Blogging Smart: 3 Tips for Driving Patient Action

What can a blog do for your practice? Well, there’s certainly the SEO benefit: each page of unique content adds more authority to your site and can allow you to be found in a greater variety of search results. And, of course, it’s an important social media tool. (Especially when you syndicate blog posts to your Facebook and Twitter.) But, how else can a blog serve you? You may be overlooking one of the most important benefits of all: blogs can drive “profitable patient action.”

What do we mean by this? It means that your blog isn’t just a newsletter or an SEO tool. Rather, it has the potential to become a powerful lead generation tool – giving patients the means and motivation to reach out to you. Interested?

Here are 3 Easy Steps for Driving Profitable Patient Action:

1. Stop being a copywriter. In a battlefield of online advertisements and information overload, Internet users have been expertly trained to “resist the pitch.” So, how can healthcare professionals still stay competitive online? It’s simple. Stop being a copywriter – start being a content marketer. Instead of using your blog as a platform to pitch a service, offer quality information on a variety of topics in your field. In essence, make your site an information destination. Not only will your potential patients keep coming back for more, but they’ll begin to associate you and your practice with value and knowledge – something that definitely matters when patients are choosing a healthcare provider.
2. Give them something to do. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of a strong call to action. If you don’t give readers something to do, click or fill out, they’ll simply move on to another site – even if they’re interested in the services you offer! Conclude each post with an appeal to reach out. One of the best ways to do this is by linking back to your contact form. This gives them a clear picture of the next step, and it can be just the thing to turn a simple blog into a powerful patient engine.
3. Nurture leads. Here’s what happens: A patient fills out your contact form. You reach out. They’re not interested. A common reaction is to write them off as a time-waster or a tease. Resist the urge! Stop thinking of these as dead leads, and simply say to yourself, “They’re not ready today.” Instead of hanging up the phone, take a moment to start a friendly, informative dialogue. Demonstrate your knowledge and value. Reach out and reach out again. This is the essence of lead nurturing – coaching prospects, giving them baby steps toward a goal and ultimately, turning a prospect into a patient.

Medical Blog Writing Service

Adding a blog can offer a host of benefits to you and your practice, but it can also be a lot of work. MyAdvice offers a solution. MyAdvice’s Medical Blog Writing Service posts quality, vetted articles to your site for you. Get started today!