Reed McDonald, Author at Medical Content Solutions

How to Structure Your Medical Content for 2021

Posted on October 27, 2020 | by admin | 1 Comment

As we begin to put 2020 in the rearview mirror, healthcare professionals may be feeling apprehensive about transitioning their medical content for 2021. While the past year may leave us feeling a bit traumatized and in need of a (well-earned!) vacation, you may also be looking at how to adapt to the upcoming year.

2020 changed the healthcare landscape and how people look to get information from and about their personalized care. One of the most important lessons that we take from the COVID-19 pandemic is messaging issues. We’d like to help you regain the authoritative voice that your patients need.

Themes for Medical Content 2021

Healthcare Spending and the Economy

One of the dominant issues that we’ll face going into 2021 is the economic landscape. While the 2008 recession was caused by housing and investment issues, the healthcare industry experienced effects, too. Looking behind the 2008 recession, the National Health Expenditure Accounts, or NHEA, showed that accounts dropped from 6.5% to 3.9% or a 2.6% drop. However, that reduction was also influenced by a 1.6% reduction in inflation. The realized percentage drop was closer to 1%. While that can affect a family’s ability to seek the same medical attention, it’s a less stark outlook than many had expected; welcome news when you view other economy sectors during the recession. Structures experienced around a 10% reduction.

Additionally, while there was a slight reduction in healthcare spending, many offices continued to remain understaffed. This puts stress on hiring and training appropriate medical professionals.

The 2008 recession wasn’t caused or related to health issues, and there wasn’t much of a dip in the healthcare market. Coming out of the Coronavirus pandemic, the healthcare industry is poised to have an upswing, regardless of the economic situation. Patients who have postponed regular appointments or elective procedures will be seeking to have their needs met.

Elective Procedures

When you look at the upcoming year, there is certainly room to be optimistic. During the global pandemic, many institutions stopped offering elective procedures. However, this didn’t eliminate the need for those procedures but just postponed them. Healthcare professionals should expect an increase in the number of procedures and visits from their patients.

Electronic Resources

COVID-19 expanded the patient’s use of telehealth services, and many healthcare practitioners found themselves having to purchase specialized equipment and software to handle this new need. Of course, following the pandemic, maintaining telehealth options has benefits for your patients. People recognize the benefits of telehealth for the following reasons:

Reducing travel
Limiting exposure to illness
Easing time restraints on their busy schedules.

A study before the pandemic shows that many family physicians spend only 27% of their time with patients, and almost half (49%) of their time is spent on administrative duties!

More than 60% of the surveyed family physicians felt that the increase in administrative duties was the biggest issue facing their practice. One of the big factors in running any medical practice is updating and maintaining your online presence. These efforts continue to chip away at already tight schedules and further reduce your ability to focus on your patient’s care.

Strategizing for 2021

Just getting through 2020 is a major accomplishment, but you need to prepare to enter a busy year for the health industry. You should continue to utilize and promote your digital services, maintain an online presence, and invest in continued training, education, and hiring for your practice.

If one of the main issues your healthcare practice is facing is reducing the administrative workload, consider bringing Medical Content Solutions to your team. With a fully-vetted and functioning content team, we can help create the content that your practice needs. Our skills include newsletters, email campaigns, press releases, and ebooks. Additionally, we provide content for your website, including landing pages, articles, blogs, and staff biographies.

Our approach allows you to have a single point of contact while gaining a full staff of writers, editors, and project managers to ensure that your 2021 is the best year yet!

Topics You Should Write About on Your Physician Blog

Posted on October 26, 2020 | by admin | Leave a Comment

Today’s healthcare providers understand the importance of connecting with their audience. A growing number of healthcare practices have started setting up and maintaining a physician blog. While blogs can be great methods of helping you reach your patients, it can be challenging to develop blog topics. There are a few key points that you should consider before you even brainstorm topics, so let’s walk through that issue first.

A Physician Blog Improves Patient Trust

Establishing a knowledgeable blog helps patients get a feel for your professionalism before they schedule their first appointment. Today’s market isn’t searching for merely the best doctors or healthcare staff, but they want to connect with their providers. Blogs are a great way to allow prospective patients to see what makes your practice different.

Blogging Increases Your Visibility

While many physicians want to write blogs that help patients understand issues they may be facing, one of the side benefits is increasing your website’s ranking and visibility. SEO (or search engine optimization) is a strategy used to help search engines find relevant medical content. Creating blogs that cover topics that answer questions can increase your visibility and the likelihood that people will click on your website. Hopefully, the more people you have clicking on your website will translate to more patients walking through your door!

