Let’s set things straight about HCP Digital Opinion Leaders

Tackling some areas of confusion about DOLs 

Over the past eight years, I have led and supported numerous Digital Opinion Leader (DOL) projects worldwide, primarily partnering with top 10 pharmaceutical companies. I have helped clients understand what DOLs are—and what they are not—identified the right DOLs for their needs, and championed the importance of building trusted relationships. Through strategic guidance, industry-leading event speaking engagements, and multiple award recognitions, I have contributed to shaping best practices in DOL engagement.

Today, the world is more informed about HCPs’ online activity, and most clients are at least familiar with the concept of DOLs or have heard of the term. In fact, Google Trends data shows that interest in the term “Digital Opinion Leader” has been on the rise since August 2020.

At CREATION.co, we’ve observed that, particularly since COVID-19, many agencies and consultancies have introduced DOL identification and mapping services. While many excel in Key Opinion Leader (KOL) services—often incorporating social metrics to reflect KOLs’ social media activity—there remains a common misconception: not all KOLs active on social media are DOLs and not all DOLs are KOLs. This distinction is critical, yet often overlooked. Let’s address this and other common misunderstandings we encounter regularly in the industry.

Confusion 1: “My digitally active KOL is a DOL.” – What makes an HCP a DOL?

We see the pharmaceutical industry often struggling with identifying who qualifies as a DOL. Is it purely about follower count, or is engagement and influence within a specific niche more important?

Many still confuse social media popularity with true influence on clinical decision-making.

On the other hand, we come across many teams that assure us that they know their DOLs already. When we ask more questions the reality is that most of them are KOLs who are active on social media. And yes in some therapy areas, the overlap of KOLs and DOLs is very close but teams often miss out on other DOLs who would not necessarily fall into the typical KOL category.

To summarize:

A Digital Opinion Leader is an HCP who has developed a significant impact on HCP peers through social media engagement and is trusted as an authority in a particular area of expertise. Their online influence is reflected through their level and type of engagement with other online HCPs. 

The key is to identify a DOL based on your specific objectives—why you need DOLs and what you aim to achieve.

Want to read more about this topic? I previously wrote an article entitled KOLs and DOLs – the same or not the same? That is the question.

Confusion 2: “My DOL needs to have a high reach to be influential.” – Measuring impact beyond vanity metrics

Likes, shares and follower counts don’t necessarily equate to influence. Pharma companies still struggle with measuring the true impact DOLs have on discussions with other HCPs, treatment decisions, and broader healthcare trends.

Over the years, HCPs online have built vast, trusted networks where they effectively verify each other as credible sources of information. Understanding and tapping into these peer-driven ecosystems is incredibly powerful. CREATION.co’s Peer Impact score, for example, quickly helps distinguish trusted and influential HCPs from those who are simply loud—or even those spreading misinformation.

I recently worked on a project identifying and profiling HCP DOLs in the U.S. within a Neurology therapy area. As we developed bespoke DOL metrics and refined the shortlist, we noticed an HCP with a high volume of original content on the topic. At first glance, this seemed promising. However, over a 12-month period, this HCP had received zero engagement from other HCPs. A closer look at their social media activity revealed why—the content lacked credibility and even contained misinformation.

This is why measuring real influence goes beyond surface-level metrics. It’s about understanding peer validation, trust, and impact.

Want to see some of the standard metrics that we use here at CREATION.co to find your HCP DOLs, check out this YouTube video.

Confusion 3: “We use the same approach to engage our DOLs.” Understanding the varied roles of HCP DOLs

Not all DOL relationships serve the same purpose, and their influence within the healthcare landscape varies widely. Some focus on education, using their platforms to break down complex medical concepts for peers and the public. Others are strong advocates, championing specific causes such as patient access, healthcare equity, or policy change. Some DOLs drive research conversations, sharing the latest studies, discussing clinical advancements, and even shaping the direction of future investigations. Then there are those who challenge traditional pharma narratives, questioning industry practices and sparking debate on innovation, ethics, or regulatory policies.

