Insight
Growth marketing for femtechs: 5 steps to increasing brand awareness
We live in a world that’s more health-conscious than ever. The pandemic definitely had a hand in this, and we’re seeing more and more health and femtech companies pop up.
From reproductive health and maternal care to broader wellness applications, Femtech provides women with a wide range of solutions to improve their overall health and wellbeing.
It’s an industry that remains very much in its adolescence but has already garnered huge amounts of interest and investment.
That said, with a growing number of startups and established companies entering the space, one of the biggest challenges for femtech startups and companies is standing out.
Building brand awareness in this field is important for gaining new business and gaining the trust of healthcare professionals and potential partners.
The better you promote your femtech brand, the more you can amplify your impact, build credibility, and reach those who need your innovations the most.
We’re going to be looking at some of the key strategies that femtech companies can adopt to strengthen their brand presence and connect with the right people.
What is Femtech?
So, femtech, short for “female technology,” covers a range of products, software and services designed to address women’s health needs.
The term itself was originally created by Ida Tin back in 2016 – who is the co-founder and CEO of the women’s menstruation-tracking app, Clue.
Femtech, broadly speaking, provides healthcare-related solutions for women living with female-specific conditions. Some of these include:
- Maternal health
- Menstrual health
- Pelvic and sexual health
- Fertility
- Menopause
- Contraception
Today, 76.5 per cent of femtech companies are either fully-female-founded, majority female-founded, or equally split-founded.
For brands in this space, establishing a strong market presence not only drives business growth but also plays a critical role in advancing women’s health and supporting gender equity in healthcare.
The key is knowing how to increase your brand awareness in an extremely competitive digital landscape.
Let’s look at a few ways to get the ball rolling and give your Femtech brand the brand boost it needs.
1. Build a Foundation of Trust
Trust is an important building block for any brand or industry.
However, Femtech, being a sensitive and specialised area of interest, will likely take longer to build trust with its audience.
It’s not uncommon for people to be wary of new healthcare technology, in fact, around 85 per cent of all femtech companies generate annual revenue of less than $10 million each.
To help build this trust, content marketing is a good place to start. With relatable, engaging and empathetic content, you can tell your story the right way and connect meaningfully with your target audience.
For example, you can honestly and transparently explain your research processes, address any worries or concerns your target consumers might have and generally educate them on your values and mission.
Ultimately, you want your content marketing to negate any worry associated with your product and help your customers understand that you’re here to provide a solution to their problem.
2. Optimise Your Digital Presence
If you want to be found online, optimising your website and other channels is an essential part of your strategy.
There are many ways to do this, but let’s focus on the core fundamentals that you can action right away.
First off, you need a well-considered website that’s user-friendly and clearly communicates your brand’s mission, values, and your product or service.
Focus your efforts on optimising your website for search engines (SEO), with a focus on relevant keywords related to femtech, women’s health and anything related to your niche offering.
UK marketing agencies like Hive19 explain the importance of well-crafted copywriting and how it can help, “showcase your products and services in a unique, solution-focused way that provides value for audiences (and search engines) as part of a wider marketing mix.
Consistent blog creation can:
- Build authority in your industry
- Solidify customer loyalty
- Capture brand awareness
- Improve SEO performance
Link building is an important component of your digital presence.
Look for opportunities to feature your website in reputable sources, such as health publications, academic institutions, or partner sites.
These backlinks help improve your site’s authority, making it easier for potential customers, partners, and healthcare professionals to find you in organic search.
Social media is another powerful tool for femtech brands to establish a digital presence.
Platforms like LinkedIn are ideal for networking, while Instagram, TikTok and X work well for engaging end-users who follow health and wellness trends.
Share health tips, femtech product updates, and your brand’s success stories, to help position yourself as a trusted and authoritative voice in the industry.
3. Team Up With Women’s Health Influencers
Influencers remain one of the best ways to promote your brand in a unique and down-to-earth format.
It’s worth reaching out via social platforms to influencers in this circle to see if they’re a good match with your product and brand.
Depending on your budget, you could go for bigger or smaller influencers – they’re ranked from nano to mega influencers based on follower count.
For example, if you were able to ‘collaborate’ on Instagram with an influencer who has 50k+ followers in women’s health or lifestyle niches, your product could be seen by thousands of relevant consumers.
