Content: Web Marketing’s Holy Grail?

An effective website should be the primary tool in your overall digital marketing plan. It must be a brand-consistent portal that attracts patients, differentiates your practice, and enhances your reputation. As such, the primary method of conveying these objectives to prospective (and current) customers is via content. But, make no mistake; this should not be “copy” as we are conditioned to call it after years of being exposed to hokey TV advertising dramas.
No, today’s marketing is all about content. It’s simple (the distinction, not the actual content), reflecting on the two terms. Copy refers to the words that fill a brochure or traditional marketing component – and even found on your website – in the areas of About Us, Directions, Hours, Contact Us, and the like. Content on the other hand is all about the consumers’ needs. This is the information people search for, it’s the reason they are looking for your products, services, and solutions.
All consumers research via the web today. No matter what age they are, or what services they are seeking. This makes content a critical component of your online (digital marketing) program. You need to anticipate what they will be looking for, and provide it. Right away, as in today… and with frequency too, because Google (all of the search engines) reward websites that stay current and add new material actively.
How will you decide what to write? Simple, just ask yourself, and your staff: what questions do we get from new/prospective patients? (Do the same for your existing patients too) Think about how you respond to those questions, and then write material to do the same thing for you for those folks who you have not met yet. Use the same “voice” or tone as you would in conversation – it will carry over and represent you more accurately than a formal thesis or clinical summary.

Still stuck for ideas?

Here are three types of content we typically create for websites:

News Roundup

The news roundup uses curated content to gain the attention of specific prospects. Gather two to four pieces of current information on a theme and bring them together in a single posting that summarizes the topic and offers a connection with your practice’s perspective.

Repurposed Content

This is content that has appeared on another site (manufacturer, supplier, partner, industry news, etc.) that you may link back to in order to bring relevant material to your audience. It may highlight a subject matter expert’s work or rely on another’s reputation as an industry thought leader. To respect copyright, we always link to the original site. Regardless, the service you are doing for your audience is to have already conducted a search, found the most relevant information, and brought it forward for their attention. It establishes your practice as current, knowledgeable, and focused.

Subject Matter Expert Interview

This is exclusive content created from an interview with a subject matter expert (most likely you, or others on your team) for their perspective on a relevant topic. It provides a platform for credibility and professionalism, as well as lets you determine the exact amount and direction of the discussion. Content can be formatted in several ways: a written Q&A, a one-on-one interview, a panel discussion, a podcast, video interview, etc. (keeping in mind that content is not limited to just text – it will also include images and video).