Authenticity is Key

Brittany Quemby, VP of Operations at Swaay.Health, is responsible for turning everyday social posts  into meaningful conversations. In a recent discussion, she shared how B2B healthcare organizations can effectively use social media, why authenticity is key, and where digital engagement is heading.

Key Takeaways

Stop Treating Social as a Lead Gen Tool. It’s a trust engine. Social media won’t fill your pipeline overnight, but it can shorten the sales cycle by building familiarity and credibility long before your first meeting. Elevate Your People, Not Just Your Logo. Let your experts, customer success leads, and product managers have a voice. People engage with people, not brands. Play It a Little Unsafe. Healthcare brands tend to play it too safe online, which reads as inauthentic. Lean into real stories, imperfections, and even failures—that’s what audiences connect with. Trust Is the Only Metric That Matters

Too many brands still see social as a numbers game. But in a relationship-driven field like healthcare, credibility is what shortens the sales cycle. Social platforms have become a place where smart companies are building trust long before a handshake or demo.

“I think social media is less of a lead gen engine and more of a trust builder or trust accelerator,” said Quemby. “When your brand consistently shows up on social media and you’re providing good insights and human interaction and engagement, you’re really building that trust at scale.”

Put People Front and Center

Logo impressions don’t equate to engagement. The posts that travel farthest often come from staff, customers or founders who share a peek behind the curtain. It’s about being someone the reader/listener/viewer can relate to.

“Rather than just having the brand do most of the talking, it’s really interesting to have different people from behind the scenes engaging,” shared Quemby.

For audiences weary of corporate voices, seeing real people speak from experience feels like a breath of fresh air…and a reason to stop scrolling.

Play It Unsafe – In the Best Way

If your social feed feels predictable, so will your brand. Healthcare marketers have a habit of playing it safe – doing what others do, rather than letting their unique brand voice fly.

“A lot of companies are afraid to go outside the box,” lamented Quemby. “We play it very safe. Those safe posts come off as unauthentic and boring. People love real people, real problems, real experiences, and even failures.”

When you break from the standard, you stand out. It not only gets attention, it shows that you are real and someone worth following. That is the start of an online relationship which eventually earns trust.

Authenticity Over Algorithms

According to Quemby, the future of healthcare social media isn’t masting the algorithm; it’s about being human. Every authentic comment, imperfect story, and face behind the logo adds to a brand’s credibility.