When it’s time to write content for your medical website, you may think that it’s a one-and-done project. Too often staff will put effort into a website, mark it off their to-do list, and then miss out on vital and needed updates.
As your practice grows, you may start to offer new service lines. You may have new physicians join your practice, or you may offer new ways to make the patient-care experience more enjoyable. Bottom line, your website is a living part of your practice. It requires frequent attention to keep it current.
Because of the constant need for updating, it can start to feel overwhelming and content can get messy. Although healthcare is an in-person experience, evaluating your online presence can be the first step to crafting your brand and establishing credibility.
Here are five tips to help transform your web content:
1. Organization is Everything
When looking at content for a website, you must start at the very beginning. It is not enough to piece together pages, rework, or add topics if your framework is faulty.
We suggest starting with an inventory of your current content and a site map to help you see everything in a visual way. This creates purpose and planning for your message. There are many free online tools such as Screaming Frog to help with this important planning process.
If you start with a solid and scalable site architecture at the beginning, the reader will be able to navigate your site more efficiently without being overwhelmed and you will be able to add new content in the future.
2. Find Your Pillar Topics
Another key to crafting effective web content is to find your pillar topics.
A pillar topic is a single pillar or top-level landing page, that can act as the central hub of content for an overarching topic.
It is called a pillar page because from there, multiple content pages related to that same topic will link back to the pillar page and each other. This provides a way for the reader to dive deeper if they choose, without getting lost.
3. Appeal to Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
As you organize your sitemap and start to design pillar pages, you can appeal to search engine optimization (SEO).
As you form topic clusters, you can add in targeted, local keywords that have a purpose but are still personal.
When you connect your content around pillar pages and keywords, your site is easier to follow. Additionally, when Google or other search engines scan the site, the structure data will be easier to navigate.
4. Crafting Content
A major part of your website is the actual content on the page.
Content should:
- Be easy to understand. All content on your webpage should be easy to read with simple sentence structure
- Avoid jargon. Avoid any confusing medical terminology or define it as appropriate.
- Use headers. Many scan webpages, so headers help to break up the page and make it easier to read. This also helps with SEO and search engine analytics.
- Use lists or bullets. To help break up the webpage, your content should not get too lengthy. Long paragraphs are difficult to read, especially if your reader is on a mobile device. Instead, use lists or bullets when discussing symptoms, treatment options, or other content that might get long.
- Reflect your brand. If your organization is laid-back, the tone should reflect that personality. If you want to establish credibility, your website should look clean and crisp. If you are known for being a patient-centered practice, make sure your content does not sound too dry or impersonal. Words can carry power, so give purpose and planning to the content on your website.
5. Get Help
If the thought of organizing your entire website seems daunting, you can seek out help. There are professionals that have transformed web pages for decades, and sometimes a little help can go a long way.
At Practis, we specialize in healthcare practices. We know what it means to have a credible presence online where your patients can find you, but also learn more about various diseases.
As you work to serve your patients, let us work to have your website reflect your efforts. Reach out to us for a free consultation today.