Private Practice Marketing - Do you still need a blog?

Spoiler alert -

HELL YES

Sorry if that was not what you wanted to hear.
So if that's all you came to learn you can go and get on with your day.

But if you want to understand a bit more about why you should be investing time, money and energy into your practice blog dig in 😁.

But before we dig into the fundamentals of why . . . because you should always ask "Why should I do that?" I want to make sure everyone is clear on what a blog is, so in the words of Julie Andrews

 

via GIPHY

“Let’s start at the very beginning
It’s a very good place to start . . . .”

 

If you are new to blogging, then a very good place to start is understanding what the heck a blog is.
So here goes.

 

What the Heck is a Blog?

A blog is simply an area of your website given over to publishing short articles.

Like your very own digital magazine. The pages of your blog are different from the static pages on your website. They are automatically catalogued, can be linked with tags, and are easily searchable.

Blogging is a great way to share, your expertise, product reviews, success stories, industry updates, practice news, areas of expertise, healthcare myths, your opinions, exercises, your back story, and many other engaging subjects with your local community.

Having a blog enables you to build a catalogue of digital resources. Content that you can use in many different ways to grow your digital footprint, your practice, and better serve your patients.

 

Blogging - you can't be lazy any more

A few hundred words and a couple of images are no longer good enough to get you attention and traction.

Blogging has undergone huge changes since its first incarnation back in 1997.
What worked then definitely does not work now!

Back in the day, blogs were like online diaries where people shared their daily lives and personal stories, initially called weblogs, then abbreviated to blogs.

I remember setting up my first blog in 2009 on TypePad. It was for my cat 😳. We were trying to rehome him before we moved overseas.

I bought the domain doyouthinkyoucouldloveme.com and told his story of looking for a new forever home. It worked a treat, and we received enquiries literally from all over the world. But those were simpler times with virtually zero competition.

Fast forward just a few years and blogs evolved. They started influencing public opinion, shaping trends in society, creating celebrities, and even breaking high profile news before the mainstream media.
They became powerful tools beyond just personal records.

Jump to 2024, and the blogging landscape has transformed even more. Today, blogs are much more sophisticated platforms that serve as essential resources, powerful digital marketing tools, and channels for human connection and thought leadership.

For instance, in the healthcare industry, blogs have become vital for sharing accurate health information, supporting health promotion, changing public awareness, and collecting patients into communities, all sharing an experience, and for you to connect with those patients on a deeper level.

In the healthcare industry, blogs now include collaborations with industry brands, forecasts of industry trends, local business collaborations, patient progress reports, and high quality patient education.

Blogging content has also evolved to include multi-media material, becoming a rich platform for influencing, dissemination, education, and connection.

Including multimedia elements like videos, audio files, infographics, quizzes, and other interactive content has transformed the user experience and catapulted blogs very quickly from a collection of small static pages, to longer form, dynamic, engaging content.

Imagine a blog created by a nutritionist focussed on reducing long term health complications for patients with diabetes.

Originally it would have been a few 100 words and a couple of images.

Now that same blog if it's done well includes:

  • A video interview with a patient who has changed their diet and been taken off medication
  • A downloadable engaging infographic about healthy eating
  • A step by step video tutorial on how to make low-GI breakfast cereal
  • A quiz to assess how much your current diet is putting you at risk of long term complications
  • An audio file of the text being read, and then turned into a podcast and shared across many different platforms online.
  • Links to other relevant blog posts and web pages.

These elements have raised the bar and make your content way more engaging and impactful. 

 

So, Blogging - Is it still relevant?

 

Abso . . .blinkin . . .lutely!

You might see some people saying blogging is dead, a waste of time, and that the only marketing you need to be doing in your practice is running Facebook or Google ads.

I disagree.

Don’t get me wrong, Facebook & Google ads are great at driving new traffic to you (if they aren’t then you’re doing them wrong – let us help you Master your Google Ads )

BUT for ads to work, you need to send that new traffic to a quality destination, where people can do their due diligence. That quality destination could be a blog post all about the service you sell in your ads.

So, I’d argue you need both ads and a website with a catalogue of quality blog posts.
I believe blogging is still a powerful communication, marketing, and education tool.

Your website and the blogs on it are not only the only piece of digital real estate that you own and can control, but they also provide a unique space for in-depth content that can be easily found through search engines, offering lasting value long after a social media post or Facebook ad has faded into oblivion.

Let me explain . . .

 

Why Blogging is Crucial for Small Healthcare Practices

  1. Boosting local visibility
    A well-maintained blog can significantly enhance your practice's local visibility. By consistently publishing content that addresses common health concerns you can help with, talks about relevant local things, and reinforces your location to Google, you can attract new patients who are in your area as they are searching for relevant health-related information online. This not only brings more traffic to your website but also positions your practice as the go-to resource in your community for those problems.

