Investigating GLP-1 sourcing preferences on social media and motivations for use: Survey with choice-based conjoint (CBC) exercise

The growing use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) drugs such as Ozempic for weight loss interventions has led to increased concerns about inappropriate use, supply shortages, and high-risk sourcing. However, little is known about the influence of online marketing strategies on purchasing preferences for GLP-1 products. This study uses a survey with a Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) exercise to assess features of social media posts that are most influential for intent to purchase GLP-1 products and identify motivations for use. Participants were recruited based on current use of GLP-1 drugs, previous use, or considering use (n = 242). Utility scores from the conjoint analysis quantified the influence of tested features. Conjoint findings showed greater preference for posts that feature branded semaglutide (e.g., Wegovy)(15.38, SD = 45.29), display products in packaging (47.49, SD = 46.72), have accredited digital pharmacies as the seller (25.16, SD = 47.31) (e.g., Amazon Pharmacy), include medical endorsements for diabetes treatment (13.16, SD = 49.04), and offer a free consultation (13.18, SD = 32.00). Analysis was conducted on survey questions measuring GLP-1 purchasing channels and motivations for use. Over half of participants (51.7%) reported that social media content influenced their perceptions of GLP-1 drugs and 45.8% (n = 65) of GLP-1 users reported purchasing product from high-risk sources (i.e., personal network or individual sellers online). Exploratory analysis shows a possible association between self-reported high-risk sourcing and reliance on GLP-1s for medical conditions. Overall, our findings identify influential attributes of GLP-1 social media ads (i.e., branding and visual display of products) and suggests greater support is needed for online moderation efforts to prevent high-risk purchasing activity and increase safe access to GLP-1s for those with medical needs.