Despite these distinctions, pharma companies sometimes take a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to DOL engagement, treating all DOLs the same instead of recognizing their unique roles and tailoring strategies accordingly. Engaging an educational DOL requires a different approach than working with an advocate or a researcher. Without this nuance, companies risk ineffective collaboration, missed opportunities, or even alienating influential voices in the space.

To truly harness the power of DOLs, pharma must move beyond generic engagement tactics and develop a more strategic, role-specific and personalised approach—one that respects the diverse contributions of DOLs and fosters meaningful, trust-based partnerships.

Want to see how we profile DOLs based on their focus? Read about how the top 5 female DOLs in oncology have a different focus. 

Confusion 4: “I want DOLs so I can pay them to post.” –  How to engage authentically

Many pharma teams still struggle with how to engage DOLs in a sustainable, meaningful way rather than treating them as short-term assets for a single campaign. Here’s why this mindset needs to change:

DOLs are not just channels for amplification
A common mistake is viewing DOLs purely as a means to disseminate pharma’s key messages. Unlike some paid influencers in other industries, HCP DOLs are not just looking for content to push—they want to engage in meaningful discussions, share their own perspectives, and contribute to the broader healthcare conversation.

Trust takes time to build
DOLs are highly selective about who they engage with. Pharma companies that approach them only when they need something—without prior interaction or relationship-building—often find it difficult to establish trust. Long-term engagement, where pharma listens, learns, and supports rather than dictates, is key to fostering real partnerships.

Transactional engagement feels inauthentic
If a DOL only hears from a company when a new product launch is coming up or a campaign is about to roll out, it sends the wrong message. True engagement means staying involved in the conversation even when there’s no immediate business objective—supporting their content, engaging with their insights, and understanding what matters to them.

DOL engagement is not about “managing” or “briefing”—it’s about relationship-building, trust, and mutual value. Pharma teams that move away from potentially outdated KOL-style approaches and embrace authentic, long-term engagement will see the greatest success in working with DOLs.

Want to read more about this topic? Read up on why DOLs are not your paid media channel.

Confusion 5: “I only need some names of DOLs.” – The power of listening

A common misconception in pharma and healthcare marketing is that simply naming a few Digital Opinion Leaders (DOLs) is enough to build an effective engagement strategy. Some teams approach DOL engagement as a checklist item—“Just give me a list of names, and we’ll take it from there.” However, this mindset misses the true value of DOLs and to find the right DOLs, you must first listen to the broader HCP conversation.

A simple list of DOLs provides a snapshot of influential healthcare professionals, but it lacks the nuance and depth needed to fully understand their true impact within the medical community. While names can identify the key players, they don’t capture the richness of the conversations they are having or the influence they wield in shaping the direction of healthcare discussions. Listening to the online HCP conversation, on the other hand, offers a more holistic view. It enables a deeper understanding of how DOLs interact with their peers, what topics they are focusing on, and the tone and sentiment behind their discussions.

Your goal ideally should be to provide value as defined by the HCP and to come alongside DOLs on topics they care about. This can only be achieved through listening first!

Here is a great case study on how listening to unprompted HCP online conversations has identified not only a key need but also a DOL and led to great DOL engagement and activation. Or watch a 1-minute video of this case study.

Final thought

As I recently shared on LinkedIn, one of the biggest misconceptions about Digital Opinion Leaders (DOLs) is that the concept is new. At CREATION.co, we not only recognized the importance of DOLs early on but also coined the term back in 2012! A lot has evolved since then, and COVID has only accelerated the need for pharma to rethink traditional KOL engagement. However, despite this shift, DOL identification, engagement, and activation still are not yet considered standard practice within pharmaceutical companies—they remain viewed as innovative strategies.

If any of the misconceptions I’ve highlighted in this piece sound familiar, or if you’ve come across them in your company and are not sure how to address them, let’s chat!