These influencers will also promote your product in an authentic and genuine way, which doesn’t come across as salesely or overproduced.
That said, while a high follower count is great, don’t just pick influencers based on this. Pick people who actually align with your brand, speak your language and have strong engagement with their followers.
Look at it this way – a femtech nano influencer with 10k followers, strong audience engagement and a stronger alignment to your brand would be better than a 50k general health influencer who has worse audience engagement and doesn’t specifically align with your product.
4. Have Access to Qualified Experts
Like with any health-related product, people will want reassurance that what they’re buying is trustworthy and backed by medical professionals.
Having a brand advocate in the health industry is crucial for bolstering trust and communicating the benefits and details of the product to your audience.
If you’re able to have a medical professional scientifically ‘back’ your product with data and research, people are far more likely to buy into it.
Experts and specialists, whether in medical or any other industry, are essential for building credibility and reinforcing that this product is medically safe, sound and beneficial to its consumers.
5. Attend Events and Conferences
Attending or speaking at femtech and healthcare conferences can be a game-changer for brand visibility and credibility.
Events focused on women’s health innovation, such as the Women’s Health Innovation Summit or Femtech Forum, are simply great networking opportunities that allow you to showcase your expertise directly to your target audience.
If you’re up for it, you could also consider participating as a speaker or panellist on topics related to your area of expertise.
For example, if your brand specialises in fertility tech and solutions, sharing insights on advancements in reproductive health can position your brand as an authority.
Similarly, exhibiting at femtech events provides a hands-on opportunity to demonstrate your products, gather feedback, and engage potential customers and partners in real time.
If in-person events aren’t feasible, look to digital alternatives like webinars, virtual summits, or online Q&A sessions.
Conclusion
The femtech industry is at an incredibly exciting point in its evolution.
The fact that more and more femtech companies and products are being developed highlights just how important and popular this field is, and how much demand there is.
The key is making sure that you have the right building blocks in place to position your brand as a trustworthy, empathetic and professional voice in this circle.
The above steps should provide you with a strong foundation to build and continue developing your femtech brand.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to secure your financial future in this space, read our article on Empowering FemTech Startups with Scalable Financial Solutions.
Black women in the UK want clearer, more accessible breast cancer screening information, research has found.
The study looked at why Black African and Black Caribbean women are less likely than white women to attend breast screening.
Researchers at the University of Surrey held focus groups and interviews with 47 Black African and Black Caribbean women aged 50 to 71.
Women in this age group are routinely invited for NHS breast screening.
The researchers said only 45 per cent of Black women attend screening, compared with 63 per cent of white women.
Anietie Aliu, lead author, postgraduate researcher at the University of Surrey and registered nurse, said: “Diagnosing breast cancer early can dramatically improve a person’s chance of survival.
“Breast cancer screening plays an important role in this by identifying the cancer and ensuring a person receives speedy treatment.
“Despite the importance of screening, Black women are less likely to attend appointments than white females.
“This puts them at risk of a potential cancer being diagnosed late and spreading to other areas of the body. We need to understand what is preventing Black women from attending these appointments and help identify ways to remove such barriers.”
The study found a need to increase awareness of breast cancer screening, especially among women less familiar with the service.
Some women, particularly those born outside the UK, knew little about breast screening before receiving their first invitation.
Others questioned why they needed screening when they had no symptoms.
The importance of trusted conversations was also identified.
Researchers found that some Black women expected their GPs to speak to them about breast screening, particularly before they reached screening age.
Although NHS breast screening is organised through national screening services, researchers said GPs often have established relationships with patients and may be well placed to offer brief advice on preventive care, including breast screening.
Participants called for stronger links between GP practices, breast screening services and Black community champions.
They said this could help women receive trusted information, ask questions and feel reassured.
Faith and religious beliefs also shaped decisions for some women.
Some Black African Christian women said illness, including cancer, was not permitted by God in their bodies, while others saw screening as a personal choice that did not conflict with Christian faith.
Muslim women highlighted the importance of being able to state their religion on medical appointment forms to help ensure they were seen by a female mammographer.
A mammographer is a healthcare professional trained to carry out breast screening scans.
Aliu added: “Breast screening can save lives, but our findings show that attendance is shaped by multiple factors, not just awareness, although awareness remains important.