  2. Building brand personality and awareness
    Blogging allows you to showcase your practice’s personality and values. Through your blog, you can share stories, highlight your team, discuss your brand values and ethics, as well as discuss what makes your practice unique. This helps in building a strong brand identity and makes your practice more relatable to existing and potential patients, helping you stand out from other local practices.

  3. Demonstrating competence and building clinical trust
    Patients want to know they are in safe hands. By sharing informative and well-researched content, or telling the stories of your patient's transformations, you can demonstrate your professional expertise and build trust with your audience. Blogs about recent advancements in healthcare, case studies, patient success stories, and CPD you’ve completed, can reassure patients of your competence and reliability.

  4. Your blog never sleeps
    Your blog posts are visible on your website 24/7 for as long as you leave them there. Visible to search engines and anyone looking for answers to a specific health problem, day or night. You could be busy treating your patients, spending time with your family, on holiday, or even asleep, and your blog posts will still be working for you. Simple but effective 24/7 marketing for you and your practice! 

  5. Showcasing services
    Most practices are keen to attract more patients with specific concerns, needs, or pathologies. You can use your blog to talk about those issues and highlight the services your practice offers in relation to those problems. Write detailed posts about different pathologies and the relevant treatments, procedures, and healthcare pathways available at your practice. This not only educates potential patients but also helps in showcasing the comprehensive care you provide, and reinforces to the search engines what your practice is about.

  6. Educating and enhancing patient engagement
    A blog is an excellent tool for educating your patients. You can provide written, audio, video, or visual information on various health topics, answer frequently asked questions, and offer tips for preventing or treating certain pathologies or problems your potential patients are struggling with. Engaging, educational content can help patients make informed decisions about their health and encourage them to interact more with your practice.

  7. Demonstrating thought leadership
    Sharing your insights and opinions on industry trends, local health issues, and popular health topics through your blog can establish you as a thought leader in your particular area of healthcare. This not only boosts your practice’s reputation but also builds your professional credibility.

 

So hopefully you can see there are many great reasons to have an active blog on your website.

 

 

 

AND Please don’t forget . . .

Many healthcare practices spend hours creating “perfect” social media posts, despite not owning those platforms. Meanwhile, they often overlook the potential of their own website and blog, which are digital assets that they own and fully control. By adding quality blog content to your website, you are not just sharing information; you are building a valuable business asset.

Your website is the only piece of online real estate that you truly own.

Your social media profiles can change, be frozen, or disappear at the whim of the various platforms. Our Practice Momentum YouTube channel was suspended for over 2 years while we protested our innocence (they finally agreed with us and it was reinstated).

Meanwhile, your website remains a stable and lasting presence that you own and can control almost 100%. A website with a well maintained blog can enhance your practice value, attract more web visitors, convert potential patients into booked patients, and improve your search engine rankings.

When it comes time to sell your practice, a robust website with a wealth of informative, engaging content can increase the business's market value. Potential buyers will see your blog as a testament to your practice’s expertise, commitment to patient education, and established online presence. In essence, blogging is an investment in your business’s future, contributing to its growth, sustainability, and overall value.

 

Key Takeaways and Action Points

Start Simple: Don’t overcomplicate your blog. Begin with basic posts addressing common patient questions or concerns.

Be Consistent: Regularly update your blog to keep your audience engaged and improve your search engine ranking. I'd recommend at least once a month.

Engage with Your Audience: Ask questions, and encourage comments and feedback on your blog posts to fuel the Google algorithm as well as build a sense of community and connection with you.

Promote Your Blog: There is no point in creating great content if you don't then tell the world about it. Share your new blog posts on social media, in email newsletters, and within your practice to maximize their reach.

Measure Your Success: Use tools like Google Analytics to track your blog’s performance, seeing how many people have visited each post and how long they lingered on the content. Adjust your content strategy based on what works best.

 

Maintaining a good quality blog is not just relevant; it’s essential for small healthcare practices aiming to boost their local presence, build trust, and engage with their patients. With thoughtful planning and consistent effort, your blog can become a cornerstone of your practice’s digital marketing strategy and become a real asset in the business.

 

I hope this has helped you to see how important it is to have current, and engaging blog posts on your website, and has encouraged you to dig in and start a renovation on your's if it's been a bit neglected.

Thank you soooo much for taking the time to stop by my healthcare marketing blog today.
I really hope you found value in spending some time here today.

I’d be so grateful if you could spare me just another 5 minutes to share your thoughts & feelings in the box at the end of this page. I’d love to hear from you.

Oh, and please use the social share buttons if you think other people you know might benefit from seeing this.

Until next time

Thank you

 

Close

50% Complete

Two Step

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.