Content is king of the Internet, so if you want to increase new patient numbers, you need a writer. Perhaps you are a writer, and you compose your own original text for your website and blog. If so, you may only need an editor. Usually, however, even dentists who are excellent writers lack the time to effectively manage a content marketing strategy. The task is quite labor intensive, but it pays off tenfold. Content marketing may be the single most effective type of marketing available today, particularly for dentists and physicians.
Why You Need a Copywriter
- Library articles are bad for your dental website SEO strategy. In fact, Google experts have said that any website text found elsewhere online could harm a site’s SEO rankings. (Yes, Google can tell if your website text is on other websites.) Furthermore, if you use another website’s text or images without permission, you could face legal action. I have personally seen dentists fined thousands of dollars for copyright infringement.All of your website’s pages, and you need 20-30 to be competitive online, should feature original, well-optimized text. Your site should feature NO library articles. You can link to articles on the AGD or ADA site, but do not publish the content on your website. Only content on your website will help your SEO rank, traffic, and new patient calls. In addition, dentists need one to five blogs per week, all original content, published on their website and to social media profiles, including Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and LinkedIn (for referrals).
- Stock content sounds impersonal and canned, and your office is full of personality. It’s part of what patients love about you. Your website may be the first impression a potential patient has of your office. The look and voice of your site needs to accurately convey the ambiance and professionalism of your dental office and staff.In interviewing dentists over the past decade, I have learned that all dentists believe their one-on-one patient relationships set them apart from other dentists. If that’s true, and it’s a major selling point, your website should convey the dedication you have to develop and maintaining personal relationships with your patients.
- Your reputation could suffer if your website is not well written and clinically accurate. Typos, misused or misspelled words, and clinical inaccuracies can harm your reputation with potential patients and your peers.In addition, state dental boards and the ADA have regulations governing dental advertising and marketing. Only someone who’s plugged in to the industry would be aware of such rules. I’ve seen dentists receive letters requesting that content be removed from their website within ten days or their license could be at risk. Do not put yourself in this position! Hire an experienced dental copywriter who knows the ins and outs of your professional marketing requirements.
- To compete in the online community, you need well optimized content that includes internal links, targeted keyword integration, and regular updates. Your SEO plan should include monthly reports, analysis, and refinement as needed. Some website and social media marketing companies publish the same content across all of their clients’ websites. This does not help SEO in any way. Others publish irrelevant content or publish in the wrong places. A blog post explaining how dental sealants work should not be posted on a forum for dentists. It belongs on a parent forum. This seems elementary, but I’m no longer surprised to see new ways that dental marketing companies fail their clients. Sometimes I feel as if they spend more time doing things the wrong way than it would take to actually do things right.
- Fresh content will keep you at the top of search results, but you don’t have time to write, edit, and publish content for your website and blog. Google’s Matt Cutts tells us that no business should be without a blog in today’s market. Dentists need blog content, but not for the reason you might think. Dental blogs will not attract followers. Seriously, do you follow your podiatrist’s blog? Of course you don’t. Neither will your patients follow your blog.
The purpose of posting original blogs on dental websites is to expand the website’s search engine presence. With each blog that’s published, more keywords are indexed and more opportunities are created for potential patients to find your website. Because of this, blogging should be an integral component in any dental marketing plan.
The Professional Dental Writers
If you need new website text or scheduled, regular blog posts, Identiwrite Creative’s team of professional copywriters stands ready to assist you. Call 940-395-5115 or email [email protected] today for a website and SEO analysis, a $199 value, at no cost if you mention this post.
