Blogging in one form or another is a key element in any content marketing strategy. The information shared through blogging is essential for industries, practitioners and patients alike. With attention spans low and internet providing endless distractions, it’s crucial for your practice to promote itself in a way that is engaging, informative and respected. Your healthcare blog reaches out to your audience and shows that you knowledgeable, trustworthy and accessible.
Let’s look at some content ideas to get those creative juices flowing:
1. Checklists
- Checklists are a quick and easy way to showcase your knowledge while being informative, useful and fun!
- Examples:
- “Sun Safety Vacation Checklist”
- “Night Time Routine for Braces: A Checklist”
- “What to Remember for Your Very First OBGYN Visit”
2. Question & Answer
- Question and answer content is a great opportunity to address questions that are commonly asked during patient visits. This can happen through blog posts, live Q&A sessions or Twitter chats (and a blog post to recap!).
- Examples:
- “The 5 Most Asked Questions About Colonoscopy”
- “Live Q&A with Dr. ___: Answering Your Allergy Questions”
- “Today at 3:00pm: How To Keep a Healthy Diet in Today’s World. Use #happyhealthy to join in!”
3. “Listicles”
- Listicles aren’t just for Buzzfeed! Listicles are quick, easy-to-read posts that make a list out of a certain top (just like this one!). Since content like this is so “snackable” it allows your content to feel approachable and will have viewers coming back.
- Examples:
- “10 Ways to Keep Teeth Healthy this Christmas”
- “8 Things Your Dermatologists Wants You to Do”
- “5 Ways to Tell If You Have a Food Allergy”
4. Informational
- This is your classic, long-form blog article. Let your knowledge shine and really dig into a topic that you care about! Be thorough, engaging and helpful.
- Examples:
- Why You Still Need Eye Protection in Winter”
- “How Your Diet is Affecting Your IBS”
- “Everything You Need to Know About ___ Procedure”
5. Stats/Infographic
- Everyone loves a good visual! In today’s “need it now” world of short attention spans, infographics are the perfect way to deliver information with fun and brevity. Plus, it’s easy with an online tool like Canva!
- Examples:
- “Top Healthcare Trends of 2017”
- “5 Ways to Improve Patient Engagement”
- “Smoking Cessation 2000-2015: Facts and Figures”
6. Interview
- Conduct interviews with everyone around the office about their background, their role in the practice and one personal tidbit. This kind of content is lots of fun and lets people shine who otherwise might not.
- Interviewees can include:
- Physicians
- Assistants/Nurses
- Front Desk/Administration
7. Patient Testimonials
- Nothing brings in business like glowing recommendations! Positive reviews and testimonials show that you are liked and can be trusted. Put out a general call for patients who are willing to share their stories – but don’t approach anyone directly before that.
- Ways in which to showcase testimonials:
- Individual graphics
- Video compilation of those graphics
- Blog post of compiled testimonials
8. Practice News & Announcements
- Your practice is doing great things! Let people know that! It’s okay to make it personal once in a while. Bringing your readers “behind the scenes” builds that sense of trust and allows your practice to feel welcoming.
- Examples:
- Staff achievements and milestones
- New employee introduction
- New technology or procedure being introduced
9. Holiday/Theme Posts
- Holiday posts or theme posts (National Nurses Week) are fun, easy and typically well-received by audiences. Especially when promoting with the appropriate hashtags, this type of content makes you feel like you’re taking part in a world-wide conversation.
- Examples:
- Photos/videos of the office holiday festivities
- A branded graphic recognizing the holiday
- A themed article giving health tips based on the holiday
10. Industry Latest
Show that you are up-to-date with the latest news in your field or industry. It can be as simple as retweeting or sharing a link. To get more in-depth, you can create an original blog post based on this new research or study (with proper links and citations to the original source, of course!).
The content that you put in your blog provides you with the opportunity to really establish the public image that you want for your practice. Show your audience who you are, what you value and how you care about patient health. With solid content in place, you set yourself up for a great healthcare marketing strategy!
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