Is blog writing an overwhelming task for you? Is it part of your marketing mix? If not, it should be. It’s a great way to reach out to patients and potential patients. Blogs are a great way for keeping fresh content on your website. And, a blog helps drive more traffic to your website.
But, maintenance can be challenging! There’s so much conflicting advice about what to do and not to do when writing a blog. It can be frustrating. That’s why we’re going to give you some simple do’s and don’ts plus help you develop a plan.
Do’s for Blog Writing
Choose your topic by finding out what your patients what to know. For plastic surgeons, procedures are good topics. Some potential thoughts are: candidates for each procedure, expected recovery time, comments on news about procedures, specials, etc. If you have a medical spa, consider topics on non-invasive procedures, new products, benefits, specials, trends, etc. If you have spa services and products such as makeup, massages, etc., talk about the benefits.
Use links. Readers don’t like to search for additional information, so include links to news, resources, your past blog posts, etc. Being helpful creates a stronger following and it helps your SEO.
Add images. How many times have you thought or heard, “A picture is worth a thousand words”? It’s true. Pictures capture attention. Use your own pictures, request photos from vendors, take a quick snapshot or choose from free online sources.
Respond to Blog Comments. Engage with your audience. If someone asks a question or seeks clarification on your blog, send them a timely respond.
Post links on social media. Add a link to your blog on your Facebook, Google My Business, Twitter and other social media. Choose short “gems” from your blog to post on Instagram. The bottom line: don’t just link to your blog. Use a variety of ways to convey the information to your patients and potential patients.
Don’ts When Writing a Blog
Don’t over-shoot the length: Stay with a reasonable length. Definitely, you want to use enough words to say what is needed about your topic. But, no one wants to scroll forever to read a blog. Nor do readers want to read a few sentences that say nothing. Strive for 300 to 700 words to give your readers a little depth on the topic, but stay flexible so that you can do a longer or a shorter blog when needed.
Stay away from long paragraphs: Choose an easy reading format. Long paragraphs are challenging to read, so break them up. Use bullets, bold words, headings, subheadings, lists, etc. Check your spelling and grammar because mistakes can be a distraction for some readers. Pull in your readers so they can see blog items at a glance.
Don’t allow your blog to be idle: Post frequently. When you leave your blog idle for extended periods, you don’t give readers a reason to return. Thus, the number of readers decreases. Decide on how much you can do. Maybe it’s twice a week, weekly or even once a month. Then, stay with it or increase the frequency as you become more comfortable with writing blogs.
Avoid controversial and negative comments. As a doctor, you’ll find more readers with positive comments. Stick with educational, supportive and inspirational blogs. Talk about success stories.
If you’re stalling on blog writing,
contact PUMC
to learn how to maximize your time and reach your patients.
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