Capturing reader interest is key for any website and websites tend to soar or nosedive based on the quality of their website content. Quality content is particularly important for dental sites because not only are they looking to show readers what services and treatments they provide but also any web page content must look to build trust.
With this in mind, you might want to check out these 10 rules or principles for producing quality content that will position the website owner in the right light.
Rule #1 – Understanding your subject matter
If as a dentist you choose to write your own content then you’ll have no problems but understandably many dentists will look to outsource this aspect of marketing. It really pays that your chosen writer knows your industry in order to position you as a trusted authority. If the writer doesn’t understand the intricacies of the dental industry and how you stand out from your competition, it’s going to be pretty hard to do exactly that.
Rule #2 – Knowing your target audience
Before putting fingers to the keyboard it’s essential to know exactly who your content is aimed at. Is it for existing dental patients, for example, or are you looking to attract new patients? If so, what age group? Young families, older professionals, seniors etc… Knowing this will better help to write content that strikes a chord with your target audience.
Rule #3 Deliver the important stuff first
This is what great web page content does. How many times have you searched for information, found what you believe to be a web page answering a question only to find out that the answer isn’t immediately clear?
I’m guessing the answer is ‘regularly.’
It’s important to remember that when people visit websites – and dental sites are no exception – they typically spend around 8 seconds looking for the information they need. If the important stuff isn’t apparently clear, they will simply click off and find another website.
So if someone is looking for information on “how much dental implants cost”, then make sure you give them what they want within the first paragraph. Then you can go on to explain why they cost what they do, afterwards.
Rule #4 – Have a content strategy in mind
Content strategy is key when looking to develop website content because this will allow you to seamlessly link from page to page as visitors go through your website. This, in turn, keeps them engaged with your content and above all, keeps them on your site. For instance, if you had a post about missing teeth restoration and mentioned dental implants then it would make sense to hyperlink those words and send the visitor to a page on dental implants where they can find more detailed information.
Rule #5 – Get rid of the jargon
This is particularly relevant on dental sites. Remember you should be planning your content strategy aimed at the educated layperson and not dentists or dental professionals. For example, while you may refer to those patients with no teeth as ‘edentulous’ it’s unlikely that visitors will know what that means. Where possible, when writing web page content get rid of the technical terminology and make it easy to understand.
Rule #6 – Use ‘you’ and ‘your’ in your web page content
When writing engaging website content it’s important to use an active voice rather than a passive voice. For example, rather than say ‘patients can undergo the latest teeth whitening techniques at our state-of-the-art dental clinic’ how about saying ‘you can benefit from professional teeth whitening at our modern dental clinic.’ It suddenly feels more engaging and personal to the reader – Ultimately, that’s what you’re looking to achieve.
Rule #7 Keep it short and simple
Remember, readers don’t spend long on website content and when they choose yours, they don’t want to be bombarded with a great wall of text. Instead, break up your content into readable chunks or sections – just like we’ve done here using sub-headers. Also where possible, try to include bullet points or lists. This is a great way of making web page content both scannable and easy on the eye.
Rule #8 – Incorporate multi-media or graphics
When writing website content or planning your content strategy it’s important to remember that not everyone takes in information by reading. According to reports, about 65% of the population are visual learners. Therefore, by excluding these people you are losing over half your patient base. Instead, what many dental sites are now doing is to include videos, infographics and other forms of multimedia in their website content in order to enhance and enrich the user experience.
Rule #9 – Show not tell
Remember quality content particularly for dental sites is all about having a voice or trust. Therefore, it’s important to show people where you have got your information rather than to simply tell them. Let’s take the last section as an example. We could have simply said that “65% of the population are visual learners” and of course this is correct.
However, a ton of kudos is added to that statement when you can back it up with a report or a statistic – particularly from another trusted website. In other words, if you are going to say something that isn’t well known, then you should be able to back the statement up with a relevant link.
Rule #10 – Include a call to action
A good content strategy should always include telling the visitor what you want them to do next. On dental sites, for example, that normally means that you want the visitor to book a consultation online or call the clinic directly to schedule an appointment. This is known as a ‘call to action’ and is typically achieved using a sentence or two at the end of your web page content detailing the reader’s next move. This could be something as simple as ‘Want to know more? Book yourself a smile consultation today!’ or it could be something a little longer. Either way, it should serve the same purpose and show the reader what they can do next to access your dental services or treatments.
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So there you have it, 10 golden rules for writing quality web page content. If you are ready to step up your dental marketing then book a strategy consultation with the team at Mediboost. We’re Australia’s #1 patient growth agency and excel in increasing patient numbers and revenue for dentists using proven strategies that work.
Call us on 1300 163 058 or schedule a consultation online today.
