Meta has recently organised a Healthcare Summit in Hong Kong to unveil the latest consumer insight, growth opportunities and engagement solutions with leading healthcare and beauty marketers from the Greater China region.

With 3.7 billion users – or half of the world's population – actively engaging with Meta's suite of apps every month, it is undoubtedly an essential platform for capturing and connecting with consumers. A major user segment is Gen Zers, 64% of whom use Instagram and 57% use Facebook every month, according to the Global Web Index.

Zooming into Hong Kong and healthcare, over 50% of young, invasive aesthetic beauty customers prefer to use Facebook or Instagram to find out about promotional information of these services, the latest Kantar study found.

This presents a tremendous opportunity for healthcare marketers, but also a challenge to stand out from a sea of content where users expect interactions to be highly entertaining and personalised, depending on where they are in their journey with a brand.

Sound on: Inspirational discovery

Today's healthcare industry primarily targets middle-aged women, but Kantar research shows that youth and male consumers are emerging as key growth segments in Hong Kong. 58% of non-current users say they are likely to consider using non-invasive aesthetic service in the future, and connecting with them in a helpful, meaningful way will be crucial for brands to unlock the next wave of growth.

As social media becomes the preferred platform to explore, the way that people discover healthcare and beauty services is shifting from need-driven to inspiration-driven. People are engaging with content that is creative and fun, as well as concise and to-the-point that rewards their attention. For brands, this means that the need to entertain is higher than ever.

On Facebook and Instagram, Reels emerges as the top ad format that triggers the most interest offered by clinics or beauty centres at 53%, followed by poll ads at 41% and live streaming at 37%. Sound is highlighted as a key point of differentiation, as almost all users view reels with sound on, and represents an underused element for brands to showcase their unique style and inspiration.

Messaging with AI: Sustainable customer relationship

With healthcare and beauty being a high-touch, highly personal service industry, consumers – particularly those who are non-current users – need in-depth information before making a purchase decision. According to Kantar, top reasons for not trying an aesthetic service are a lack of information on functions, safety and prices. Before visiting a clinic or beauty centre, 64% say that messaging platforms are the most preferred channel to gain confidence – more than looking at website information or reviews.

This marks a significant shift for brands in lead generation – today's beauty shoppers demand personalised, one-to-one conversation before making a decision. Messaging platforms are quickly emerging as a crucial space for effective call to action.

This is where AI becomes vital in streamlining the process of lead filtering and completion. Smart solutions, such as ads that Click-to-Messenger, send customers through an automated question-and-answer flow on Messenger, Instagram or Whatsapp. Built-in features, such as answer validation, lead filtering and reminders, add significant value to the traditional lead form, revolutionising the way that brands can target, re-target and engage with customers over time.