What biotech companies should look for in a marketing agency before they scale
For the first few years, many biotech companies do their own marketing without calling it that. A postdoc keeps the website alive between experiments, and the news page is mostly conference posters.
As the company secures funding, prepares for a product launch or begins exploring partnerships, its audience expands. Potential investors, partners, and customers may research the company online before speaking to the team, making the website and other marketing materials an important part of their first impression.
A biotech marketing agency usually enters the conversation about then, often after a board member has asked about the website.
Why the timing matters
Hiring a marketing agency takes time to deliver results. The agency needs to understand the company’s science, business model, target audiences, and commercial goals before it can develop effective messaging.
Some companies bring in an agency shortly before a launch or funding round. This can still work, but the limited preparation time may leave less room for research, planning, and review. Bringing an agency on board earlier can give both teams more time to establish a clear direction.
The science comes first
A simple test is a recent paper or a poster, handed to the agency with a request for a summary that an investor could read on a phone.
Is the science still correct? And does a reader from outside the field learn, near the top, why it should interest them?
It is also worth asking who will write the content and how scientific review is handled. Ideally, the agency can turn the source material into a clear first draft, leaving the scientific team to check technical accuracy and clarify any details that need attention.
Scientific and business development teams may both need to review content before publication, and that is a normal part of the process. An experienced agency should check claims against the available evidence before submitting a draft, while leaving the appropriate subject matter experts to confirm technical accuracy and approve the final wording.
A generalist agency with a seasoned scientific writer can pass the same test.
Plan first, channels second
Founders often open the conversation with a channel. They want LinkedIn posts, or a new website, or to be found on Google for a particular assay.
A thoughtful biotech marketing agency will first ask who the company needs to reach over the coming year and what those audiences need to understand before taking the next step. The answer for a pre-commercial platform company is rarely the answer for a company with a kit on the market.
The first may need a clear website and a founder who posts regularly. The second needs search content, case studies, and something its sales team can send after a call.
Working with a busy team
The people who can explain the science are also running the experiments and preparing the board papers, and growth leaves them with less time each month.
The number of review rounds can vary depending on the content and the feedback it receives. Before the work starts, it helps to agree on who will review the drafts, how feedback will be consolidated, and how revisions will be handled. What happens when a conference poster is suddenly due on Friday?
The scope of the engagement may also change over time. Some companies begin with SEO or website improvements and later add social media management, content development, or other marketing activities as their needs evolve.
When evaluating an agency, ask how it handles changes in scope and whether it can support the company’s priorities as they develop. The aim is to find an arrangement that fits the company’s current needs while leaving room for future requirements.
What the reports will say
Biotech deals are slow. A partnership can be signed long after somebody first landed on the website, and a dashboard rarely shows the path between the two.
A useful report should go beyond followers and page views. It can also track engagement from target audiences, relevant enquiries and conversations that marketing may have helped initiate. For example, a business development manager requesting a call after reading an article on assay validation provides a more commercially meaningful signal than a rise in page views alone.
Search is slow to build, and so is a following on LinkedIn. An agency worth hiring says so at the start and reports the quiet months as plainly as the good ones.
A short list for the first call
- Whichlife science companies has the agency worked with, and at what stage were they?
- Whowrites, and who is the daily contact?
- Howdoes a text travel from first draft to approval, and who signs it off?
- Whatgoes into the monthly report, and what is left out?
Look for answers supported by relevant examples rather than general promises. A biotech marketing agency should be able to explain its role in previous projects, how it works with scientific teams, and what it can realistically deliver. It should also be willing to discuss whether external marketing support is appropriate for the company’s current stage.
Frequently asked questions
1. What should a biotech company look for in a marketing agency?
Look for an agency that can communicate complex science clearly, understand the company’s commercial goals, and work effectively with scientific and business development teams. Its approach to planning, content review and performance reporting should also be clear.
2. When should a biotech company consider working with a specialist marketing agency?
A company may benefit from specialist marketing support when preparing for a funding round, product launch, partnership discussions, or entry into a new market. Bringing an agency in before a major milestone can give both teams more time to understand the science, define the strategy, and prepare the necessary materials.
3. How can biotech companies evaluate the experience of a marketing agency?
Review the agency’s relevant case studies, published content, and experience with companies at a similar stage. Ask who would work on your account, how scientific claims are reviewed, and what results the agency can substantiate. Speaking with a scientist about a sample of its work can also help you assess the quality of its communication.
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