Having a Physician Blog is Free but Takes Time

There are two different tactics that most marketing companies take to help drive traffic to your page. One of these is paid advertising, also called cost per click (or CPC). While CPC advertising can result in traffic coming to your website almost immediately, it can be expensive, and the benefits of utilizing this strategy don’t hang on forever.

The second method of increasing traffic to your website is through organic traffic, and this is where your blog and website content is crucial. Google (and other search engines) utilize sophisticated algorithms to calculate which sites get ranked. The higher you’re ranked, the more likely you are to increase website traffic. While the Google algorithm is constantly changing (and the details are strictly confidential to prevent cheating), certain factors are known to help improve your ranking. Google utilizes over 200 different known factors to help weed out bad websites and increase websites that are more likely to answer somebody’s search query.

However, without having extensive knowledge or training in SEO and the Google algorithm, you should blog about the questions that are asked. Additionally, you want to ensure that you give a great response that answers the original search term.

While CPC methods will bring people to your site almost immediately, organic methods take a minimum of six months, but traditionally more along the lines of 9-24 months. This approach takes longer to build but its effects last longer than CPC methods.

Getting to the Topics

Now that we’ve covered some of the background information, let’s get you on the path to creating great blogs! While you should always keep an ear out for the questions your patients are asking, if you’ve run out of some of that creative mojo for your healthcare blog, we’ll get you kickstarted.

Business Updates

Updating individuals on what is happening in your office is a great chance to create valuable medical content. You can include updates on new training or equipment, staff changes, office moves, or a new piece of research. These topics can help build rapport and offer some insight that patients might not otherwise notice. It’s an excellent opportunity to tout some of your recent successes.

Industry Reviews and Updates

While this information can be great for your patients to know and understand, simply having relevant and up-to-date information on your website can show patients that you continue to be involved in the community. Some of these updates can help your patients understand the changing medical industry and how they may want to structure their care.

“How To” Guides

Of course, not all of your patients need to come into your office for every issue they face. If you can tackle some generic issues or give some tips for your clientele, you’ll be on your way to establishing trust. Veterinarians could create blogs about general pet care and grooming. Chiropractors may target general exercises for joint health.

Patient Stories

Patient stories are great to demonstrate your involvement with the community. You can also use these stories to illustrate your treatment and success in a more meaningful way. Of course, be cautious of HIPPA violations and be sure that your patient is aware that you are using their story.

Conclusions

Building an excellent physician blog is a great way to improve your website’s visibility and build credibility with your community. However, this approach takes a significant amount of time and effort. If you’re considering starting a blog, but you’d like to have the help of a professional medical content writer, contact us today. We offer professional content that helps you focus on more important things — your patients.

How to Make Your Newsletter a Must-Read

Posted on October 20, 2020 | by admin | Leave a Comment

In today’s digital world and economy, we’re all looking for ways to connect with our audiences. One of the best methods to regularly connect with your audience is through the routine creation and distribution of a phenomenal newsletter.

However, even some of the best topics and information can be useless if you cannot get people engaged enough to keep reading. At Medical Content Solutions, we create amazing content for our clients, but we also understand the importance of getting your message to land. Today, we’ve compiled some of our most valuable lessons in creating newsletters that your audience can’t wait to receive.

Blast the Headline

Creating great titles is one of the first steps in getting your newsletter to have value. After all, e-mails, books, and magazines can be filled with fantastic information, but you have to get somebody to open it first. Headline creation can be a unique talent for any individual, so use an approach that works for you. Some people want to develop a headline before writing a word, and others won’t think about the title until they place their finishing touches. Either approach can work. However, we suggest that no matter what method you choose, come up with several possibilities, and figure out which one works best. It may take a day or two to capture the right title for your newsletter.

Use a Newsletter Template

There’s no use in reinventing the wheel. Most word processing programs have several built-in templates within the program, and there are even more possibilities available online. Take a look through templates to find one that appeals to you, and that fits with your intended message, and the content you’ll be using. Additionally, while some people will be tempted to stick to a single template for ALL of their newsletters, don’t be afraid to try something new.

Eliminate the Sales Talk

Newsletters aren’t the time to overtly blast every benefit of your services. Today’s consumers are not looking to be sold a product, but they want to build trust. Instead, focus on giving your audience value for their time. You need to ensure that people leave your newsletter feeling inspired to act or that they’ve gained insight on a particular topic. Establishing yourself as a professional in your field is more likely to get somebody to trust you with their business than merely touting the prices of your latest services.

