.

Starting conservatively and then slowly turning liberally will help the customers adapt to the change. Hence no viewership is lost.

It’ll help diversify the income ensuring it doesn’t depend on any one company majorly

‘It’s audience was larger than MedNet’s and it’s advertising sales more robust… ’

Evidence

- Description of Alternativehealth.com

This class of staunch supporters of alternative medicine will now ultimately turn toward MedNet because of it’s trust worthy image..

Evidence

!

The staunch supporters of Western medicine will not have a problem because of the slow transition prescribed; their needs will still be continued to be served in the same way

Evidence

!

Reasons..

Will expand and diversify the visitor/ customer base a lot.. 1

2

3

Help MedNet be more stable , and ensure it can afford to reduce income form some companies

For all non staunch supporters, MedNet will now serve to be a transitory, comprehensive, trustworthy source of all kinds of medical methods. Will increase it’s own viewership from these new class of customers.

Starting conservatively and then slowly turning liberally will help the customers adapt to the change. Hence no viewership is lost

It’ll help diversify the income ensuring it doesn’t depend on any one company majorly

‘It’s audience was larger than MedNet’s and it’s advertising sales more robust… ’

Evidence

- Description of Alternativehealth.com

Such robust sales will help MedNet ensure it’s income comes from variable sources….

Evidence

!

..ensuring an incident like Windham wouldn’t have much impact on the company ….

Evidence

!

Reasons..

Will expand and diversify the visitor/ customer base a lot.. 1

2

3

Help MedNet be more stable , and ensure it can afford to reduce income form some companies

For all non staunch supporters, MedNet will now serve to be a transitory, comprehensive, trustworthy source of all kinds of medical methods. Will increase it’s own viewership from these new class of customers.

Starting conservatively and then slowly turning liberally will help the customers adapt to the change. Hence no viewership is lost

It’ll help diversify the income ensuring it doesn’t depend on any one company majorly

The non-staunch supporters of either medicine will now have an unique website that’ll let them compare and help find the right solution across the spectrum..

Evidence

!

Include Alternative Health information on the site

Final Recommendation..

Credits MedNet.com – An Analysis

http://psdkeys.com/powerpoint/7173-vertex-minimal-presentation-29707.html

http://psdkeys.com

Harvard Business Review : MedNet.com Confronts “Click-Through Competition

Allegra Young April 20, 2007http://images.elephantjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Alternative-Health1.png

Presentation by Chandra Has Dondapati

as part of an Internship under Professor Sameer Mathur