Despite the ever-changing landscape of internet dental marketing, blogging remains the #1lead generator for businesses. Fact! Research shows that those businesses who blog (including dental practices) generate 67% more leads than those who don’t.
Moreover, blogging costs on average 62% less per lead than any other form of outbound marketing.
So if you want to know how to write better blog content for your dental practice or feel it’s about time you started one, we have all the information you need right here. So let’s get started.
#1 – Choose your topic carefully
It takes a while to craft a quality blog post, so it’s a good idea to write content that your audience will want to read about or know.
Sure, you could write a great blog post on the day to day life of a busy dental practice. But while it may be interesting, you need to ask yourself, ‘is it really what my target audience is searching for?’
In all honesty, probably not!
Instead, try to base your dental blog content on frequently asked questions or address a known problem in the industry.
Platforms like BuzzSumo are particularly good at helping you find out what topics are trending. Alternatively, visit dental forums and find out what people are asking.
#2 – Research, research, research
Once you have several dental blog topics to choose from, go to ‘Google’ and type in the specific key phrase and see what’s out there.
– Can you improve on the current information?
– If so, how heavy is the competition for that key phrase?
If the competition is ridiculously high or you feel you can’t improve on the dental blog content already out there, don’t bother.
Understanding how to write blog content isn’t complex, and you don’t need to be an expert on a particular topic or subject, but you do need to add value.
Remember, Google rewards blog posts that add real value to their readers. So, do your research first.
#3 – Catchy titles get views
If you take a look at any great blog posts (and dental blog content is no exception), they hook you in from the start, either with an engaging opening line or an intriguing title.
Take this post, for instance. My title is
‘How To Write Great Blog Content For A Dental Practice And Why You Really Should’
Intriguing enough to get you to want to read on, right? Then, to make doubly sure you stay on the page, I’ve hit you with a stat.
‘Blogging remains the #1 lead generator for businesses – fact!
Moreover, I’ve backed it up with factual evidence. As you can see, right away, I have you hooked.
Introductions that are dry and boring won’t keep a reader on the page for very long at all – fact!
#4 – Write like you’re speaking to a friend
Don’t overlook the tone and style of a dental blog post.
The best blogs are those that make a connection with the reader. So, write like you’re in a one-to-one conversation. Keep it friendly yet knowledgeable.
Dentists, in particular, need to work hard on the trust stakes because they are at a disadvantage from the get-go. Talking to a reader about a dental problem just like you would if they visited your dental practice goes a long way towards building that trust.
#5 – Make blog posts scannable
Here’s a fact – when people view content online, they read differently. Research shows that just 66% of viewers will read the entire post or article from start to finish.
Why? Because the reader is often looking for specific information.
What viewers tend to do instead is scan content and subtitles to find that relevant information. Therefore, when writing dental blog content, it pays to consider the user experience (UX).
Here are some tips for your dental practice
- Keep sentences relatively short (90-120 characters is considered good).
- Keep paragraphs short (around 280 characters where possible).
- Allow plenty of white space – no one wants to be confronted by a great wall of text.
- Consider bulleting key points – just as I’ve done here.
- Break text up with sub-titles.
#6 – Write for position zero
If your dental blog content is anywhere in the search engines, you should aim for position zero.
Position zero is almost like achieving pole position in Formula One racing. Just as pole position gives a driver the best chance of reaching the chequered flag first, position zero gives you the best chance of getting eyes on your content.
To prove a point, an In-depth study shows that position zero garners 8.6% more traffic than other organic places on the first page.
So what is position zero anyway?
Position zero (otherwise known as a featured snippet) is the information Google displays above the first organic search result.
A features snippet can be in the form of an image or video, a list or a paragraph designed to quickly and accurately answer a specific question or point.
So, As a dental blog post writer, how can you compose blog content that is snippet worthy?
Here are some key pointers
- Enrich your blog post with images, lists and tables – preferably in those areas that answer crucial questions. Easily scannable bullet points and tables give people access to the information they need quickly.
- Consider the readers intent – If they are looking for information on, say, the cost of dental implants in a particular area, then give them that specific information upfront.
- Keep it relevant – If you’re targeting information on the benefits of professional teeth whitening, then you don’t want to go off tangent and write about how teeth whitening works. Although helpful information, it’s not what the viewer wants to know.
- An FAQ section is always a good idea – it allows you to target questions specifically and answer them using relative and in-depth information.
So there you have it, how to write blog content like a boss! And of course, why you should.
But just in case you don’t want to read the entire content of this article – remember, 34% of you won’t – here’s a quick recap.
- Choose your topic carefully – Understand what your audience wants to read or know.
- Do your homework before putting pen to paper – Research is vital. Use online tools like BuzzSumo and dental forums to help.
- Write dental blog content like you’re talking to a friend – A friendly and engaging tone helps to build trust.
- Make blog posts scannable – Consider the user experience first and foremost.
- Make your dental blog content snippet worthy – Aim for position zero.
Are you a dental practice without a current blog, or your blog posts have stagnated of late?
Talk to the Mediboost team. We excel in helping dental practices drive growth through online and offline means, including writing blog posts that engage with your target audience.
To find out more about how regular dental blogging can help drive patients to your dental practice, schedule an appointment or call us on 1300 163 058 with our team today.