Be a Storyteller

One of the most effective methods to convey your message is through a personalized story. People generally aren’t searching for an instructional pamphlet when they open a newsletter. However, creating a personalized account is more likely to get them to read through your entire newsletter in a single sitting. Think about your services and a recent example that you can use (be mindful of HIPPA, healthcare professionals!). Pertinent stories can tell your audience about your services’ issues and benefits with an approach that is more likely to connect with individuals.

As you work through your story, be sure to include descriptive language. The medical community can often appear sterile and uninviting, but by adding warm language, you can change somebody’s perspective about your office before they ever open the door.

While many medical professionals are consistent in a straightforward and scientific approach, adding emotion and personal feelings to your newsletters can help humanize you and your staff. Today’s patients are searching for people to care for them, which means building trust through commonality.

Personalize Your Message

We work with many professionals excited to tout their latest training or technology that they brought into the office. While this can be a great idea, it can also miss the mark. Make sure that your audience cares about your message. Think about the questions that patients are asking. Is that something that you can answer in a newsletter that hits a broader audience?

Cut the Fluff – Keep it Readable

Today’s audience is driven toward short, bite-sized pieces of information. While other content types can range in length, they often serve a different purpose. You want your medical newsletter to be a regular reminder about your presence in the community. A regular newsletter helps get your patients to think about scheduling their next appointment and why that is important. Instead of writing a lengthy dissertation about health conditions, keep things short and sweet. A common goal for newsletters is to keep them between 200 and 500 words, or less than a page.

Conclusion

Healthcare newsletters can be a great addition to your practice’s outreach efforts. However, an ill-written or poorly designed newsletter can end up being a waste of your time and effort. If you’re considering adding a newsletter or want to revamp your current monthly mailings, contact us today. We have a team of expert medical writers that can help connect your patients with your practice!

How Can You Create More Effective Medical Content?

Posted on October 9, 2020 | by admin | 1 Comment

Today, it’s not as easy as just throwing a sign in front of your practice and getting patients to walk in the door. Instead, healthcare practices also have to spend an increasing amount of time becoming effective marketers by using medical content. While many healthcare organizations understand the need to produce an appealing website, getting down to the details can be more complicated.

With time split between caring for patients and running the business side, your organization must be efficient with their time in creating medical content that works for you. We’ve created a list of some of the most important things to focus on when creating medical content for your website.

Understand the Types of Medical Content

All writing isn’t created equal. A number of your competitors are likely utilizing various approaches when it comes to creating great content that connects with your audience. When you consider content, it is vital to think about what your intent is. You can write blogs, emails, newsletters, ebooks, social media posts, informational brochures, and many more. Knowing your audience and getting the right message delivered through the proper format can make a well-timed message reach even further.

Consider the Google Algorithm

While everybody wants to rank on the first page of a related Google Search, anybody is lying to you if they say they have it ALL figured out. In the early iterations of search engines, merely having the search phrase appear the most times in your writing would get you a higher ranking. As soon as companies figured this out, they developed the practice of keyword stuffing. Fortunately, Google caught on to this and not only ignored keyword stuffing but penalizes it. While the algorithm is continuously changing and evolving, companies know one thing holds – Google wants to make sure that users find the ANSWERS to their questions when they click on your link.

So what does that mean for your writing? Make it meaningful and helpful. Google is always trying to sniff out cheating; that’s great news for people who write amazing content!

Use titles for your online content that accurately describes the intent of your article. Utilize appropriate research, and make sure that you are giving people the information that they want. Speak with your authority and knowledge about topics that are interesting to your patients.

Start a Blog

Blogs aren’t just the ramblings of people stuck behind a computer screen anymore. Instead, they are a great way that you can connect your community with your website. A blog allows you to write about a variety of topics that may be helpful to your patients. The blogs are easily searchable once on your website. Over time, your blog can become a library of knowledge that is particularly useful to your patients.

When you consider writing a blog, we suggest that you utilize evergreen content. This means that you write about topics that apply to your audience over a long period. While posts about a specific event might be helpful for the short-term, likely, it won’t continue to bring traffic to your website a few years down the road.

Keep it Local

While ranking at the top of a search engine for a specific medical procedure can feel like a significant accomplishment, it won’t keep patients coming through your doors if the searchers are in a different country! Many healthcare practices don’t realize that you aren’t trying to beat out every single competitor on the planet, but you need to make sure that you’re at the top of the list when it comes to your local searchers. While there are various tactics that marketers use to help your local search ranking improve, you can start by using language in your content that indicates the state, county, town, or neighborhood where you practice.

Know Your Limits

Keeping up with the changing world of marketing and content is a full-time job. If you’ve been considering the importance of updating your website or creating fresh new content, consider talking to us. We’ve got the experience and knowledge that you need to help connect your patients with your practice!