“Women need relatable screening information, reassurance, flexible appointments and services that are accessible within their communities.
“Many felt that invitation letters were too formal, and that leaflets and media imagery did not reflect them, making it harder to relate to screening.”
Dr Afrodita Marcu, senior research fellow at the University of Surrey and member of the research team, said: “We need a more collaborative approach, where primary care, screening services and community voices work together to support women before, during and after the invitation.”
The researchers said future breast screening interventions should be designed with Black women, rather than for them.
They said user-friendly and culturally relevant resources, developed with communities, healthcare professionals and screening services, could improve understanding, reduce fear and make breast screening feel more accessible and reassuring.
Dr Robert Kerrison, associate professor of cancer care at the University of Surrey, said: “There is no question that breast screening can be lifesaving, but we need to make it easier for women to understand, access and feel reassured by the programme.
“This means improving communication, addressing practical barriers and making sure healthcare professionals and community partners are supported to provide clear and trusted information.”
The team has also explored healthcare professionals’ perspectives and worked with stakeholders to develop user-friendly materials with Black women.
Researchers said this co-designed approach could help ensure breast screening messages are culturally relevant, practical and shaped by the people they are intended to support.
Insight
“Women’s voices should be heard and pain should never be ignored,” says Wales’s first Women’s Health Minister
Women’s pain should not simply be endured, Wales’s first women’s health minister has said.
Delyth Jewell said she was determined to tackle the normalisation of pain in women’s healthcare and ensure women’s voices are listened to.
Speaking during a Women’s Health Summit at the Temple of Peace on Thursday, July 16, she said: “For too long, women’s health has been treated as an afterthought. No woman should be afraid to speak up about pain or things that don’t feel right.
“Women should be believed about their bodies, and I am determined to change the culture that has let too many women down.”
She added: “Women’s voices helped create the Women’s Health Plan. Now we’re making sure those voices continue to shape what comes next.”
The summit brought together clinicians, researchers and women with lived experience to tackle the normalisation of pain in healthcare and identify how women’s voices can better shape NHS services.
Lived experience means insight from people who have personally gone through a health issue or used healthcare services.
The event focused on pain linked to clinical procedures and long-term health conditions, drawing on research evidence, clinical expertise and women’s personal experiences.
Following the summit, minimum standards for service user engagement will be drafted to ensure women’s voices continue to influence the delivery and future priorities of the Women’s Health Plan.
Service user engagement means involving people who use health services in decisions about how care is designed, delivered and improved.
Work will also begin to refresh and strengthen the plan, including gathering feedback directly from women across Wales.
The NHS Wales Women’s Health Plan was developed after discovery work in 2022, when women across Wales shared their experiences of healthcare.
Many said they had not felt listened to, had symptoms dismissed or had lived with pain for years before receiving a diagnosis.
Hosted by Amanda Ducach, CEO, and Morgan Rose, chief science officer, EmaEQ
Healthcare companies have spent the last two years hearing the same advice: get AI into your product. Few have been told what that actually takes.
Most default to the fastest option. Plug in a general-purpose model, wrap it in a chat window, and call the box checked. It looks like progress on a roadmap slide. It rarely holds up once a real patient is on the other end of it.
We’ve spent years building AI specifically for healthcare, and the lesson that keeps repeating itself is simple: accuracy is not the same thing as trust, and trust isn’t something you bolt on after launch. It has to be part of how the system is built from the first line of code, not a feature added once regulators or users start asking questions.
That distinction is the whole reason clinical accuracy gets treated as a checkbox instead of a discipline. A model can sound confident and still be wrong in ways that matter enormously in a health context.
Knowing the difference, and building for it deliberately, is what separates AI that’s genuinely safe for care from AI that’s simply fast to ship.
On July 20th, we’re hosting a live conversation about exactly this: what companies should be paying attention to before they choose an AI to build with, what clinical accuracy really requires, and the pillars we hold every AI system to before it gets anywhere near a patient’s care.
The Healthcare AI Playbook Webinar: July 20th, 1:30-2pm EST, live on LinkedIn.
Register here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7482643171823509504?viewAsMember=true
If your team is building anywhere near healthcare, or evaluating what’s already in your product, this is the conversation we think the industry needs right now.
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