medical writing - Medical Content Solutions

4 Ways to Tell that Your Healthcare Content Needs an Update

Posted on November 13, 2020 | by admin | Leave a Comment

If you have been looking over your website recently, you might think that your website’s overall appearance is outdated. While you may see design issues that look worn out, do you give your healthcare content the same focus? While a website redesign does not automatically mean that you need to rewrite everything, it can be a great time to bolster your existing content. At the same time, your website might look fantastic, and you’ll still need to add some fresh content.

Of course, if you aren’t sure that you need to emphasize your content, here are a few ways that you can see through the fog.

Low or Decreasing Organic Traffic

While your content should be informative and engaging for your audience, it needs to do double duty. One of the purposes of having content on your website is to help search engines find the most relevant websites based on search terms.

Google and other search engines are continually tweaking and refining the algorithms to identify the best sites to meet the user’s needs. If your website has never had significant organic traffic, or you’ve seen a decline in website visitors, it may be time for a rewrite. While you can attempt to tackle this work independently, you may be better suited to work with a professional that understands the current trends.

Your Competitors Have More Healthcare Content

Go online and type in search terms that you think are relevant to your industry. Take a look at the first few websites that populate in your search. Compare the length of their medical content (blogs, landing pages, white papers, press releases). See how frequently they post blogs. How full is their content library? These are all clues to how you can improve your approach. It is likely that competitors that rank higher than you have full websites, post regularly, and have been doing it for a while.

Many professionals suggest that content can take between 6 and 18 months to begin working, much less to dominate your field.

Shifting Tone

Building a library of healthcare content is hard work. It doesn’t just take time, but dedication and an ability to understand and relay complex healthcare information to general audiences. Unfortunately, that is frequently completed by many different people. While a team approach can often be helpful to accomplish such big tasks, it can also affect the flow of your overall message.

People tend to use different writing approaches, and having several voices appearing on your website can leave your readers feeling confused and frantic. In contrast, a consistent and flowing message can help to build trust and rapport with your audience.

You Only Write Something to Solve a Past Problem

When we conduct an initial review of our client’s websites, we often see that their posts are reactive. Your patients want you to understand what they need before they do. Creating regular content on topics that are pertinent to your community is critical. If you’ve just completed a new training or acquired a cutting-edge piece of equipment, make sure that your patients know! In this way, they’ll see that you can take care of all of their existing problems and even prevent issues.

Repairing Your Healthcare Content

Being able to produce content that fits all of these requirements can feel daunting. Fortunately, Medical Content Solutions offers a full staff of professional writers that can help you. If you’ve been considering revamping your current medical content, call, email, or text today! We’d love to help you get your content working, so you can focus on what matters – your patients

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 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.

The 2020 Healthcare Outlook

Posted on July 13, 2020 | by admin | Leave a Comment

It’s crucial to stay on the latest trends within your field, especially when working in the healthcare industry. Healthcare professionals are responsible for understanding the newest technologies and staying abreast of modern research.

Medical Content Services is committed to adjusting your content strategies to meet your patient needs.

The Covid-19 Era

While 2019 closed out with hints of the major pandemic, the continued strain on everyday life has only furthered the need for medical assistance. Additionally, Coronavirus has altered how people are visiting the doctor.

Many patients that recognize they are in higher-risk categories are scaling back on elective procedures and routine doctor visits. However, if you can offer telehealth services for your patients, you may be in higher demand than ever.

The uncertainty of living with a pandemic and changing local and federal guidelines has pushed many patients to research medical help online. The increased stresses have also increased the need for mental health professionals.

Managing Healthcare Consumerism

There is a rise in private practices opening for specialized and general practitioners across the board. This increase means that every practice is in a battle to attract patients. Some of the issues that ranked the highest for patient satisfaction were:

Patient Satisfaction – The overall experience for patients is a big issue. It is important to streamline every [part of your practice to ensure that scheduling, appointment arrivals, wait times, and bedside manner is flawless from a patient perspective.

Review Your Service Options – It may be time for you to send out questionnaires for your patients to get valuable feedback. Are your current offerings capturing everything that your patients want? It is also essential to evaluate if bringing on new equipment is necessary. In some instances, it may only take up precious capital and space in your office.

Make it Better – Patients are always concerned about the costs of services, so if you can lower your expenses to gain a competitive edge, that can be a great strategy. If you cannot reduce costs, you can look for ways to improve your patients’ experience or ease of service. Can you offer telemedicine for appointments? If so, you can tout the time and financial savings by eliminating the commute.

Manage Your Marketing

Many large healthcare organizations have recognized the value of utilizing digital marketing strategies. They update their websites, optimize the content to ensure that patients find what they are looking for, and increase their rankings on search engines. Large organizations will look to maintain a competitive advantage by outsourcing significant portions of their work to content agencies.

Small agencies can also take advantage of hiring content agencies. However, they should look for companies that specialize in the medical field. These agencies can work with you to build an appropriate strategy to reach your local market and increase your visibility and patient satisfaction.

Whether you’re a juggernaut in your medical region, or a single practitioner office, Medical Content Solutions has the right strategy and price to meet your needs. We offer a variety of services to ensure that your patients get the information they want. Contact us today to structure a free personalized quote. We’re so confident in the work that your first blog is on us!

Three Reasons to Hire a Medical Writing Agency

Posted on July 8, 2020 | by admin | 1 Comment

If you have finally decided that it is time to bring in a professional to handle your business’ written content, you are not alone. However, many people find that just making this decision can lead down a path of difficult choices. While there are many options to get great content from professional writers, you need to carefully consider why you have chosen to outsource your writing needs. Hiring a medical writing agency is likely your best choice.

Save Time with a Medical Writing Agency

While merely not having to write your content can be a huge timesaver, hiring and managing individuals can become burdensome. First, you have to figure out where to find the best freelancers, create a job posting, vet incoming applications and applicants, review samples, interview, hire, manage the process, edit, review edits, accept, and pay.

In contrast, content agencies have most of the work already completed. At McDonald Content Solutions, we’ll work with you to ensure that we match the right writer with your projects and handle everything else. If you aren’t sure what topics are relevant to write about, we can give you suggestions, and work with you to outline your content for the upcoming day, week, or the full year. All you need to do is approve the plan.

Get it Right, the First Time

If you attempt to manage a freelance writing contract by yourself, you’ll be responsible for overseeing the entire process. Additionally, not all writers are created equal. McDonald Content Solutions only hires writers who have extensive experience and education working for the medical community. We also have our editing team that must hold even higher credentials. We then run our content through a system of edits, accuracy checks, and readability tests. This process ensures that when you receive your content, that it already meets your needs. Of course, if we miss the mark, we will work with you to correct it, no matter how long it takes.

Dependable Brand

There are millions of writers spread out across the globe. While many of these writers are great at what they do, there are no insurance policies or great review systems in place to ensure that you get what you need, when you need it. It’s not uncommon for freelancers to leave projects unfinished, miss deadlines, or submit inadequate work. When this happens, you get the short end of the stick. McDonald Content Solutions is a an experienced company that relies on our reputation to demonstrate our skill. Our clients’ satisfaction and happiness are what keeps us in business. We’ll be here to ensure that your projects are completed on time and to the professional standards that you expect.

Ready to Start with a Medical Writing Agency?

The decision to bring in a professional writer is a significant first step to connect your business. Eliminate the additional time, steps, and money by relying on the expertise of a medical writing agency. We’ll get you a complimentary personalized quote to meet your needs, and we’ll even write your first blog for free! We offer a variety of contact options, so whether you prefer to text, a call, email, or chat, we can meet your needs.

Tag: medical writing