Why Should You Hire an Agency to Write Your Healthcare Press Release?

Posted on September 25, 2020 | by admin | 2 Comments

We work with a wide range of clients that need a healthcare press release. We continue to have the same discussions with our clients as they transition from writing their content to bringing in professionals. They all feel like they should have the ability to write their content, but they face several difficulties.

Professional content agencies with experience in your field may have some innovative insight and ability that makes outsourcing your content a great decision.

Captivating Content for a Healthcare Press Release

Professional teams have experience writing press releases that connect with audiences. While you may know your product or idea inside and out, content teams can merge your thoughts with your audience in an exciting way that makes people more likely to want more information about your practice!

Results-Oriented Writing

As medical professionals, it’s unlikely that you’d suggest your patients start taking medication advice from their auto mechanic. In the same way, professional writers know the most up-to-date tips and tricks to give your healthcare press release the reach and impact that you want. Backlinking, SEO Research, and Google algorithms can feel daunting and complicated. Our team has this down to a science.

Reduce Your Workload

As a professional, you have better things to focus on — your patients. It takes a lot of time and energy to write, edit, format, and publish your press releases. At McDonald Content Solutions, we want to provide you with great content that saves you time and energy.

How to Find a Healthcare Press Release Writer

Ask for Samples

While we never suggest that you ask a professional writer to work on your project for free, it is entirely acceptable to ask them for samples of work that may be similar to yours. Many writers maintain huge portfolios of their work. You can quickly review their style and content to make sure they can capture your voice.

Get Recommendations

More medical professionals are enlisting the help of professional writers to help them meet their content needs. If you are looking for a writer to help with your press release, ask some of your colleagues. Likely, you won’t have to go far to get the names of a few great writers.

Hire an Agency for your Healthcare Press Release

We hear from many of our clients that they tried to hire freelance writers on their own. However, trying to manage additional contractors, ensure they make deadlines, proper editing, and those writers are still available if reviews are needed.

Instead, hiring an agency offers a full staff at your disposal. You’ll have a client manager, writer, editor, and review team. An agency can meet sudden increases in your needs. Finally, an agency is far more likely to be available over time. You don’t need to spend time hiring a new writer for every new project. Contact us today to see how we can help you with your press releases!

How to Improve Your Healthcare Website Content

Posted on September 21, 2020 | by admin | Leave a Comment

In today’s global market, the first look potential patients might get, is through your website. It’s important to understand the role that your content plays in giving off the right first impression. Many patients depend on medical professionals to keep abreast of the latest trends in medical technology, but if you’re using outdated healthcare website content, that has become old and stale, people might think twice about scheduling an appointment. Whether it’s fair or not, it is important to look at your competition and see how they are managing their websites.

While the overall website appearance is important, you must ensure that your website is sending the right message. While having old content on your website isn’t necessarily a strike against you, not having fresh content suggests that you’re not able to focus on the little details.

Additionally, having content that does not connect with your audience will leave people thinking twice about how well you understand their needs.

Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to improve your content today!

The Tone of Your Healthcare Website Content

The medical profession has struggled talking to their patients in an authoritative and educated manner, while connecting with patients to ensure they understand the message. We suggest that medical practices maintain professional language and style throughout their content. However, incorporating verbose language should come with simple descriptions to ensure your audience understands your message.

Keep the Healthcare Website Content Relevant (Most of the time)

For many health and wellness professionals, we suggest listening to their patients. If you are hearing the same questions, consider creating content on that topic. This shows that you understand what’s happening in your community in real time.

While most of your content should be pertinent to your practice, it’s also okay to stray away from strictly medical topics. People searching for medical services are often looking to find somebody they feel like they can connect with and trust.

Innovative bios allow people to get to know you and your staff. Incorporating personal and family photos can also allow your patients to build a relationship with you before they ever step into the office.

Diversity

It’s important to mix up the different ways that you’re connecting with your patients. Some people are drawn to blogs, while other patients want newsletters and emails. Many potential patients can first come to your site because they are looking for specific articles that cover health topics. Adding multiple forms of written content can help keep you connecting with the widest audience in your community. This approach can help keep your practice growing and thriving in any season.

Wrapping Up

Of course, you’re busy running and maintaining your practice. If you’re finding it difficult to post regularly and keep your content fresh, consider hiring an agency that can write creative and engaging medical content for your website. At Medical Content Solutions, we focus on creating the best medical content that captures your voice to connect you to your community. Message or call us today and see how we can help you transform your online image.

Author: admin